CHAPTER LX. POLITICAL AND PROFESSIONAL PENCIL-LINGS.
SYNOPSIS:—Edward Curr. —Charles Hotson Ebden.—Alexander Thomson.—J. F. Leslie Foster.—John Dunmore Lang.— John O'Shanassy. — William Westgarth. —William Hull and Others.—Barristers-at-Law: E. J Brewster.— James Croke.—Redmond Barry.—Robert Williams Pohlman.—Archibald Cunninghame.—James Erskine Murray.— Edward Eyre Williams.— William Foster Stawell.—Samuel Raymond.—Sidney Stephen.—John Barker. Attorneys : William Meek. —Thomas Clark.—H. N. Carrington. —Quarry and Ross.—Robert Deane.—Charles Sladen. — Thomas T. A'Beckett.—H. F. Gurner.—J. D. Pinnock.—J. Montgomery.—F. Hinton.—J. Duerdin.— J. Trenchant—R. Scott.—J. W. Thurlow.—J. Plaistow.—J. M. Smith.—F. Stephen.—H. J. Chambers.— J. W. Belcher.—Crossing the Garden Wall. THE EARLY POLITICIANS.
NTECEDENT to the birth of the Colony of Victoria, the political agitation in Port Phillip was threefold, viz., Separation, Anti-transportation, and the Land Question, of which Emigration and the Equitable Appropriation of the Land Sales F u n d constituted sub-branches. But the great question of questions was the Separation movement. For once let the Province only be redeemed from the thraldom of N e w South Wales (the Middle District it was called) and armed with the power of self-government it would very speedily extricate itself from the constantly threatened abomination of convictism, and its territorial revenue would be expended for the sole advantage of the country from which it was drawn. Port Phillip stood forth as one m a n in the assertion of its right to have the management of its o w n affairs, and from 1840 to its attainment there was not a single hand publicly lifted against the so ardently-wished-for separation. A s regarded the establishment of a penal settlement south of the Murray nine-tenths of the public were vehement in their opposition, the residue being the squatters, w h o hungered for cheap labour, and with w h o m "pocket" and "patriotism" were esteemed convertible terms. A s to the justice and vital necessity forfinancialfair play, and a copious stream of untainted colonization, there was no second opinion. These subjects are treated with some fulness in other chapters, and this subdivision of the present one is devoted to some personal reminiscences, and a few other incidents in connection with a generation of public m e n n o w almost extinct, who, in their time, rendered good and faithful service to the young and promising land wherein they had resolved to w o o the smiles or bear the frowns of Fortune. Like unto a traveller after a long journey standing on a high hill-top looking back over the expanse of country through which he has passed, I fancy myself taking a retrospective glance over the devious thoroughfare of Time, and scanning through thefield-glassof memory, the far away starting-point n o w partly obscured by the continuously augmenting mists of years. was the principal figure in the political firmament I am endeavouring to describe. In 1826 he arrived in V a n Diemen's Land, and for years was Manager to the V.D.L. C o m p a n y at Circular Head. In August, 1839, he first visited Melbourne, bringing with him for sale some thoroughbred English cattle. Shortly after he settled in Port Phillip, turned his attention to squatting pursuits, and took up his residence on the Yarra in a nook of the area n o w occupied as the Abbotsford Convent, but called by him " St. Helliers," a n a m e that should never have been abandoned. M r . Curr, a m a n of cultured intellect, and considerable ability, was soon immersed in the public affairs of the Province. A s the movement to attain Separation was initiated before his permanent residence in Port Phillip, the designation of " Father of Separation" subsequently conferred on him, cannot be regarded a correct o n e ; yet the ardour with which he threw himself
EDWARD CURR
