CHAPTER XXVIII. Arrival of Governor Macquarie. COLONEL Macquarie having arrived at the close of the year, issued the following proclamations on the 1st and 4th of the ensuing January. "Proclamation, By his Excellency Lachlan Macquarie, Esq. captain-general and governor-inchief of His Majesty's territory of New South Wales and its dependencies, &c. "His Majesty, having felt the utmost regret and displeasure on account of the late tumultuous proceedings in this his colony, and the mutinous conduct of certain persons therein towards his late representative William Bligh, Esq. then his captain-general and commanderin-chief in the said colony ;-in order to mark such his disapprobation of the said proceedings, has been graciously pleased to appoint me his representative in the said territory of New South Wales and its dependencies; com manding and requiring me, previous to the opening of his royal commission for that purpose, to reinstate the said William Bligh, Esq. in the office and situation of captain-general and governor-in-chief of this his colony, in case he should be resident in the same at the time of my arrival. His Majesty, through his gracious anxiety for the welfare and happiness of his loyal subjects of New South Wales, for the complete restoration of quiet and harmony, and to remove every motive for future disturbance, has also been graciously pleased to direct me to signify to the said William Bligh, Esq. His Majesty's pleasure, that he, the said William Bligh, Esq. should, at the expiration of twenty-four hours after being so reinstated, receive me as his successor in the office of captain-general and governor-in-chief of the territory of New South Wales and its dependencies, and administer to me the oaths usually administered on such occasion. "His Excellency the governor laments extremely, that the absence of the late representative of His Majesty in this colony, and the necessity of his immediately taking upon himself the command of the same, in obedience to His Majesty's commands, has rendered it impossible for him to carry His Majesty's orders into literal execution, as his Excellency was most anxiously desirous to do. But in order to fulfil His Majesty's intentions as completely as present circumstances will pernit, his Excellency the governor has thought proper, by this his proclamation, publicly to make known, that nothing but the reasons above mentioned have prevented him from reinstating William Bligh, Esq. in the office of captain-general and governor-in-chief of this territory and its dependencies, and from acting in all respects conformably to His Majesty's commands. And he feels it a painful duty to be thus compelled publicly to announce His Majesty's high displeasure and disapprobation of the mutinous and outrageous conduct displayed in the forcible and unwarrantable removal of his late representative, William Bligh, Esq. and of the tumultuous proceedings connected therewith. "His Excellency the governor avails himself of this opportunity of expressing his earnest hope, that harmony and union will now be restored to the colony; that all party spirit which has unfortunately resulted from the late unhappy disturbances will end; and that the higher classes will set an example of subordination, morality, and decorum; and that those in an inferior station will endeavour to distin guish themselves only by their loyalty, their sobriety, and their industry: by which means alone the welfare and happiness of the community can be effectually promoted. "Given under my hand at Government House, Sydney, this first day of January, 1810, "LACHLAN MACQUARIE. "God save the King! "By command of his Excellency, "Proclamation, By his Excellency Lachlan Macquarie, "Whereas it has pleased His Majesty to express his high displeasure at the arrest and removal of William Bligh, Esq. his late representative in this territory and its dependencies, from the exercise of the powers and authorities granted him in that behalf; and also to consider all appointments to situations and offices of public trust made by such persons as have assumed to themselves the executive authority since such arrest and removal, as illegal and invalid; and to express his gracious will and pleasure, that all persons who have since that time been appointed to such offices of public trust, by virtue of such illegal authority, should be forthwith displaced; and that those persons who held such offices at the time of the said arrest and removal should be restored to the exercise of the duties of the same: "And whereas it has further pleased His Majesty to consider all grants of land and of stock, and all leases of houses, made subsequent to the time of such arrest and removal, especially such as have been made to the officers of the 102d regiment, as invalid; and to command that the same should immediately be declared null and void, subject, however, to such exceptions and restrictions as will be hereinafter mentioned: "And whereas it hath further pleased His Majesty to consider all trials and investigations had since such arrest and removal, as invalid in law; and to command his Excellency the governor to declare, in the most public manner, all such appointments, grants, leases, trials, and investigations, to be null and void : "His Excellency, in obedience to such His Majesty's commands, hereby publicly and solemnly makes known and signifies, and commands all persons to take notice, that those persons who Ꮓ |