Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 4]
mine who seize was taken, but was told it was done by a prisoner, who was a watchman, with only saying, it was the Governor's orders. I thought it a strange thing, that a paper printed at Government house by the Governor's authority and inspected by himself before it was published, whereby all such affairs as did not meet his approbations were not suffered to appear, should be so taken. In the course of an hour or two I receeived the paper I received the paper that was published that morning, (which was done prior to the papers being taken at Parramatta) in which there was mention of a mistake being made, in a letter from Capt. Flinders of the 12th of June last to the Governor, concerning some reefs in the entrance of Torres's Strait, and requesting those that had got papers containing copies of that letter, would make the alteration as was now given. On seeing this notice, I was at a loss to know the utility of the seizure. Whether the papers are meant to be destroyed, or whether the error is to be corrected, and then returned again I cannot tell. But at any rate, if such a verbal order is lawful, I do not know what a man can here call his own. I should not have wrote upon such subjects, had not I felt myself hurt by such proceedings, though I am of opinion, that no person ought to be backward in preventing an infringement of the public rights as are guaranteed by law.
I