Transcription

[MS 256]

signed himself Lieutenant Govr Johnston & before His Excellency Governor Bligh was put under an arrest the next day your Memoralists were more surprized by hearing a proclamation read which ushered in the new Government and a general order dated the 26th wherein Major Johnston declares that he had deposed the Governor at the request of the Principal Inhabitants which we the undersigned pray for permission to protest to your Lordship that we your Memoralists knew nothing of the arrest of His Excellency Governor Bligh until after it took place neither are we in possession of any circumstances that could in any wise justify so daring an act and we venture to affirm to Your Lordship that not Twenty of the Inhabitants were consulted before the arrest took place - 

On the 12 February John McArthur Esqr was appointed Magistrate & Colonial Secretary by which mains the man got to the head of public affairs - who but a few days before was comited to the County Gaol to take his trial at a Criminal Court for various misdemeanours and no doubt his artifice and cunning was the cause of the change of Government and not the request of the Principal Inhabitants as Noted by Major Johnstone

The effects of this change of government is seen and felt both in Church and State  in the Church by disinclining the only regular Clergyman in the Colony for his adherence to His Excellency Govr Blight at the time of his arrest - in the State as order is thrown into confusion and many of the Inhabitants have just reason to complain of a partial diminution of the Law - The cultivators of the Land labor under the greatest inconveniences as they can get no cash for their grain from which circumstances they are not able to discharge their debts nor get necessities  
 
[MS 257]

for their families   
       Upon a moderate calculation there is 2000 acers less wheat sowed this year than when His - Excellency Govr Bligh was in power - owing from the officers monopolising the labouring men and that for various other purposes than Agriculture which must in the end be the total ruin of the Colony as the Settlers will not be able to grow - grain enough to support themselves & families 

Thus Your Lordships Memorialists - have presumed to lay before you in as brief a manner as we possible can on the State of the Colony - and pray that Your Lordship will take our case into your known humane consideration and grant that his Excellency Governor Bligh may honourably take the reigns of Government once more in order that our prosperous State may be happily restored and the industerous and well deserving encouraged - and Your Lordships Memorialists as good Liege subjects as in Duty Bound write  
                                                                                                                 Ever Pray
To
  "
The Right Honourable Viscount Castlereagh
His Majesties Principal Secretary
of State for the Colonial Department & ec ec

                                                   A Copy -
 

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