Volume 66: Macarthur family correspondence relating to land, 1819-1881: No. 116
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 116]
promote the publick interest, than by giving me every facility to increase & improve my flocks of sheep. It was not until the 19th of the next month, (December) that I learnt you had been induced to change those favorable sentiments & intentions: when you told me, to my great surprise, that you could not authorise any exchanges of land; and that the part, immediately contiguous to the West boundary of Camden was reserved for the church & school; but that I might take the 5000 acres, ordered by Lord Bathurst, in any other part of the Cow Pastures.
This communication was the more unexpected & distressing, because your Excellency had previously discussed with me the plans of the Surveyor General; and had declared you disapproved of them, as inexpedient & improper.
Finding, however, that Your Excellency was not to be prevailed upon to set aside that Officer's arrangement, and despairing of obtaining more favorable terms, I, on the following day, (Decr 20th) wrote the letter, of which I do myself the honor to transmit a Duplicate; and I now respectfully beg leave to remind your Excellency that I have never received any answer.
About a week since, Your Excellency was pleased to tell my son William, that you thought the land marked by Mr Oxley, for the Church and school, improperly situated; and that you would not object to grant me that land.
Yesterday, I waited upon Your Excellency to express my thanks; but I was prevented by your immediately declaring, that the Church & School land, marked on the Chart must be reserved, and that you could grant none but a tract