The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-08-30 00:00:00

the causal of convicfs, that alter expiraltun of sea-
SCUM had ever been so distinguished since the
establishment of the eolon.y, ■nd whose elt ration
to the bench of Magistrates proclaimed a ►ery ab-
rupt change in its system, by a person who could
not then he suppoied to have much knowledge of
its interests.

The second reason alleged by Governor Mac-
quarie for this appointment, was the restoration of
A. Thomson to that rank in society that he had lost
by conviction for crime, and tranoportation to New
South Wales. Now, it has been seen, that the:
condition of the parrots of A. Thomson, and his
rank to society before conviction, were exceedingly
humble, and that his own effints and industry in
tho colony had already placed him above that con•
damn, when he was made chief constable of the
district of Windsot, and beastute apo or of
houses in the town, and of estates in the neighbour.
hood ; and, if even this appointment had the effect
of raisir.g him to that rank no society that be had
lost (though in point of fact it had that of raising
him greatly above it), some considerat:on was surely
doe to the feelings of those magistrate., as well as
that society, who, with the knowledge that they
possessed of his recent situation, could not bat re-
gard the unsolicited return of this loot member to
his rank and place amongst them as a degradation
of their own. Andrew Thoinaon, notwithstanding.
was theiceforth admitted to the table of Governor
Macquarie, and to the or the officers of the 73d
regio:id, by a change of regulation, bat not of
teein; in the military body, that was no less re-
makable that the change that had taken place in
the sentiments of the civil chief. A. Thomson did
not long enjoy these honours, for he died in the month
of October of pie same year io which lie was made a
magistrate ; and it is only jest to state. that an
address from the iishahitants of the Windsor district
was presented to Governor Macquarrie upon this
occasion, in which they expressed their regret for the
foes of Mr. A. Thomsitn, whom they described
their common friend and patron."
The nest in.tance of the elevation to the magit•
trey of a person whohiail been a convict, was that
of Mr. S. Lord. Ile, like A. Thomson, had
been transported to the colony when young, and at
first was assigned as a ut to Captain Rowley.
of the 102 d regiment.
He afterwards livid with a female convict who
had some property in Sydney, and by the profits of
her trade in baking, and by his own industry. he
acquired sufficient meant to embark in larger ape.
colations; tile* he conducted with some 'decree
both to India and in the South Sea fisheries. It
was at the period nhen his undertakings were most
successful, that Giivernor Macquarrie arrived. and
found him in the possession of one of the best
houses in Sydney. The circumstances of Mr.
Lord's domestic life were very notorious in the co-
lony at the lime of ine appointment to the magis-
tracy, and the public unimadvereions that were
made in the Sydney Gazette, upon several attempts,
which on tovestigation appeared to have been made
by him, to seduce two of the girls of the orphan
school at Sydney, added to the general feeling of
ourpriee with which. Mr. Lord's elevation to the ma.
gistracrwas.viewed in the enlony, although these
.animadversions did not positively charge him with
the crime. Mr. Lord continued to act as magi,-
tree at Sydney for some time, and no objectioo
appears to have been made to an association with
hem br any other person than the Rev. Mr.
Marsden.

- This gentleman had refused to sct with Mr. Lord
■nd -Mr. Thomson as trustees of a turnpike road,
to which office they had been appointed by Go.
vernor Macgtiarrie, and without any -pretious ioti•
Minion us Mr. Marsden.

His reasons for this Objection were founded upon
the immoiality of their private lives; and the no•
toriely of that fact does °wooer to me to have justi.
Bed Mr. 'bier/idea's refusal to be associated with
them in the management of the public roods; a
duty which would necessarily bring them much to.
either, end ninth might have the effect of showing
to the colony. that Mr. Marsden associated with
them from choice es well as from ditty.
Mr. Marsden's objectiooa to the policy of sp•
pointing men who had been convicts to the maws.
tracy, had at an. early period become the subject of
discussion with Governor Macquarrie. who appears
even at that time to have so fully convinced him.
self of the prbpiiety and expediency dutch appoint.
seas, that he could not tolerate any difference of
opinion upon it, though proceeding from a person
So respectable and so well informed as Mr. Marsden.
The account that he has Riven of his ibterstew with
Governor Maceuarrie, in which this subject woo
first discusaed, is strougly illustrative of the feelings
that have subsequently influenced, • and onfortu.
nately divided them, upon many others.
In the expreslions of Governor Macqusirie, there
only be traced that 'determination which he has
.never relinquished under any cirennistanees, of ad.
hering to a system recommended more by motives
of humanity than of reason, and as new as it was
hazaidous in practice ; and, in the language of
Mr. Marsden there is Observable the same andaunt-
eil and inflexible spirit that he sftorwerde
ed, whenever an auemptwas made to do violence
to xr feelings, or to woond Ins cluarscter,.
Upon't his occasion, i does not appear that those
feelings were.partaken by,the ot!)'er Magistrates . f
the colony, nor by those •wlto rat the,sanie
bench with Mr. Lord et Sydney.. - - •
Without stating that his elevatiou.to Abet rank
has had a positive influence .upon,his subsequent
conduct, it is .only justice to him to state, that bis
former irregularities have been latterly iedreined 4
the respectability of his domestic *le.- Mr. Lord,
after his appoimmeat to the -niagistva'cy,-became
soctiourer in the. town of Sydney ; .but the *mµ.
.neon Cu at brat. conducted by.tui palm' • Mt.
'Williams, a free period, and •latecahtee of the
bank of New Sth Wales, sod. latterly by M.
• Lord binvoilr.., Tai duty-has oirtrogoirily ttvo4ight
him into contort with a very lea.. Ileetriptioo of.
tpeptlein the thwo of Sydney.• He hos, howevey,

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