The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-25 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVI

AUSTRALIA.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.
The screw' steam-ship Groat Britain Captain
Grey, arrived in the Mersey this morning.
The following is the letter of the Tines' corres-
pondent :

MELBOURNE, SATURDAY, OCT. 28.
The public mind during the last week has been
greatly agitated by two events—namely, 1, a great
open air meeting to pass resolutions in favour of
the Convicts Prevention Bill, and the preserva-
tion of its principle in any new measure to be
adopted ; and, 2, the burning down of the Eureka
Hotel at Ballarat, by a mob, under the excitement
caused by the non-committal by the magistrate of
a person charged with murder.
The precise point at issue upon the subject of
the Convicts Prevention Act demands and well
merits some preliminary explanation. The ori-
ginal bill passed in 1852. It provided for the ar-
rant and puniskment of convicts illegally at large,
and all its provisions were made to apply to men
coming under cover of any conditional pardon or
indulgence of any kind other than a free pardon.
At the time this bill was passed the evils arising to
this colony from the influx of convicts and ex-
'alies from Van Diemen's Land were of a Tory
grievous nature indeed. Crimes of the most atro-
cious character were committed daily and nightly
i a and about Melbourne and on the roads to the
diggings ; and so great was the pressure of public
opinion on the Ixecutive that the Lieutenant-
Governor (Mr. Latrobe) assented to the bill. Sir
William Denison, the Lieutenant-Governor, fired
at this, and urged its disallowance by the Crown
very strongly on the Home Government. His
policy, as well as that of Lord Grey, was to spread
the convicts of Van Diemen's Land over all the
colonies by means of the conditional pardon.
When the Convicts Prevention Bill reached Eng-
land the law officers of the Crown considered it re-
pugnant to the prerogative, and advised its disallow-
ance. Accordingly, Mr. Latrobe was directed to
dissallow it in the , usual way by proclamation in
the Gazette. But at the moment the despatch was
received there was so much exasperation in the
temper of the public on the question, the " stick-
ings up" were so frequent—sometimes accom-
panied by violence and cruelty, sometimes followed
by murder—that Mr. Latrobe thought it more in
accordance with his great duty to maintain the
Queen's authority in the colony, to disobey the
instruction, than to carry it blindly out. Accord-
ingly, lie did not proclaim the disallowance of the
act, and when Sir Charles Hotharn assumed the
Government, in Jillit3 last, he found the act still in
force.

Of course, there was much speculation as to how
Sir Charles would treat this really difficult question,
involving as it does a conflict between tho colony
and what is called " the Crown"—meaning, as
every one knows, the Colonial-office. At length
a bill was sent down by Sir Charles Hotham, in-
tended as a substitute for the act about to expire.
Sir Charles's plan is to establish agents or com-
missioners at Launceston, Hobart-town, Perth,
Adelaide, and Sydney, who are to inquire into the
characters of persons, and give passports. Any
persons bearing certificates of good character,
signed by magistrates, or others named in the
act, are to be entitled to a passport. Such as land
hero without passports are to be arrested. In prin-
ciple this act will probably be deemed by the Crown
lawyers as objectionable as the other; but its viola-
tion of the prerogative is not so very conspicuous.
It may be doubted whether the other Governments
will give it any aid, so that its value will consist in
the execution of its very stringent clauses here.
The bill is now before the house.

I now come to the great meeting of Monday.
It was hold in a large open space in front of
the Court-house. The ground descends from
the spot the speakers occupied, so that hearing
became difficult, as sound does not readily descend.
But near the hustings the speeches (some of them
very effective) were well heard. I need not dwell
on the speeches, which are reported in the Argus ;
but that which ought not to be passed over is the
extent and character of the meeting. On the out-
skirts the numbers fluctuated a good deal. At ene
time I have not a doubt that 9,000 were present,
and I think perhaps even more. I doubt if there
were ever so few as 5,600, and I should state the
prevailing number as about 7,000 to 8,000. On
the subject of the meeting there was a perfect una-
nimity. It was most certainly not a rabble, for a
great number of the most respectable classes of the
community were there, especially of the trading
classes. The professional classes were there at
least in due proportion. As evidence of the very
decided state of opinion on the subject, the meet-
ing is complete. Of this no one who resides here
can doubt, and if Sir Charles Hotlain is disposed
to yield to public opinion, assuredly he may refer
to the demonstration of Monday for his justifica-
tion and excuse. So much for this colony ; but
in Tasmania another movement is ai work.

The people of that colony are very naturally de-
sirous, to use their own words, that " the convict
element of their population should be blotted out
as speedily as possible." They therefore, in a peti-
tion to the Queen from the Legislature, pray her
Majesty " that the conditional pardons now held
by many of the former prisoners of the Crown in-
habiting these colonies be deemed and taken to be
full and unconditional pardons." 2. That ker
Majesty " will be pleased to grant her gracious
pardon, without any condition, to all those now
holding indulgence who may be recommended by
the local Government."

There are now about 13,000 convicts in Van
Diemen's Land ; of these 10,000 will be entitled t©
conditional pardons in the course of two years.
If the prayer be granted, it would have the effect
of liberating the 10,000 at once, and of abolishing
the conditional pardons. There seems some pro-
bability that the home Government will advise the
Queen to adopt the suggestion of the Tasmanian
Legislature. But lam bound to say if that be
adopted the Council of Victoria will devise some
measure to keep out the ex-convicts of Van Die-
men's Land. As to the " old offenders "—the
"incorrigibles," as many of the worst are known
to be—wretches who have been reduced by the
cruelties of Norfolk Island to the single faculty of
endurance—perhaps the best mode of dealing with
them would be to transfer them to Western Am-
tralia, where the people are still willing to have
convicts, though, I believe, it will be impracticable
to send English convicts to any part of Australia
in a few years.
The riot at Ballarat is really a case of incipient
Lynch law, and if the rioters had caught the person
who was ieir object of indignation, there can be
no doubt that he would have been hanged, or
otherwise. lynched. This is the first case of the kind
that has occurred. Order has prevailed at the dig-
gings more completely even than in Melbourne.
Sir Charles Hotham was quite right when, two
months ago, he complimented the diggers upon
their orderly conduct and general obedience to the
laws. The truth is, even those who are of a turbu-
lent and disorderly temperament are at the diggings
to make money, and when they leave off their
work " on a spree," or are "on the loose," it is
to Melbourne they come for the purpose of spend-
ing their gains—often in reckless enjoyments.
Hero they
drink and get into rows and expose
themselves to aggression. A gentleman or
" swell "is not worth " sticking up." Such a
man has seldom much about him but a white
cambric handkerchief, a watch, and a few shillings
to pay his club bill. Now, watches are a glut in the
market, and the " old hand" from Van Diemen's
Land disdains to steal anything short of sovereigns
or goiddust. This, then, and the roads leading to
Melbourne are the scenes of the marauders' har-
vest, simply because it is the field of the diggers'
sprees. But to return to my subject.
A murder was committed at Ballarat, close to
the Eureka Hotel, kept by ono Bentley. In the
depositions before the magistrate it was sworn by a
woman and a boy that they heard an altercation ;
that they knew Bentley's voice (he is said to have
a very remarkable voice), and that they heard him
and his barman strike the deceased. There were
some slight collateral facts to confirm this testi-
mony. This was at least ground for a remand—it
might possibly have justified a committal—but the
magistrate discharged the prisoner. It is said he
even told him that there was not a tittle of evi-
dence against him, and that ho was acquitted. It
is reported that the magistrate has a share in the
Eureka Hotel ; but he is a respectable man, of
fair character, and it is more than probable that
his only error is one of judgment. However, the
"public" got excited, assembled in numbers, and
burnt the hotel. One of the commissioners on the
spot, Read, attempted with great presence of mind
to stem the torrent. He stood at the window and
remonstrated with the mob " from his burning
rostrum." This, though verging on the sublime,
was not effectual. Attempts were made to save
furniture, but sections of the mob fired the pile
where it lay. The obnoxious person and his wife
made their escape, but they have since been cap-
tured, and will have to submit to the ordeal of a
Jury

The Governor has taken proper steps to discover