The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-16 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR. OF THE ARGUS.

Sir,—l, for one, have had enough c f it. There is a point
in a contest at which further discussion degenerates into
ehildishness. There is a limit at which petition, address,
and remonstrance dwindle into slavishness, For more than
twenty years I have watched and shared in this anti-trans-
portation struggle, aad 1 think it quite time that it should
be brought to a conclusion. I can form no conjecture as to
what the Government, the Legislature, or the league con-
siders it desirable to do. But, as a private colonist, I con-
ceive that the time is come for action. I find the feeling
participated in by others ; to what extent I do not know.
But with many associates, with a few, or alone I shall begin
to take decided steps to show that what we have been talk-
ing about so long I have been quite in earnest about all the
time, Ido not pretend to knew much of the ordinary run
of political affairs in the colony. I do rot take any very
great interest in your ministerial or parliamentary complica-
lions. The entanglements of your innumerable lands bills
have long since quite bewildered me. I scarcely know one
of your more recent politicians even by sight. But with
this transportation question I am pretty well acquainted,
and I wish that it should be followed out in a reasonably
manly and consistent style.
It seems to me that we are not only being disgraced in
the eyes of the world by a pusillanimous tone upon a most
vital subject, but that between two fires we are in circum-
stances of extreme danger. Upon one Bide we have 'Western
Australia ; a mere cesspool for the reception of the most
desperate felons of tho mother country, On the other we
have New South Wales and iliverina, over which men like
Morgan and Ben Hall rule with a rod of iron—in which
police protection is becoming a mere joke, and sympathy
with the outlaw is showing itself so widely diffused that
even Italian brigandage seems likely to be improved upon.
Separated by an arbitrary boundary, we cannot hold our
own:against such influences. If we succeed in doing so now,
we shall fail in the next generation. Outrage of the Round-
hill stamp will come down to meet those of the Collingwood
bank complexion, and our rising youth will more and
more desire to emulate the chivalrous deeds of the bank
robber, staVon burner, and bushranger, A country sinking
into this condition is either a country to leave or a country
to be fought for. And as I, for one, have no intention of
leaving Australia, I look round and deliberately select some
other alternative.

The new imperial bill, passed upon the report of the com-
missioners, though not adopting all their suggestions, is
steadily passing through its stages. The Secretary of State,
with a flourish of trumpets, summons us to b 9 thankful that
he sends us only 600 convicts a year instead .of all. Your
special correspondent at Western Australia has proved in-
contestably that three-fifths of this number make their way
to the other side, meaning South Australia and Victoria;
so that each year about 360 of these ruffians are being
poured upon us. Considering the superior attractions of
this colony, probably 300 of them may eventually make
their way here, any one et whom may be as bad as Gardi-
ner, Morgan, Hall, Woods, or Barrett.
With such reinforcements it is almost hopeless to struggle
effectually with the criminal class. Indeed, the day may
easily come in which that class will get the upper hand.
And the system of terrorism which now paralyses the law
across the Murray may place us at the mercy of such men,
and sympathy with thorn may lead to cur cheering the ac-
quittal of notorious mirderers in our metropolitan courts.
If we are to do any good, we must first stop the desolating
stream of felonry. It will then be comparatively easy work
to cow the existiog herd of despot adoes.
Whatever course others may decide upon, then I shall
begin to act. No form of language of which our language
is capable will convince the English people that our oppo-
sition is anything more than an affected one, or based
upon imaginary evils. Prejudice runs too strongly against
us, and words are thrown away. But our countrymen
at home are a practical-minded people, with a great love of
facts, and I shall take steps to present then with a few. I
shall set to work to carry out as far as I can the scheme
that has been talked of since 1848, and which should have
been adopted then. I shall begin to send home some of the
worst specimens of the expiree class that I can induce to go,
and I shall continue to do so as long as I have the means to
do it with, and the convict stream flows hitherward from
Great Britain. My modus operandi will be a very simple
one. I shall advertise for offers to emigrate to England,
select the worst men I can get, leaving the whole arrange-
ments in the hands of a respectable solicitor. The ship-
ping agents or owners will be, as a matter of course,
warned of the one or two such men that may go by any
ship; the captain will be placed upon his guard; and each
man shall sign an agreement to submit to irons for the
rest of the voyage for any offence ho may commit on board.
Such a man is free. He has as much right to go to Eng-
land as any of us. Nothing but au Act of Parliament can
stop him. If he should risk a little in the too liberal con-
struction of a conditional pardon, the penalty, if discovered,
is his,

I get out an honest agricultural labourer for about £l4.
Perhaps it will require twice that blllll to send an expiree
home. 'We ought to send at least the number wo are now
receiving, but I see no reason to limit ourselves to that.
The numbers are not material, however, for if half a dozen
are known to go, all the crimes committed in England will
in six months be attributed to them.

If anyone still seeks a justification of such a course, I
point to Round Hill—to a drunken ruffian firing promis-
cuously amongst unarmed men—to the pursuit and
slaughter of poor M'Lean—to the police•officer shot like a
dog while attempting to do his duty—to the undoubted fact
that half Riverina is at this moment cowed and dominated
by this man; and pointing to all this in one direction, I
point in another to England cruelly supplementing these
hosts of scoundrels by a regular supply.
I have said that lam not alone in this matter. I believe
there are thousands who think as I do, and are prepared
to take as energetic measures. 1 believe in my heart
that it is the only mode of bringing this affair to a ccn-
elusion. I believe we are justified in the eyes of God aed
man in resorting to any steps to bring this great wrong to
an end. Great Britain has long enough harried us with
the murderer, the burglar, and the bushranger. We are not
only justified, but bound to try the effect of giving reality,
to 1 er impressions on the colonial aspect of the question.
" curantrer" is sometimes a sound doctrine,
even in national antra. Tho word " irottor " drove her
mad, and made her tyrannically unjust, Probably the words
" RAturned CORN let" will restore ber reason.
Let thosr, joiu mo, then, who think and feel as I do. And
let those stand aside and look on who prefer to argue the
matter for another twenty years, or are satisfied to continue
their allegiance to what we may call the Morgan-and-Gar-
diner dynasty,—l am, Sir, your obedient solvent,
July 18. EDWARD Wir.soN.

CRYSTAL PALACE.--0110 Shilling Diy.—Thurs-
day, Sept. 15.—AdrniEsions on payrnolt, 3,660 do, by
seaeon tickets, 629 total, 4,495,

The Weather and Harvest.

JEDBURGIL—The weather for the past week has
been unsettled, and the gale of last Friday has done
mnch harm to the corn, many farmers having suss
tained severe loss by it. A fine field of barley at
Larkhall, about fourteen acres in extent, belonging
to Mr. Ormistone of Glenburhall, has been almost
entirely destroyed. Mr. Bell, Cresford, and Mr.
Johnstone, Crailinghall, have also bad very heavy
losses. Mr, Johnstone's loss is spoken of as being
about £6OO. The great bulk of the corn in this
district has, however, been eut, and much of it is
secured. The rain will do much good to the turnip
crop, which has a very promising appearance.
Potatoes will also b 3 bentfited by the moisture,
and with the exception of a few pitches which were
hurt with the frost at the end of last month, they
are likewise looking well. The pastures have now
a greener appearance, but the rain has been too
long in coming to do very much good ; and farmers
we fear will have to rely more upon artificial feed•
ing for their cattle than on the pastures. Yesterday
rain fell pretty heavily.
STRATTIALLAN.—In this somewhat late district,
harvest has made comparatively little progress.
Cutting on the low grounds has been going on for
some time, but more than the half of the crops is
still untouched by the sickle, and too green to admit
of harvest being pushed to an early termination.
On the slopes of the Oehils, most of the farmers
have made a commencement, but little has been
done. The grain has ripened very irregularly, and
a large number of fields have been entered upon, and
some small patches cut. The wheat crop will yield
a good return, and the quality of grain is very fine.
Barley will be light, and oats will be below the
average. Many fields of the latter are quite green,
and will not be ready for three weeks. The turnip
crop has a fine appearance, and will be very bulky.
The fine weather of late has made a marked im-
provement in their growth. Potatoes look well,
and will afford a fair remuneration. The crop will
not be a heavy one, but prices are high.
Pastures are improving, and cattle are mending
wonderfully.

SussEx.LA private letter from Hamsey, near
Lewes, dated 13th inst., says :—" We are sorry to
read the accounts of the disastrous gales in Scot-
land, but you may be assured if half of your nor-
thern crops perish it will affect the market but little.
We have more old wheat stacks standing than I
ever knew, of the best quality ; and this year's
crop is all secured without rain, and is very heavy.
It seems wrong, but they are grinding a great
quantity of the very best wheat for fattening put.-
poses, being the cheapest of any grain. Water is
still very short, but we have still just showers
enough for the pastures, which are now beautiful
and producing plenty of feed, and keeping back the
price of hay,"