The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-03-14
LOCAL MATTERS.

African Church on Friday evening last Several
.rnar.d ,ersons were 10 attendance. He com.
,,sr..d ne king that, in the month of January
ITO. ,he .bip sirus arrived at the Eastern shores
~ Australia, with 600 prisoners board, under the
.u,rd of 200 marines. On the Goth of January, the
cao,ain landed ran up the English ensign and read
the official proclamation founding the colony Of
New South Wales, which bare the same relation to
Australia, that the State of New York did to the
United States, This was the beginning Of the now
thriving and important region of New South Wales
thus the quiet, humble birth, and thus the mean
and object infamy of that empire, the growth of
which, rapid asst had BEEN and smszins as il was.
gave very faint idea of the maturity and power II
was destined to attain, and the history of which
mouldered, not IKE some yellow parchment in the
archives of the past, but like the history of Ameri
ca opened its broad white pages to the sunshine of
an ilimitsble future. The power at first vested in
the Governor of the colonists, was almost unlimi
ted. With but one exception, it was a rigorous
military government This exception was in the
case of a civil court, consisting of Judge Advocate
and ten of the inhabitants, and to this court was
left the granting of probstes of Wills and the ad
Indication of claims, debts contracts, &c The lee
turer here spoke at some length of the dangers and
privatons BY famine, disease oppression indulgence
and crime to which the colonists were, for a long
time, subjected. In 1876, Captain Blye was appoint
ed Governor of New South Wales. He was a great
aud malignant tyrant He was liberal of the public
lands and funds to those who would play the syco.
plant. but to those who stood upon their manhood,
and had the virtue to question, and the fortitude to
resist an Incorporate exercise of authority, he was
vindictive and oppressive. The free settlers by
this time, had begun to increase rapidly, and they
openly avowed their detestation of the governing
power. They had formed battalion among them
selves, which possessed good deal of the hardi.
hood and pluck of the backwoodsmen of Kentucky.
Matters soon came to crisis. For some eli. ht in.
fringement of the custom laws, distinguished CT
fizen named Macarthur, was arrested. This arrest
gave rise to an alteration between the governor
and the Inhabitants. and the result was that upon
certain day, the drums beat in the barrack square,
and the l02d regiment, with coors flying, advanced
upon the government house. The government
house was invested, and Captain bye, the COVER
nor, was taken from under bed and politely put
on board the ship Porpoise for England. 1t is to
be hoped that his friends bore with his loss without
much concern. Laughter and applause
The result was that the regiment Yves replaced
by the 73d; captain Blye was consoled with the of
fee of admiral, and Lakeland McQuarey was ap
pointed governor. For the first time New South
Wales Yves blessed with governor who understood
its wants and defects. He found it Jail, he left i,
colony. He found Sydney village, he left it g
city.
Mr.. NJ. then noticed the grievous burden of tax
alton imposed upon the colonsts and gave recital
of the foundation and location of the several prin
cipel cities. Port Philip was the first colonial set
| tlement of Australia, not merely in commercial
point of view, but IN its growth offne wool Mel
bourne the chief city in the province, and con
tanned $4,000 Inhabitants II was a thriving and
handsome city. The revenue and debt of Aus.ral.
ia and the causes of the latter, were here fully de-
tailed. Gold was first discovered in Australia by q
convict of New South Wales, in 1850, who had
been to California. Being struck by the analogy
| between the gold-bearing rocks Of California and
the rocks of Australia he entered upon the inquiry
which resulted 10 the discovery of gold. The yield
| of gold had been immense the amount dispatch.
| ed to England already exhibited. By tee payment
| of thirty shiIinss sterling per month, person
would be allowed the right of mining in certain
| spot The country that had suffered SO much and
been treated for years with such contumely, had
become great and prosperous nation Sir George
Gray was the present governor In 1872 it con
tanned 10000 inhabitants, who had "a, 900 acres Of
land in cultivation, and 1000 scres under pasture
it now numbered a population of over one million
souls. Twelve million sheep fed upon its broad
plains, and her exports annually amount to nearly
three million of pounds sterling.
Mr.. NJ proceeded at length to detail the resources
Of the country, interpreting the statistical nara
tive with brilliant paragraphs of glowing and poet
ical imagery; and closed his lecture with iervs
tribute of admiration to the exalted position which
the once-despised and feeble Australia had now
attained, and prophesied that at an early day sh,
would take her place Republic by the side O
| her elder ss.er, America