These riotous crowds, at each
public-house, indulged in such shocking excesses of language and conduct
as to make mere drunkenness the very innocence of the case. But withal I
confess to a greatly disappointed feeling when, having left the colony
on a Home visit early in 1853, and returned late in 1854, I found that
the influence of the great "spirit interest" had succeeded in removing
all restriction from the goldfields. By this time, however, the police
and other authority were better organized, so that there was a very
considerable mitigation of bad effects.
EARLY VICTORIAN LEGISLATION.
"They that stand high have many blasts to shake them."
--Richard III.
"Hear ye not the hum of mighty workings."
--Keats.
"Stay, you imperfect speakers."
--Macbeth.
We commenced with an unpretending budget, although memorable 1853, with
all its gold and its progress, in what Wentworth happily called the
precipitation into a nation, had dawned upon us. The Speaker of our then
single Chamber system--one-third nominees--had but 400 pounds a year,
which is guide sufficient to indicate the scale and style of other
things. Our first choice for Speaker fell upon Dr. Palmer, an early
colonist of the medical profession, and of good culture and bearing, but
who had not previously taken any prominent social position.
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