Bligh by no
means merited unqualified commendation for his government of New South
Wales, and that the truth lies between the most unqualified praise and the
most unqualified vituperation which the two sides of this quarrel have
loaded upon his memory.

Judge Therry, who came to New South Wales in 1829, in a judicial summing
up of the causes of this revolt, gives Bligh full credit for his attempt
to govern well, and condemns in strong terms the outrageous conduct of
the New South Wales Regiment; but he describes Bligh as a despotic man who
"had proved his incapacity to govern a ship's crew whom he had driven to
mutiny, yet had been made absolute ruler of a colony." Says Therry:--

"The extravagant and illegal proceedings to which these men" (the
Judge-Advocate and his blackguard attorney) "had recourse
contributed perhaps more than even the shortcomings of Bligh
himself to the catastrophe that ensued. The governor's conflicts
with many, but especially with MacArthur, were bitter and
incessant through his career."

Says Dr. West, writing in 1852:--

"The governor resolved to bring to trial the six officers, who had
repelled the Judge-Advocate, for treasonable practices; and, as a
preliminary step, ordered that they should appear before the bench
of magistrates, of whom Colonel Johnston, their commander, was
one. It was now supposed that Bligh intended to constitute a novel
court of criminal jurisdiction, and that he had resolved to carry
to the last extremes the hostility he had declared. Colonel
Johnston, as a measure of self-defence, was induced to march his
regiment to Government House, and place His Excellency under
arrest, demanding his sword and his commission as governor. This
transaction throughout caused a very strong sensation, both in the
colony and at home. Opinions widely differ respecting its origin
and its necessity. That it was illegal, it may be [Sidenote: 1811]
presumed, no one will deny; that it was wanton is not so
indisputable. The unfortunate termination of Bligh's first
expedition to Tahiti, the imputations of harshness and cruelty for
ever fastened to his name, and the disreputable agents he
sometimes employed in his service made the position of the
officers extremely anxious, if not insecure. Bligh had become
popular with the expired settlers, who reckoned a long arrear of
vengea