pect if such men as these are
assigned in towns. Is it not surprising that I have to try such cases?
It is shameful! It is shameful!" And such will be the opinion of
mankind.

The chief expedients of Lord Stanley to relieve the colony from the
redundancy of labor, and pressure on the treasury, were never applied.
At the suggestion of Mr. Bishton, a clergyman of Westbury, Sir Eardley
Wilmot recommended the leasing portions of land to well conducted
ticket-holders. This was however strongly opposed on the spot, as
tending to depreciate property, and inconsistent with the social
circumstances of the country. The English allotment system was
inapplicable: at home, it is a subsidiary to the general resources of
the laborer, who can commonly find employment with the farmers, and
easily dispose of the produce of his supplementary toil.

But a project of greater moment was contemplated by Lord Stanley, and
adopted by Mr. Gladstone, and advanced far towards completion. This was
the formation of a new colony, called North Australia. The civil list,
composed of officers of modest designations--as superintendent, chairman
of sessions, and clerk of the peace--was framed with the strictest
economy, and the expense was to be defrayed by the English treasury. The
colonists for the most part were to consist of exiles landed with
pardons, either from England or Van Diemen's Land, and thither female
prisoners were intended to be sent. During the first three years only
new settlers were to be furnished with food for one year; with clothing,
tents, tools, bedding, and seed. L10,000 in all, were to be expended in
public buildings. To the office of superintendent, Colonel Barney was
appointed, under the governor of New South Wales. A party set out for
their destination: they were discouraged by the appearance of the
country, but before an experiment could be made they were recalled.

A more practical measure was the extension of conditional pardons to the
neighbouring countries, the operation of which had been limited to Van
Diemen's Land. The dearth of labor in New Holland induced the settlers
to send vessels to this colony, and many hundreds, liberated by the new
form of pardon, were conveyed to pastoral districts on the opposite
shore.

During the short official relation of Mr. Secretary Gladstone, who in
1846 succeeded Lord Stanley, Sir Eardley Wilmot was recalled, and Mr. La
Trobe and Sir William Denison were placed in succession at