Fifty Years in the Making of Australian History

Fifty Years in the Making of Australian History Parkes, Henry Sir (1815-1896) A digital text sponsored by New South Wales Centenary of Federation Committee University of Sydney Library Sydney 2000 http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/fed © University of Sydney Library. The texts and images are not to be used for commercial purposes without permission Source Text: Prepared from the print edition published by Longmans, Green and Co., London 1892 First Published: 1892 Languages: French Latin Greek, Classical RB1592/36 Australian Etexts autobiographies political history 1890-1909 prose nonfiction federation 2001 Creagh Cole Coordinator Final Checking and Parsing Fifty Years in the Making of Australian History In Two Volumes by London Longmans, Green and Co. 1892 Preface THIS book is not a history nor yet an autobiography. It leaves my life still to be written, should it be deemed worth the writing. It leaves, in fact, the first thirty years after my birth almost a blank. My residence in New South Wales has extended over fifty-three years; I began, in association with others, to take an earnest interest in the affairs of the colony within two or three years after my arrival. My first acquaintances were Charles Harper, William Augustine Duncan, and Henry Halloran, the latter of whom, now a hale man of eighty-two years, is still my warm personal friend, whose high generous spirit and fine gifts of mind have contributed much to my enjoyment of life. Some years before the advent of Responsible Government I was drawn into the active politics of the country; and of all the men who laboured conspicuously in public in preparing the way for the new Era, I now stand alone. My objects in publication may be thus stated. To exhibit the stream of Australian progress as it has come within my own knowledge and been subjected to my individual influence; to make clear my opinions on some questions of first importance; to vindicate my aims and the motives by which I have been actuated in the part I have taken in moulding the policy of the country; to explain my views on some possibilities of the future, and what I conceive to be the destiny of the new Commonwealth. It is no part of my purpose to discuss the conduct of others except in instances where the actions of others have been inextricably mixed up with my own, or in one or two other cases where the conduct of others has in my judgment been perilous to the public liberties. My exposition of principles is chiefly confined to the thread of my own life and my own endeavours so far as they have related to the public life of the country. Matters of ephemeral or merely local interest, although they may have given rise to much controversy at the time of their occurrence, are for the most part excluded from these pages. In a work of this kind it has not been found possible, and it has not been desired, to suppress my personality. But my wish has been that my public actions should be placed in the full light of day, and left naked and unscreened to public criticism. Whatever my work may amount to, it cannot be made more by words from me or from too tolerant friends, and it cannot be made less by the comments of adversaries. It must stand or be swept away according to the nature of its substance. Still it seems to me that, looking beyond the span of my existence and the limits of my exertions, much may be gathered illustrative of the steps taken in untrodden fields and the materials brought together from opposite sources, in laying the foundations of Empire in the great English-speaking land under the Southern Crown. My broken record may be a help among many aids when the time comes for strong hands to write the History of Australia. HENRY PARKES. SYDNEY, May, 1892. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME PAGE PREFACE ..... V CHAPTER I EARLY LIFE IN AUSTRALIA, 1839–1852—THE ANTI-TRANSPORTATION MOVEMENT ..... 1 CHAPTER II THE STRUGGLE FOR PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT ..... 26 CHAPTER III WORK IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF RESPONSIBLE 65 GOVERNMENT ..... CHAPTER IV SEVEN YEARS AS A JOURNALIST ..... 98 CHAPTER V THE FIRST YEARS OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT—GETTING THE MACHINERY INTO ORDER — 114 IMMIGRATION — MILITARY DEFENCE—OCEAN COMMUNICATION—THE ELECTORAL LAW— THE LAND QUESTION—THE FORMATION OF PARTIES ..... CHAPTER VI VISIT TO ENGLAND AS COMMISSIONER OF EMIGRATION IN 1861—LABOURS IN ENGLAND AND 155 SCOTLAND—ACQUAINTANCE WITH THOMAS CARLYLE, RICHARD COBDEN, THOMAS HUGHES, AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED MEN IN 1861-2—THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA—DEATH OF THE PRINCE CONSORT ..... CHAPTER VII RETURN TO NEW SOUTH WALES—RE-ELECTION TO PARLIAMENT—THE FIRST MARTIN 181 MINISTRY; ITS FALL—LEGISLATION TO SUPPRESS BUSHRANGING—COWPER'S DIFFICULTIES AND INCONSISTENCIES IN FINANCE—MY ASSOCIATION WITH SIR JAMES MARTIN ..... CHAPTER VIII ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE AS COLONIAL SECRETARY IN THE MARTIN MINISTRY—THE 192 EDUCATION STRUGGLE—HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH—MR. CARLYLE'S OPINIONS—EFFORTS FOR DESTITUTE AND CRIMINAL CHILDREN—FIRST EXPERIENCES IN OFFICE—GOVERNOR SIR JOHN YOUNG ..... CHAPTER IX THE INTRODUCTION OF TRAINED HOSPITAL NURSES — MISS FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE — THE 207 BUSHRANGING PERIOD OF CRIME AND TERROR — MURDER OF A POLICE PARTY—ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH — EMBITTERED STATE OF PARTIES—LETTER FROM MR. CARLYLE—TREATMENT OF THE INSANE—DR. MANNING'S WORK OF AMELIORATION—DESTITUTE CHILDREN ..... CHAPTER X VOLUNTARY SEPARATION FROM MY CONSTITUENTS — GLOOMY OUTLOOK—EMPLOYMENTS 250 IN ADVERSITY—WRITING FOR THE PRESS—OPENING OF THE TRANS-PACIFIC MAIL ROUTE— RE-ELECTION TO PARLIAMENT ..... CHAPTER XI DEFEAT OF THE MARTIN MINISTRY — MR. WILLIAM FORSTER FIRST ‘SENT FOR’—FIRST 272 PARKES MINISTRY FORMED—STRANGE UNCONSTITUTIONAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE LATE MINISTERS—THEIR UNPRECEDENTED DEFEAT AT THE BALLOT-BOX — ARRIVAL OF SIR HERCULES ROBINSON — HIS CHARACTER — REFORMS IN DEPARTMENTAL MACHINERY — PROPOSALS TO REFORM BOTH THE ASSEMBLY AND THE COUNCIL—HIGH APPOINTMENTS BY THE MINISTRY ..... CHAPTER XII TITULAR FORMS—THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL—VIEWS OF SIR ARTHUR HELPS — ETIQUETTE 304 AND PUERILITY IN PARLIAMENT—ANOMALIES IN MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS— CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURE IN CHANGES OF MINISTRY—THE CROWN AND MINISTERS— GENERAL RESULTS OF PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT—POLITICAL PARTIES— CORRESPONDENCE WITH EARL GREY ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE QUESTION OF FREE TRADE—BORDER CUSTOMS—POSTAL AND TELEGRAPHIC SERVICES—THE CASE OF THE PRISONER GARDINER—DEFEAT OF THE MINISTRY ..... CHAPTER XIII IN OPPOSITION — AN UNAPPROPRIATED SURPLUS A PUBLIC EVIL—MY SECOND 347 ADMINISTRATION—SIR HERCULES ROBINSON AND CONDITIONAL DISSOLUTIONS—THE TRIAL OF ‘NEW BLOOD’—MY WITHDRAWAL FROM POLITICAL ACTIVITY—WEAK GOVERNMENTS—UNION OF THE OPPOSITION—AGAIN ‘SENT FOR’—MY THIRD ADMINISTRATION ..... Illustration PORTRAIT FROM AN ENGRAVING BY H. S. SADD IN 1854. Frontispiece FACSIMILE OF LIST OF BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY T. CARLYLE to face p. 165 Contents of The Second Volume CHAPTER I ANOTHER BATTLE FOR NATIONAL EDUCATION—THE EXTREME ZEALOTS AND THEIR 1 MISCHIEVOUS ACTIVITY—ARCHBISHOP VAUGHAN AND THE CHURCH OF ROME—THE NEW MEASURE PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES TRIUMPHANTLY—THE SUCCESSFUL RESULTS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM . Chapter II REFORM OF THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM—THE QUESTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 32 VOTING SUPPLIES BEYOND THE TERM OF ITS OWN EXISTENCE—THE OPINIONS OF SIR THOMAS ERSKINE MAY AND MR. ALPHEUS TODD—NEW MEN AND ORIGIN OF THE PROTECTIONIST PARTY—USEFUL MEASURES OF LEGISLATION—ATTEMPT TO BRING THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC UNDER STRICTER CONTROL — CHINESE IMMIGRATION — THE BOARDING-OUT OF DESTITUTE CHILDREN—THE TREATMENT OF THE INSANE. Chapter III VISIT TO AMERICA AND EUROPE—SAN FRANCISCO, ITS HOSPITALITY — ALBANY — NEW 61 YORK — PRESIDENT ARTHUR IN SOCIETY AND AT THE WHITE HOUSE—GENERAL GRANT AS A SPEAKER—WASHINGTON FESTIVITIES—ENGLISH INVITATIONS WHILE IN AMERICA—ONE FROM LORD TENNYSON—ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND—MR. GLADSTONE, MR. BRIGHT, LORD GRANVILLE, THE PRINCE OF WALES, AND OTHER PUBLIC PERSONAGES—THE ROYAL ACADEMY DINNER—TRIP TO THE CONTINENT—THE KING AND QUEEN OF THE BELGIANS— FROM BRUSSELS TO BERLIN—LUNCHEON WITH THE CROWN PRINCE AND THE CROWN PRINCESS AT POTSDAM—RETURN TO LONDON—AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE—A PRIME MINISTER'S ABSENCE FROM HIS POST Chapter IV ARRIVAL AT THE CAPE—SIR HERCULES ROBINSON—ARRIVAL AT MELBOURNE—PUBLIC 106 BANQUET—WELCOMES ON OVERLAND JOURNEY TO SYDNEY — ANOTHER BANQUET — MEETING OF PARLIAMENT—MR. STUART MOVES AN AMENDMENT ON THE ADDRESS—LARGE MAJORITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT—STATE OF THE PUBLIC REVENUE—SIR JOHN ROBERTSON MOVES THE SECOND READING OF HIS LAND BILL—THE GOVERNMENT DEFEATED— DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT—GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS IN AN ADVERSE MAJORITY, AND MINISTERS RESIGN — MR. STUART FORMS A NEW MINISTRY — A SECOND VISIT TO AMERICA AND ENGLAND — PRESIDENT ARTHUR AND OTHER PUBLIC MEN IN NEW YORK— ARRIVAL AT LIVERPOOL—IN LONDON—ROBERT BROWNING AND OTHER MEN OF LITERARY EMINENCE—JOURNEYS TO SCOTLAND—JOHN BRIGHT AT LEEDS—THE SYDNEY CONVENTION OF 1883—COLONISATION OF NEW GUINEA—RETURN TO SYDNEY Chapter V RETURN TO POLITICAL LIFE — A LONG SESSION OF PARLIAMENT—PROFLIGATE RAILWAY 137 PROPOSALS—RESIGNATION OF MY SEAT—THE MILITARY EXPEDITION TO EGYPT—MY PROTEST — DETERMINE TO OFFER MYSELF FOR THE FIRST VACANT SEAT IN PARLIAMENT AS THE ONLY CONSTITUTIONAL MEANS OF TESTING PUBLIC FEELING—ELECTED FOR ARGYLE— STEPS TAKEN BY SIR ALEXANDER STUART FOR MY EXPULSION—THE RESULT—FIRST CONCEPTION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS ACT Chapter VI THE GENERAL ELECTION—I DEFEAT THE PRIME MINISTER AT ST. LEONARDS—THE DIBBS 151 MINISTRY

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