the eureka stockade-第11节

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ll　the　oppressed　from　all　countries　on　earth。The　applause　was　universal；　and　accordingly　I　received　my　full　reward：

Prison　and　Chains！　　Old　style。




Chapter　XXX。



The　Reform　League；　Grappling　With　The　Right　'Stars'。


Monster　Meeting　continued：

Proposed　and　seconded　by　blather　reformers；　of　course；　Vern　had　his　go：


〃That　this　meeting　being　convinced　that　the　obnoxious　licence…fee　is　an　imposition　and　an　unjustifiable　tax　on　free　labour；　pledges　itself　to　take　immediate　steps　to　abolish　the　same　by　at　once　burning　all　their　licences；　that　in　the　event　of　any　party　being　arrested　for　having　no　licence；　that　the　united　people　will；　under　all　circumstances；　defend　and　protect　them。〃

〃That　this　meeting　will　not　feel　bound　to　protect　any　man　after　the　15th　of　December　who　shall　not　be　a　member　of　the　Reform　League　by　that　day。〃


The　Rev。　Mr。　Downing　proposed　as　an　amendment；　that　the　licences　should　not　be　burned。　　Although　the　rev。　gentleman　was　heard　with　patience　and　respect；　a　sullen　excitement　pervaded　the　whole　assemblage　while　he　spoke。　Those　even　of　his　most　devoted　followers　were　of　the　opinion　that　his　sentiments　did　not　accord　with　the　spirit　of　the　times；　and　the　result　was　that　the　rev。　gentleman's　amendment　fell　to　the　ground。

Here　must　not　be　forgotten　a　peculiar　colonial　habit。　　There　was　on　the　platform　a　sly…grog　seller；　who　plied　with　the　black…bottle　all　the　folks　there；　and　the　day　was　very　hot；　the　sun　was　almost　burning。




Chapter　XXXI。



Si　Cessi　Il　Pianto；　L'Ira　Si　Gusti。　Lo　Schiavo　Che　Vuol　Finir　Le　Sue　Pene；　Vendetta　Gridando　Al　Dio　De　Giusti；　Deve　Schiantar　Le　Proprie　Catene。　Cuore！　　Si　Vada；　Vedasi；　Si　Vinca。　　（bis。）


In　Spite　of　all　that；　however；　Timothy　Hayes；　the　chairmanwho　by…the…bye；　discharged　the　duties　of　the　chair　in　that　vast　assemblage；　with　ability　and　tact；　spoke　like　a　man；　as　follows：

〃Gentlemen；　many　a　time　I　have　seen　large　public　meetings　pass　resolutions　with　as　much　earnestness　and　unanimity　as　you　show　this　day；　and　yet；　when　the　time　came　to　test　the　sincerity；　and　prove　the　determination　necessary　for　carrying　out　those　resolutions；　it　was　found　then　that　'the　spirit；　indeed；　is　willing；　but　the　flesh　is　weak。'　　Now；　then；　before　I　put　this　resolution　from　the　chair；　let　me　point　out　to　you　the　responsibility　it　will　lay　upon　you　（hear；　hear）。　　And　so　I　feel　bound　to　ask　you；　gentlemen；　to　speak　out　your　mind。　　Should　any　member　of　the　League　be　dragged　to　the　lock…up　for　not　having　the　licence；　will　a　thousand　of　you　volunteer　to　liberate　the　man？〃

〃Yes！　Yes！〃

〃Will　two　thousand　of　you　come　forward？〃

〃Yes！　　Yes！　　Yes！〃

〃Will　four　thousand　of　you　volunteer　to　march　up　to　the　Camp；　and　open　the　lock…up　to　liberate　the　man？〃

〃Yes！　　yes！〃　（the　clamour　was　really　deafening。）

〃Are　you　ready　to　die？〃　shouted　out　our　worthy　chairman；　stretching　forth　his　right　hand；　clenched　all　the　while；　〃Are　you　ready　to　die？〃

〃Yes；　Yes！　　Hurrah！〃

This　general　decided　clamour　put　out　Tim　in　such　good　spirits；　that；　in　spite　of　the　heat　of　the　sun　and　the　excitement　of　the　day；　he　launched　in　the　realm　of　crowned　poets；　and　bawled　as　loud　as　if　he　wanted　the　head…butler　at　Toorak　to　take　him　a　quart…pot　of　smallbeer

〃On　to　the　field；　our　doom　is　sealed；　To　conquer　or　be　slaves；　The　sun　shall　see　our　country　free。　Or　set　upon　our　graves。〃

（Great　works！）

No　one　who　was　not　present　at　that　monster　meeting；　or　never　saw　any　Chartist　meeting　in　Copenhagen…fields；　London；　can　possibly　form　an　idea　of　the　enthusiasm　of　the　miners　of　Ballaarat　on　that　29th　of　November。　A　regular　volley　of　revolvers　and　other　pistols　now　took　place；　and　a　good　blazing　up　of　gold…licences。　　When　the　original　resolutions　had　all　been　passed；　Mr。　Humffray　moved　a　vote　of　thanks　to　Mr。　Ireland；　for　his　free　advocacy　of　the　state　prisoners。　　The　meeting　then　dissolved；　many　of　them　having　previously　burned　their　licences；　and　thus　virtually　pledging　themselves　to　the　resolution　adopted；　which　might　be　said　to　have　been　the　business　of　the　day。　　Nothing　could　exceed　the　order　and　regularity　with　which　the　people；　some　fifteen　thousand　in　number；　retired。




Chapter　XXXII。



Ecco　Troncato　Il　Canto　Per　Ritornare　Al　Pianto。


My　letter　to　Mr。　Archer　continued：…

Thanks　be　to　God；　the　day　passed　'unstained；'　a　glorious　day　for　Victoria　when　the　SOUTHERN　CROSS　was　first　unfolded　on　Ballaarat；　gathering　round　itself　all　the　oppressed　of　the　world。

The　whole　purpose　of　the　meeting　was；　that　a　Reform　League　be　formed　and　fully　organised　to　carry　out　the　clearance　of　all　our　grievances；　on　the　old　style　of　the　Corn　Law　League　in　Great　Britain。

Next　Sunday；　we　leaguers（　I　took　out　a　ticket　of　membership　from　Reynolds；　one　of　the　treasurers；　and　paid　my　2s。　6d。　　on　that　very　day；　November　29th；　precisely；　on　the　platform　of　the　meeting）have　a　meeting　at　two　o'clock　at　the　Adelphi　to　organise　the　people　and　appoint　a　responsible　executive　committee。　　I　am　the　old　delegate　to　it；　and　therefore　I　shall　be　able　to　give　you；　Mr。　Archer；　a　full　answer　to　your　letter　of　the　24th　instant。

Mark　this；　good　reader！

1。　　Meanwhile；　privately；　as　an　old　Ballaarat　hand；　I　beg　respectfully　to　convey　to　you；　to　employ　your　influence　and　reach　the　ears　of　the　Lieutenant　Governor。　　The　licence…fee；　as　a　tax；　is　perhaps　a　cause　of　growling　like　any　other　tax　in　Great　Britain　or　elsewhere　in　the　world；　but；　on　the　gold…fields；　has　become　an　'abomination。'　The　inconvenience　in　the　Camp…insolence　at　our　getting　it；　the　annoyance　and　bore　for　showing　it；　when　asked　by　some　'pup'　of　a　trap　whilst　at　our　work；　the　imbecility　and　arrogance　of　so　many　commissioners　and　troopers　uselessly　employed　for　the　purpose；　etc。；　etc。；　make　the　gold…licence　an　abomination　to　the　honest　digger。　　The　Vandemonian；　you　know；　never　dreamt　of　taking　out　a　licence；　of　course　not。

Paramount　is　this　grand　consideration：　　John　Bull；　rather　of　a　doggish　nature；　will　growl　to　himself　if　left　alone　picking　his　bone：　　the　passport　system　is　a　bone　that　he　will　not　pick；　no；　no　ways　and　under　no　shape　whatever　I　know　it　by　experience。

2。　　A　memorial　to　his　Excellency　for　the　release　of　the　three　prisoners　under　sentence　for　burning　the　Eureka　Hotel；　is；　through　Humffray；　in　course　of　signature。　　It　is　our　earnest　desire　that　his　Excellency　may　show　mercy；　though　it　may　appear；　that　he　would　do　thus　an　act　of　justice　to　the　diggers；　considering　how　rightly　they　guessed　the　Bentley　affair。

3。　　The　whole　pack；　commissioners；　troopers　and　traps　on　the　Ballaarat　Camp；　with　the　exception　of　magistrate　Hackett；　are　detested　by　the　diggers：　there　will　be　eternal　discontent　as　long　as　Rede　and　fraternity　are　lodging　over　that　way。　　The　whole　Camp　had　better　be　changed　at　once；　and　entrusted　to　good　experienced　hands　and　honest　men。　　Perhaps　Sir　Charles　may　turn　into　a　Diogenes　in　vain'nil　desperandum。'　There　are　now　and　then　honest　men　to　be　found　even　in　this　colony。

Good　reader；　listen　to　me：　　I　shall　tell　you　no　lie：　　do　not　lose　sight　of　the　above　letter：　　I　intend　to　give　the　end　in　the　next　chapter：　meanwhile；　fill　the　pipe；　let's　have　a　'blow'　together。




Chapter　XXXIII。



Mistero！　　S'Apre　Mendacia；　Violente　Strada　Maestra　In　Citta　E　Campagna：　La　Verita；　Se　Docile；　Quadagna　A　Passo　Lo　Stradello　Lentamente。


（Translated　in　the　text　of　my　first　chapter。）

On　Thursday　morning；　November　30th；　at　sunrise；　I　was　at　my　work；　as　usual。

I　assert；　as　an　eye…witness；　that　most　of　the　hands　on　the　Eureka　came　to　their　work；　and　worked　as　usual。

Whilst　having　a　'blow；'　we　would　talk　over　again　about　the　monster　meeting　of　yesterday；　thus　spinning　a　yarn　in　the　usual　colonial　style。

The　general　impression　was；　that　as　soon　as　government　knew　in　Melbourne　the　real　state　of　the　excited　feelings　of　the　diggers；　the　licence…hunt　would　be　put　a　stop　to。

Towards　ten　o'clock　was　my　hour　for　a　working…man's　breakfast。　I　used　to　retire　to　my　tent　from　the　heat　of　the　mid…day；　and　on　that　same　Thursday　I　set　about；　at　once；　to　end　my　letter　to　Mr。　Archer；　because　I　was　anxious　to　forward　it　immediately　to　Melbourne。

Good　reader；　I　copy　now；　word　for　word；　the　scrawl　then　penned；　in　great　haste　and　excitement。


Thursday；　November　30th；　1854。

Just　on　my　preparing　to　go　and　post　this　letter；　we　are　worried　by　the　usual　Irish　cry；　to　run　to　Gravel…pits。　　The　traps　are　out　for　licences；　and　playing　hell　with　the　diggers。　　If　that　be　the　case；　I　am　not　inclined　to　give　half…a…crown　for　the　whole　fixtures　at　the　Camp。

I　must　go　and　see　'what's　up。

Always　your　affectionate；　（Signed）　CARBONI　RAFFAELLO。　（To）　W。　H。　ARCHER；　Esq。；　Acting　Registrar…General；　Melbourne。

…

Why　this　identical　letter　of　minenow　in　the　hands　of　James　Macpherson　Grant；　M。L。C。；　Solicitor；　Collins…street；　where　it　will　remain　till　Christmas　for　inspection；　to　be　then　returned　to　the　ownerwas　not　produced　at　my　STATE　TRIAL；　was；　and　is　still；　a　MYSTERY　to　me！

Let's　run　to　Bakery…hill。




Chapter　XXXIV。



Quos　Vult　Perdere　Deus　Dementat。


What's　up？　a　licence　hunt；　old　game。　　What's　to　be　done？　　Peter　Lalor　was　on　the　stump；　his　rifle　in　his　hand；　calling　on　volunteers　to　'fall　i