In any final estimate of Macquarie's rule, the quality which stands forward most prominently is its humanity. The period was a harsh one, and the circumstances of New South Wales encouraged that harshness. Macquarie steadily sought to introduce more humane methods, and to encourage gentler views. His "emancipist" policy was part of this larger ideal; and one of the reasons of its failure, in addition to the unwise selection of the individuals and of the times for bringing them forward, was the lack of humanity shown by many of the free settlers. Macquarie's clemency was even made a ground of complaints, and possibly with reason, for though punishments during his government were lighter they were more frequent than in earlier days, and laxity of discipline brought corresponding evils. To the last moment Macquarie remained averse to signing death warrants, and during Wylde's last circuit in Van Diemen's Land it was only after the greatest persuasion that Macquarie would consent to the execution of eight brushrangers, which Wylde considered absolutely necessary to bring to an end the state of insecurity in that island.[1]
It is to this humanity, often short-sighted and mistaken in its actions, that Macquarie's measures in regard to the convicts' wages, rations, and treatment generally may be traced. It was probably from this desire to give a gentler aspect to colonial life that he was so eager to ornament the town of Sydney with architectural beauty and to spread amongst the people opportunities for education and a knowledge of religion. He even attempted to bring within reach of the black natives the virtues of the civilisation he so greatly respected. He founded a school for the native children, and sought, though unsuccessfully, to establish the adults as tillers of the soil. He also instituted a yearly gathering of the tribes at Parramatta which took place in the summer heat of December, and at which he promoted good feeling by a liberal dinner of roast beef and ale. His relations with these people were indeed of the best description and his feeling towards them consistently humane. In the face of these facts his neglect of the female convicts
- ↑ See Correspondence, 1821, in Appendix to Bigge's Reports. R.O., MS. Rusden (History of Australia, vol. i.), has, quite wrongly, taken these executions as a proof of Macquarie's embittered sentiments.
