their slayers were tried on the 18th Oct. 1799. The evidence was conclusive; the court was unanimoiiBlj of opinion that the prisoners were guilty (not of murder, but)
- of wantonly killing two natives;'* and to the shame of
Hunter it must he recorded that the prisoners were admitted to bail, and a special reference,® as it was euphoniously called, was made to His Majesty *s Ministers. In Jan, 1802, Lord Hobart announced his decision to ■Governor King. He had ** perused with gi*eat attention Hunter's report, had considered the circumstances of the trial, the difference of opinion '* amongst the members who <;omposed the court, as well aa the length of time that had elapsed," and ** had ventured to recommend the prisoners as proper objects of His Majesty's mercy." The Governor was to pardon them, *^ annexing such conditions as you shall think most adequate to the due attainment of the ends of justice." Having thus condoned the slaughter of unoffend- ing fellow-creatures, and made it ahnost impossible for a governor to do justice, or to hope for support in doing it, Lord Hobart proceeded in the ethical vein of diplomacy to
- lament that the wise and humane instructions of niy predeceaaor rela-
tive to the necessity of cultivating the gootlwiU of the natives, do not jippear to have been observed in earlier periods of the estabHshmetit of th« colony M'ith an attention corresponding to the importance of the object. The evils resulting from tliia neglect Beeni to be now sensibly expeiieiiced, and the difficulty of restoring confidence with the natives, alarmed and exasperated by the unjuatifiable injuries they have too often experienced, wiO require all the attention which your active vigilance and humanity can beatow upon a subject so important in itself, and so essfintial to the prosperity of the settlemeut/' Ue hoped that the Governor avouM be able to persuade the inhabitants to show '^forbearance and plain honest dealing;'* and, with sentioient which reminds one of Sheridan's popular comedy, wished that, while the criminals were now to be pardoned, it should be ** clearly understood that on future occasions any instance of injustice or wanton cruelty towards the natives will be punished with the utmost severity of the law." Thus did the Secretary of State condone a murder of a class difficult to detect, more difiScult to prove ; and now, it seemed, to be pardoned on proof. As the Secretary of State I Infra, p. 102.
