For a time the offence in question caused no public stir.
But the war which King waged against the spirit traffic
and extortion made enemies. The New South Wales Corps
contained officers as irascible as King. They frequently
quarrelled amongst themselves, and we find that there
was an impression[1] on the officers' minds that they were
at liberty to refuse being tried by court-martial in the colony." Consequently, before King's assumption of
office, Major Johnston had been ordered to England to
be tried upon an accusation made by Colonel Paterson.
The Commander-in-Chief denounced the impression of the
officers as utterly wrong. Major Johnston was sent back
to Sydney under arrest, and King was advised by Lord
Hobart to reconcile the quarrellers and release Johnston.
By a general order he notified that "the most honourable
reconciliation had taken place in his presence" at Government House.
There were other quarrels, but the most significant involved John Macarthur. Angry at the new order of things introduced by King, he offered the whole of his stock and farm to the Government. Soon afterwards Colonel Foveaux, who had been appointed Lt.-Gov. of Norfolk Island, offered his sheep, also, to the Government, and King (Aug. 1801) referred the question for the approval of the Secretary of State. Before the offer reached England John Macarthur's active mind had planned new schemes. He bought Foveaux's large flock of sheep, before King knew that he was in treaty for it. Lord Hobart (24th Feb. 1803) considered Foveaux's conduct in selling his flock while it was under offer to the Government "highly censurable."
One Lieut. Marshall, R.N., arrived in June 1801 as agent for transports in a convict ship. He was tried before the Criminal Court (the Judge Advocate and six military officers) in Sydney for assaulting Captain Abbott of the New South Wales Corps, and was sentenced to a fine of £50, and a year's imprisonment. He appealed to the Governor against what he called illegal and informal proceedings of the court. He was charged also with assaulting Captain
- ↑ King to Duke of Portland, 28th Sept. 1800.
