Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/497

---

Thus did the early builders create Sydney. Iii one instance JIacquarie abstained from providing a building urgently re- quired. In 1815 Mr, Marsden vehemently urged that the female factory at Parramatta should be replaced by a fitting building. There were one hundred and fifty women and seventy children. There was no room that could be called a bed-room for them. Tbere were two workshops. In these, after the hibours of the day, about thirty women slept as they could on the floor. No bedstead, no candle, was in the establishment. About **one hundred and twenty women are at large in the night to sleep where they can.*' There were thirteen public-houses in Parramatta» while five at the utmost would suffice for public accommodation. Marsden besought Macquarie to provide at least lodgings for the women, I "When I am called upon in the hovir of sicknesa and want to visit Khem in the general hospital, or in the wretched hovels where they lodge, Diy mind is often oppreaeed bejond measure at the sicht af their Bufferings. As their minister I muBt answer ere long at the oai* of Divine Justiee for my duty to these objects of vice and woe ; I see how they live and how they die, and often feel inexpressible anguish of spirit, in the moment of their approaching dissolution, on my own and their nccouut, and follow them to the grave with awful forebodings lest I aJiouhi be found at last to have neglected any part of my public duty hjb their minister and their magistrate, and by so doing contributed to their . eternal ruin. So powerful are these rellectiona aooietimea that I envy the iBituation of the most menial servant who is free from this solemn and feacred responsibility, namely^ the care of innnortal souls. ... I humbly conceive it i« incompatible with the character and wish of the Eritish nation that her owti exiles should he exposed to such privations and dangerous temptations, when she is daily feeding the hmigry, and clothing the naked, and receiving into her friendly, and I may add pious, bosom , strangers, whether savage or civilised, of every nation luider heaven." Macquarie replied civilly, but did nothing, and Marsden, after waiting eighteen months wit bout any prospect of ob- taining rehef for his clients, sent copies of his letter and of Macquarie'a reply to the Secretary of State, Both docu- ments were in 1819 laid before a Committee of the House of Commons with Macquarie* s explanations. Marsden was not without support in England, Mr. Henry Orey Bennett read in his place in Parliament a letter from Marsden show- hig that in spite of all remonstrances Macquarie w^ould do nothinff to ameliorate the condiiioxi ol NJci^ teox^^