Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/642

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614 SOLDIERS SUDDS AND THOMPSON. CAPT. R. ROBINSON. In England the cases of Sudds and Thompson were investigated on several occasions. Lord Goderich in 1827, and Sir George Murray in 1829, inquired into them. The former thought Darling blameless and persecuted, the latter that there was no ground for complaint against him. In 1830 the Attorney and Solicitor General, Scarlett and Sugden (afterwards Lords Abinger and St. Leonards), examined the case, and advised that there was no ground for the proceeding against General Darling.^^ Yet the case was brought before Parliament subsequently. Eobert Eobison was in 1825 captain on half-pay in the 17th Light Dragoons. In that year he was appointed to the command of "out pensioners," or "the New South Wales Eoyal Veteran Companies." In 1828 he was brought before a court-martial on eight charges, for insubordination, disobedience, and other matters, and found guilty on four, and in part guilty of three other, charges. He was sentenced to be dismissed. The finding was confirmed in England in 1829 and pro- mulgated in the colony in April 1830. As Kobison's friend Went worth knew Sir James Mackintosh, it was hoped that Mackintosh would take up the case in Parliament; but Mackintosh having died, Dr. Lushington in 1833 pre- sented a petition from Eobison to the House of Commons, and asked for the minutes of the court-martial. Mr. Eobert Grant, Judge-Advocate-General, defended the court, and Dr. Lushington's motion was rejected after a debate in which Sir H. Hardinge and Sir James Scarlett supported Mr. Grant, and Daniel O'Connell opposed him. Eobison wrote a voluminous letter to Lord Althorp, **as the chief Minister of the Crown in the House," to contravene Mr. Grant's speech. Lord Althorp replied that he was sorry to be obliged to say that Eobison had failed to answer Mr. Grant's speech. Eobison sent a memorial to Lord Hill, Commander-in- Chief. One peer and twenty-seven members of the House of Commons, including O'Connell, supported it. It was fruitless. Meantime Darling was proceeding against Eobison for libel. Eobison then determined to carry the war into his enemy's camp. O'Connell (Aug. 1834) pre- '* Speech of Sir H. Hatdm^fe m'?a.x».m«tv,,^^^Y ^^^^.^ 1835.