Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/153

A VAIN PETITION. 55 My Lord, — ^You have been apprised of the desire which two 1787 dergjmen of the Catholic persuasion have to instruct the convicts, who are of their faith, who are destined for Botany Bay. I beg leave to inform your lordship of my sentiments concerning their request. There are not less probably than three hundred, ignorant, xhree you may imagine, of every principle of duty to God and man. The ^3Sa«. number is greats and consequently constitutes an object of conse- quence to every man who has the happiness of his neighbours at heart That the Catholics of this country are not only of inoffen- sive principles, but that they are zealously attached to the Con- stitution of it, I may presume, is well known to your lordship. For my part^ who am one of those clergymen who wish to take care of the convicts of my persuasion, I beg to acquaint your lordship that if I be so happy as to be permitted to go, that I « Happy trust my endeavours to bring these unhappy people to a proper ^ ♦^•' sense of their duty as subjects and citizens may be attended with some salutary consequenca They earnestly desire some Catholic clergyman may go with them, and I trust to the known humanity of Government that a request which seems to promise some hopes of their reformation will not be denied. It is well known that these people will not pay the attention to other ministers which du^ of they do to their own. Perhaps, also, the presence of such may <****^^«**^ be of great use to make them readily obey every order of their governors, and I have no doubt our conduct will meet the appro- bation of them. I sincerely pity these poor people, not so much for the disagree- able situation into which they have brought themselves, as for the misdemeanours which have made them deserving of it. Yet I Education trust, if their ignorance be removed, and their obligations as men J^femption. and Christians be forcibly inculcated to them, that this may be a means under Providence of their becoming useful to themselves, and perhaps afterwards to their country. through the interest of the late Bishop Portens with Sir Joseph Banks the Bev. Kichaid Johnson was appointed chaplain." Barton also mentions, in a foot-note, that "an oversight equally remark- able *' occurred in connection with " the recent expedition to Port Essing- ton,** under the command of Sir J. Gordon Bremer, in H.M.S. Alligator, accompanied by the brig Britomart, which ships sailed *' with upwards of five hundred souls, unprovided with any minister of religion. " On their arrival at Sydney, the Bishop of Australia *' furnished them with such means as were in his power ' — a temporary church, bibles, prayer-books, and other reli/cious publications. Digitized by Google