Volume 03: Letters of John Macarthur to his sons, 1815-1832

Copy of my Father's letter to you by the Minerva - . Parramatta 12th Feby. 23

My dear John -

A letter has been this Evening delivered to me from Major Goulburn in answer to my two last letters on the subject of the Grant of Land ordered by my Lord Bathurst which I shall send off enclosed with this to Sydney early tomorrow and I hope it may be on time to accompany the letter which is despatched this Morning to be put on board the Minerva -

The Land now offered to me is the range Land to the Southward of Brisbane and to the Westward of your Brother's Grant - It is Stony Mountainous, and so full of steep Ravines, without water, that the offer of it is an insult, and no doubt is intended as such; perhaps in hopes of provoking an intempe rate reply - I shall simply ac -knowledge the receipt of it, and (as the land official is from its situation and business of no value to me) that I beg to

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decline the offer and shall await the result of a further reference to Lord Bathurst - you will observe that he says "in compliance with the desire of Lord Bathurst" (not in obedience to or-ders) "communicated in a letter recently received" - I have no idea that they have received any letter on the subject since the Despatch by the Eliza, and she arrived here the 22nd of last November This therefore an impudent false hood of which they are

very capable, to create a belief that instructions have been received varying from those by the Eliza (and which Sir Thomas acknowledged to me agreed with Mr. Wilmot's letter to you) or it is meant as an awkward cover of thus so long neglect-ing to answer my letters, and they will probably pretend that the or -ders of Lord Bathurst were not received – All this you can perhaps get an explanation of – As I have before said, the affair is now entirely thrown back upon you, and altho' I shall

2 not indulge sanguine hopes of success, yet as the shameful usage I have received must put the secret hostility of the Colonial Government beyond a doubt, and enable you plainly to show that the labours in which I have been engaged, are received with jealousy, not favor, you may be enabled to work good out of purest evil –

If a Memorial from some of the principal Manufacturers, to Govt. could be obtained stating this opinion of