2-192 (Text)

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This is a country where Self is the premium Mobile, the main spring upon which all the actions of it's inhabitants depend. If a man finds it to his advantage to be honest he is honest, but let his own interest be interferred with and character, friendship, gratitude avail nothing - all are sacrificed and made subservient to the advancement of his own fortunes  It is indeed a strange land. The aristocracy of wealth is looked up to with veneration which the most sanguine Parvenue could hardly hope for in other countries. Parties whose birth, parentage and education wd. for ever preclude their being admitted into any society but of the lowest caste at service, thro its all powerful influence rank here among the Magistrates, and thanks to the liberal sentiments of Genl. Bourke and his Whigish clique have jostled themselves into even being recd. at Govt. House. This was not the case in Genl. Darling's time, and as you may suppose the change that has been wrought in the tone of society here in consequence of his successors mistaken notions of equalization, has in no wise improved it or added to its respectability -  Party spirit rages also most violently as it must naturally do in a small community. I need hardly tell you that the Tories rank among their number only the respectable class of people here and as a matter of course are far outnumbered. But they nevertheless maintain their position against the united forces of liberals and emancipists and did maintain it with firmness and consistency even when these two bodies were headed and supported by Sir Richd. Bourke and all his patronage; a patronage that was never exercised in favour of any one who differed with him in politics but was lavished with an unsparing hand upon such as wd. support his measures and sacrifice their own principles at the shrine of the Irish System of Education and other oppressive measures that he wished to force upon the Colonists. He is however gone, and I sincerely hope Sir Geo. Gipps will not follow in his footsteps, or imitate the mistaken line of politics he persevered in against the best interests of the Colony. I of course was made to feel the evil consequence of adopting the priviledge of thinking for myself, and was visited with the neglect that awaited all those, who exercised such a prerogative under a despotic Government. But as long as I remained in the Service I did my duty conscientiously