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Governor Bligh and the Rum
Rebellion
Background to the Rum Rebellion
and the major participants
In the interval between the departure of Governor Phillip in 1792 and the
arrival of Governor Bligh, the administration of the Colony had fallen into the
hands of what was to all intents and purposes a small oligarchy, consisting of
the military officers and a few wealthy partisans. Their one object was to
acquire wealth. Everything was subordinated to this desire, with the result that
the many outside the oligarchy were forced to lose the profits of their honest
labour in the ruinous traffic which benefited chiefly the members of the ruling
class.
Governor Bligh was sent out with instructions to curb the disturbing elements
associated with the New South Wales Corps and its partisans.
Governor Bligh arrived off Port Jackson on 6 August 1806 and made his official
landing at 11 a.m. on 8 August 1806. He assumed the Government on 13 August
1806, and his Commission as Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief was read with
full ceremony in front of Government House at noon on that day.
During these first six months of his administration Bligh attempted no reforms,
but called for reports on the public buildings, on the administration of the
Commissariat, and on the state of agriculture, and the Colony generally.
On 14 February 1807, Governor Bligh initiated his first reform by the
publication of a General Order which prohibited absolutely `the exchange of
spirits or other liquors as payment for grain, animal food, labour, wearing
apparel or any other commodity whatever’. This regulation was the first indirect
cause which led to the deposition of Bligh. It operated adversely against the
pecuniary interests of all classes of the community. At that stage, everyone in
the Colony, officials, military, and all others, trafficked in spirits by
necessity for want of a proper currency. Spirits were imported at a few
shillings per gallon, and were bartered at 100 to 200 per cent profit. Imported
spirits were distributed according to the rank and influence of the individual,
and it is clear that the senior officials and most favoured individuals reaped
the greater profit.
Bligh put an end to these privileges and perquisites. He refused land grants,
restricted assigned labour, and prohibited the barter of spirits. He acted with
the best intentions, and his reforms were urgently needed. But he paid too
little regard to the necessity of conciliating the powerful interests and
individuals. The determination of his actions and the coarseness of his speech
gave perhaps, unnecessary offence, but by no means justified the opposition to
and the usurpation of his government.
William Bligh on Australian stamp 1983 [175 years since the Rum Rebellion]
Bligh recognised the evil, and his deposition was brought about because it was
perceived that this was the only means to prevent immediate and complete reform.
But his arrest did not result in the failure of his efforts and a permanent
reversion to the former conditions. It concentrated the attention of the English
authorities on the conditions of the Colony.
A fact of importance is that at the critical moment in the story, the second in
command in the Colony was Major Johnston. His well meaning good nature made him
an easy tool in the hands of men determined to overcome any obstacles which
might interfere with their personal interests.
After the insurrection Bligh was kept in confinement until February 1809, when
he was allowed to embark on H. M. S. Porpoise for the purpose of sailing direct
for England. Bligh, however, sailed for Tasmania and returned to Port Jackson
after the arrival of Governor Macquarie. He took his final departure on 12 May
1810.
The insurrection directly caused the recall of the New South Wales Corps, which,
by long residence, had become the most powerful and evil factor in the
community. It indirectly led to the reform of the law courts, to the removal of
the restrictions on trade and commerce, and to the general betterment of the
conditions of life in the Colony.
Governor Bligh’s Farm at the Hawkesbury [Blighton]
On 1 January 1807, Bligh purchased farm land at Pitt Town in the Hawkesbury. The
development of his farm drew adverse criticism during its operation and was used
as a source of evidence against Bligh during the Rum Rebellion.
According to evidence provided by Bligh’s Farm Overseer, Bligh (a) erected
buildings on his farm of the value of 1,000 Pounds at the cost of the Crown; (b)
employed twenty to thirty convicts victualled by the Crown, (c) drew on the
public Stores at the Hawkesbury for articles for his private use, and (d)
stocked his farm by drawing animals heavy with young from the public herds, and
after the young were born the mothers were returned without progeny. Bligh and
his Overseer asserted that the undertaking was of the nature of an experimental
farm designed to demonstrate the value of industry and good management under
conditions prevalent in the Colony.
Site of Governor Bligh’s Farm, Pitt Town (1807)
George Johnston
Following the insurrection, the first official act of Major George Johnston was
to assume the title of Lieutenant-Governor. After this, acts of rebellion
succeeded one another rapidly. On the 27 January 1808, the Judge-Advocate,
Commissary, Provost-Marshall, Naval Officer, and three days later, the chaplain,
were suspended from their from their duties. If the rebellion had been only
against the person of Governor Bligh, it is difficult to understand why these
officers should have been promptly relieved of their duties before giving
evidence of unwillingness to continue acting, unless the object of the rebels
was to obtain a complete control of all branches of the Government. During the
first few days of power, an Insurrectionary Committee sat to examine Bligh’s
public and private papers, with the object of securing incriminating evidence
against him. The search was a total failure.
Major Johnston, was tried by Court Martial, held in England, on the 7 May 1811,
and continued by adjournments until the 5 June following. He was found guilty of
mutiny, and sentenced to be cashiered. Johnston returned to the New South Wales
Colony in October 1813, and lived in retirement on his estate called
`Annandale’, near Sydney.
Joseph Foveaux
Johnston was superseded in the administration by the arrival of his senior
officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Foveaux, on 28 July 1808. On this day,
Foveaux first learnt of the arrest of Governor Bligh and determined on the same
day to continue the arrest and to carry on the Government in his own name.
Foveaux was relived of the Government by the arrival of Lieutenant-Governor
William Paterson on 1 January 1809.
William Paterson
William Paterson assumed the Government of the Colony on 9 January 1809 and held
the position until 31 December in the same year.
Paterson’s administration was ineffective. He granted pardons with apparently no
reasons and granted lands to almost any person. In the twelve months of his
administration, Paterson issued four hundred and three grants, which was more
than governor King granted in nearly six years of government. These land grants
and pardons were later suspended by Governor Macquarie.
Governor Lachlan Macquarie
Governor Macquarie superseded William Paterson on 1 January 1810. Macquarie had
brought out instructions to revoke all the administrative actions of Johnston
and Foveaux. He extended these to include those of Paterson.
[Source: Historical Records of Australia, Series One, Volume Six, pp i – xxxxvii
Introduction on Governor Bligh, George Johnston and Joseph Foveaux by Fredk.
Watson, January 1916; Volume Seven p i – xix Introduction on William Paterson by
Fredk. Watson, March 1916;]
Links
Australian Dictionary of Biography - George Johnston (1764 - 1823)
Australian Dictionary of Biography - Joseph Foveaux (1767 - 1846)
Australian Dictionary of Biography - William Paterson (1755 - 1810)
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