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The rain poured in torrents, but the colonists escorted him in his full official costume to the Auction Boom, where his commission was read by Mr. Webb, Collector of Customs, upon the step of the door, to the assembly outside. The Address to His Honor was now presented. The reply of Mr. Latrobe contains passages of such merit that we venture upon extracts, though the piety disgusted a Hobart Town paper, which applied to the speaker the appelation of Praise God Bare- bones : “ I pray God,” said he, “to whom I look for stength and power, that whether my stay among you, as chief organ of the Go vernment, be long or short, that I may be enabled through His grace to know my duty, and to do my duty diligently, temperately and fear lessly.”—Again, “It will not be by individual aggrandisement, by the possession of numerous flocks and herds, or of costly acres, that we shall secure for the country enduring prosperity and happiness, but by the acquisition and maintenance of sound and religious and moral institutions, without which no country can become truly great.” Such was the man received. No name was too good for him. Alas! that change of circumstances, we would fain hope not change of man, shall have taken the popular cry the other side. But, though no politician, we would venture to doubt whether many of his detractors would have done better, had they been placed in the chaos, the excite ment, the madness of 1852. In 1839, he was received with shouts of welcome. “ He comes,” says one paper, “ to us as our good genius, to assist to develop our resources, and to place us high in the scale of Colonies—Colonies ! nay, he comes to found a mighty empire.” The spirit of prophesy unwittingly entered the brain of Mr. Arden. He did, through the accident of the gold discovery, found a mighty empire. Such was then the hurst of honest enthusiasm that the editor exclaims, —“ He must not become a dealer in any shape. His salary must- must he £2000 per annnm, and if the Government will not give it, we must subscribe it ourselves.” His salary was £800. No subscrip tion took place after this spasmodic affection. But one thing they did for their chief to show their regard ; they allowed him to purchase at the upset price the allotment upon which he had ventured to erect his house. This was equivalent to a bonus of £500.
