I make no pretensions to military knowledge.
I have not the presumption to assume the chief command, no more than any other
man who means well in the cause of the diggers. I shall be glad to see
the best among us take the lead. In fact, gentlemen, I expected some one
who is really well known (J. B. Humffray?) to come forward and direct
our movement! However, if you appoint me your commander-in-chief, I shall not
shrink; I mean to do my duty as a man. I tell you, gentlemen, if once I pledge
my hand to the diggers, I will neither defile it with treachery, nor render it
contemptible by cowardice."
Brave Peter, you gave us your hand on the Eureka, and left there your arm:
an incontestable evidence of Lalor's Pledge.
Manning then proposed Raffaello, and pointed at his scars as an evidence
of his tiger-pluck against the hated Austrian rule, which was now attempted,
in defiance of God and man, to be transplanted into this colony.
I declined, because, during the past winter, I had over-tasked my physical
strength, and did not possess that vigour essential to such an emergency.
Confidence is the bond necessary between the soldier and his officer.
It was my decided opinion, however much a foreigner may be respected
on the gold-fields, that the right man should be taken from among Britons.
Vern here began a portentous lecture on military science, military discipline,
military tactics, and other sorts of militaryism, but his English was
so wretched, his ideas so sky-blathering, his martial ardour so knocking down,
that no one could make anything out of his blabberdom.
Of this I have perfect recollection. He was boasting eternally of his German
rifle-brigade! 500 strong. That he had this brigade he urgently asserted;
but where it was, that's the rub!
No possible inquiry from Lalor could get at the bottom of Vern's prodigal
brigade. Is, then, the grand secret buried within Vern's splendid chest?
No; I mean to reveal it at four o'clock, Saturday, December 2nd.
Carboni Raffaello, who had heard heaps of cant in old Europe, did count
for nothing the oceanic military knowledge of Vern, in spite of his big
trail-sword, that made more jingling than enough.
I commended, in high terms, the conduct of Lalor during the morning,
and it was my impression that he possessed the confidence of the diggers
and should be their Commander-in-chief.
Thonen seconded the motion. The first 'unnamed,' shewed approbation,
and the appointment was carried by a majority of eleven to one.
Peter Lalor thanked the council for the honour conferred on him,
assured the members that he was determined to prepare the diggers
to resist force by force.
