Qui Potest Capere Capiat.
ELECTION.
OLD SPOT, BAKERY-HILL, BALLAARAT.
According to notice, a Public Meeting was held on Saturday, July 14th,
1855, for the election of nine fit and proper men to act as Members of
the Local Court - the offspring of the Eureka Stockade.
The Resident Warden in the Chair. Names of the Members elected for the
FIRST LOCAL COURT, Ballaarat:-
I. JAMES RYCE, elected Unanimously.
II. ROBERT DONALD, elected Unanimously.
III. CARBONI RAFFAELLO, elected Unanimously.
IV. JOHN YATES, elected Unanimously.
V. WILLIAM GREEN, elected Unanimously.
VI. EDWARD MILLIGAN, elected by a majority of 287 votes.
VII. JOHN WALL, elected by a majority of 240 votes.
VIII. THOMAS CHIDLOW, elected by a majority of 187 votes.
IX. H. R. NICHOLLS, elected by a majority of 163 votes.
The first time I went to our Court, I naturally stopped under the
gum-tree - before the Local Court Building - at the identical spot where
Father P. Smyth, George Black, and myself delivered to the Camp
authorities our message of peace, for preventing bloodshed, on the night
of Thursday, November 30th, 1854, by moonlight. We were then not
successful.
Now, I made a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that if I comparatively
regained my former health and good spirits, I would speak out the truth;
and further, during my six months' sitting in the Court, I would give
right to whom right was due, and smother the knaves, irrespective of
nationality, religion, or colour.
I kept my word - that is, my bond is now at an end.
I hereby resign into the hands of my fellow-diggers the trust reposed in
me as one of their arbitrators: after Christmas, 1855, I shall not sit
in the Local Court. With clean hands I came in, with clean hands I go
out: that is the testimony of my conscience. I look for no other reward.
(Signed) CARBONI RAFFAELLO.
Dec. 1st, 1855.
Chapter XCVI.
Est Modus In Rebus: Sunt Certi Denique Fines, Quos Ultrae,
Citraque Nequit Consistere Rectum.
Have I anything more to say? Oh! yes, mate; a string of the realities of
the things of this world.
Some one who had been spouting, stumping, and blathering - known as
moral-force 'starring' - in 'urbe et argo', for the benefit of the state
prisoners, had for myself personally not humanity enough to attend to a
simple request. He could afford to ride 'on coachey,' I had to tramp my
way to Ballaarat. I wished him to call at my tent on the Eureka, and see
that my stretcher was ready for my weary limbs.
Full stop. My right hand shakes like a reed in a storm; my eyes swell
from a flood of tears. I can control the bitterness of my heart, and say,
"So far shalt thou go;" but I cannot control its ebb and flow: just now
is springtide.
If I must again name a noble-hearted German, Carl Wiesenhavern, of the
Prince Albert Hotel, who was my good Samaritan, I must also annex the
following three documents, because my friends in Rome and Turin may take
my wrongs too much to heart!
