Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 20 November 1855, page 4


SIR RICHARD BOTJRKB, K.C.B.

General Sir R, Bourke died at his residence, Thornfleld, county of Limerick, on Sunday, August 12. The following partículars are given by the Limerick Reporter :-" ne was at church, when, becoming seriously ill, he immediately drove home, sat down on a sofa, and after about ten minutes' illness, he breathed his last. Tho deceased waa regretted by a large circle of friends. The deerased general was, for some years, governor of New South Wales. He was in Limerick, on Saturday, at the club-house, apparently in the enjoyment of excellent health. The disease which terminated his life was catification of the heart. General Sir Richard Bourka was an excel-lent country gentleman- : just and humane landlord-most active and intelligent in all the details of business, and with a mind stored largely with valuable information. In early life he waa a barrister, and he relinquished the profession of the law for that of arms, in which, as well as in the duties of Governor of New South Wales, he greatly distinguished himself-such indeed was the affection borne towards him by the inhabitants of Sydney, that they deplored his departure from among them as an event of the most calamitous nature; and they subsequently called the principal street of their town after him, and raised a noble monument to his name. General Sir Richard Bourke is succeeded in his estates by his son, R. Bourke, Esq., a barrister, who is at present one of the commissioners of poor law in the Mayo district.

THE sad intelligence conveyed in the above paragraph brought tidings of grief to many in Sydney and throughout the colony, who enjoyed the friendship of this distinguished man, and who now mourn his loss as though he were a member of their own families. The amiability of Sir R. Bourke in private equalled his ability in public life, and a once-formed friendship

with him lasted with undimlnished earnestness to the

end of his career. The interest he took in this colony

did not cease with his wise and efficient administration. It continued unabated to the close of his life. He de-

lighted in seeing people he had known in New South Wales, in discussing its interests, and in watching and learning the progress of the educational and, other many national institutions, the germs of which were sown in his active and useful viceroyship. These subjects also formed the favourite theme of his letters to his friends in Sydney, with whom he kept up a constant and most interesting cor- respondence. His style of writing was of superior merit, and it is probable some of his letters may be published hereafter. To the humbler classes of his countrymen he was es-pecially kind and considerate in this respect. We have been favoured by one of his warmest friends and admirers, to whom many similar letters were ad-dressed, with the perusal of an extract of one : -

But I must not forget what induced me at this moment to take up my pen and use it in addressing you. As I proposed wrting to you by post-a conveyance which long experience has induced me to consider safer than a private hand-A poor neighbour, who has been many years employed by me as a rough carpenter and builder, is just departing for Sydney, and has begged an introduc- tion to the new world ; his name is Bartholomew Ryan. I can fairly describe him aa an honest trustworthy man, capable of turning his hand to many useful purposes, and most anxious to give satisfaction to his employers. He takes with him a hardworking wife, well used to a dally, and onoeyoung boy. By a former wife Ryan had two sons and two daughters, now grown up, and settled. I believe, in Sydney. If you can render him any aid in securing employment suitable to his age and former modes of

life, I shall be much obliged to you. Mr. Ryan is a Euphuist, as you will discover after a short conversation, and has some odd ways about him-but he is honest and true. He leaves this to-morrow mornlng, and I must have this for him when he calls ; I

will therefore now conclude, intending to write again.

Always truly yours,

RICHARD BOURKE.

The colony is indebted to the encouragement given by Sir R. Bourke for many useful emigrants of Ryan's class and character. To idlers at home, who come to hunt after offices in Government service, he never showed much countenance, either during his own administration, or any time afterwards. His eminent career in this colony is attested in the address pre-sented to him at the time of his departure in 1837 - in the noble statue by Baily, R.A., that adorns the entrance of our Domain ; and in the proceedings on the day of the inauguration of the statue. The speeches of Sir Qeorge Gipps, and of Mr. Justice Therry, then Attorney-General, and the whole account of the remarkable procession that attended at the inauguration will now be read with renewed and augmented interest. We publish this address and these proceedings as memorials transmit-ting to future time the record of his great services and high deserts. It is gratifying to bear testimony, too, that Sir R. Bourke was a tolerant and strictly reli-gious man. He read prayers every morning and even-ing for his domestic circle, and was always a regular and strict attendant at the devotional services of the Church of England, of which he was a member. In all the endearing relations of life,-as husband, father, friend,-Sir R. Bourke was an excellent and exemplary man. The high eulogy pronounced upon him in all those varied capacities by Bishop Jebb, has already appeared in the columns of the Herald. His advancement in the army, and the offices he filled, are briefly chronicled thus in Dodd's " Baronetage and Knightage " :

Sir RICHARD Bourke -, son of John Bourke, Esq., by the daughtor of Edward Ryan, Esq., of Boscabel, county Tipperary, born 1777 : married 1800, youngest daughter of John Bourke, Kaq., Lothbury, London, and Carabalton, Surrey, receiver-general of the land-tax for Middlesex (she died 1833). Entered the army as ensign 1st Foot, in 1793 ; served at the Heider in 1799, where he was severely wounded in the face ; was subsequently on the staff in England, and was superintendent of the Royal Military Col-lege at Marlow ; in 1806 was appointed deputy-quarter-master genral in South America : served at the siege and capture of Monte Video, and at Buenos Ayres in 1807 ; in the Peninsula, in 1809.12-13 and 14 ; waa appointed lieutenant-governor of the eastern district of the Cape of Good Hope, in 1815 ; oonducted the government of the whole colony till November, 1819; appointed governor-in-Chief of New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land in

May, 1831 ; resigned December, 1837 ; was advancedto the rank

of a lieutenant-general

and waa appointed, colonel or me 64th Foot ia 1837.

Besides his military and civil services, Sir R. Bourke has given to the world, jointly with the Earl FitzWilliam, the correspondence of the great Edmund Burke. The share which he had in the work is thus spoken of in a note to the preface of that work. In the passage in which he informs the reader that these volumes of correspondence are brought out by him according to the wishes expressed in Mr. Burke's will, it is stated :-" Sir Richard Bourke is distantly related to the family of Edmund Burke, and having been at school and in college in England, dur-ing the last eight years of the latter'a life, passed his vacations, and what spare time he could command, in his kinsman's house. He has thus been enabled, from his own observation and the traditions of Beconsfield, to supply such portion of Burke's per-sonal history as is to be found in the notes to these letters." The names of the great Burke and that of Sir Richard being spelt differently have led some to suppose they were not relations, but the peculiarity of omitting the o was introduced by Edmund Burke's father into the family. In fact they both were branches of the same parent stock, De Bourgo, which is now represented by Lord Clanricarde.

Mrs. Bourke, wife of Sir Richard, died here soon after he assumed the government of N. S. Wales. There is a touching tribute to her memory in the marble slab in the church at Parramatta that once attests her worth-the affection of her husband, and the Christian hope of life rnd reunion hereafter in

another and better world.

The departure of Sir Richard. Bourke is thus de tailed in Australian of December 8th, 1837:

With, mixed feel ins of joy and sadness we are this day called upon to announce to the Australian public, that the great and good man whose name adorns the heading of this article our late, upright and

... . . _ Jepsrture-our sadness is «aliad forth by the melancholy reoolleetl-u that the colony has been pre-maturely deprived of an enlightened, a sagsoloos, and a strictly impartial ruler. Those of our contemporaries who delight in

adding insult to the injurious calumnies with whioh they have fruitlessly endeavoured to tarnish the reputation or Sir Richard Bourke, we can only pity and forgive, " for they know not what they do." When time shall have removed from their vision the darkness with whioh forleus and bigoted psrtytaal hu atoreseat blinded them, the personal ss wall as political enemies of ear late respected Governor will be the first to acknowledge his public and private worth; and to Join with the large majority of the colonists of the present dey in hailing him as the greatest nablie he .efaotoT New South Wales has ever yat known. It was with much pleasure that we noticed the strong oontrut which marked the exit from the colony of Sir Kithard Bourke, and that of his predeeeeeor. The latter departs« from our shores with the exeoratio- of all, save a tew whom the cor-rupting influence of his large share of official patronage hal bound to hta service. General Bourke retired from us with the lond acolamaUona of applauding thou-ads, who had never reaped the alightett advantage, either from his pabUc or firivate favour. At au early hour on Tuesday morning last, the nhabltanta or Sydney and lu immediate vicinity assemble, li the neighbourhood of Government House to witness hit EiotUensi't departure to the place of embarkation. At one o'clock he held his final levee, a oeremony which, in the history of this oolony, hie

never been so numerously attended.

Immediately after the close of the levee, which tcralnatadat two o'clock. Sir Rlohard Boarke came forth from Government House, attired in full military costume,with his star and ribbon of the Order of the Bath, when the Guard of Honour, drawn up ia line opposite the door, received him with the customary aosáar. The troops In garrison, under the command of Colonel WoodtM_*L of H. M. 60th Regiment, formed an avenue from Gover_*Ji House ti the Jetty, at which his Exosllency embarked. Ita Governor, acoompanlel by Colonel Bnodgrsss, the officers of his personal stiff, with most of the civil functionaries and principal Inhabitants of the colony, then proceeded to the place cf embarka-tion, ' amidst the vehemont cheering of tho assembled multitude, in which the cry or "God bless Sir Rlohard Bourke" was loudly distinguishable. Oa entering the boit his Xxcollenor was greeted with a salute of nineteen guns from the colonial schooner Is-bolla, and he then proceeded onboard tho Sophia Jane, whioh had been specially engaged to tow the BunuM Winter out of barbour, nts Excellency gracefully bowed to the repeated cheera with which he waa saluted by the colonists ; and we art happy to add that he appeared ia the se?joyment of nerfeot henlth, s isa to warrant the hope that many years of bis valuable life maybe yet devoted to the service of his country. Upon the Samuel Winter getting underwalgh, Dawes' Battery fired a salute of sine guns, which vu returned hythe

Isabella.

The estimate in which Sir Richard wai held by the

colonists of New South Wales will be farther per-ceived if we reprint from tíie Btrald of April 12 th, 1842, the addresses delivered at the formal opening of the statue erected to the memoir of his services, by Mr. Therry (then acting Attorney-General, now one of our Judges) and the then governor, Sir George Gipps.

The secretary to the statue eommittee (Mr. Therry) delivered the following address : -

May It please your Bxwllenoy-Sir, On behalf of th« «uhNrlbtn I am requested to convey to your Eicrllsnoy the anurance of our thankful acknowledgments for your attendance on the completion and exhibition of this,- he Ant statue »hlott paille gratitud« ha» ralead on these «hores in honour of a great and dlstlnguUhsd be-nefactor. It i* th« atatu« of one, who«« ambition lay la ? dasira to onfer large and permanent benefit« on New south wal« : of on« who spared as study to understand h»r tra« intereiti and no atti to promote them ;- and of on« who tuseeeded in lapraasln« upon the memory and unVUons of the people ov«r whom he pre-sided, the conviction'- that a lose of justie» and equal law* and impartial protection, «ad advanoaoent «f all clasica of the community, were tho ruling principle! which goid«d and governed bl« win and bentflxut adminlatratloa.

The Inscription on this pedestal detail« th« result of these prin-ciple« in publie «errlces «f Importan» and enduring utility. Thay «ra her« recorded and engraven-Inviting from the présent generation and the next, admiration of the «noona and«nergy with which a serie« of brilliant and «ubitantlal «ervise»-u*ually scattered over a long track of time-haa been uMaved «ad con-centrated within the period of a short administration.

The joy and the gratitude of thla occasion. Sir, are not ephemera!; nor hav« tney been awakened by fervlots of «a «pheaar«! character. Not content with opening now eouroei of wealth, and {promoting judicious measure» of local and geaeral improvement,

t was the constant and anxious desire sf Sir S. Bourke to light up th« lamp of knowledge in tbe cottage of every peasant and ia toe «tall of every maohauio ; and he proclaimed to «very «migrant who warned these shore» that freedom to worship God aceordUg to conscience is in New South Wale» the eatabliaaed aod enlight-

ened law of the land. ]

It may not bo inappropriate to stat«, en such «a occasion as UM present, weat is perhapa not known to many by wham your Kxoclltncy is now saurouoded, that Sir B. Bourke was a near relative and a favourite pupil of the great Edmund Bark«; that in early life h« wu long an inmate of th« home of that illustrious man, and that from that «oures, H frasa a rich fountain, ho imbibed Information and knowledge and varied wisdom, which hi» lagaoloui mind atorad up and developed In th» lmjior.ant and frequently oriUeal «mee« of publia tract to which the confidence of his Sovereign and country had called him. By profession a soldier, he soon «eg.«ed in the «elive a*rvi«e of hi« oountry. The honourable sear in front (which th« genius of the artist, whose high reputation thla noble work cannot but en-hance, has with fidelity preserved ia th» statut) attesta that he was no: leas "bravo in the battle" than ia eouaoll he was prudent, serena, »nd firm. In the great Penlnsu'ar War of countless fight«, and tvo-y flint ? viotory to tbe British arm«, «the Great Capteln of the Age" hu borne testimony that h« derived from Sir Richard Bourka im-portant military and diplomatie co-operation. It may, Blr. farther be permitted nee to congratulate you that Sir Bichara Bourke, like yourself a soldier, had been chosan from the piora»» .Ion of arm» to the high office of Governor of this lui» and flourish!«« dependency of the British Crown, «nd that h«-a member of your oommo« profession-hu added on» to th« many instance« whloh our history afford« of th« Illa*

trions mm who, after a career of honourable la-bours in a military lerfioe, have, afterwards, a* eiüseni, devoted their talents to an enlarged sphere of useful aetivity, and comp'eted a brilliant reputation by rendering eminent civil >..> vice to the state. ,

It only romain« for me, in the name of all pressât, »gain lo thank jour Excellenoy for your attendance, and ta repeat car acknowledgments for the liberal encouragement with walsh yoa have promoted our desire ts testify our esteem and reverence for the distinguished officer whom we have met this day to honour.

In conclusion, permit me, elr, respectfully to «xpNMOur trust tbat yoar untiring labours and devoid seal In th« administration of your government may ia proper time receive due apireclation and reward from a »ommanity that haa thiitday exhibited lu so intereatlng «pd io algnlfieint a manner, It» grateful estimation «f publio dMWt. ' ,

His Excellence anoke aa follow« : t

I am happy, gentlemen, to meet you on this occasion, aad to take this publio opportunity af manifesting the respect which I entertain for the distinguished statesman and inter la whose honour yon have erected thla statue. The interest which this occasion has cxetted. Is sufficiently proved by the multitudes which I seo assembled before me and around me. Bat vast, gentlemen, as is the eoncourse whioh this ceremony has drawn together, and various u may be the feelings which the occasion te calculated to produce, there ia not, I am aura, a tingle Individual hsro present who oun be more overwhelmed with the sentiments which the erection of this statue gives birth to mort than myself. Indeed, gentlemen, when I consider the position iu> which I stand us successor to Sir R, Bourse, I cannot out _wrthend that, notwithstanding the readiness with which I har« obeyed your call, it might have been buter hadl yielded ibia honour to another ; for I oannot but feeUhu there is some peculiar inaptitude, something embarrassing in my petition, which, ia aclutiion to any other insuffloieacy, renders me unequal to the occasion. It is Impossible for me to divest myself of UM know-ledge that I have, for the last foar years and more, occupied the piuco which was before filled by the orlginil of this statue

and I must know-I otnnot, indeed, fill to know-how diScult it

must be for you to suppress altogether the feelings of comparison ' or contrast which auch a position must naturally give birth ta

I fed, «entumen, my own feebleness as I look on the por-traiture of my predecessor ; this it is which embarrasses ms-the i eonsclousness of it goes far to paralyse me. I teal that it thould he my business here to gus, to muse, to admire, to commune with my own heart, and strive to emulate his greatness, not to descant on his virtues ; that I sheold be here to learn an« not to teach. -.

Another cause, too, gentlemen, of the embarrassment which I, feel is, that I have never had the advantage which you, cr most

of yen at least have enjoyed, of being personally acquainted with ' Sir Richard Bourke. I have studied him, indeed, in his works, asm-ohm anyof yt>u, bnt in his lineaments, with the traits of his features, I am unacquainted ; his voice never fell upon my car; the most delightful part, therefore of the sculptor« power is lost on me; the power of awakening fo.d remembrances, and of giving to the enraptured vtaw the very air aid pressure of the form we loved. I can, ia this statue, ace soiree mire than the ideal form of great and noble qualities, devoid almost of individuality; with you, the cate Is different: it calls to your remembrance a form you reverenced and loved ; to you it is a belag of reality. The sculptor's is the noblet t of the arts ; his wore the mott enduring, and, therefor«, fitted bett to transmit to remou posterity the list memorial of a

people's gratitude. The erection of tUtuet waa one of! the earliest means devised hy the freest and mott .ecompllshed peop'e of antiquity to turk their «dml»tloa of the great and good. I rejalee, «entlsmtn, that your oorreot and elasslo taste has led you, in seeking te pay a

tribute to the excellence of Sir R. Bourke, to adopt thla speen« of i monumont rather than any other ; and I trust it may be taken as

a promise of the way in which the fine art* will htaosforth bi.«, oultlvatod in this young and rising land. ___K

But if, gentlemen, you wera happy In determining the naluMr of the monument whith you would erect to the honsur of your late Governor, certainly no lest oorreot and happy has

been your taste ia the eelecUob of a spot whereon to

_i-_ '.. ¡si-,, i. «n m» T an ann. In the

place it. Xher« l» no one. i am mr«, u w

vast crowd before mo, who will not at oae» «eknowlcdg« that the «pot la no lu» appropriât« to th« purpoM than It li beautiful la itself ; and certainly on th« «anh.'« ex-panded bosom it were difficult to find one of more lurpaaslng beauty. I «ay thla because n« merit ia du to me for th« «tlio* tioa of it, «ave that of havlnf approve» It.

Ferohed upon this eminence, and outipraad betör« it this fair enchanting tetne, but little »tratoh of th« imagination ia required to »nppue the statue endued with life aad breath, and aalmaaon, and, tai the riling sun first tonohes it» lip», to hear, or faaoy that wa hear, it «peak, «a did it» gmt original, worda of wisdom to the peopl»; wkllat UM étranger, too, who »ppreaohes you coast - the tired denlaen from ««other world-the sea-toased emigrant, who transports himself and hil household god» to the brighter land« of Australis, as he eatars your gorgeone port, salute« It with a pagan'* worahip, and ace» enthroned upon it the guardian garjue of the land. It may, perhaps, geatltmen, be expected of me, that on an occasion like th« present I should call to your recollection «oat« of the actions of Sir Richard Bourke, which endeared, him to you; ioma of th« benefit* conferred apon tbls Und, which moved you to the erteilen- or

tai« statue. This, however, hu ahead y been don» by Mr. Theny., and a memorial of thoa« aotioos ia recorded in the inscription whioh the statua bears. The administration, moreover, of Sir Biohard Bourke ii ao reosnt, that the event» of it are still fresh in your memory ; better known, indeed, they must be for th« most part to yourrelve» than to me, «ino» you were not only spectator« of, but participator» in them alia. My own opl-lcn of the idnunlitratlon hy Sir Richard Bourke of the public affairs of tbls colony may be best gathered from the fact, which must be known to most of you, that I have endeavoured to follow out his policy ; and though my stay sjsoafit yon may be vary uncertain, I yet hope it may be permitted to m« to complete In «orne degré«, the work which he began. I yat Indulge the hope that my own admlnlatratloamay be marked by

the introduction amongst yon of the institution» which he desired f to see established, thou institut!»-» of Mit government which in. every put of har widtly extended empire th» »ou of Oreel Britain may claim u their birthright-u a heilt I», indoor, devolved upon them from their Saxon ancestors. 1 trust that the time is at hand when the institution» Of civll no IM

a

«___ pt reUgloat liberty, wiUb» fixed la this eouatryoa a solid '' ftani-t-» ; aad that thenceforward li may be Mid of as, aot only

«katweUv« ia a land ia which, thank« to Sir B. Bourke, it it par_Uttd to «vary maa to warship his God without giving bffenee to Usaslghbimr-that it is not only one in which the minds of mea ¿J, free-bat on« alto wherein their aotloas are controlled only tv «ntl law«, made for the benefit of all by the representatives of their own cholee.

I ia happy, gentlemen, on this oooaslon, to see assembled, and taking patt la the business of the day, to many of the assentations -tish hive been formed in Sydney for purpose« of publlo utility or of mutual benefit-associations which, io long «a they are prudentiyoo-fined within the proper sphere of their action, const!. tut«, I am disposed to think, no lets the ornament than the tafe. guard of society. Foremost amoagtt them I am pleaaed to see a -youtbf-1 branca of the venerable society of free and Aootpied liasses-« fellowship of the highest antiquity, and renowned throuthout the Christian world for Ita bond of social union, and for its dtedt of eharity

Amidst the exaltations of the moment one tubject, but on* glMiet only, of regret presents itself to my mind. Alas 1 gentlett$», that our sorrows mingle ever with our joyt, but such is the «heqaere- nature of bnroan uro, suoh the condition of the des-tiny to which we are bom, that even la our proudest and happtettmom«nts there Is hardly one which does not bear upon it «MM tilige of disappointment.

though the distinguished original of this status still move« amongst the living, and Is still preserved to his country's servios, it It hardly te be rxp-otod that he will himself ever view the anunment whioh you have this day oonsecrated to him; it la hardly Indeed in the course of human events to be expected that Jiewul ever revisit the country, which by his administration, aad bit measures, he contributed so muoh to ennoble.

Still, however, gentlemen, he is not altogether departed from W, not only does nie spirit still breathe upon this land, but he hi* left behind him in it one of the dearest pledges of hlsaff-0> don, he hu planted amongst you one of his own offspring, a ^d»afht»r of 8ir R. Bourko Is here to view with emotions high aadhellowed the work which you have thla day aco-npllshed ; and asenredly, geatlemen, the effusions of gratitude W11 not be do yon teas «weet because they ate pouted forth from a female

botooi.

It remain« for me only, gentlemen, to noske to yon my aeknowl«dger«^\ror the very nandsomc manner in which Mr. Therry hue _,_« to the obligations, whioh he is pleased to say you 'fiel x-l-eelves to lie under to mo for having asoeded to your reMHU and for taking a part in the buiineat of this dar. Not leu certainly, gentlemeo, am 1 obliged to Mr. Therry, for the Sst-ranees whioh he has given tome of friendly feeling towards myself, and of attachmtnt to my Gpvernment. I tra st, gentlemen, I shall not err If I accept these assurances os proceeding equally iron you all, for nothing oaa tend more to aupport me in oc-casional moment« of difficulty, than the persuulon that my humbler, though unwearied excitions for the advantage of the people of thla colony, are not undervalued by those who were the admiren of Sir Rlohard Bourke.