Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), Wednesday 24 December 1851, page 3


' TESTIMONIAL TO MU. HAROBAVES.

A meeting was hold ot tho ltoyal Hotel, yestcr. (lay afternoon, pursuant to advertisement, for tlx Ïurposo of originating a Public Testimonial to E

I. Hargraves, Esq., tho discoverer of gold it

Australia.

CHARLES COWPER, ESQ. MX.C., presided,

' Tho CHAIRMAN said that although tho meeting was not so numerously attended as ho wished, lu felt happy in' Boeing himself surrounded^ hy sc inany gentlemen ebie to carry out tho object foi which, they were assembled. Ho need not, call their attention to the benefit likely to nccruo tc tho colony, by tho .enterprise and successful exertions of Mr. Hargraves. Ho hoped, however, that the result of this meeting, would prove not alono to Mr., Hargraves, but to nil who exerted themselves for. their country's good, that thc people are not : wanting in respect and grati-

tude.

." 'Mr, T. S.' Mo'BT rose to move the first résoluMon. In doing so, he would make a fuw remarks. He was most busily occupied, this afternoon, with '«.moro than usual press of business, but ho con-sidered the object of this mooting of such pnra. mount importance ns to inducohim unhesitatingly

to waive nil business considerations in deference to that object. That Mr. Hargraves was tho first discoverer of the golden wealth of this country no ono could for a moment doubt (cheers) nucl, it was cquallv palpable that ho wnsnot a chanco discoverer lt liad been said, that if Mr. Har-graves had not wade tho discovery, some ono else would have done so, and probably, by the decreo of Providence such might havo been tho case But to provo, that Mr. Hargraves was not a chance discoverer, ho would read tho following ex-tract from a letter, dated San Franuisco, 5th March; ISSI, written by Mr. Hargraves to Mr. Peek. Tho oxtract mn ns follows:-"I am Wry forcibly impressed with the belief that I havo boon in a gold region in New South Wales, within 600 miles ot Sydney. Un-less you knew whero to look for it, you might live for years in that region, mid never find lt." Mr. Mort next alluded to some jocular remarks of Mr. Hargraves to Mr. Davidson, in Soptoinhcr, 1850, when both gentlemen wcro in California. H appeared that Mr. Hargraves, on that occasion, told Mr. Davidson of Iiis intention immediately te return to Sydney, adding that he should dis-cover a splendid gold field, and that ho would , doubtlcs bo then made a commissioner,

«nd ns ho should then requiro n clerk, ho would givo that sltuntion to Mr. Davidson. Ho (Mr. Mort) hold in his hand o lotter from Wr. Davidson (who wus a friend of his own), «nd in that letter Mr, Davidson having heard in bnllfonila of our gold .discovery, claimed tho

I fulfilment of Mr. Hal-graves' promis on behalf

of H relative. To return to the «:ircnmsl anees of the discovery, no fewer than twenty geologists, persons belonging to different nations, had suc-cessively traversed the same tract of country, without making the great discovery which had been made by Mr. Hargraves. In accomplishing his end, Mr. Hargraves had endured great pri-

vations. He had been during three mouths subject to great toil and hardship, in his travels through the bush, and instead of meeting with encouragement, had experienced nothing but ridicule, from persons who knew the nature of his researches. He had, in fact, in colonial parlance, been regarded as a man who had a shingle loose, but he persevered until his efforts were crowned with such success as justified him in coming forward and making that success publicly known, that the colonists might reap the great, benefit arising from his researches (cheers). Air. Afort also called tho attention of the meeting and thc public to tho disinterestedness displayed by Air. Hargraves. He made a great sacrifice in quitting California, whero ho was in a most lucrative situation, avid it was evident to all who knew the circumstances, that ho could have amassed wealth in this country if lie had been so disposed, but ho hod been actuated by a higher motive, the publia welfare, and in some instances his "onerous confidence had met with ingratitude.

Afr. linrgrnves hnd'showed parties tho wny to oe-, rpi!re tho newly discovered riches, and had aided them in tho formation of cradles, and with the needful information, and those parties had actu-ally attempted to strip Afr. Hargraves of Iiis wellearned fame by writing to tho Government ai though they' were tim first discoverers, but happily their ungrateful at-tempts had jwoved abortive, as Air. Hargrove's communication had been received a month previously. This gentleman lind neted with the greatest self denial, for although it must bc obvious to nil persons, that he could liavu amassed gold in abundance, ho hod made no. gain by any of tho diggings. In conclusion, Air. Mort aaiil that Arr. Hargraves anticipated pro-ceeding to England in tho cu tirso of a tow months, and he hoped thu mooting would give him such a testimonial of their approval, ns would act as a passport for him to tho presenco of the Sovereign and pcoplo of Britain, ns the accredited gold dis-coverer of Australia. (Cheers.) Air. Mort would wish to make a fow remarks with regard to an observation, which lind been uiivle, namely, that the gold discovery would not prove beneficial to tho country. lie believed that persons capable of making sueli remarks must he very selfish. In some few coses, individuals might not have experienced any beneficial results from the discovery. Ho lind himself received no benefit from it, but tho colonists ought to view tho sub-ject on a broader principle. Mr. Wentworth was one ol' those who expressed alarm, lest hissheep and cuttle might suffer, in consequence of thc gold discovery, although ho has been more en-riched by that discovery than any othor indivi-dual, ond in tho samo breath with which bespoke in disparagement of tho disoovery nnd its consoquencos, told tho people, that that discovery would precipitate this colony into a great nation -, but if ho (.Mr. Alort) had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, he should look upon thom as in-creased instead of deteriorated in value in conse-quence of the gold discovery. Ile would now read tho 1st resolution, "Tlmt a committee bo ap-pointed for adopting such means, as to them' may appear most desirable for-securing to E. H. Har-graves, Esq., the most suitable mark ol' tho ap-probation of tho Colonists of-Ncw South Wales, for tho services rendered by that gen tl emmi in his discovery of the great gold fluids ol' Australasia.''

Arr TIIOHAS HAI.B said that ha hud not the pleasure of being acq ii ii ti ted with Air. Hargraves prior to tho discovery of tba golden treasures, but having known him since that time, ho conld bear testimony to his many amiable qualities. He (Mr. Halo) had been on an expedi-tion-a sort ol' wild pooso chase-in tho gold districts soon after the discovery beeaino publicly known, mid he did not on that occasion meet a single individual who did not speak of Air. Har-graves having searched in tho vicinity, thus testi-fying to tho labour and diligenco of that gentle-man. Ho looked upon tho gold discovery ns a great national blessing-a blessing willoh might be diffused throughout tho vost British Empire. In thu Mother Country, a,crowded population existed, with tho Unions' filled with able-bodied poor--aud undor existing circumstances thc superabundant population of Britain might bu induced to come to this country, to their- own, and to dillis country's benefit. Ho (Mr. Halo) admired Mr. Hargraves' chnractoi-, in whatever pl I ii au ho looked at it, and he hoped tho colonist» would present him with such a testimonial as would bo. worthy of this great City-(Cheers.)ns would be worthy of this-thu greatest gold producing country iu the world. (Cheers.) Ho would corio!udo by cordially seconding tho resolu-

tion.

Tlie resolution was carried unanimously.

Mr. G, A. 1,1.0VD uioved the second resolution, " That the following gentlemen ; ho appointed u coinmiltce fur tho purposes named in tho foregoing resolution, with power to ndd to their numbers." G. Cowper, M.L.O.; Sir Osborno Gibbes; Messrs. J.,S. Dowling, lt. Tooth," P. N. Russell, Henry Flnvolle, J. Macnamara, J. Croft, T. S. Mort, T. W. Smith, T. Ha'e, G. A. Lloyd, A. Fairfax, R S. Koss, il. Parkes, S. Peek, J. Fairfax, J. G. Cohen, A. li. Spnrk, Tucker, Dawson, Cooper and Dr. Uougliiss, M.L.C.

Mr. JOHN FAIUFAX seconded tho resolution.

After tho usual vote of thanks to tho Chairman, the meeting then separated.