Melior Nunc Lingua Favere.
Document I.
SUPREME COURT
(Before his Honour the Chief Justice,)
"The prisoner, Raffaello, on his trial being postponed, wished to address
His Honour. He said that he was a native of Rome, and hoped that the same
good feeling would be shown towards him in this colony as in old England.
If his witnesses were there, he would be able to leave the dock at that
moment. He hoped that His Honour would protect him by seeing that his
witnesses were served with subpoenas.
"His Honour was not responsible for this. Prisoner's attorney was the
party, and he must speak to him. It is the business of your attorney
to get these witnesses."
The following advertisement appeared in 'The Age', February 24th, 1855,
immediately above the leading article of said day:-
Document II.
State Trials.
"The trial of Raffaello has been postponed on account of the absence of
Dr. Alfred Carr, Mr. Gordon, of the store of Gordon and M`Callum, and
other witnesses for the defence. It is earnestly requested that they
will be in attendance on Monday morning at latest.
"J. MACPHERSON GRANT,
"Solicitor for the defence."
The following letter, and comment on it, appeared in 'The Age',
March 16th, 1855:-
Document III.
..."I was, Mr. Editor, present at Ballaarat on the memorable morning of
the 3rd December, and in the pursuit of my usual avocation, happened to
meet Raffaello, now one of the state prisoners, on the Redhill, he being
then in search of Dr. Carr's hospital... We were directed the hospital,
and soon returned to the Eureka, Raffaello bringing Dr. Carr's surgical
instruments. We entered the stockade, and saw many lying almost dead for
want of assistance and from loss of blood, caused by gun-shot and bayonet
wounds. I did not remain long in the stockade, fearing if found there at
that time I would be arrested. I made my escape; but poor Raffaello,
who remained rendering an act of mercy to the dying, would not leave.
He might, during that time, have easily made his escape, if he wished to
do so; and I am sure, ran no inconsiderable risk of being shot, through
the constant explosion of fire-arms left in the stockade by the diggers
in their retreat.
"J.B."
"Melbourne, 15th March, 1854.
"The writer of the above states, in a private note, that he wishes his
name kept secret; but we trust that his intimacy with the Camp officials
will not prevent him from coming forward to save the life of a fellow
creature, when the blood-hounds of the government are yelling with anxiety
to fasten their fangs upon their victims."--Ed. A.
'The Age' who certainly never got drunk yet on Toorak small-beer, had an
able leading article, headed, 'The State Trials'--see January 15th--
concluding, "If they be found guilty, then Heaven help the poor State
Prisoners." Now turn the medal, and 'The Age' of March 26th--always the
same year, 1855--that is, the day after my acquittal, gives copy of a Bill
of the 'LAST PERFORMANCE; or, the Plotters Outwitted.'
Document IV.
"To-day, the familiar farce of 'STATE PROSECUTIONS; or, the Plotters
Outwitted,' will be again performed, and positively for the last time;
on which occasion that first-rate performer, Mr. W. F. Stawell, will
(by special desire of a distinguished personage) repeat his well-known
impersonation of Tartuffe, with all the speeches, the mock gravity, etc.,
which have given such immense satisfaction to the public on former
occasions. This eminent low comedian will be ably supported by
Messrs. Goodenough and Peters, so famous for their successful
impersonations of gold-diggers; and it is expected that they will both
appear in full diggers' costume, such as they wore on the day when they
knelt before the 'Southern Cross,' and swore to protect their rights and
liberties. The whole will be under the direction of that capital stage
manager, Mr. R. Barry, who will take occasion to repeat his celebrated
epilogue, in which he will--if the audience demand it--introduce again his
finely melodramatic apostrophe to the thunder.
"With such a programme, what but an exceedingly successful farce can be
anticipated? A little overdone by excessive repetition, it may be said;
but still an admirable farce; and, as we have said, this is positively
the last performance. Therefore, let it go on; or as Jack Falstaff says,
'play out the play.'"
Of course, I leave it to my good reader to guess, whether after four long
months in gaol, which ruined my health for ever, I did laugh or curse on
reading the above.
Concerning the four documents above, so far so good for the present;
and the Farce will be produced on the stage of 'Teatro' Argentina, Roma,
by Great-works. The importance of the following observation, however,
is obvious to any reader who took the proper trouble to understand the
text of the first chapter of this book.
Why Dr. A. Carr, Sub-inspector Carter, Messrs. Gordon and Binney were not
present as witnesses on my trial, was, and is still, a MYSTERY to me.
'Sunt tempora nostra! nam perdidi spem: Melior nunc lingua favere.'