At the
beginning of September, 1853, there were said to be nearly seventy
thousand persons living at the Victorian gold-fields, and many of these,
in all probability, earned very little more than mechanics employed in
settled work. Hence there was a fair ground for an orderly agitation
against the amount of the fee; but, unfortunately, the diggers preferred
violent measures. There was some excuse for them. They were not
represented in the Legislative Council, for they had sprung into
existence as a body since the passing of the Act of 1850, and, though a
measure had been introduced with a view to giving them the franchise, it
had not yet received the assent of the Home Government. In the mean
time, therefore, they could not, through their representatives in the
Council, effectively criticise either the existing law or its
administration. With regard to the latter, there was obviously room for
complaint, for the immense increase of business had compelled the
Government to appoint an inferior class of officials, and some of these,
at least, succumbed to the strong temptations of their positions.
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