A Boston negro, named
John Joseph, and a reporter for the Ballarat _Times_, named Manning,
were first tried. The latter may have been merely led away by
professional ardor in the pursuit of "copy," though the fact that he had
been openly drilled and instructed in the use of a pike by the
insurgents would seem to show that his zeal was somewhat excessive.
In the case of Joseph, the evidence was overwhelming; he had actually
been seen to fire upon the troops, and he was captured in a tent which
had been used as a guard-room by the insurgents. No counter-evidence was
offered, the prisoners' counsel relying entirely on the alleged absence
of treasonable intention. Nevertheless both prisoners were speedily
acquitted, and, although the Government wisely withdrew the remaining
cases for the time, subsequent trials produced similar results.
Ultimately, however, the difficulties of the situation were allayed by
the reforms introduced on the recommendation of the commission appointed
to consider the whole subject of the gold-fields.
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