Lachlan Macquarie: The Father Of Australia

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Lachlan Macquarie was born into a poor family in 1762, nonetheless, his poverty did not stop him from going on to conquer a vision that he developed with his beautiful wife, Elizabeth Macquarie. Upon moving to New South Wales from Scotland he took the governorship from a man named William Bligh. Because of Lachlan’s vision to better the colony he gained the admirable title of, The Father of Australia. This essay will go on to discuss Lachlan Macquarie’s governorship and what he was able to accomplish as the governor of New South Wales. The essay will then look at Lachlan Macquarie’s critics, why they disagreed with him and if there allegations had any merit to them. Leading up to his success, Lachlan Macquarie wrote a letter asking that…show more content…
William Bligh had started an insurgency called the “Rum Rebellion” which led to his inevitable arrest on the 26th of January 1808 by Major George Johnston. The New South Wales Corps and Major Johnston stormed across the Government House in Sydney and arrested the distraught William Bligh. When Bligh was in power he would treat the convicts with little respect. If they were slightly at fault for anything he would encourage fierce beatings and was even known to torment his officers which, of course, led to him being rebelled against and seized as mentioned above. Thankfully, in the year 1810 Lachlan Macquarie took over Governorship of New South Wales with optimistic vision to change the colony for the better. He was the fifth Governor of New South Wales and the most accomplished of them. He ventured from Scotland with his beloved wife, Elizabeth so that they could bring their dreams to reality. Elizabeth wasn’t just Lachlan’s wife but also his partner. They helped each other in everything they did whether it was…show more content…
He explored the colony of New South Wales under Macquarie’s care and refused to understand what it was Macquarie was trying to accomplish. Upon arrival back in England, he wrote and presented his findings to the House of Commons. His writings later went on to be called ‘The Bigge Report’. Lachlan Macquarie was shunned for his treatment of the convicts and evaluated harshly by the Bigge Report because of it. Macquarie believed convicts should have the chance to contribute to the growth and integrity of the colony and encouraged them to do so. Bigge, however, did not like this point of view. The Bigge Report believed that convicts should be treated with chastisement and, according to the Bigge report; they believed that convicts under Macquarie’s care should be given sterner treatment with punitive reprimands. They took it upon themselves to disparage Macquarie’s name for expenditure on public works and his need to make Sydney a better and a more civilized settlement. However, Lachlan Macquarie was not going to let anything stop him from completing his work so he travelled to England to see if he could salvage his once good name. Unfortunately shortly after his arrival in England, Lachlan Macquarie passed away from an illness in his bed chambers in London in the
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