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Trial of MR。 AND MRS。 BENTLEY； Hanse； and Farrel； FOR THE MURDER OF JAMES SCOBIE。 Supreme Court； Melbourne。 GUILTY！ of Manslaughter。 Mrs。 Bentley scot…free。
His Honour considered their conduct was wanton and reckless。 He should mark his sense of the outrage of which they have been found guilty； by passing on each of them a sentence of THREE （！） YEARS' IMPRISONMENT WITH HARD LABOUR ON THE ROADS。
Great Works！
Trial of Fletcher； M‘Intyre and Westerby； for BURNING THE EUREKA HOTEL。 Supreme Court； Melbourne。 Criminal Sittings。 GUILTY； with a recommendation to mercy！！
The Foreman of the Jury appended the following rider to the verdict：
〃The jury feel； in giving their verdict against the prisoners at the bar； that in all probability； they （the jury） should never have had that painful duty to Perform； if those entrusted with the government offices at Ballaarat had done theirs properly。〃
His Honour said： THE SENTENCE of the Court is； that you； M‘Intyre be confined in H。M。 gaol； at Melbourne； for THREE MONTHS； but I shall not subject you to labour。 （Great works！） You； Fletcher； to four months； and you； Westerby； to six months confinement。。。 。。。The Executive was sufficiently strong to punish those who outrage the law！ （Great works at Toorak！）
…
La vita in grammatica； Facil declinazione； La vita poi in pratica； Storta congiugazione： Della vita lo spello dal mondo sciolto； Al mondo vivi； poiche non sei sepolto。
Chapter XXV。
Epistolam Hanc Misi； Tunc Bene； Nunc Valde Ad Opus。
Prepaid。 To W。 H。 ARCHER； Esq。 Acting Registrar General； Melbourne。 Ballaarat Gold…fields； Eureka； November 30； 1854。
My dear Mr。 Archer；
I was in some anxiety about you； not receiving any answer to my letter of the 17th October； and especially to that of the 22nd ditto。 I was at Creswick's Creek； when I was informed that Father Smyth had a letter for me； and last Monday I returned to Ballaarat； where I received； through Messrs。 Muir Brothers； your letter of the 20th October。 I am heartily glad to learn that you are well； and now I suppose a few lines from me are as welcome to you as ever。
Somehow or other； verging towards the fortieth year of my age； having witnessed strange scenes in this strange world； very； very different from my dream of youth； I feel now more disposed to the sober reality of the things of this life。
However desponding and humiliating may be； as it really is； the sad reflection； that at the enormous distance of sixteen thousand miles from dear homes and dearer friends； people should be called upon to assemble； NOT to thank God Almighty for any special mercy； or rejoice over the first good harvest or vintage on this golden land； but melancholy is it to say； for the old purpose； as in olden times in the old country； 'FOR THE REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES；' and so yesterday we had a monster meeting on Bakery…hill； and I was the delegate of upwards of one thousand foreigners； or 'aliens；' according to the superlative wisdom of your Legislative Council。
The Camp was prepared to stand for the Colonial Secretary Foster！ Yes； you may judge of the conduct of some officers sent to protect the Camp by the following：
On Tuesday Evening （November 28th）； about eight o'clock； the Twelfth Regiment arrived from Melbourne。 The expert cleverness of the officer in command； made the soldiers； riding in carts drawn by three horses each； cross the line exactly at the going…a…head end of the Eureka。 An injudicious triumphant riding； that by God's mercy alone； was not turned into a vast funeral。
From my tent； I soon heard the distant cries of 'Joe！' increasing in vehemence at each second。 The poor soldiers were pelted with mud； stones； old stumps； and broken bottles。 The hubbub was going on pretty desperate westward of the Hill and WE had hard work to preserve the peace； but at the upper end of the Hill； the game was going on upon a far more desperate scale。 It appears that a party of Gravel…pits men had been in the bush for the purpose。 They stopped a cart； pulled the soldiers out； robbed them of their ammunition and bayonets； in short； it was a hell of a row。 All of us camping on the Hill were talking about this cowardly attack； when a detachment of said soldiers came up again； and the officer； a regular incapable； that is； a bully； with drawn sword began to swear at us； and called all of us a pack of scoundrels。 He was； however； soon put to rights； by the whole of us then present offering ourselves to look out for the missing soldiers； and eventually； one of them was discovered in a deserted tent； another was found in a hole lower down the Warrenheip Gully； and so on。 This disgraceful occurrence； coupled with the firing of guns and pistols； kept up the whole of the night； did not give us cheering hopes for the next day。
Chapter XXVI。
The Monster Meeting。
Bakery…hill； Wednesday； November 29th。
（Letter continued。）
〃All the diggings round about were deserted； and swelled the meeting； the greatest I ever witnessed in this Colony。 At two o'clock there were about ten thousand men present！ The Report of the Deputation appointed by the League to wait upon his Excellency； relative to the release of the three prisoners； M‘Intyre； Fletcher； and Yorkie； was listened to with great anxiety。〃
George Black was the man of the day； and was received by the people with three hearty cheers。
From his outward appearance； one would take him for a parson； a Christian one； I mean； not a prebendary or a bishop。 His English is elegant； and conscious of having received an education； and being born a gentleman； he never prostitutes his tongue to colonial phraseology。 His reading must have been sober from his youth； for in conversation he indulges in neither cant nor romance； though； in addressing the people； he may use a touch of declamation stronger than argument。 From the paleness of his cheeks； and the dryness of his lips； you might see that the spirit was indeed willing； though the flesh was weak。 The clearness of his eyes； the sharpness of his nose； the liveliness of his forehead； lend to his countenance a decided expression of his belief in the resurrection of life。 His principles are settled； not so much because that is required for the happiness of a good conscience； but because the old serpent has crammed the ways of man with so many deceits in this world of vanity and vexation of spirit； that a heart of the honesty of George Black； cannot possibly have any sympathy with the crooked ways of rogues and vagabonds； and so he is afflicted at their number and audacity； especially in this Colony。 His disposition of mind makes him enthusiastic for the virtuous； his benevolent heart prevents him from proceeding to extremities with the vicious。 Hence the Diggers' Advocate； of which he was the editor； though conducted with ability； failed； because he thought that gold…diggers interested themselves with true religion； as laid down in Saint James' Catholic Epistle； but he made a greater mistake in not taking into consideration that men； though digging for gold； do still pretend to some religious denomination or other。 However； let him now address the Monster Meeting。