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[centred] CORRESPONDENCE.
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[centred] THE BLACK QUESTION. To the Editor of the Port Denison Times.
SIR --- I enclose you a copy of the reply from the Queensland Government to the Memorial presented by me on the question of the treatment of the Blacks in the Kennedy District, and should feel obliged if you would insert it in your paper -- as also my reply thereto -- for the information of those signing the Memorial, and others anxious to see the present system of treating the Blacks modified.
That the present mode of "dispersing" (which, as is well known, means shooting blacks where ever they are found by the Native Police Force) can be tolerated by the Queensland Government I cannot understand, but it is one that I consider every man calling himself a Christian is bound to use every lawful means in his power to stop, and I am very glad to see by the paragraphs in your paper relative to the Natal Downs affair and the black's camp near to Bowen, that you disapprove of.
In a letter to you, signed William Clarke, Sellheim River, I am extremely surprised to see such a statement as "unprovoked murders" by the blacks, made by Mr. Clarke, as surely he must know well that in every case we have been the agressors [sic], and begun by murdering the blacks. Of course, an unfortunate shepherd who has been killed by them may not himself have ever shot a single blackfellow, but others have previously done so in that neighbourhood in every instance that I have heard of -- not excepting the dreadful massacre of the late Mr. Wills and all his party, which was preceded by the murder of a number of blacks on an adjoining station, which no doubt Mr. Clarke had heard of but has forgotten.
I entirely agree with the concluding remarks in your paragraph relative to Ivors [sic] case at natal Downs -- That the "dispersion" (shooting) of one solitary unarmed blackfellow by the Native Police Force was not in any way justifiable, or likely to tend to the security of life in the bush. If we do not discriminate, but punish the innocent with the guilty, how can we expect savages to do so ?
That "the best thing you can do with a blackfellow is to school him" (as I have heard deliberately stated) I totally deny ; and I fear the only way to put down the present system will be to make a severe example as we did in New South Wales many years ago, and have a Native Police officer, or squatter or two hung for murdering blacks.
I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, [named, on right] A. L. McDOUGALL.
P.S. -- I add an extract from a letter I received yesterday from Mr. F. R. Bode, of Strathdon -- he says, "I shall be very happy if we can get this measure passed, as it is a fearful way to be going on, and I think as long as the blacks are shot there will be murders here." Baulkham Hills, Sydney, March 26th, 1867.