Peter Lalor, Ballarat, 1854
“Liberty!
Fellow diggers, outraged at the unaccountable conduct of the Camp officials, in such a wicked license-hunt at the point of the bayonet as the one this morning, we take it as an insult to our manhood and a challenge to the determination come from the monster meeting yesterday. Now I call on you to fall into divisions of eighty men according to your weapons, and to choose your captains from the best men among you.
It is my duty now to swear you in, and to take with you the oath to be faithful to the Southern Cross. Now hear me with attention. The man who, after this solemn oath does not stand by our standard, is a coward at heart. I order all persons who do not intend to take the oath to leave the meeting at once.
We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties."
Amen was the respectful reply of all the men.
"Comrades, assist me to pray for the safety of these men. Bless these men that go to fight for their rights and liberties. May Heaven shield them from danger. I charge you to commit no violence to the peaceably disposed. I will shoot the first man who takes any property from another except arms and ammunition and what is necessary for us to use in our defence.
Now fall in comrades, and march behind our standard to the Eureka.”
150 years ago, miners on the Victorian gold fields had had enough of authority. They were fed up with the license fees, constant inspection and additional corruption. The diggers gathered under the Southern Cross flag in Ballarat. It was here that Peter Lalor delivered the Bakery Hill speech, calling all of the workers to stand up for their rights or to leave. Peter Lalor stepped forward in the absence of the leading spokesmen of the Ballarat reform league. This speech was very powerful because everyone was fed up with the licenses, the men of the mines wanted to be treated fairly and now had a man (Peter Lalor) who made the decision clear. he stood up for what he believed was right for not only him but all those around him. Peter Lalor stood in for Ballarats' leading spokesmen. As he made the speech everyone followed his words and directions, many people did leave when Peter gave them the opportunity. Those people did not wish to be a part of the rebellion as they were happy with the way that their lives were led. But Peter saw the injustice and believed that it would be right to take a stand. Many people followed his words and fought for what they thought they deserved, equality, a voice, rights and a fair go.
REFERENCES:
“Liberty!
Fellow diggers, outraged at the unaccountable conduct of the Camp officials, in such a wicked license-hunt at the point of the bayonet as the one this morning, we take it as an insult to our manhood and a challenge to the determination come from the monster meeting yesterday. Now I call on you to fall into divisions of eighty men according to your weapons, and to choose your captains from the best men among you.
It is my duty now to swear you in, and to take with you the oath to be faithful to the Southern Cross. Now hear me with attention. The man who, after this solemn oath does not stand by our standard, is a coward at heart. I order all persons who do not intend to take the oath to leave the meeting at once.
We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties."
Amen was the respectful reply of all the men.
"Comrades, assist me to pray for the safety of these men. Bless these men that go to fight for their rights and liberties. May Heaven shield them from danger. I charge you to commit no violence to the peaceably disposed. I will shoot the first man who takes any property from another except arms and ammunition and what is necessary for us to use in our defence.
Now fall in comrades, and march behind our standard to the Eureka.”
150 years ago, miners on the Victorian gold fields had had enough of authority. They were fed up with the license fees, constant inspection and additional corruption. The diggers gathered under the Southern Cross flag in Ballarat. It was here that Peter Lalor delivered the Bakery Hill speech, calling all of the workers to stand up for their rights or to leave. Peter Lalor stepped forward in the absence of the leading spokesmen of the Ballarat reform league. This speech was very powerful because everyone was fed up with the licenses, the men of the mines wanted to be treated fairly and now had a man (Peter Lalor) who made the decision clear. he stood up for what he believed was right for not only him but all those around him. Peter Lalor stood in for Ballarats' leading spokesmen. As he made the speech everyone followed his words and directions, many people did leave when Peter gave them the opportunity. Those people did not wish to be a part of the rebellion as they were happy with the way that their lives were led. But Peter saw the injustice and believed that it would be right to take a stand. Many people followed his words and fought for what they thought they deserved, equality, a voice, rights and a fair go.
REFERENCES:
- No author, no year, Eureka Stockade History, no publication, available at http://home.alphalink.com.au/~eureka/lalor.htm accessed September4 2014
- Ian Turner, Lalor, Peter (1827–1889), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lalor-peter-3980/text6289, published in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 17 September 2014