of settlement and increasing the rate of dispossession of the Aboriginals. Darling appointed many of these wealthy settlers as magistrates, and allowed the settlers and Mounted Police a freer hand to deal more punitively with convict absconders, bushrangers and Aboriginals. In dealing with clashes between the settlers and Aboriginal land owners, Darling followed Earl Bathurst’s instructions - to treat Aborigines as enemy combatants not British subjects. He supported “dispersals” of any gatherings of Aborigines, he used the Military to suppress Aboriginal dissent, and issued muskets to settlers in the Hunter Region for them to defend themselves. Under Darling, no longer an officer of the Crown, D’Arcy Wentworth was free to promote the cause of the Emancipists and trial by jury, and he became their figure head and leader. The press came under pressure for its criticism of the Governor and government policies. D’Arcy initially led the protagonists supporting freedom of the press, a fully elected representative government for the Colony, and no taxation without representation. Amongst the leading agitators were the Australian newspaper and its proprietors: two barristers, Robert Wardell and William Charles Wentworth, D’Arcy Wentworth’s son. Following Darling’s persecution of two soldiers, Sudds and Thompson in November 1826, that resulted in the death of Sudds,The Australian pressed for the recall of Governor Darling. William Wentworth became the voice for representative government for the Colony, and for Governor Darling’s recall. Private life On board the convict transport Neptune Wentworth entered a relationship with a convict girl, Catherine Crowley. She remained his partner in the Colony until her death at Parramatta in January 1800. Their son William Charles was born at sea on the Surprize, standing off Norfolk Island in a violent storm on 13 August 1790; a daughter, Martha, died at four months, during an outbreak of fever carried by the Third Fleet; two more sons followed, D’Arcy, born in 1793, and John in 1795. D’Arcy Wentworth made numerous attempts to return to England from Norfolk Island and from Sydney. In 1802, Wentworth sent his two eldest sons, William and D’Arcy, to school in England, intending to follow as soon as he was able. In 1805, from Norfolk Island, banished by Governor King, he sent his youngest son John, to join them. In 1807, Fitzwilliam, appalled by reports of Bligh’s behaviour towards D’Arcy Wentworth, applied to Viscount Castlereagh, Secretary of State for the Colonies, for him to be given leave