Historical source sort – What opinions were held at the time?
Use your source analysis skills to sort the following quotes into two piles: one containing opinions that Aboriginal People were a lesser kind of human than the Europeans, and another containing opinions that acknowledge their humanity.
The Illustrated London News, on 24th April 1852, marveled at how Aboriginal people could have existed for so long in a state of ‘blissful ignorance’: “generation after generation of aboriginies has passed away, unconscious of the riches concealed beneath the surface of their native hunting-grounds, perchance to have made them the most powerful race under the sun.”
“From the land taken from these people, gold to the value of upwards of thirty millions of sterling has been raised, In addition to this, millions upon millions worth of produce has been taken… Of all these millions – from annual public revenue amounting 2,792,152 pounds sterling, all were content to award 1,250 pounds to (Victorian Aboriginal people). We would feed and clothe every black in Victoria, and would do this regardless of expense. If it cost ten thousand – well! If twenty thousand – well! If a hundred thousand – still well! Were they able to strike a bargain for the land, we should gladly purchase it at hundreds of thousands of pounds. It is dishonest to withhold it, because they are ignorant and helpless. We would feed them and clothes them as long as a black was left amongst us, and when the last was gathered to that Creator of whom he at present knows so little, we should rejoice to think that tat the last great day, he could not arraign us for having behaved towards him here below, like a tyrant, a coward, and a swindler.” Samuel Wilson, The Argus editor, 17th March, 1856.
Miners such as J.M. Smith upon reflection deemed Aboriginal peoples’ traditional way of life wiser than what he had at first considered: “They are a curious race, and are said to be very low in the scale of humanity because they live without working and with very little fighting – which in my humble opinion shows their wisdom rather than their stupidity. The European makes a slave of himself for gold – and calls it industry
– and then hops off the twig before he is able to enjoy it; he fights and murders his brethren, robs them of his wealth and devastates their country – and calls it honour and glory. The aboriginies wander about a fine country, view the beauties of nature as they come fresh form the hand of their Maker and in their hearts they rejoice and glorify Him… They resist all his (non-Indigenous people’s) attempts to make them abandon their habitual ease and independence except when temped by rum and tobacco, for which they will readily work. It is vain to try and fetter them to houses or towns. They have tasted freedom and prefer God’s canopy to man’s. And for this they are called barbarians; and for this they are despised. Pshaw! The European has much to learn, although he thinks himself so very wise.”
“ Met on our way (to Ballarat) a prisoner and a villainous squint-eyed scoundrel he looked, handcuffed and escorted by two well mounted and smart looking black troopers (of whom I have made a drawing), on the road to Melbourne… the useful black troopers were for a time used to escort prisoners to town; these fine fellows were at first the only mounted police; and indeed performed all the police duty at the Ballarat diggings.” Miner and artist William Strutt, 1851.
In 1870, Ballarat gold rush historian William b, Withers described police wages in 1851; “William Mair, commissioner, salary £300 a-year; D. Armstrong, assistant-commissioner, salary £250 … mounted and foot constables at 3s and 2s. 9d per diem (per day) respectively ; and native police at the magnificent pay of 1½d per diem.”
“ During the last few days a number of aborigines, probably about two hundred, have arrived on Ballarat from Port Fairy, Mount Elephant, Mount Cole, the Hopkins, Warrnambool and the Wimmera, for the purpose as they state of seeing the towns and each other … During the whole of Monday they infested the principal parts of the town and levied contributions in money or otherwise on the white man. Towards evening they made preparation for a corroboree in the Copenhagen grounds … and were a considerable time in getting the music to a proper pitch … Steam however was got up at last, and away they went to the intense delight of some 5000 persons, who were present to witness the performance … While the dancing was going on King Wattie procured a tin can, and fulfilled the not very dignified position of tax-gatherer in-chief, but up to nine o’clock he did not appear to have been very successful in inducing the invader to acknowledge his right to impose taxes when he liked.” From The Ballarat Star, Tuesday 12th March, 1861.
In 1861 the Ballarat Star carried a satirical article attributed to ‘A Blackfellow’ which pleads with the colonial government to provide market protection for the Aboriginal trade in possum-skin rugs: “You write guv’nor and ask him why protection on the wallaby track looking for grubs ‘mong whitefellow? You say whitefellow no make um blankets this colony, blackfellow make ‘possum rug, which whitefellow ought to buy ‘stead of blanket; possum rug all along same as whitefellow’s blankets;- why not give blackfellow monopoly of making and selling ‘em and protect real native industry.”
“No work can be more manifestly or more imperatively the duty of the colonists of an entirely new country like this than that of providing for its aboriginal inhabitants… The food of the aborigines retreats as the European advances… In the very names of places where the native word has been retained, it often recorded the deprivation of the black by white man. Ballarat was a favourite camping place; the word signifies to recline on the elbow, or balla…” The fifth report published by the Central Board Appointed to Watch over the Interests of the Aboriginies in the Colony of Victoria, 1866.
“…the rapid occupation of the entire country by settlers, and the consequent attempts made to deprive the aborigines of the natural products of the country and even to exclude them from their native soil. The entire country of … (the local groups) … is now sold or occupied by squatters. … The very spots most valuable to the aborigines for their productiveness – the creeks, the water-courses and rivers – are the first to be occupied. It is the common opinion among the settlers that the possession of a squatting licence entitles them to the exclusion of aborigines from their runs.” Assistant Protector to the Aborigines Edward Stone parker, Loddon District, 1840
Buninyong squatter William Little wrote of how northern Wadawurrung clans traded gold to shepherds prior to the gold rush of 1851: “When erst the shepherds saw the virgin gold A-lying shimmering on fair Nature’s breast, And how the ignorant aborigines For trifles gave the precious stuff away.”
“There was no sign of anyone, only a few huts belonging to the natives.” John Dunlop, answering the 1853 Select Committee questions about his arrival in Ballarat in August 1851. He was one of the firs miners on the Ballarat goldfields