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151
Although the Governor • s peremptory action effectively
silenced any further political opposition for the time being, bitter and
rancorous debate continued in some sections of the press; as neither side
could claim victory, the fighting went on, quickly developing into a
personal conflict. between Hall, supported by the Daily News, and . the
friends of the Comptroller-General, aided by the Advertiser - a conflict
in which Hall's own character , reputation and professional integrity were
soon at stake, calli.ng for all the courage, determination and argumentative
ab ility he possessed to efend them.
From September 12 to September 19 the Advertiser published
a number of communications from various convict officials - J.M. May ,
G. Drew, Doctors Benson, Brock, Secombe and others - all aimed at confusing
and refuting Hall1 s .. evidence before the Select Committee ;
the Daily News
was accused of raisi.ng a ''cry of murder'' and using "the hostile evidence
of a discontented and litigious ex-official convict surgeon" ;
Hall's
evidence was called "the fallacious murder imaginations of the Just
Doctor''.
All these, plus the pub lication of the Hickman Affair documents,
were answered by Hall in numerous lengthy letters to the Daily News in
which he detailed for the benefit of the Public his experiences at Ross,
Saltwater River , and the Cascades Factory .
On September 18 he wote
In the whole history of of.ficial meanness, cowardice and
treachery throughout the world, I do not think you can find
a parallel instance to that exhib ited in the columns of the
Advertiser of the 11th instant. 13
The temper of his feelings \vas revealed in his reply to a private
anonymous letter which informed him of the name of his libeller,
J.D. Balfe, who was then living at Boa Vista.
I daresay the information here conveyed is quite true ,
· but of '"hat use -}s it to me, without the informant has
the moral courage to come forward openly and prove his
assert.ions . I hate anything anonymous . Whatever a
man dares to do, let him do openly. I was reluctant
enough to undertake the medical charge of the wretched
chi ldren at the Cascades, but '"hen I did undertake it ,
though "instant dismissal" hung over my head (see
reprimand in Saltwater River Case) or a long exile to
Norfolk Island loomed in the distance, I never shrank
from the promptings of conscience , or the path of duty
Declaring that his informer must be an Irishman , he wrote
.... Let me remind him that the sad history of his unhappy
country reveals that the secret system, the base spy, the
hireling informer , the perjured traitor, the trader in
patriotism has been its curse; has made her the "Niobe of
Nations" .
13
Tasmanian Daily News , September 18 , 1855 .