Parramatta Octr 25, 1815
Dear Sir,
	I transmit you a Copy of the Proceedings of a Bench of Magistrates, which I mentioned in a former Letter. When I brought Lucio Jones, Master of the King George before the Bench, I was fully convinced that he was guilty of all the things laid to his Charge, by the New Zealanders; and more than I stated. at the sametime [sic] I had no Hope of obtaining any Redress for the injured Natives, as all the Witnesses I could call upon were implicated in the same Crimes with the Master, excepting the Native of Otaheite Jem, and New Zealand George, and their Testimony would be objected to— The Bench objected at first to all my Witnesses excepting one, alledging that they had quarrelled with the Captain, and [f] on that Account could not legally give their Testimony. I had to apply to the Supreme Judge for his opinion, and afterwards to the Governor to order the Bench to examine into the Charges before they would hear even what the Sailors would say who had been guilty of many of the Crimes themselves which the Master stood charged with. Mr Nicholas was present part of the time, when the Examination was taken, and can state how shamefully the Magistrates behaved upon the occasion: and what a decided opposition they shewed to my Complaint. The Master and Crew violated the Chastity of the wives of the Chiefs, and drove them in time from their peaceful Huts; robbed them of their little Property at the Point of the Pistol; and made the Chief at the North Cape a Prisoner, till he was redeemed at their own Price— and stripped, and punished Mokiki for no Crime. Tho little good or Redress can at present be obtained, for any Injuries the Natives of the South Sea Islands may suffer [f] From the wanton Cruelty or unbounded Avarice of the Europeans, who visit these Islands, yet, bringing their Conduct before a public Court of Justice, however partial that Court may be, this will operate as a Check in a certain degree and hence I conceive my Labor was not lost, tho’ they have charged five Pounds for their Proceedings or at least a Copy of them. Whether any Redress is obtained or no, I shall feel it my duty to endeavour to punish all those who are guilty of offences against the Natives of these Islands: as this will prove to the Natives that they have some Friends amongst the Europeans and time and patience may be producive [sic] of some Remedy. Great evils, and particularly where the Gratification of Men’s Lusts and Avarice are interested, are not cured without great difficulties. As these Natives came to Port Jackson to seek redress, and the Bench did not think proper to attend to their Complaint I thought it just to make them some Compensation, and was happy to learn from Mr Kendall’s Letters that when [f] the Chiefs returned to New Zealand, they expressed their Satisfaction at the Treatment they had received in N.S. Wales. I have thought good to send these Proceedings tho’ they can be of no further Service than to shew that some Regulations should be adopted by Government to bring to Punishment men who are guilty of the greatest Crimes against Persons who have no means of Redress but the Law of Retaliation in the Execution of which the innocent are equally liable to be sacrificed with the Guilty—
I am
Dr Sir
Your obed[ien]t hum[b]l[e] Servant
Samuel Marsden
Revd J. Pratt