Government House Sydney 13th April 1814 Sir, I am favored with your Letter of the 9th Instant, and am sorry to find that you feel a Necessity for Complaining of two Anonymous Papers Published in the Sydney Gazette on the 19th of March and 2nd Instant, which you consider as attacks upon your Character— It is scarcely necessary for me to observe to you that altho’ the Sydney Gazette is Published by Authority yet it is not thence to be inferred that each particular Paragraph, or Article contained in it is either warranted by Authority, or at all times – ap= To The Revd.. Samuel Marsden Principal Chaplain Of N. S. Wales Parranatta. [f] approved of when Published. The Publications, in the Sydney Gazette, are meant to Convey, in addition to the Notifications of Government itself, such useful information as the editor can collect, so as to fill his Pages and render them at once useful and interesting; And much care has been taken to prevent the Gazette from becoming the Medium of Slander or illiberal attacks upon any Individual within the Period of my Administration of this Government;— The Series of Letters which appeared in the Gazette, Commencing with the paper of the 5th Ult. And ending with that of the 2nd Instant, in which are included those of which you complain, certainly did not appear to me of that offensive Personal Nature, which you consider them, else I should have made the Editor answerable for their insertion;— [f] This, however, being matter of opinion, in which I may be Mistaken, I see only One Mode of redress to which you can resort, which, it does not appear reasonable to require is an Appeal to the Courts of Justice; And if the Letters should be there deemed “Criminal”— the Editor will for his own sake avow the Author— For other Motives than those of Justice, does not appear reasonable to require a Surrender of the Author’s Name; And I would not feel myself acting with that impartiality which my situation demands, and my own disposition dictates, were I to require an exposure in a Case where Criminality does not attach in my view of the Publications in question:— I am Sir, Your most Obedt Servant Signed L. Macquarie [f] This is a Copy of the Governor’s Answer to me on a former occasion when I complained of being libelled in the Sydney Gazette— From Mr Richard Jones’s Affidavit taken before the judge Advocate it appears that the Libels then published came from the same Quarter— Mr Jones’s deposition is joined with my Letter to Lord Bathurst— From this you will infer how bitter the Enmity has been and how long every means have been applied to annoy and distress— I believed at that time the highest Authority here was well acquainted with all the Circumstances of that Libel— Every man will form his own Judgment with respect to the present Libel, who are the Persons concerned. It has been very hard to meet such an Host, as has been gathered against me, so powerful and so strong in all respects— The Battle I hope is now over— would the Governor retain his Secretary in his Confidence if he had deceived him by publishing the Libel in Question? In the Supreme Court he was found guilty and fined— Sovereign Power is great— means may be tried to do something yet—