Hobart Town Van Diemans Land
March 12th [1823]
Revd & dear Sir
	I am happy to inform you that the Revd Mr Williams arrived here on the 10th of the last month— I had landed at Hobart Town a few days before. I saw very little of Mr Williams as I was obliged to leave Hobart Town early the morning after Mr Williams came in, to set off for Port Dalrymple 160 miles from hence. I gave him a Letter to Mrs Marsden, to receive him & Family into my House until my Return; and gave directions for his Baggage to be taken Care of— I found on my Return Mr Williams had sailed for Port Jackson— I should have been glad to have accompanied him, had it been possible for me to have done my public duty in time— I had between 300 & 400 miles to travel, in visiting all the different Settlements, in order to consecrate Burial Grounds and to examine into the moral State of the Inhabitants— Much is wanted to be [f] done in this island— The State of morals is very low— The Revd Mr Knopwood has no Sense of Religion, but very much to the contrary— The Revd Mr Bedford is appointed to Van Diemans land— I hope the Inhabitants will now hear the Gospel in some Part of the Island— A number of Clergymen are wanted. As the whole of the interior for 160 miles is left without the means of Grace I wrote to the Lieut Governor yesterday soliciting him to make Application to His Majestys Ministers for four more Ministers to be appointed immediately, and I have little doubt but he will attend to my request— I should greatly rejoice if Divine Goodness should so overrule the minds of those in Authority so as to send out pious men— We have not been very fortunate in some sent out to Port Jackson— I received your Letters for myself & the Missionaries by Mr Williams but cannot reply to them at present—As I have never done anything but acts of kindness to the Revd J. Butler, and perhaps have spared him, when I ought not to have done, I shall be very willing to bury in oblivion the Rememberance [sic] of what is past. [f] My only wish is to promote the great Cause of the Kingdom of our blessed Lord— I have no doubt but New Zealand will become the Inheritance of Christ in time— I allow great difficulties have opposed themselves to the work— The missionaries in many Instances have not done their duty— I do not include all in this observation because some of them have acted faithfully; and have had to bear the Insults, and provocations of their Colleagues; togather with the Savage Conduct of the natives— I believe the natives have never given that Cause of uneasiness to the faithful missionary as the missionaries have to one another— I hope now the worst is past— You will have learned that I had on Proof of the Revd Mr Kendalls Conduct, suspended him until the Pleasure of the Society was known— No man can lament his Fall more than I do— I had long suspected he was in a declining State. I could do nothing with him, he was so selfwilled— he would take no advice, nor would do any thing but what he pleased— On my return to Sydney I will have some Conversation with Sir Th[oma]s Brisbane about him, and provide for him if I can a Situation in some retired district, if he will accept my Services— I never authorized any of the missionaries [f] to draw for their Salary— Some of them were never satisfied with what were allowed them. Mr Butler was very discontented, said he had given up a Situation of about £400 per annum, and that he wd not serve the Society on the Terms he was then upon. Neither their Salaries nor their Rations satisfied some of them— In my opinion I thought they were amply supplied; but as they did not think so, I recommended them to write to the Society and to inform the Society what their wishes were— I was much astonished when I learned that the Revds Butler & Kendall had draw[n] for a Sum upon the Society before their Salaries were due— I told Mr Butler their Bills would not be paid— If Messrs Butler & Kendall had acted properly many evils wd have been prevented. Mr Francis Hall will give you every Information on all the Affairs of the mission— I hope he will return to the work— He is a pious good man, and loves the Cause— His feelings have been severely wounded by the Conduct of some of his Colleagues; and his Spirits were broke— I hope I shall be able to go to N. Zealand when Mr Williams goes— but I am not certain— I wish to heal all Breeches, and to put the mission once more on a good [f] good [sic] Footing. Mr Williams appears a well informed man, and mild in his manner, which will make him very acceptable to the natives— I shall leave this by the first opportunity as my public Buisness [sic] is done— I hope the way is now prepared for some Good here— Since I wrote the above, I have received an answer from Lieut. Governor Sorell to my Letter to him relative to the appointment of four more Chaplains for Van Diemans Land— The Lieut Govr promises to use all his Influence with his Majesty’s Government to have some Clergymen sent out, as well as Schoolmasters— If it was possible to learn from the Colonial Office what determination His Majesty’s ministers came to on the Receipt of Lieut. [Governor] Sorrels application, and could by any means get pious men nominated to this island much good would be done in this abandoned Society— The Gospel cannot be wanted in any Place more than here— [f] I was in Court last week when 14 men were sentenced to suffer death for different crimes— Crimes will continue to be committed until the Power of the Gospel is felt— The Gospel has never been preached in the Church at Hobart Town before I came down with Mr Bedford— I have not time to send you a Copy of my Letter to Col[onel]. Sorrell and his Answer— Perhaps I may after my arrival in Sydney— To shew the State of this Society I need only mention, that in my visits thro’ this Country the magistrates and Gentlemen Farmers stated to me that twenty Thousand Sheep have been stolen this last year from different Individuals—This appears incredible— But Capn Wood and others assured me this was a Fact— A Gospel minister here would be the greatest Blessing— and I hope Interest may be made by those in Power to get this done— [f] It will be some time before the Lieut. Govr makes application perhaps three or four months after you receive this— I have mentioned it in hopes something may be done if opportunity offer— I shall not trouble you at present with any observations upon Captain Irvine’s Conduct, further than to remark, that he is a very extraordinary man. I shall be prepared at any moment should I be called upon, to answer any Charges he may alledge against me— when I know what I am [accused] of, it will be time enough to make my defence. God will carry on his work in opposition to Friends or Enemies— This I firmly believe, and leave the Issue to him— On my return to Port Jackson I shall write more fully—
I am
Revd Sir
Your most obedient
Humble Servant
Saml Marsden
Revd J. Pratt
&c &c &c