John Thomas Campbell - Drafts of a letter to the Sydney Gazette, 1824

MLMSS 5929

fonds

1824

17272

Microfilm : CY 3168, frames 102-123 (MLMSS 5929)

1 folder - 0.02 Meters
Textual Records - (manuscript)

John Thomas Campbell was born in Ireland, probably in 1770. He arrived in Sydney in 1809 with Governor Lachlan Macquarie who appointed him his secretary. As such he had considerable influence in the running of the colony. After several controversies involving Samuel Marsden and Judge Barron Field he was replaced in 1820 by Frederick Goulburn, the first official colonial secretary but retained his position as provost-marshall until 1825. In 1829 he became a member of the Legislative Council but died the following year.

19 February 1824; First and second drafts of a letter to the Sydney Gazette, the culmination of a series of attacks that began in the paper with Campbell's letter of 6 February in which he attacked Barron Field on his departure from the colony which was in effect desertion of his post. In these drafts Campbell responds to a critical reply which was published anonymously. The letter as printed (26 February) follows closely the brief first draft.