James Macarthur (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
James Macarthur was an Australian pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
on three occasions between 1839 and 1843, 1848 and 1856 and finally from 1866 until his death. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1856 and 1859.
and his wife Elizabeth
. He was initially privately educated in Parramatta but accompanied his father to England in 1809 in the aftermath of the Rum Rebellion
. He stayed in Europe throughout his father's exile and completed his education in Hackney
before undertaking a grand tour. On arriving back in the colony in 1817, his father gave him responsibility for managing the Camden
estates. He did this assiduously and greatly increased the family's wealth and property during the next 10 years. He was also a director of numerous colonial companies including the failing Australian Agricultural Company
. During two trips to England between 1827 and 1832 and in 1837-38, he improved the company's affairs and did much to promote New South Wales.
and he continued to represent this seat until he retired from public life at the 1859 election. Macarthur was granted a life appointment to the Legislative Council in the year before his death.
and was trenchant in his opposition to the granting of civil rights to Emancipists. He was a strong supporter for the end of transportation and the replacement of convicts with cheap Asian 'coolie' labour. Macarthur also proposed government subsidies for 'respectable' British immigrants and disparaged the principles of squatting
while supporting the continued granting of freehold on crown land to the wealthy and respectable elite of the colony. However, his views were known to change according to the political milleau and his economic interests. When the inevitability of the granting of representative self-government to the colony became apparent he gave it his approval as further resistance may have diluted his influence in a popularly elected parliament. He also took full economic advantage of pastoral squatting despite being a firm advocate of government grants.
The constitution granted to the colony in 1856 was seen by Macarthur as a dangerous experiment in liberalism and, after unsuccessfully attempting to influence the new parliament, he became disillusioned and retired to England in 1859. Under the influence of his daughter, he returned to the colony in the year before his death. Despite being one of the leading men of the colony between 1820 and 1856, Macarthur considered his political career to be a failure because most of his conservative policies were overturned as a liberal form of democracy developed in Australia. His historical legacy is largely under-valued because of his preference to use his influence away from public view.
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
on three occasions between 1839 and 1843, 1848 and 1856 and finally from 1866 until his death. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
between 1856 and 1859.
Early life
Macarthur was the fourth son of John MacarthurJohn Macarthur (wool pioneer)
John Macarthur was a British army officer, entrepreneur, politician, architect and pioneer of settlement in Australia. Macarthur is recognised as the pioneer of the wool industry that was to boom in Australia in the early 19th century and become a trademark of the nation...
and his wife Elizabeth
Elizabeth Macarthur
Elizabeth Macarthur was born in Devon, England, the daughter of provincial farmers, Richard and Grace Veale, of Cornish origin. Her father died when she was 7; her mother remarried when she was 11, leaving Elizabeth in the care of her grandfather John and friends. Elizabeth married Plymouth...
. He was initially privately educated in Parramatta but accompanied his father to England in 1809 in the aftermath of the Rum Rebellion
Rum Rebellion
The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia's history. The Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh, was deposed by the New South Wales Corps under the command of Major George Johnston, working closely with John Macarthur, on 26 January 1808, 20...
. He stayed in Europe throughout his father's exile and completed his education in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
before undertaking a grand tour. On arriving back in the colony in 1817, his father gave him responsibility for managing the Camden
Camden, New South Wales
-Education:Camden is the location of research facilities for the veterinary and agricultural schools of the University of Sydney. The local government area has two public high schools, Camden High School and Elderslie High School, as well as eight Catholic and three Anglican schools.-Culture:The...
estates. He did this assiduously and greatly increased the family's wealth and property during the next 10 years. He was also a director of numerous colonial companies including the failing Australian Agricultural Company
Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company is a company which serves to improve beef cattle production through responsible natural resource and land use...
. During two trips to England between 1827 and 1832 and in 1837-38, he improved the company's affairs and did much to promote New South Wales.
State Parliament
Macarthur was first appointed to the Legislative Council when it was a fully nominated house in 1839. At the first election for the council after the reforms of 1842, he unsuccessfully contested the seat of Cumberland. After the failure of this election campaign he refused a nomination to the house but re-entered it is as the member for Camden after winning that seat at the election of 1848. He retained this seat until responsible self-government was granted in 1856. At the first election under the new constitution he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as one of the two members for West CamdenElectoral district of Western Division of Camden
Western Division of Camden was a former electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1857. Its name was changed to West Camden between 1858 and 1859, when it was replaced by the electoral district of Camden. It elected two members...
and he continued to represent this seat until he retired from public life at the 1859 election. Macarthur was granted a life appointment to the Legislative Council in the year before his death.
Political philosophy and legacy
After coming to maturity in the post-Napoleonic era, Macarthur developed conservative political views. Consequently, after his father's insanity and death, he became the colony's leading ExclusiveEmancipist
An emancipist was any of the convicts sentenced and transported under the convict system to Australia, who had been given conditional or absolute pardons...
and was trenchant in his opposition to the granting of civil rights to Emancipists. He was a strong supporter for the end of transportation and the replacement of convicts with cheap Asian 'coolie' labour. Macarthur also proposed government subsidies for 'respectable' British immigrants and disparaged the principles of squatting
Squatting (pastoral)
In Australian history, a squatter was one who occupied a large tract of Crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first Europeans in the area....
while supporting the continued granting of freehold on crown land to the wealthy and respectable elite of the colony. However, his views were known to change according to the political milleau and his economic interests. When the inevitability of the granting of representative self-government to the colony became apparent he gave it his approval as further resistance may have diluted his influence in a popularly elected parliament. He also took full economic advantage of pastoral squatting despite being a firm advocate of government grants.
The constitution granted to the colony in 1856 was seen by Macarthur as a dangerous experiment in liberalism and, after unsuccessfully attempting to influence the new parliament, he became disillusioned and retired to England in 1859. Under the influence of his daughter, he returned to the colony in the year before his death. Despite being one of the leading men of the colony between 1820 and 1856, Macarthur considered his political career to be a failure because most of his conservative policies were overturned as a liberal form of democracy developed in Australia. His historical legacy is largely under-valued because of his preference to use his influence away from public view.