emancipatist

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

and Emancipist


n.

(the latter, the commoner), an ex-convict who has served out hissentence. The words are never used now except historically.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,'vol. ii. p. 118:

«Emigrants who have come out free from England, andemancipists, who have arrived here as convicts, and haveeither been pardoned or completed their term of servitude.»

1830. R. Dawson, `Present State of Australia,' p. 302:

«Men who had formerly been convicts, but who, after theirperiod of servitude had expired, were called `emancipists.'»

1837. Jas. Mudie, `Felonry of New South Wales,' p. vii:

«The author begs leave to record his protest against the abuseof language to the misapplication of the terms emancipists and absentees to two portions of thecolonial felonry. An emancipist could not be understood tomean the emancipated but the emancipator. Mr. Wilberforce maybe honoured with the title of emancipist; but it is as absurdto give the same appellation to the emancipated felons of NewSouth Wales as it would be to bestow it upon the emancipatednegroes of the West Indies.»

1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 69:

«The same emancipist will, however, besides private charity, beamong the first and greatest contributors to a new church.»

1852. `Fraser's Magazine,' vol. xlvi. p. 135:

«The convict obtained his ticket-of-leave . . . became anemancipist . . . and found transportation no punishment.»