The Ballarat Reform League was formed on 11 November 1854 at Ballarat as a protest against the regulation of the gold diggings, specifically the League was formed with the view of abolishing the Miner's Licence and having the miners connected with the death of "John Martin", arrested. "John Martin" was a former gold claim partner of James Scobie and 7 others at Dalton's flats, 4 miles from Bentley's Hotel towards Buninyong.
James Scobie as alias Peter Martin was hidden at Father Patrick Smythes tent-church when the riots at Bentley's Hotel ensued.[1]
The first president, John Basson Humffray, was elected until 30 November 1854. The miners then chose to use physical force rather than moral force to push their claims and elected Peter Lalor as their new leader, who lead them to build the Eureka Stockade.
The movement was supported by Henry Seekamp, editor of the Ballarat Times.
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The Ballarat Reform League used the British Chartist movement's 1853 "Karl Marx" manifesto principles to set their goals. The meeting passed a resolution "that it is the inalienable right of every citizen to have a voice in making the laws he is called on to obey, that taxation without representation is tyranny". The meeting also decided to secede from the United Kingdom if the situation did not improve.
The demands of the Ballarat Reform League encompassed:
Throughout the following weeks, the League sought to negotiate with Commissioner Rede and Governor Hotham, both on the specific matters relating to Bentley and the men being tried for the burning of the Eureka Hotel, and on the broader issues of abolition of the licence, universal suffrage and democratic representation of the gold fields, and disbanding of the Gold Commission.
Commissioner Rede's response to these disputes was perhaps an ill-judged one, but stemmed from his military background and has been attributed by many historians (most notably Manning Clark) to his belief in his right to exert authority over the "rabble." Rather than hear the grievances, Rede increased the police presence in the gold fields and summoned reinforcements from Melbourne.
On Monday 24 November a delegation from the Ballarat Reform League: John Humffray, George Black and Thomas Kennedy; met with Governor Hotham as they had missed their Friday appointment time due to secreting James Scobie into the Catholic convent of the good shepherd at Abbottsford after they had got him out of Ballarat away from the police where he used the alias name Peter Martin! He had been called as a witness at Bentley's second trial being held at the Supreme court in Melbourne for the 18th ! But was redated to the hearing on the 22nd of November!James Scobie alias Peter Martin signed his police statement at Ballarat police camp . They attempted to negotiate with Sir Charles Hotham for the release of the miners arrested after the attack on Eureka Hotel, and presented their list of "demands" for universal suffrage as well as abolition of the miners and storekeepers licenses. The only concession Hotham was willing to make was one digger's representative elected to the Legislative Council. The delegation rejected this, and returned to Ballarat empty handed.