To the Editor of the Auckland Chronicle.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 72, 19 December 1844, Page 3

To the Editor of the Auckland Chronicle.

Sir, As a publio Journal in any Country or part of a Country is, or ought to be, the national organ through which to express public political opinion, and as the Editor or Editors of such journal, cannot, or ought not, to be made responsible for any public matters which may be discussed therein. I beg leave to hand you the following observation, which if contrary to, or more violent than anything that has previously appeared on the subject of which they treat, at least, have the merits of possessing and entertaining the ostensible opinions ofthemajority oftbe colonists of New Zealand; on this consideration alone, I submit them for your inspection. Notwithstanding the multitude of aggravated humiliations to which we haveo f late been subjected by the Maories—the jeers and taunts which we have been obliged to endure—the plunderings and robberies*—the unjust and cruel assertions of an interested and false class of our own people, to whose behest we have been obliged to succumb—the dread q,nd continual apprehension of bloodshed—the sacrifice of our best feelings—the stings of poverty aud want—the contumely of a wretchedly petty aristocrasy—the pandering of our best inclinations to the hauteur and annoyance of a merciless, unrelenting-, ungrateful, and mercenary tribe of savages—and the immense amount of private and public injuries and injustice we have had to suffer ; laughed at, scorned, and ridiculed, and very right, which as Englishmen, we weie born to expect —• prostrated, and annihilated at the absurd shrine of mock charity and forbearance towards an ungrateful set of barbarians—with whom, a mere action or word from a chief, is a talisman strong enough to excite to murder or rapine, or force to mercy or hospitality. I say, notwithstanding all this, I have never yet read a bold and manly article on the subject—no; no one has yet dared ('and I use the word advisedly) to hurl the anathema of condemnation and contempt againat the late vacillating, irresolute, and un-English policy of the Government in the unworthy course it has cbosen to pursue between the white-man and the Maorie. Is it possible that we, who claim our birthright from the castellated hearths of Great Britain and Ireland—countries, at the mention of which, the most powerful empires of modern Europe have trembled before lo*day, and to whose Flag nf Free*

dom the mightiest Kingdoms of the woild, have bowed, —can tamely submit to be trampled upon, crushed and taunted hour after hour and day after day, by a tribe of uncivilized, unchristian, and more than all, cowardly wretches, whose only courage is bombast, and whose only power is in the tomahawk ? I Creatures who, bearing the from and countenance of man, have not one redeeming quality to raise them above the level oftbe lowest grades of human beings in the wild Universe—who, erecting themselves above the brutes only in figure—sink beneath them in point of gratitude! Are we to have our wives and daughters insulted, our goods plundered, and our homesteads lansaoked and robbed, without daring to lift a hand to revenge, or a finger to assist in return ? Shame on the power which would extort such a dastardly submission, or frustrate the use of that inward principle of satisfaction which God, in his almighty wisdom has planted within our breasts! But it cannot long be thus—the apathy which has so long enveloped us, and the spirit of the Englishman, will arouse to* getber—and when aroused—when the first blow has been struck—fearful will he the consequences. I argue not from any chimerical ideas, any hastily formed presentiment. I have precedent to go by and example to convince me : Ask the Bed Indian of America to count the whitened bones of his Christian victims— the African of Guinea—the Kafir of the Cape—the Hindoo of Asia-—the tribes of Australia and Van Dieman’s Land—the native of Madagascar—the savage of Oceartica. or in fact., any of the people who inhabit the innumerable wig warns of the Archipelago of the P. cific —and last ot ah. the tawny New Zealander h mseif—ask all these I say, whether they ran count the number of those they have butchered and caroused over, leaving the form and impress of the Christian, or the multitudes of their butchered bones which enrich and fertilize their hills—and then tell me where the foolish chimera exists, or what foundation I have for such a presentiment ! First or last, I contend, a conflict between the two races must take place, and the longer it is de» ferred, the longer the moment is procrastinatad, the more appalling, themore terrible, will be the result! It would therefore bean act of mercy, of kindness to the Maories themselves, were this consummation even now to take place. I speak thus particularly of the “ Maories 0 because there cannot consistently beiwo opinions, as to which party eventually obtain mastery. It is present suffering and insult of which we complain, and a likelihood of its continuance and increase if not permanently suppressed; one salutary example, one evidence of our power, and national and natural bravery, would tend in a great mea? sure (if not completely) to humiliate and subdue the native spirit, and prevent further fear, inseeu' rity, and aggression, and re-establish our former influence amongst them—and once subdued the the Maories would become as tractable and com* paratively useful a body of men, as the abotigioei of any colony can boast—for they have long previously confirmed this opinion—l mean previous to the fatal and melancholy Wairau Massacre, which upset completely all pre-oonceived ideas of our prowes, and operated as a stimulus to the exeou* tion of their naturally lawless purposes and inclinations —the fascination was past, and we have felt the results and nothing more now, short of actual bloodshed will serve to maintain our formerjposition amongst them. This last alternative it Is morally impossible to avert, terrible as it appears, and however repulsive to better natures. Lenity towards the ignorant and barbarous of the earth, is, indisputably, the policy of an enlightened and Christian mind, but I maintain, that the character and disposition of the New Zealander are so constituted, aod so entirely dissimilar to our own that he is ab« solutely unable to bear that lenity, to appreciate or understand it, and that he will himself take advan? tage of it, to usurp the chieftainship over us, upon all occasions,where the reward of plunder or revenge presents itself, and that, the more barbarous the means employed for the accomplishment of such an ignoble end, the more congenial to his appetites and desires, as a savage. Were our enemies civilized like ourselves, possessed with the like ideas, modes of thinking, and intellect, the effect offorbearance would be different; the system would be appreciated, because understood and an immediate reconciliation would ensue ; but here the similarity is as widely identified, as one Pole is with the other

The Petition of the inhabitants of the Bay of Islands, addressed to His Excellency the Governor, was the most energetic of the kind. I have yet read, in tb s colony, and I admired it for the boldness of the language expressed, and the candour, determination and fearlessness evinced throughout—for, who ever yet heard of such a weak and unreasonabf e line of policy pursued by any Governor, as that, into which His Excellency was duped (and I make the assertion with the utmost respect) as the late affair at th v Bay, and I am surprised that any man —and that a mau a British Bailot—could be so pusillanimous as to place himself, and the honour of his countrymen, in the hands of a parcel of canting Missionaries, ever ready to sacrifice the intersts and good fame of their native land, to the detestable “ flesh-pots of Egypt” and the security of their own broad-acied estates,” and who, after a residence of twi nty or thirty years in the country, cannot call one solitary Maorie from the throng and say—“ this man is a Christian”! !—to resume after the great expenditure of money, and the uses less parade of so many “ red coat men,” who in the wide woild, would have thought that this e ‘ no child’s play” affair, would have been hushed up, in so paltry and even dishonourable a manner? What are the consequences ? Why, no sooner are the vessels, soldiers and all outside the harbour, than the wily Maorie commences a new, and even more aggravated system of robbery and insult! so much indeed for the rediculous and insincere promises and fair words of these unprincipled men ! So much indeed for the multitude of their misinterpreted speeches , replete with submission, kindness, and welcome— yet meaning nothing ! ! Neve.r was the real, undisguised character of the Maorie mau fully developed ; to delay no longer, m granting us that support, to which as British colonists we are entitled. I am, Sir, Your’s truly, “VOX POPULI/ Auckland, December 3th, 1841.