The Thames Seat.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 15, 30 October 1879, Page 4

The Thames Seat.

The candidates who retired from the contest for the Thames seat put their treasure in an earthen vessel indeed when they trusted to any promise, agreement, or arrangement made by the Hon.. John Sheehan. Messrs Fraser, Rowe, Brodie, and Ehrenfried, local men, —believing, im the innocence of their hearts, that th£fr were doing tho colony a great service by retiring from the field and allowing the Hon. John Sheehan and the great leader of the Liberal party a walk over for the Thames seat, —trustingly accepted from tho late Native Minister an assurance that “ if Sir George Grey elects to sit for the Thames (having been returned for Christchurch) lie (Mr Sheehan) will resign, and thereby create a vacancy for a local man, in terms of an arrangement come to this day with the retiring candidates.” This assurance bears the signature of “John Sheehan,” and the date August 27, 1879. It is upon the strength of this assurance that Mr Rowe now calls upon Mr Sheehan to resign his seat in the House, and make room, as he promisee, for a local candidate. Mr Rowe is perfectly justified in holding Mr Sheehan to . his promise ; and had the assurance been , given by any other than John Sheehan, we would have expected a resignation of the seat to follow at once. But Mr Sheehan is different from other men, and if ho consents to withdraw in response to the request of Mr Rowe or any one else, we shall feel that we have done him great injustice and injury, and that the honorable gentleman has been untrue to the character he has acquired in the past, and to the instincts with which he has been accredited. We have no idea he will respect the pledge he has given, and are fully prepared to hear that the Hon. John Sheehan, maugre the plain and definite terms of the assurance given to the men who retired to make room for him and Sir George Grey for the time being, has snapped his fingers at Mr Rowe, and will continue to hold the seat.