The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1887. THE TONGAN OUTRAGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1491, 24 February 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1887. THE TONGAN OUTRAGES.

The further intelligence as to events m Tonga, published m our issue of yesterday, shows that Baker—it were mockery to apply the term Rev to such a bloodthirsty tyrant— has thrown to the winds all regard for decency and justice, and indeed broken away from all restraints. Nothing could be more outrageous than the spectacle of an Englishman — not to say a professed minister of the Gospel of Peace, himself acting as both prosecutor and judge at the trial of persons charged with attempting an outrage against his own life. He appears even to have coerced the jury with a view to securing the conviction of the offenders, among whom was an ordained Minister, said to have been " one of the brightest ornaments of the Wesleyan mission,, and who, if the Rev Mr Moulton, the head of that mission, is to be believed, was not a party to the attempt on Baker's life, the extent of his offence being that having learnt of the intended outrage the day or evening before be allowed himself to be restrained by fear from making it known. Nor was the conviction of the offenders enough. No discrimination was permitted as to degrees of culpability, and they were, one and all, condemned to death and hurried away at night to their execution without being permitted the consolations of their religion. Some of them it seems were Roman Catholics and some Wesleyans, yet neither priest nor minister was given the opportunity of access to them. Great indignation was caused among the European residents, but Baker threatened to massacre all white men if he were m any way interfered with. Appeal was then made to the British Vice Consul, but without avail, that functionary having it seems replied that " the king could do what he liked with his own people, he (the Consul) could not interfere." Then the unfortunates who had taken refuge m the mission house grounds (said to be British property) were delivered up one by one to yelling hordes of Baker's partisans, and subjected to every possible indignity, without distinction of sex. The Catholic mission was also invaded by armed and painted " fiends," and they seem to have been little short of a saturnalia of savagery under the auspices of this precious exmissionary. It is not surprising that the heads of the Catholic mission have appealed to their country (France) for protection, and it may be looked upon as certain that so soon as the news reaches New Caledonia a French warship will be despatched to the scene. But for the dilatoriness of Admiral Tryon this ought not to have been necessary, as by this time an English man-of-war should have been on the spot to compel King George's truculent Prime Minister to desist from his outrageous conduct, and it seems a pitiable thing that, to quote Sir Robert Stout, British communities m these seas should rely as a safeguard against French annexation of Tonga m the interests of civilisation upon the "jealousy with which Germany would reward the appearance oi the French so close to Samoa." France, or any civilised Power, has a right to step m to enforce order and decency, just as any citizen m nn English community has a right to interfere m cases of violence, and it will be a disgrace to the English name if, as is only too often the case, we look idly on while another Power does what we should do ourselves. It is satisfactory to find that the Admiral has mov;d at last, and that the Diamond has been despatched to Tonga under sealed orders. It is to be hoped that those orders will give her commander ample discretionary power, either singly or m conjunction with any French vessel which may be sent on a like errand. Non-interference is very right and proper m regard to countries which have some semblance of dechnt government, feu to push the doctrine to the extreme of refusing to intervene m such circumtances as obtain m Tonga is altogether too absurd. If the statements made m the telegrams under notice are true, apd we presume they Sre, we cannot interfere too soon.