CORRESPONDENCE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 197, 19 August 1873, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

[We <lo not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] To the Editor of the CpoajWELi, Argus. Sir,—A meeting washeidin the schoolroom, Bannockburn, on Wednesday evening last for tho purpose of considering M.the -propriety of invit. ing our representative to a public dinner, to give him an opportunity, of explaining the action taken by him during the last session of Provincial Council." Well, well, there are some queer folks on the Bannockburn., Their delight at Mr MacKelfar's. fortunate advocacy of the public wants is so unbounded that they a/e quite unable to contain themselves. They appear to be bursting with a desire to do something to add to his Well-earned popularity, but don't exactly know how-to do it;' Why they want to give him an opportunity of addressing them, I really cannot conceive. I should have thought Mr MacKellar would have been one of the first to take such an opportunity, if he considered it absolutely neeer. sary. Besides, such a proceeding would, in effect, prove to be rather an exclusive affair ;' for it is not every man who has a Spare guinea or half a guinea, as the case may be, to spend,' to hear him give him an account of his stewardship. Mr MacKellar has, no doubt, displayed considerable energy, and has quite come up to the •xpeciations of his constituents. He has, un. doubtedly, shown a desire to further the interests" he represents ; and has proved himself to be a man whom the Council consider worthy of respect and attention. He is deserving of praise for his conduct during the late session, but I really can't see why he should be overdosed with it. To my way of thinking, it is the force of contrast between him and our late member which has made the people of the district so enthusiastic in passing encomiums on the creditable manner in which he has done his duty. It j s oftimes the case, that what has proved detri mental to the character of one man, has become) beneficial to the advancement of another. The imperfections and indiscretions of some men bring into greater prominence the virtues and good qualities of others. To sink in public estiraalion through a culpable neglect of one's duties is a deplorable situation for any man to occupy • but to follow in the wake of such a man, and gin the commendation of your fellow-men, s not, under the circumstances, so very difficult. When people have become accustomed to the vagaries and incapacity of a man in office; when they have become tired of looking with the eye of scorn or pity on the baeksbdings of him they have put their confidence in ; they are apt to be stirtled out of their propriety at any sigi s of alteration and improvement, if brought about bv fresh blood. The old has been so bad, that the new seems to dazzle their vision ; not so much perhaps by its brightness, as by its novels, There is a medium in all things. An 1. although I do not think Mr MacKellar'a rise will be a fall upstairs, like that of his predecessor ; still, bv the people being so profuse in their eulogiums towards him, he might, perhaps, think "that for the future he will be able to give satisfaction, and yet not be as diligent and assiduous as heretofore. " When a man's name is up, he can lie abed." Inordinate praise does not always stimulate a man to exert himself in maintaining or augmenting the esteem in which he is held. A certain " pride of place" may force the conviction upon his mind that he can take his ease in the conduct of public affairs, and yet give no cause for complaint or accusations. For my own part, I neither like to "damn with faint praise,' nor inflate with excessive adulation.—l am, &c, A Miser. Bannockburn, August 15, 1873. [Our space comrielb-d us to considerably curtail the above letter, but we have endeavoure! to give the essentid portion of the original. We regret this the more as we agree with " \finer" to a very considerable extent.—Ed. C.A.]