FOX POPULI, FOX DEI.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3185, 13 September 1881, Page 2

FOX POPULI, FOX DEI.

A writer in an Otago paper has the following:—

Mr Sheeban is an Irishman who, if Providence bad called him to tbat state of life, would have made an excellent figure with a shillelagh at Donnybrook Fair. Not that be proceeds on the primitive Irish principle of " wherever you see a head hit it. ,, Mr Sheehan smites with discrimination, and distinguishes tbe "nut" of a friend from tbat of a foe. In a lively interlude which followed the Premier's speech on introducing the Representation Bill, Mr Sbeehan's " bit of a shtick" came into collision with the patriarchal head of Sir Win. Fox—a head which in the course cf many 3'ears' experience of the Parliamentary Donnybrook mus-t have become,' let us hope, pretty nearly shillelaghproof. Sir Willia-n was remarking that vox pojr-di. vox dei should sometimes be read vox didboli, when Mr Sheehan interjected, Fox populi Fox dci. Tbe member for Kaugiiikei, be subsequently explained, was fifteeu years ago, the bead and fiout of the Provincial party, and at that time might truly be described as Fox populi, Fox dei —the people's Fox, and the Fox approved by the Upper Powers. Since then bis weathercock politics and desertion of old friends and old principles had made him Fox didboli, the devil's Fox. " This illustrious patriot," thia man who in the course of his political life " bad managed to change aides about fifty tiues," dared to asperse the siucerity of one who, "with all his faults," said Mr Sheehan, *' is the biggest figure in ibis Ilou-e ac the present time on all public questions" namely, Sir George Grey. He, Mr S, would apply to the member for ftangitikei the words of Laertes to the priest at Ophelia's grave: —

A minister in cf angrel shall my sister be Wheu Uiou lieat howling ! One for his nob! or, more classically, and to quote froTi the same play—" a hit, a very palpable hit! " Sir George Grey as M.r Sheehan's " sister " ,( tDe y are colleagues, it should be remembered, in the representation of the Thames) is a pleasing fancy ; so is Sir George's futere development into " a ministering angel," whilst Pox, finally claimed as Foxdiaboli " lies howling." Mr Sheehan has talent, and though one can seldom approve of hie politic?, it must be allowed that he can make a gritty speech. His attack on Fox is the freshest bit of; " Hansard "' I have read this Session.