THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECHES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 561, 17 January 1873, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECHES.

The Darlinj Downs Qatette, a Queensland contemporary,.devotes a leading article to Sir George Bowen’s powers of oratory, and gives specimens, by extracts from his speech delivered lately in Dunedin and one delivered iu Queensland some twelve years aro. We give the arricle in extenso :-- Our friend the Telegraphhas been severely handling the Governor-designate of Victoria, our ex-Governor Sir George Bowen, lie reproduces a “grandiloquent speech' l which was delivered lately at Dunedin, in New ZialanJ. In this sueeeh occurs the following passages:— “I have seen during my reeeyit jou'ney large heids of cattle and flocks of sheep oversprealing the vdleyj and forests which, within the memiry of persons who have as yet scarcely yet attaine 1 to the prime of manhood, were t- nantecl only by wild a ima's and a few wandering tribes of savages.” “ I have beheld flourishing towns arising in spo's where hardly' twenty years back [let the reader mark the date] the foot of a white man bad never trodden the primeval wilderness.” “Assuredly I have observed during the last few weeks very remarkable illustrations of the proverbial genius of the Anglo-Saxon race for the heroic, the noble and truly imperial art of colonisation.” “ Assuredly" we, too, have within the last week observed a very remarkable illustration of the Colonial-Governor race, which we proceed to show. As we write a number of Charles Dickens’s “AH the Year Round” lies before us—theda'e of it June 22, 1861. On page 295 we find the following:— “Sir George Bowen on his visit to the Darling Downs, probably the most beautiful and fertile region in all the Australia?, replied to the congratulations of the Drvton people in words worth repeating.” The writer then gives Sir Georges exordium or preface aud their proceeds to quote the following words, which it should seem Sir George deems to be well worth repeating;— “[have seen during my recent journey vast herds of horses and cattle and countless flocks of sheep overspreading the valleys aud forests which, within the memory of persons who have yet scarcely attained to the age of manhoe, d, were enant d only by wild animals and a few wandering trib sof savaves. I have beheld flouri-dring towns arising in spots \vh-‘ro, hardly twenty years back, the foot of a white man ha 1 never yet trodden the primeval wilderness. Assuredly;! have observed during tbe past week, very remarkable illustrations of the proverbial genius of the Amdo-Saxon race for the noble and truly imperial art of colonization.” It is a pity that onr contemporary did not give us «ome more of the late “ d livery” at Dune lin, as we might have shown more of the stsre 'type, but the above quotation is enough to exhibit the genua ColonialGovernor ; for, that he is a model Governor is clear from the fact of his steady rise to his present designate pest. But it really ■would appear that these model Governors are dreadfully delicient in the art of concealing art, which is- the very soul of political action in these very obscure days ; or perhaps this most m'del Gove nor actually do-'s not think it Worth the trouble to conceal his art, knowing the past and present condition of these (so-called) free c Annies as re car Is the mother country. It is equally apparent that Sir George is wo.-fulty deficient in the power of varying language, so far forth tha*-, front the sterotypic verbiige which lie s put tore I out at Dunedin, he incurs the immrhation of utter insincerity for if a man is reaVy in elinest ho will not-take the tiouhlo of “orating” bv sot nurpose in an 1 of one place what he said in and of another place twelve years before.