TASMANIA’S NEW GOVERNOR

Evening Star, Issue 3670, 26 November 1874, Page 3

TASMANIA’S NEW GOVERNOR

The Melbourne ‘Argus’ thus comments on Mr Weld’s prospects in Tasmania According to our Tasmanian correspondent, the appointment of Mr Weld to the governorship of that Colony “has provoked a surly, and discontented feeling ” in circ’es where greater liberality might have been reasonably expected. He progn sticates that bis Excellency’s position “will not be without its disagreeables,” and is sorry to say that he thinks it questionable whether the gentleman whom Her Majesty has selected to represent her “ will not find himself “in a state of more or less isolation.” nd what do our readers suppose, is the cause of all these gloomy forebodings? Is it tnat Mr Weld is lacking in ability, in birth, breeding, or experience? Is it that he has been guilty of mistakes, or worse, which have left a blot upon .bis reputation, and attached a stigma to his name? Is he given to vicious pursuits, and notorious for his love oi degrading pleasures and his possession of grovelling tastes ? Nothing of the sort. He is a gentlemen of good family, extensive culture, great natural ability, lone training in public affairs, and character. But, alas ! he is a Roman Catholic—a sort of religious leper in the estimation of certain Tasmanian Protestants We join with our correspondent in trusting that he may prove a false prophet, bitt it is not likely that he would have written as he has done without having some very good grounds for his belief. We trust, however, that he has been too hasty in his generalisation, and that the few bigots from whom he has received the impressions he has communicated to us will be promptly put down by the almost unanimous voice of the community. We cannot imagine a greater libel on a body of Englishmen than to say that their recepdon and treatment of any gentlemen who may come amongst them will be influenced by his religion. Surely in this l itter half of the nineteenth century we are not going to value man according as he worships God in this way or in that, and presides, or abstains from presiding, at bible society, missionary, and other a.-mi-relicioua meetings. We can only say that if our correspondent is right in bis anticipations, then public opinion in the neighboring island must be in a very low and lamentable state indeed. We shall expect, after this reflection on their liberality and good taste, that the men of Tasmania, as distinguished from the old women, will unite in giving Mr Weld such a welcome as will mark their emphatic disapproval of any attempts to prejudice individuals, no matter whether high or low, on account of their faith.