THE GLOBE. MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1666, 23 June 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1879.

The crisis in Native Affairs has at last arrived. As will bo seen by reference to to-day’s telegrams, the settlors at Hawera have taken the law into their own hands, and have, without bloodshed, put a stop to the ploughing on Mr. Livingstone’s farm. The six obstreperous Maori ploughmen havo been quietly turned off the scene of their operations and put across the Waingongoro. It must havo been evident to everybody that some such finale as this was not far distant. Even the patience of Job was exhausted by the platitudes of his soidisaut friends, and while Sir George Grey is expressing his “ regret that settlers are excited,” is telling them how sorry ho is that the state of his health prevents his being on the spot, and is maundering about affairs that happened in Kent in his extreme youth under totally different circumstances, the settlers havo forced the running and havo taken the initiative out of the hands of those who were only too anxious to shirk the responsibility. With regard to Native affairs, the present Government may indeed be well described as “ the pvrty of rest.” For months past, they havo day by day accepted the existing situation. Their conduct has been marked by a total want of initiative ability. The surveyors are turned off the Waimato, “Very good,” say the Ministry, “ wo take this as an accomplished fact, and make a now departure.” The Premier and the Native Minister got well snubbed at To Kopua. “ Quito a new and charming departure.” To Whiti’s fanatics plough up the settlers’ lands, and Sir George Grey says, “ From ignorance of any circumstances, I cannot now pretend to give

complete directions to those on tho spot.” Nor, indeed, does ha give any directions at all, except an advice to sit still and admire the science of the Native ploughmen, This description of “ political rest” may he very charming to our worthy Premier, but it certainly does not suit tho country at largo.

Those whom tho gods love die young may bo true enough, but nevertheless there is something most pathetic and sad is seeing a bravo young life suddenly extinguished. At the early ago of twentythree the Prince Imperial has fallen fighting for the allies of his father in a distant and savage land. Born when the late Emperor was consolidating the power he had seized so ruthlessly, tho Prince Imperial saw in infancy and youth that power becoming yearly more splendid to the eye but more rotten at tho core, until at last the catastrophe of 1870 extinguished the Napoleonic star. But still much hung on tho life of Prince Louis. His mother had by no moans abandoned hopes of seeing her son on tho throne of Franco. Tho Imperialists, led by M. Rouhor and M. Fourtou, wore constantly intriguing, now joining with the Monarchists, now forming a separate and obstructive party. There still were districts, notably tho Gironde, were the Imperialist regime was looked back to with regret. A lavish expenditure must always gain a certain number of friends, and besides Napoleon 111. had always, to give him his duo, a sharp eye for tho commercial and mercantile interests of his country. Moreover, tho hopelessly old-world opinions of tho Count do Charabord seemed almost to bar tho Legitimists from any hope whatsoever of effecting anything before that Prince’s death. So, until tho last elections had plainly demonstrated that Franco was determined, for a while at least, to give the Republic a fair trial, tho Imperialists wore constantly on the Cjui vive, and no other life in Europe was of such absolute value as that of the Prince Imperial. Had other princes died, they could have boon replaced, but the death of Prince Louis would have occasioned a blank that could not possibly have been filled by any other person. That death has now taken place, but tho Prince had ceased to hold tho same prominent historical position. His mother and a few devoted and interested partizans still built many hopes on his future, and with such a changeable nation as the French to deal with, no doubt many things were possible, but to a calm observer there seemed little chance of tho Prince ever ascending tho throne of Franco. The nation has tried the Republic, and it has not been found wautiug. It has satisfied its aspirations politically and socially. Franco has found that an aggressive and meddling foreign policy does not mean political strength, and that tho magnificence of an Imperial Court does not mean social eminence. It has discovered tho truism that unity and wealth are more valuable than victories, and an advanced civilisation more valuable than imperialism. The Prince was, in all human probability, had ho not fallen so young, either doomed to pass his days in seeing his expectations disappointed, or to sink his hopes in tho life of an English country gentleman or of a continental princelet. However, all such speculations are now over. The tender forebodings which seem to have overwhelmed his royal mother, and indeed, to a less extent, our own Queen, on his departure to Zululand, have proved not groundless. Ho has fallen gallantly, as becomes a grandson of tho greatest captain of modern days. Franco cannot scruple to lay his bones beside those of the great Napoleon in tho dome of tho luvalides, for ho has proved himself worthy of his nation and his family.