THE GOVERNOR AND THE REBELS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 207, 30 December 1864, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR AND THE REBELS.

(From the Christchurch Evening Mail , Dee. 21.) Tue limit fixed for the acceptance of the submission of the tebel tribes has expired, and up to the latest dates to which we have received our northern papers nothing has been done to indicate tho slightest disposition on the part of the natives to avad themselves of the Governor’s oiler of peace. On the contrary, we have a manifesto . issued by William Thompson, in which he, on behalf of the Waikato tribes, offers terms of peadfe to the Governor. Whether his offer was intended simply to ridicule the celebrated peace proclamation we know not, but the whole affair has such a ludicrous appearance, that it is with difficulty we can force ourselves to accept it in seriousness. On the one hand, we have a Governor .who claims to have uncontrolled command over 14,000 British troops, who have for many months been supposed to have been actively engaged fighting a few ill-armed Maori tribes who have not at any time been able to bring 1000 men, generally not more thad 500, into the field at any one time. The 14,000 disciplined British troops are supposed to have succeeded in beating once or twice the 1000 Maories, and after thirteen months’ hard fighting, to have subdued them. A proclamation of pardon on certain terms is issued by the owner of the 14,000, and is answered, nbt by ah eager acceptance, but by a counter-offer .of peace bn terms which are simply an insult and a sneer at the farce of British domination in New Zealand. The Governor seems to be playing the part of Hard Meddle in the comedy of London Assurance, and using his best endeavours to make Thompson kick him, but the Maori will not even do this ; and, if he did, we doubt whether the recipient of his favour would have tho-spirit to claim compensation anyhow. Not content with having disgraced the name of Englishman till it has almost become a by-word among the Maoris, he has now sent to persuade Thompson to accept the proposals in the proclamation. Of Thompson’s offer it is not worth while to take note, .That it should ever have been written is enough to make the blood of every white man in the colony boh, or, perhaps rather, make us all blush for shame. ’ How Jong are such insults to be offered us! How long are we to allow a man who seems to have lost aU honorable and maMy feeling to subject ns to such disgrace!