THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 4, 10 July 1865, Page 1

THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

[From the Southern Cross.] The news we publish to-day with respect to the peace negotiations tends to establish the truth of what we have ventured to express, that no good will come of them. We should have been the first to hail the advent of anything like peace on a solid foundation, but it really is a farce to speak of Thompson’s negotiations as they now appear as likely to be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. Mr George Graham, however, seems to have an abundance of faith ; but we regard the mission of that gentleman to bring Thompson and his rebel countrymen “ out of the tire ” as a “ forlorn hope.” Let our readers peruse the letter of our Thames correspondent, and say whether the 'attitude of Thompson, on his return to mourn over the death of the chief Moses, is such as to confirm any idea that many have been entertained of his sincerity. That he would be glad to make peace we have no doubt, but that he is willing to make it on terms which will be honorable to the British Crown we have every donut. Thompson laying down his taiaha before Brigadier-Geuoral Carey, and Thompson confidentially narrating what he had done to his counttymen, present two very different pictures, and his statement that he had been “ tired out” by the Governor, with his peaco deputations, is siugniticvnt, as showing what force has been brought to bear upon him, to commit himself to this very questionable submission. The great peace meeting is to be held next summer, wnen food is plentiful and the Maori army is recruited ; hut in any case, it would appear that the restoration 01 Waikato, or the greater part, to its former occupiers, is to be the great basis of the peace that is to be. liewi and Mututaera, it will be seen, say the same, and do not show much alacrity in coming in to lay down their taiahas, probably because they believe that the time has not yet arrived for the successful enforcement of their claims to be reinstated in all their former rights. They see the Government of the county becoming more feeble every day. and less able to cope with the exigencies of the war, aud the}' are probably amusing themselves by singing a Maori version of “ There's a good time coming, boys, wait a little longer.” That good time for them will certainly be when the Government has sunk to such a depth of political degradation that it will be ready to accept any terms, however preposterous.