Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1198, 15 December 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1871.

■Que American cousins have acquired so unenviable a reputation for exaggeration an'l a love of the sensational, that great suspicion always attaches to any ex iraordinary news received through their hands. This- being the case, it becomes questionable how much of truth is contained in the late telegrams via San Francisco respecting the alleged rupture or misunderstanding between the head of the British nation and her advisers. We can readily believe that ?t is not all exaggeration, and it seems probable enough that the difficulties oc casioned to the Government from the frequent abseuce of her Majesty from the centre of administrative action has paused the Cabinet to consider whether some modification of the present system of obtaining the autograph .signature of her Majesty to public documents may not be brought about. Her Majesty naturally regards any such proposal with suspicion, and it in not to be wondered at--though it may be a source of regret —that she declines to be a party to fray such innovation. Further than this, we do not tee ground for going. She might refuse her assent to the proposals of her .Cabinet from the very con yiction that her assent would confirm the opinion that her mind had become unequal to the fulfilment of the duties Revolving upqn her.

A second sensational matter is an alleged combination of the upper and |ower plasses against the interests of the piddle class. We think that in this fjjc Americans have allowed full

scope to their imagiuatiye powers, and made a very little to assume large proportions. There can be no doubt that the laborers and mechanics have of late succeeded in attracting more attention to what may be called the " wrongs of labor" than has ever been the case hitherto, and we cannot wonder if their efforts have gained the sympathy of a great political party. Our opinion is that it is well that it should be so, and we are hopeful that some amelioration of the condition of the working classes may be brought about. We cannot shut our eyes to the great social changes these classes are endeavoring to bring about throughout the whole of Europe, and we may rest assured that the surest means of averting these dangers will be found in granting them their only too reasonable demands. Those demands, as we understand them, onl v amount to the receipt of a fair day's wage for a fair day's work of nine hours. The .•sympathy of the British peerage with such a claim, so far as it has been gained, is nothing to cause surprise.

A third sensational item is the resolve of Pius-da to secure and hold all the gold of the world by insisting that England shall pay up its share of the French loan in gold only. There may be more truth than is generally suspected in this rumor. The counter proposal that Bank of England notes should be substituted for gold would not mend the matter in the slightest degree. The notes would be payable on demand, that demand would of course be made, and as it could not be met Prussia would gain its end, only in a way but little less direct than that of procuring payment in gold coin.