THE BLENHEIM PULPIT ON THE NATIVE REBELLION.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 146, 28 November 1868, Page 4

THE BLENHEIM PULPIT ON THE NATIVE REBELLION.

To the Editor of the Marlborough Express. Sir, —There are few among the inhabitants of this colony who could acquit Sir George Grey or his Ministry of blame for the escape of the prisoners from the Chatham Islands. The late Governor, no doubt, owing to his liking for the Maori race and Ministers, on the score of economy, had neglected to take proper precautions for the safe custody of prisoners, whose capture had cost some of our beat blood, when apprised of a disaffection among the prisoners, coolly replied to the informant that they were in possession of information to show that no ground existed for alarm. We have now seen the result. I was sorry to hear Archdeacon Butt in his sermon, on Sunday evening last, refer so briefly to the duty of Christians in regard to the perpetrators of the recent massacre at Poverty Bay. The Venerable gentleman, after exorting Christians to forgive one another and their enemies, and to bear no ill-will towards any one, as such usually generates , a 1 feeling of revenge, told us that, as a Christian minister, he felt it his duty to ask his flock not to seek revenge for the atrocious and diabolical tragedy, but to forgive and to freely forgive the murderers from our hearts, as we ourselves hope to be forgiven, and humbly pray Almighty God to change their hearts. I repeat my regret that the Archdeacon should have told uS only a part of our duty. It is of course as plainly the duty of every Christian to prevent crime as much as lay in his power as it is his duty to forgive his enemies ; and it is also the duty of every Government to administer condign punishment when the laws have been broken with impunity. Admitting this, therefore, is it not the duty of every man to use his best endeavours to punish the rebels who have murdered our fellowsettlers, their wives, and harmless babes ? Is it not;bur imperative duty to seek out the murderers and to punish them, if not all found in arms against their Sovereign—withdeath, in order to prevent other rebels from committing the same enormous offences, especially considering that these : murderers are escaped prisoners ? Or, what security is there that a recurrence of the brutalities practised at the late massacre will not take, place ? I believe that an apparently merciful >or weak policy would be criminal in the highest degree—the moat merciful policy towards the natives themselves, in order to save them frpm.annihilatiqn-T-if not already too late- is , to punisL'them, severely, and to make them feel an iron hand oyer them, • and to let not the,,sword be sheathed until the ringleaders has suffered, the, pehalty.yyhich is tlie iqnly,security ;that siey,will not. commit another apd/ similar. outrage.,.., As soon, jSir, as the, public, .see, that, policy is taken with regard to the war, vojuntpers, will.hotbe wanting, .and such men will£with a'spirit that is awakened by the, knowledge, that the .struggle is for |jheir hearths hot'j&r'three shiUings and sixpence. a ay* ns pppeari to Rave case with the forces lately at ( tne/ Front—-let eyery man who' volunteers, or in the /Militia, fight with the feeling j ra his dpty. to, punish the perpetrators of jdire crihes, and,lst them not] cease till they have jthQ]rpugbiy. subdued the cannibal in the/,RTprth Inland, security for the sutler, and- a reimbursement in, the form of. confiscated land-Of inpurred in the war. , | ~Such‘4 coj%sA lii/thmkiI i i/thmki' i ,the npost scrupulous iejptwt’ /more; the,; ppndigp not done' ia'a spi# of execution, toeffectually prevent, the criminal repeating the/offence, anff aa a yarning, to others, iwho, are intended to .learn from example the cer r ; tainty of. ptmishment, and so,, .from ,fepr pf being; overtaken by justice,• if from ho higher, principle -rto be-prevented from crime. I/ami, far'from being an advocate for extermination and merely

ask for-justice to both Europeans and Natives ; and wherever and. whenever a Native or European is found in, arms against his Sovereign, let his life be the penalty for the offence ; and depend upon it, Sir, that in the case of the Maoris such a policy would be a merciful one. I am, &c., Prevention of Crime. Blenheim, Nov. 26, 1868.