Ministerial Circumspection

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 15, 16 June 1885, Page 2

Ministerial Circumspection

Coramentino; on a letter written- by Mr Ballanee to he Wairau Liberal League, the Dunedin Citizen observed :— " Ministers should write as few letters as possible. In the United States, we are told, the first thing done after the selection of a Presidential candidate is to guard him carefully from the temptations of pens, ink and paper. We ought to understand the utility of the suggestion. It is hard to put our foremost men under lock and key, yet there is much to bo said m its favor. We do not know if Major Atkinson can write a letter ; we are positive m saying that no one ever saw one from him m type on any public subject, good, bad or indifferent. He at least understands the wisdom and dignity of silence. Some of us remember that wonderful letter of Lord Beaconsfield to the Duke of Marlborough, immediately before the general election which smashed the Conservative Government. Who can tell what would have been the effect if that letter had been suppressed instead of being published, to unite the Irish vote throughout the three kingdoms m favor a liberal candidates. Job ever so long ago. wished: that his enemy lvould write a bonk. He felt sure that he would have him m that case. And there are many persons will be glad Mr. Bullance hag written that letter to the Wairau Leaguers. It will- give them a peg on which to hang two or three disagreeable remarks.