The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH.27, 1807.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 72, 27 March 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH. 27, 1807.

The electors in town and country have fully made up their luituis, by this time, which of the candidates is most entitled to their suffrage, and which shall have their support, at the election to-morrow. No amount of 'newspaper writing whether in the shape of leaders, letters, or election squibs, will make <my appieciable alterations in the views of the electoral body. Persuasion, entreaty, intimidation and coercion, may be had recourse to, as they generally are when party feeling runs high, but the fact will ever remain, that those conviuced against their will are of the same opinion still. Au opinion has been strongly and publicly expressed by the representatives of both the political parties into which Nelson is divided, that the ballot is necessary amongst us to secure absolute freedom and purity of election. Without committing ourselves to an opinion as to the extent to which iutimidation and coercion have been carried at former elections, or will be had recourse to at this, we have no hesitation in endorsing the opinions of those who contend that under the ballot alone can we realize free and independent voting, and that the constituencies ought to exact pledges from their rept^esentatives to eudeavour to obtain it on the first possible oppon unity. We would fain hope, however, t' at at the election to-morrow, the voters may be left to their own unbiased judgment, and that no village tyrant, or city millionaire, no Government officer, or manager of institution of local influence, will venture to interfere between any elector and his conscience, or dictate to their subordinates under threats of future frowns, the mode of exercising that right which belongs not to party, but to conscience and to country.

The contest has been stripped of the excitement which would have obtained had three candidates remained in the field and from the fact that Mr. Curtis and Mr. Barnicoat resemble each other in so many particulars that persons uninfluenced by party considerations might regard either as a fit aud proper person to act as Superintendent. Both are influenced by highly enlightened and progressive views in regard to what is wanted to secure the future prosperity of the province, and both are prepared, with some slight difference in detail, to lend their support to the system of public works, -without which, prosperity is but an empty name, Opinions will vary among the most experienced and wisest, as to the precise course to be pursued in the inauguration aud execution of the various works which cannot be much longer postpoued, and the circumstance that the candidates differ slightly as to the means to be made use of does not disqualify either for the office of Superintendent on that score. The objection of his having proclivities for a centralising policy is raised with some force against Mr. Curtis, whilst it is alleged in favor of his opponent, that he is staunch on the question of provincial institutions. Mr. Curtis has fairly answered the objection in reference to his centralising tendencies, by affirming that the change would bo gradual in its operation, and so long as he remained Superintendent he should not fail to uphold the dignity of the office, and the credit of \ho provincial system. And of Mr. Barnicoat, it may be said, that assuming his greater attachment to the provincial system, it would not be in his power as Superintendent to delay by a single day, the time when the provincial shall be merged in a general system of government, the day of doom depending entirely on the voice of the country expressed through their representatives in parliament. The friends of Mr. Curtis lay great stress on his commercial knowledge, and active business habits, most valuable qualifications' in a man required to fill the office of Superintendent at the present crisis, and qualifications, which it is assumed Mr. Baruieoat cannot lay claim to, in the same proportion. The supporters of the latter may reply, however, that they would rather entrust important financial operations to the experience of mature age than to the impulses of impetuous manhood, and that festina lenle is a safer maxim to rely upon, than a reckless onward policy which loves change for its own sake. We doubt not that the advocates of a forward policy will be greatly iu the ascendant, and that the fiery valor which courts danger will be more highly valued than the timid-cautious policy -which will not fight a battle with!-

out a eerfainty of winning it. Discarding the personal defects and political deficiencies of either candidate, "which .are magnified by the virulence of party spirit, into crimes against the state, we should say that the electors have two fair average men to choose from, and that the election of either will do no discredit to the province. That, the electors of the city, who sent Mr. Curtis to the assembly, should feel strongly desirous of making him Superintendent is most natural ; whilst it need excite no surprise that a considerable majority of the country voters should rally round an old resident, who has given hostages to fortune among them, as well as furnished numerous pledges of his willingness and ability to do service to the province. We will not speculate on the result of the election, but leave it in the hands of the constituency, in expectation that they will faithfully discharge the solemn duty the exigencies of the province have imposed upon them.

In the letter of Mr. C. Wieseuhavern published in the Mail of the 25th inst., "eight feet" is erroneously printed for "four feet" in the eighth line of the first paragraph. The line as corrected reads, "found a seam of coal about four feet thick on the out crop, etc."

We have seen a map of the proposed line of railway from -Nelson to Cobden, lithographed by Mr." Hodgson, from a route laid down by Mr. R. W. Coe, C.E., and published at Is. each. It shows the best and cheapest line of country through which a railway can. be taken, and cannot fail to excite great interest at the present time.

In the Eesideut Magistrate's Court, this day, judgment was given in the fol-io-wing cases : — Harris v. Hammond, £7 145.; M'Farlain v. Lewis, £4; Scott v. Turner, £l 55.; Durham v. Carter, 12s. A case of D. Moore v. W* Harvey, claim £2 Us. 6d. in which a set-off of £3 Bs. 6d. was pleaded, was pospoued until Wednesday to enable the plaintiff to produce his trust deed. A case of D. Moore v. J. Percy, claim £13 4s. 7d. in which defendant admitted £3 14s. 7d. and paid it into court, was postponed uutill Monday next, for the pi'oduction of phiotiffs books. J. Merringtou and Co. v. T. ConnelJ, claim £3 4s. 6d. judgment for plaintiff. His Worship gave judgment in the case of P. Birrei v. the Board of Works. He said having seen the spot he was satisfied that a party passing it, especially in a dark night, was liable to injury. There was no proper light there. There was a lamp at one end of the street but it was not placed there for the purpose of preventing similar accideut but for other purposes. It had been suggested to him by a gentleman who accompanied him that the obstruction was now con-* fined to the end of the street and the position had been altered by the removal of earth and levelling that had taken place, at the same time the street was left in a state at the end similar to what it was in the middle, at the time of the accident Under all the circumstances he thought the plain riff was entitled to a verdict, not indeed for the amount of damages he stated ho had received, but what might be considered fair and reasonable. He considered this would be £3 per week for 16 weeks, £1 for medical attendance, and 6s. for hire of cab to the hospital, making in the whole £49 6s. The plaintiff to pay costs. In the adjourned case of M'Beth v. Campbell, action for trespass, the Magistrate gave judgment for plaintiff for £7 10s., with costs. Campbell then sued M'Beth for £17 2s. 6d., balance of account for goods delivered. Judgment was given for plaintiff, for tho amount sued for, and the mouey ordered to be paid in two equal instalments of one month and two months. James Way, charged ou remand with receiving from his children clothes, knowing that they stole them from Marion Robertson, was dismissed with a caution that tho police would look sharply after him, and with a request that he would give the young pilferers a good whipping.