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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 16, 18 January 1872, Page 2

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail. Sir, — It is amusing to observe the editor of the Colonist trimming his sails to the popular breeze which he vainly hopes (in secret) may swamp Mr. Lightband's political cockle-shell and carry his piouder and nobler bark safe into the harbor of the House of Representatives. In pursuit of his favorite object, he does not hesitate to employ the same weapons, the use of which he so unsparingly denounces in others. " Ever ready to propagate calumnious assertions "(as; he says of the Examiner) he charges me w ith impugning the honesty oi the working men of Nelson. It would have been v worse than a mistake for me to do such a thing in Nelson, where working men have already achieved the position they are said to be aiming at in Europe, and use their I

political power in the way they like best. I did -but impugn their perspicacity iu electing Mr. Lightband as iheir representative, and not their honesty. But for this I am set down as being unjust and ungenerous, and as throwing obloquy upon honest voters ! If I could throw dirt half as well as the immaculate editor of the Colonist, he would never be fit to be seen again iu public. It is worth quoting the imperious aud dogmatic finale to his article. " Let there," says he, "be no more sneers against working men. If they are sometimes mistaken, in the end they are right, and if properly led and fairly treated they know and do not desert their friends." " Codlin's the friend, not Short." Does he not wish he may get it ! The working men of Nelson are not about to make the mistake again of acknowledging the editor of the Colonist as their friend, and so they will never be able to show their ingratitude by deserting him. I am, &c, Citizen. P.S. lamby no means in accord with that " Working Man " in the Examiner, who takeß the opportunity of Mr. Lightband being in a scrape to air the pretensions of Mr. Stafford. I have no confidence in either of these " statesmen," or in any other statesman in the General Assembly, the annual cost of which to the public has been increased during the la9t session by upwards of six thousand pounds. "Honorarium," to ray taste, smacks very little of " honor." This additional tax must of course be paid out of loan, as there is no revenue to meet it. Would it be low, on my part, to utter the involuntary exclamation, "go it, ye cripples" ?