THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, March 18, 1843.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 54, 18 March 1843, Page 214

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, March 18, 1843.

he* journauz devienncnt plus necessities a niesure que les hommes sont plus &gaux, et 1' individualisme plus a craindre. Cc serait diminuer leur importance que de croire qu' il» ne servent qu' a garantir la liberty : ils maintiennent la civilisation. Db Tocqtjeville. De la Democratic en Amerique,' tome 4, p. 220. Journals become more necessary as men become more equal, and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they nerve only to secure liberty: they maintain civilization. Db Tocqukville. Of Democracy in America, vol . 4, p. 202.

It may be remembered that in June last we made some mention of an article which appeared in the Colonial Gazette, entitled " Colonial Government and Taxation." In the same paper of the 19th of October the subject is again adverted to, on occasion of a question by a Jamaica journal as to how gentlemen could be induced to leave their colonial home and live in London, and what influence they would have when there. Among the " English Extracts " of a Sydney Herald we find the Gazette's reply ; and certainly, as a reply to the objections of the Jamaica paper, it is fully sufficient, and the thing is altogether made to look very just and very fascinating, with a bait added, in the shape of " honour and glory," to independent gentlemen likely to become " members of that desideratum in colonies, a well-constructed aristocracy." Now, in our small way, we have ventured to differ from the Gazette once, and, moreover, we entertain not merely a negative objection to this plan of theirs, which can be satisfied by stating mere practical difficulties, but we presume so far as to imagine that we actually see in it absolute evils of the most serious description. Infinitessi--mally small, therefore, as our influence may be, we feel ourselves, bound to use it to the utmost, if by any means we may thereby an obstacle to the practical application of the noxious principle. This reply, with its quiet assumption of having an&wered an objector, and the seemingly unconscious air with which it puts forward the advantages, reminding one of the studied indifference of a conjuror who forces a card, render it necessary to recall to the minds of all who may read it the original scheme, of which it is a defence and support. The, gist of the matter is this : — The colonies have hitherto been badly governed by a bureaucracy, i.e. 4he Colonial Office. This cannot last; it is too bad to be endured mucH longer. Concession says, the colonies must have a voice in their own taxation. Anti-concession says, but they cannot be allowed wholly to tax themselves. Says Concession, the colonies must exercise some influence over official appointments in their own Government. Replies Anti-concession, but Jsre cannot be robbed of our " patronage pre^ serves." Ay, but moreover the taxation' and expenditure of the colonies are enormous and uncalled for. Well, but how, without them, can they keep up the dignity essential to be preserved in a constituent part of so great an empire ? Upon such and suchlike discussion and repartee in comes the Gazette with its plan of accommodation to mediate between the parties, and most ingeniously has it attained that object, having first administered an intoxicating philtre to Concession, disguised in a sweet draught of " certainlys " and "of courses," which shall make shadows bear the semblance of realities in her eyes. In short, Anti-concession is to have it all her own way, while the poor fool Concession is to be done into thinking she has it all hhre r own way. For this purpose, we have a most ingenious device, something in the manner of a shifting scene in a pantomime and called " Imperial requirements;" and

directly poor Concession sees anything wrong, and her good sense, getting the better of her obfuscation, is about to speak, vanishes the questionable back-ground, down comes the shifting scene (manaftuvred by a Harlequin with his wand, a very Proteus at second hand), and away goes poor Concession's self-possession in a perfect maze of glittering hosts — thunderbearing fleets — knights, baronets, admirals, and generals — cocked hats and commercial regulations — aides-de-camp and the ale export — chevaux-de-frise and champaigne — grog, customs, and God save the Queen, until regularly bamboozled into a sign of acquiescence. Harlequin, half proud half modest, retires with a bow of conscious merit, pointing at the same time to the words which the departing shifting scene bears emblazoned on it in letters of gold — . " Imperial Requirements !" And so the mediation goes on, the shifting scene returning at intervals, whenever a beam of intelligence or a look of misgiving is perceived upon the countenance of the closelywatched Concession, until the whole affair closed and the plan assented to, Concession, as she walks away, rubbing her eyes and beginning to feel a little more watchful, says to herself, in most unlady-like phrase, " D — n those Imperial requirements, I wonder what the deuce they mean by 'em.' 1 Ay, what, indeed, old lady. You have been done, that's clear. You had better go home and think the matter over before you put your hand to it. In sober earnestness, however, it is a matter of no inconsiderable importance to the colonies of Great Britain that they should find the Colonial Gazette — their most powerful advocate, and, as we verily believe, their staunch friend — allowing itself to support a scheme so fatal to their real liberty and that independent spirit essential to a healthy prosperity, and so destructive of any other sense of individuality than that of a thing to be kept " for other uses." It remains only for the colonies, one and all, to raise their voices against it, and proclaim that, however in other things, in this at least the Gazette is not their representative. What is the subject which cannot be better discussed, what is the business which cannot be better transacted, in the place itself tjj£m in a far distant land, and surrounded; too, by the urgencies of representatives of opposing interests, by the fatal flattery of the ministers of a Government and the denizens of a Court, and those faint hints of future honour which insidious lips know well the time and mode of whispering, practised in the sataimic art of guaging the depth of honesty in every heart and fouling the whole fair water by stirring with fiendish satisfaction the slime and mud over which they flow ? — but we forget. " Better " may be variously construed. Better for a commercial clique, who are sacrificing the health and happiness of thousands to their greed of wealth — better for the popularity of a minister, who would buy the claps of '" chapped hands " and the tossing of *' sweaty night caps " for another week, at the price of an enactment which shall check the trade of a single settlement or half a world of colonies. Better — but why need we go on ? Shall the Gazette tell us that all this we have now, and that this scheme will prevent it ? The one we know, th« other we deny. We know well that the iiiterests of the colonies are now treated as third-rate ones — things that are to be consulted, encouraged, set 'aside, or extinguished, as it may happen to fall out that they inteifere or assimilate with some great set a going for a far different end. We know this, and we know also that it cannot continue. Why strive to cheat ua into believing that the thing still to be done is altered by the mode of doing? Long enough, we know, we have been a fourth ball upon the great billiard-table where these Imperialists play their game for nations — touched when it was necessary for a cannon stroke, pocketed by a passing (Judts)

i* kiss when it was wanted for a slant finer or j more delicate than the greatest masters of > J the side stroke or the screw could compass. But would you persuade us that it would give us anything more to do with the game, J to let us have a marker to ourselves to stand by and score our " Inch ?" No, this will not do. Let us have our own players, and if they are awkward at first, practice will mend them ; at least they will lay us safe, if they do not hold others ; and we doubt |jiot that, when the reckoning comes, we snail be able to pay our share of the tables. ' The Sisters, seven days from Hobart Town, arrived on Thusrday. We regret , that we have received no papers. Although we have regularly forwarded copies of our journal to the principal newspaper offices in Hobart Town since our commencement, , the courtesy has, in no case, been reciproI cated. Intercommunication of this sort is ! most important to the commercial world I generally, and is beneficial as tending to prevent monoply. We shall therefore ex- , ceedingly regret to be obliged to withdraw ! our mite from it. By the kindness of a friend, we have, however, seen a paper of the third of March, to whfch we are indebted for the Indian and Chinese news, and the latest state of the markets.

We have no room this week for remarks upon the letter of "A Devoted Nelson Settler," but we trust that next week we shall | be able to show him, by a fact or two, that there is no want of energy in the one important matter of doing, especially as regards cultivation ; and though, with him, we were j disappointed in the very limited attendance ! at the meeting, we cannot, with our eyes open' to what is going on, ascribe this to indifference to the objects which ifc has in view.

Characters of the English and German Women Compared. — The moral education of an English girl is, for the most part, negative; the whole system of duty is thus presented to the i mind. It is not " this you must do," but always '• you must not do this — you must not say that — you must not think so;" and if by some hardy, I expanding nature the question be ventured, ! " Why ? " — the mamma or the governess is ready i with the answer, " It is not the custom — it is not ' i lady -like — it is ridiculous !" " But is it wrong? —why is it wrong ? " — and then comes the answer, pat — " My dear, you must not argue, — young ladies never argue." " But, mamma, I was thinking " " My dear, you must not think, — go* write your Italian exercise," and so on ! The idea that certain passions, powers, tempers, feelings, interwoven with our being by our almighty and all-wise Creator, are to be put down by the fiat of a governess, or the edict of fashion, is monstrous. Those who educate us imagine that they have done everything, if they have silenced controversy, if they have suppressed all external demonstration of an excess of feeling or temper ; not knowing, *r not reflecting, that unless our nature be self-governed and self-directed by an appeal to those higher faculties, which link us immediately with what is divine, their labour is lost. Now, in Germany, the women are less educated to suit some particular fashion : the cultivation of the intellect and the forming of the manners So not so generally supersede the training of the moral sentiments — the affections — the < impulses ; the latter are not so habitually crushed or disguised ; consequently the women appear more natural, and to have more individual characi ter ; more of the individual character is brought into the daily intercourse of society, more of the i poetry of existence is brought to bear on the com1 mon realities of life. I saw a freshness of feeling — a genuine (not a taught) simplicity, which charmed me. As to what we term accomplish- ' ments, there was cerainly much less exhibition and parade of them in society ; they formed less an established and necessary part of education than with us ; but, of really accomplished and wellinformed women, I found do deficiency— far otherwise. I met with fewer women who drew badly, sang tolerably, scratched the harp, and quoted Metastasio ; but I met with quite as many women who, without pretension, were finished . musicians, painted like artists, and possessed ex extensive knowledge of their own literaturey/as well as ours, an uncommon knowledge op^ianguages, and excellent housewives after the German fashion. The German women are much more engrossed by the cares of house- keeping than women of a similar rank in England. In England, with our false, conventional refinement, we attach an idea of vulgarity to certain cares and duties, in which there is nothing vulgar. The ' wife of a state-minister once excused herself from , going with me to a picture-gallery, because on tbat day she was obliged to reckon up the housej hold linen ; she- was one of the most charming, , truly elegant, and accomplished women I ever ■ met with. At another time, a very accomplished woman, who had herself figured in a court!. ! could not do something — I forget what— becaMflj ft was the " grosse wsache " (the great waslr^ .Ttot my own part, I slipped so quietly and natu>f**»lly into all their social and domestic habits, and cared so little about the differences^ and distinctions which some of the English thought it fine to oe always remarking and lamenting, that -my German friends used to express their surprise, bj saying •' Savez vous, ma chere, que vous ne me fakes pas dv tout l'effct dune Anglaise!" They certainly had a most formidable idea of the extravagance of fashionable English women, and our luxurious habits. — Visits and Sketches at JStmt and Abroad, by Mrs. Jameson. >