The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 274, 13 January 1849, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not s Let all the ends, thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, JB4 9.

The Acts of the Parliament of Eighteen Hundred and Forty Eight, are now the property of

history. And, caustically, contempoianeous historians are dealing with them. Commentators of every class and depaitment of journalism, are, already re-travelling the thankless course of the past session ; to see, if it lie possible, to drag one measure of solid, National advantage from out the agglomeiations of noisome chaff that, year by year, are rendering the labours of the British Seriate a scorn and a reproach in the eyes of England and of the world. The irksomeness of this self imposed duty is most vexatious, because the lesults aie as deplorable as they are distressing. The science of government appears to be lost ; whilst the oratory, which once was wont to electrify 4 and delight, is now, but rarely — very rarely — heard. Its brilliancy of expression and power of persuasion, have given place to a species of slip-slop, devoid alike of the dignity of debate or the merit of practical utilitarianism. In fact, if we may sum up the aggregate testimony of the British press, and, from such consideration, pass an opinion of our own — Saint Stephen's, as at present constituted, has been weighed in the balance, and found wanting :—: — the remarkable facility exhibited by its membeis in speaking against time, degrading it to some such common-place distinction, — as for example — The Royal Westminster Spouting Society ! When so little is accomplished for the honour and welfare of Old England, what can we hope to be done for the New Englands, scattered and scorned, by the name of Colonies, throughout the East, the West, the North, and the South'? — Expeiience tells us, Nothing ! Measures are brought forward, session after session, piofessedly for the colonial good, but to what do they tend ? What do they achieve? They either fall still-born, by the counting out of a House — or, after supplying a theme for idle and elaborate declamation to the Senate ; and cutting out work, column after column, for the writers and printers of an Empire so wide-awake as never to lack daylight — After all this national abuse of breath, pen and paper — the measure is thrown down the Imperial waste pipe to perish in the vast common sewer of ministerial neglect — else, like the gieat Canadian grievances to rise, with more than forty mortal motives at their back, to compel the redress for which they prayed in vain. We have a very pointed example, in illustration of our allegations, in the manner in which the resumption of the debate on Sir William Molesworth's motion has been Lurked. If we recollect aright, that debale stood adjourned to Tuesday the Bth of August, on which evening the House was wholly occupied by discussion of the Vote by Ballot question, on which Ministers were in the minoiity. We have been unable to discover that the debate was resumed at any subsequent date ; but we do know that, on the sth of September, the doors of the House were closed upon that and every other inconvenient motion. This may, veiy possibly, be Pailiamentary usage, but as the advocate of the colonies, Sir William Moleswortii might, in our opinion, with perfect propriety ,ha\ c addiessed the House in the language of honest Job Thornbeny, to wit — " I can't tell, gentlemen, how you may please to retail justice ; but when a customer comes to deal largely with you, me if you don't shut up the shop windows." But if Sir William Moleswortii be in earnest, his motion cannot, thus summarily, be got rid of ; and if he be not, there is still " Balm in Gilead " for the Colonies — the Honorable Francis Scott being fully prepared with a motion quite as searching and fully more practical. • The friends of the colonies can, moreover, concentrate their forces during the recess, and follow up with vigour the homethrust already dealt against Colonial misgovernment. But, even did both these leaders rein in, there is a power at work to befriend the colonies, which cannot and will not be gainsaid. That friend is the poverty and starvation of the British masses, which must and will compel attention The homeless and the houseless will not listen to the pretexts of expediency, when there are those to tell them of lands where competence is the reward of toil. To instruction of thai fact, Journalists, Reviewers, and Pamphleteers are directing the consideration of the million, until Emigration becomes the National cry. No Minister can obstruct — nor even for any length of time protract, the set of such a tide. And that tide will be to the Colonies what the flood of the Nile is to Egypt. It will fructify and fertilize : — it will enrich the dwellers on either shoie ; whether on the coasts of England or of the immense Colonial sea-board. The Colonies will acquiie population, and population is power. They will inciease from disorganized abstractions, to the dignity of detached but determined people. Cliques and cabals will be merged in a community of interests woithy to be tailed popular •• — and Individualism, one of the greatest of Colonial curses, will disappear. The divide et impcta system, so easy and so successful of practice amongst sections, will not dare to be attempted in provinces of a respectable growth. Nor will Colonial Secietaries ventuie their irresponsible tricks and tyrannies, either fiom Downingstreet direct, or by deputy on the spot. To this, which we consider a prospect of speedy realization, Sir William Mole&worth h™= unquestionably given acceleration, and

in so far, the colonies are his thankfal debtois ; — but he is not the only labourer in the vineyard. There are many indomitable spirits in the field — and from their joint and anxious effoits, we augur an early day of Colonial hope. Did our Journal surpass in dimensions the most monstrous of the Yankey Notions, it would, even then, be inadequate to contain a tithe of the able and the energetic writings on the subject of emigration. We have, from time to time, endeavoured to furnish a sample of the general staple, and from these may be gathered the influence the discussion is likely to exercise on Colonial prosperity. The question is neither a party nor a political question — its importance is admitted by men of all opinions. The only difficulty is— who is to pay ? Decide that as they may. Ministers will find that the nation must advance — and to show their propriety in doing so, we have rarely met with sounder or moie cogent arguments than the following from a sensible pamphlet recently published by a Mr. Kingston. " The government may hesitate about forming an extensive plan, because they know the difficulty of raising funds for any undertaking which does not offer an immediate prospect of direct remuneration ; bnt if the persons most clearly interested, the landed proprietors, the chief payers of poor rates, can be clearly convinced that by contributing lowards it they will pay little more than at present, and will be saved an im« ineasuiable expense in future s and the manufacturers anil mnichants, that the capital they advance is not sunk in an unproductive mine, but will speedily and directly return thum a vast interest, they will eagerly buppoit the measure. In fact, there is not one class, one intereit, which will not benefit by it, except the gravedtggers and sextons, for they will have fewer paupers to bury. If any private Society would undertake alone to promulgate this important truth among every class of her Majesty's subjects, t»nd "if it can do no more, it will have perfoimed a most valuable service to the State. I do not hesitate to asiert that the prosperity, nay, the very existence of England depends on the prompt formation of an tulighiened and general system of emigration—ruin, if shs neglects to take advantage of the meani beLre her — increased glory, wealth, and power li she does.

On Tuesday morning, ninety-one casts of wines and spirits, landed on the wharf of Mr. J. S. Polack, from the United States ship, " Robert Pulsford," (for which Mr. Polack is agent) , were seized by Mr. Guilding, landing waiter. From Avhat we were enabled to elicit, at an investigation which took place, yesterday morning, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, before Colonel Wynyard, Messrs. Beckham, Bcrrey and Gisborne, Justices of the Peace, it appears that the wines and spirits were sent ashore by mistake of the mate, and that Mr. Polack called the attention of Mr. Guilding to the fact, intimating that he should land the goods. To this Mr. Guilding made no reply, either negatively or affirmatively — but inquired if the entries had been passed, and the bond for theii warehousing entered into. This had not then been done, but Mr. Polack, with Messrs. Nathan and Wright, proceeded to the Customhouse and did so forthwith. In the interim the goods weie seized. Mr. Whitaker defended the case with his wonted ability ; enteiing into a searching investigation of its merits, and then taking objection to an infoimality in the information. After a somewhat lengthened consideration, the Bench overruled the objection, intimating that they were satisfied no act of smuggling was contemplated, but that they were clearly of opinion that an infringement of the Customs' Ordinance had been committed. They therefore declared the goods seized, to be forfeited to the Crown. The decision appeared to take a crowded court by surprise. Mr. Whitaker, on the part of his clients, gave notice of appeal to the Commissioners of Customs in England.