DEMONSTRATIONS IN HOBART TOWN. (From the Courier, of August 30.)

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 566, 17 September 1851, Page 3

DEMONSTRATIONS IN HO BART TOWN. (From the Courier, of August 30.)

The excitement consequent on the recent DomonstraUons having to a certain degree subsided, wo fuel it incumbent on us to offer (i few observations thoteon, witiiout referpnoe to tho triumph of paily, which, unless controlled within those modeiatp bounds sanctioned by usago anil civilization, is apt to htiiry men into partial acquiescence, if not temporary approval, of incnsures pregnant with danger to tho i'utuie interests of tho community. Tl\c recent Demolish ntiou towards the Lieutenant Governor, Lowovcr uncalled for it may have been, wan neither in its oiigin, nor the conduct by whioh it was chaiacterised, do offensive as to call for any signal marks of reprobation fioni any cUsh ; still leas was it of a nature as to ovoko any fooling of personal biltornosa towards tho object of it, — more particulaily after ll m Excellency's avowal that, in tho first estimate he had formed of tho community, lie had boon docer/ed by those who forced thoniaelves on him as its representatives, and who, to an inoxpoiieuced politician, and unskilled in the wiles of a party that sought to violate in oidor to enslave, him to their own ends of aggrandisement or malice, could have had no apparent object in tho depreciation of their own constituents. Tho utmost that under such circumstances, can be laid to hia charge, is that of rash or preniatuie judgment; but (lie extraordinary juncture of political affairs which existed at tho timo of Ins ariival, with d number of public ofticeiy around him, ncled on by terror from without or uitriguo from within, and oitiiei incapable or fearful of offtring him advice, might have deceived one far more expo i'need than Sir William Donison in tho [intiigucs of courts and tho wiles of politicians. After tho frank and manly avowal of his present convictions, mid tho eirois into whicb he wasbotr.iycd on hia first arrival, it would ho a pichlhank politician indeed who could found a complaint on the admitted enor, not so much of inexperience, as tho deception and fraud ot otheis in the midst of one of tho most cnhcal and difficult positions m which it was possible for a Governor to bo placed Thus tho Demonstration (if we can't got over its want of meaning), was depuveel of all personal objection that could be raised tv it, as it professed to have no political signification, and, «s wo are told, emanated from hostility to that personal and perverting lancour of paity which seeks to discoloui eveiy object and individual not in unison with us own views and piospocts with (lie darkest hues of malignity mid falsehood. But I mil tho addicsfi been baaed on any such grounds, and, without reference to an approval or otherwise of tho political acts of Sh William iJeni'.on, expressed tho general conviction of his honesty of purpose, instead ot vague and definito genialities, which, coupled with the observations that dropped fiom one of tho principal speakers at the preliminary meeting, raised a vary natural suspicion of its being a movement in favour of Transpoitation, it would havo been at least intelligible: and if it had not secured geneial appiobalion, it would at all events havo been icheved fiom contempt; for,

Tine, no inclining pnz/ks inoiclhan wit. Nevertheless, as we bcfoic staled, it wus not sue!) as to piovoke any extreme bitterness ti lecling; but inasmuch as it was suspected, from tlic open piolessions. of those who otiginated it, that it was in reality intended as a movement in favour of Transportation, it was only fair and legitimate th;il a countci-dcinonstration should be made, which, without calling any angiy ierlmg* into existence, should neveithelesi, testify the fction^' sense cntciUuied by the juvenile poitiou of the community nganiht the continuance Ol Tunhportatiou to ihio colony in any shape. We should have pnfmied, instead of an assemblage ol night — calculated to load to contusion and not in the btieots — to have seen .1 petition embodying then views in a plain and homely manner, without melo dramatic c.\aggci«ition or unfounded pietensions, nnd picsciitcd by patties amongst them distin^uislud foi (lien good conduct in the eyes of their felljwciii/i us. 'J In u li'iluction to a rabblr we nuitlier conlcinpl.itcd noi oa» aj'piove; bill \\hn\ we uniW stood thai thfy ]»,id wsoKed on Inirnini; an I'fluy of Tianspoitation in ihr- Cuiy J'fiux laslwrn out of the piecmcU. ol tilt town, we icjjo-idcd i' us <i humoiuous, lint not le^s utriiilic mi, r\|iie«>siou ol thin hcntlliiflHs. It subsc'(jiienll.\ 00/ cd out thai the li«uie «as to ho llwtt of lh« noble loul <it the head of the coloiucb, diesK:! in t]io highest hlj lc of fashion, who has Inoken his plight to Van JJu'ineu', Land m the cohtmivinco of Tii.iHpoita" Jion , and however objecuonaWe such «n cxl/iW/ou may ho i» a uixed tonnuunily ol this kmd, and oalcu*

laird to weaken the tics of autlioiitv, the Government oxeicised .1 wise ditciction in avoiding all inteifeienee, ami leaving our native youllis to enjoy their holiday amusement, instead of pi eventing it mid bunging on a collision with he police, which was the object sought for by some of tlic-e who irsiigated the ulleiior piorcedings, nnd who now turn lonnd and actually up braid the Government with the design and the dct>nc of spilling the blood of childicn ! Some of the p.nlios who took a prominent part in this concern publicly disavowed all intention whatever of committing any disrespectlul act towards Sir William Denison, and suhsi riptions were obtained from some persons under this cxpiesi stipulation ; and we believe that such w-is not the intention of the body, but that they weie made the dupes of more designing men, who took occasion of the bonfhc to smuggle into it an cflUy of the Lieutenant-Govcrnor. The iceoid of those proceedings in (Ins journal having been ohseived upon aa conveying an impi-ssion of satisfaction nt the sp«'c acle, it will be siifFicn-nt to s r afe that we condemn the proceeding altogether, and aic happy to learn tli.it it has been disavowed by the joutl) of the town ; and we do this not so much on peisonal grounds, — for we have stienuously opposed many of the political acts ol Sir William Denißon's Government — as for general reasons, founded on the expediency of inculcating in the youthful mind a respect rather than a contempt for constituted authority— without which the whole fabnc of socieiy must Kill together If wo indoctrinate the mind of youth with such lessons, and instead of ingenuousness, modes'y of demeanour, and due tubordi nation, seek to implnnl in it an utter disiegsud of all such obligations, we may rest assuied that the example we hold up to the imitation of our childicn will be one day turned against ourselves. Thete aie maxims of obedience as well as libcity to he learned; and to avoid being a slave it is not necessaty to be a socialist. Grown people and men of ma me age and judgment ehottld wage then own political watfaie without involving the lising generation in the bitterness of their I'Cisonul animoMiics, "With refeiencc to the question of Transportation, we foci it due to Sir WiUiain D< nison to state that lie uitfed upon Loul Gicy the cousequences which mns-t irsull Ziotn continuing' Tian.spoitation to this colony aUci nnnouneinu hit intention to discontinue it, and that he told him — " Unit Ihe people would look vpon it as a breach offitUh." Lotd Gtey has continued it, and the 3'ieutcnanuGovcinor is bound to cany out the views of his ofHci.il supuiinr. With lespect to his own views on ♦ lie expediency 01 otherwise of abolishing at once, or giadually, Transportation, public and individual opinion have undeigone so many changes on this subject, that he may be very fail ly allowed to have an opinion of his own without tho imputation (if hypocrisy. Nor can we too forcibly impicss upon the minds of tho growing jotith of this colony, who complain of their being fotced out of the labour maket bj ihe competition of convicts— -that if sucli lie the case, the fault leslsnot with Tianspoit.ition, but with those who, at the very time they piofess their utmost abhorrenco of "the system," hesitate not to employ shiploads of convicts. Iheir exertions should he directed lowaids obtaining the lists of those who have for the last two ycais hired, and continue to hire, convicts. To those who occupy a higher sphere than mechanics, we feel it due to Sir William Denison to fitato, that he has consideiable claims on the gratitude of the native youth. Under His Government both tho llutchinsaHd the High School have been founded, where the means of obtaining a superior education exist, which could not previously be procured. The Orphan School has likewise been greatly improved; while he has liberally lent his sanction and support to every institution, and has encouraged arts and science, and given his pationageto ihe Amateur Dramatic Society, which numbered native horn youths amongst it ; and he has encouraged every manly sport. Thus it is the nocturnal performance only recoils upon themselves, and shows them to be cither insensible (presuming their participation, which is now denied), or insatiate in their pretensions. If these latter arc founded on merit and good comlurt, they will not fail of speedy iccognition ; but we have yet to learn the peculiar claims of native impudence, native dissoluteness, or nativo ignorance. The feelings engendered by such proceedings have already produced the very consequences picdieted in our last number, and the town is threatened with n contested election. The vast numbers who attended Sir "William Denison (making every allowance for cuiious spectators), did not attend that meeting out of personal disrespect towards him — there is some latent feeling, which, if it find afield for action, will display itself; and we can only account for it by a reaction taking place against the cxag'geuitcd statements that are concocted in respect to the moral and niateiial inteiesis of the colony. The question of Tiansporlation can bo discussed without the interpolation of disgusting topics : the peiiod in this colony lias ai lived when it can be discarded, the colony being in a prosperous and healihy condition. Tor the sake of the generation giown, and those glowing up, it is essential that it should cense; and the distinctions nnd dissensions which its continuance is calculated to perpetuate should perish with it.