Page 2 Advertisements Column 4

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 579, 1 November 1851, Page 2

Much stress, at the Nomination Meeting", was l-i'd on the word " Indep°i Jence," so much ->o th.it some iirguedthat an Editor or a l'toptietor of a newspaper could not pos«ibly be independent. 'J o raise sut'.i an objection in the old country nvjainst <i Propiietor being a Member of Parliament u guild meet with no «uppo!t or concurrence from a numbci of large and respectable constituencies. * By way of proof, I will give three cases in point. Mr. Walter, one of (lie l«a<li.i°: Piopnetors of the London Times, was ilu> r»pi< o-ni-ifve for Nottingham fora number of \eor 5 As,. . iid, the Piopuetor of the Weehlv Chiomclr, ins been, and is now, the member for Sbefhold. The Koilhem 1 ibeialor was (he property of a thud member. One- a lory, a second a \V lng, and a thud a Radical ; and yet no objections weie >aispd against either of them on that acount. " Don't vote for Mr. Walter, Mr. Ward, or Mr. Urquhart, bee<ius"Le is the piopiietor of a pnpei," v\asnevi'i heaid at the hustings or at the poliin» bootli. Otbeis of the metropolitan and also many of the provincial papers be'ong to various Members of Parliament ; and I would beg to ask whether any of these have ever been taken to task, either in the House ot Commons or in the country, for such a connection. 1 would al«o beg to ask these sapient ohjectois at Auck'and v\ hat they mean when they so stremiouhJy contend (in the absence of all proof) that a man cannot be honest and conscientious — or free from corruption, bias, or influence of any and every kind — rcerely because he is connected with the Pres«. Instead of protecting' and suppoiting and elevating the Press in the estimation ot the people, as eveiy good man ought to do, I call such subterfuge neither moiv nor Ip.ss than a whole-ale slander against (>ne of the most useful instiuments to every moial, lehgious, political, and commoicial society, in a variety of ways, and, indeed, to the country at laige. Is the Press calculated to coi nipt instead of to lehne society? But, as the question of independence has been mooted, I (hmk it ought to be well sifted — to pioceed with vihieli, I, as a Bmgess, bpg to ask v-'iethor a publinn ennbe considered hoe fiom Government influence and uul;> independent 7 And Ido not vu-,li to be undei>.tocd as applying ti.is to any candidate m p.irticulai, tor Uiere Imp 'been mu,^ rb.ui one publican |>ut m n<>inmati"n in the Borough, Lut only to discuss the pnnciple in general terms. Judging, then, from the arbitrary conduct of the Magisti ales at the twol.ititliceusing days m this ton n, 1 think a publican is not exactly above suspicion. To >*-c Kovi they took from one. withheld from gianting to another, without condescending a reason except " not necesmiy," shevred to every clear-headed per <.n that no publican was Bafe. And supposing his good character gave confidence bpfore, I "ill allow, for the sake of argument, that fruch a man s^Pts into the Common Council, which body of men, on some vital question fo the interests of V c OTinnumt} , mike a stand against 'Ik Goveirii'mt, i ov» «. ould tin . independent publican act in such a case "> H' haps oil Ins cousuUk no together and lay i he case befoie thfm, which is almost certain to make tlium indignant at the Government also, ami cxpre&s the same m their resolution. Fiom this he earns for himself the character of an exciter of the people and a political agitator. Time passes on until the next licensing day, and what is the result? Why tiie Magistrates, of eouise, refuse to renew bis license — yes, and without assigning a reason — and he, the independent publican, has no appeal ag.unstit. Is then, 1 a^k agam, a publican independent of Government influence, unless he is totally indifferent about whether lie letains or loses his hceiuse? Here he is then — a vast amount of wealth laid out in tins busings — no trade or profession to fall back upon — cut short without a moment's notice — at a serious sacrifice to himself— and all because he has shewn a spirit of independence in the discharge of bis duty. To set in motion the first plans of local self-govern-ment is of paramount importance, and requires talent, reflection, judgment, and experience—as all the offspring insiitutions will take their character, and be hbeial, useful, or otherwise, from the manner in wbioh the first bye-laws of the Common Council are made and administered. An attempt has been made to prove that it would bp an act of wisdom on your and my part to choose a man of property as your representative—who is a plain honest man — as if the above qualifications were all that were needed, and regardless of even the most remote knowledge of political economy — of a tolerable share of mental intelligence and ability to state our grievances and^ defend our interests, should they \w attacked at any time, m the Common Council, and however much we may be oppressed with taxation. Now this is certainly a species of reasoning and logic with which no sensible man can agree, however much he may respect a plain honest man. We want a representative who ran do bis duty, not one who will have to reiy upon others to do it for him — not one who will have to shelter himself under the wings oforrelyonthe capabilities of a member of anotbpr Ward. Tbia plain honest man may at times see the interests of the Burgesses at stake, and in consequence of his not having anything like tin accurate knowledge of the English language— not a sufficient politician to understand or unravel the intricacies of tha question in dispute not able to dictate an amendment — and afterWards to make a bold stand in defence of his position, * afraid to speak for fear of being laughed at — no scholar, no politician,— but must content himself by sitting silent and hear all this, because he is not capable of expressing his ideas ; and the only consolation his constituents have in such a case, is in the fact of their having voted for a "plain honest man," who, with all these excellent qualities as a townsman and a neighbour, is neither more Dor less than a complete dummy, who at last will resort to bis only poor weak and ineffectual remedy of giving a silent vote. And when questioned afterwards by his constituents as to his conduct, he tells them that they knew he was no scholarhe confessed he was no orator— politics he had not studied, and therefore he had done the best he could. And our political sages attempt to prove that such a man would make the best representative— because he had property, and was simply a plain honest man. I maintain that it is quite possible lor a man to possess many virtues, and be very good in other respects, and at the same time a precious bad local legislator. If I respect him as a citizen and a neighbour, is that any reason why I should entrust my liberty m the bands of one who admits himself ho is not capable of defending it either to mine oi his own satisfaction, while time is another in the field that possesses every requisite qualifixation? "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not iti tho Gates of Askalan." If it will not, Mr. Editor, he taking up too much of your space, allow me to illustrate this subject a little further, so that the most ciicumscnbed capacity among those I address shall understand me. A Ship Broker in London puts an advertisement in the London Times, calling for a skilful Captain to take charge of a ship, and a person steps into his office and makes application for the berth. The looker asks him for his inferences relating to bis qualification ; upon which the applicant hands forth his paper, uhich give*, him a chaiacter for being " a plain honest man." The Broker states at him with amazement, and interrogates him thus : " Have you ever been a Captain before?" " No." " Are you well skilled m navigation?" "No." "Have you | ever been at sea 1" " No." " Then what induced you to make the application?" " Why, simply because I have property, and am, as you perceive from my credentials, 'a plain honest man!"' "Well then," replies the Broker, "your qualifications won't do for me. It would be absolute madness to tiustyou with a ship worth £10,000, and a cargo worth ten times that sum, and the lives of the passengers and crew in the hands of one who has nothing- else to recommend him but being ' a plain honest man.'" If another stepped in and proved that he h^id. been at sea a number of yeais— had worked his way from an able seaman before the mast tlnough the progressive offices of third, second, and chief mate — had travelled east, west, north, and south of the World, and produced credentials of his many successful tups— is prepared to answer any questions on navigation, and stand a seaicbing cross-examination of a Boaid of Captains — I ask my fellow Burgesses which of the two would be most likely to succeed in procuring the berth 1 Again, the London Times or the Morning Chronicle want an Editor or a Sub, and a person applies for the situation who says he does not properly understand even the English language — to say nothing of Latin, j French, &c, — knows nothing of political economy — has never before given his mind to such pursuits — but he can produce a character for being " a plain honest man." He could not perform the duties required, but would be a looker on while some one or more did them. Such a one would be well laughed at, and ordered about his business. If a person has a seiioub law suit pending over him, he applies to the most le.irned and rurcessiul practitioner to be bis solicitor to take tl>o case ,md prepare the brie', and depends on his judgment in selecting and retaining the most able counsel .iiid the best pleader to take the same into court. If a merchant or a banker want an efficient clerk or manager, be would require the person whom he enguged to hare a thorough knowledge of the aemces to