Page 2 Advertisements Column 3

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 580, 5 November 1851, Page 2

1 every Burgess has a legal and undeniable light to canvass the acts and qualifications of all public men : and in a greater degree ought eveiy one to have the opportunity of doing so, when one is biought foiward to represent his interests, and those of his children, in the Councils of his country. If such were not the case, it is possible for a person to be returned as a member who would be an apt illustration of the " Dog in the Manger" — who is not capable of lepresenting the Ward himself, but, what is still worse, of preventing- those who are every way qualified from the chance of doing so. Would this be the conduct of a sensible man and his supporters — to labour for the return of a manwhile admitting, at every step, that they are awaie he is not qualified— and that they do it for theexpiess purpose of defeating the object of those who are desirous of returning one who is 1 No one ought to stand forward — or to step out of the routine of his former capacity — to accept of such a high, important, and responsible undertaking, who is not willing to have his abilities thoroughly and publicly canvassed beforehand, so as to convince and duly satisfy those who entrust him with such a serious duty, and that they shall have some guarantee, befoio they give him their vote and support, that be is qualified to di&charge it faithfully. If we, as Buigesses, had not this privilege, every one of us would he like a blmd horse stalking along without any ostensible object before him. And if we find that he is not so qualified, and acknowledges the same himself, aie not both him nnd bis supporters acting very unfair, unreasonably, and injudiciously, by endeavouring to push such a one into a position he is not capable of creditably and confidently sustaining. I trust the writer lias as much respect for every plain honest man as any other Burgess in tho Wanl — and I think that, in consequence of such respect, I ought not to be too forward in my desire of exhibiting my friend's weakness and insufficiency so conspicuously, (i. c., like a merry-andrew) m order to make him the butt, the laugh, and the table-talk of a discerning and ciitizistng public. To say a plain honest man is the only requisite, and to put such tiash thiough the public press, causes me to conclude that such expoundeis of politics — such observers of men and events— believe that we Burgesses are surely not able to discriminate for ourselves. Whfn we see a person brought forward as a candidate to represent a community composed of upwards of 300 voters, surely common sense would suggest that we ought to ascertain whether lie possesses a proper share of mental intelligence to qualify him for such a task— . and not give him our vote and support, simply and only because he is a plain honest man, however much we may admire him for these excellent qualities. The Charter, in some respects, is very liberal. The property men admit this to be true. In others it is faulty. We want men of extensive talent, who will agree to support the good clauses to remuin as they aie, and at the same time labour, by every legitimate power (knowledge is power) at their comnwind to amend the faulty one , and obtain a larger endowment fiom the General Revenue; in doing which, it will require consideiable study and experience. Perhaps long discussions will be held — memorials drawn up, and sent to the Legislative Council— and, after all this has been done, their labours might receive a polite refusal, and thereby demand another step to be taken more wisely than the former. Such men who have to do this ought to be possessed of a due degree of mental intelligence : and if any one member lacks this, the Ward he represents is a*t the mercy of others who have to do his work —or be as badly off as if it were altogether unrepresented—because he is not capable of doing it himself, nor yet to detect the errors oi" those who may be so delegated. I ask, then, what utility there is in selecting, and what advantage the Burgesses will derive from sending to the Council one who is only able to stammer out with a shaking, trembling, unnerved frame and a faultering tongue, a piece of plain English when put before him m print ? Is such a one the man to make a bold stand in defence of our lights after repeated refusals on the part of the Government 1 A plain honest man, who is only giving a silent vote, and only independent enough to sit by while others draw up mild petitions and memorials, and who would not on any account think of remonstrating with a Government, however badly it may be acting towards us as citizens, may be considered the most independent by some — but if they fancy they will make much progress by a Council composed of such men, I, for one, believe they will be very much disappointed — believing, as I do, that much talent, energy, and perseverance will be wanted in the struggle, especially for the first twelve months. Those who have written and argued against the working of the Charter on account of the preponderance it has given the country over the town members, and who contend in favour of the probability of every contested motion being of necessity carried against the members of the Wards in town, must agree at once as to tho propriety of the Town Burgesses sending such as would, by their talent, have a counteracting influence. That is, supposing the country members will, in consequence of their numerical strength, be able to outvote the town members, ought not the Burgesses of the West and other Town Wards to return men who would not merely sit still during the discussions and give a silent vote, but men of good abilities and experience, who, by their logical argument and the force of their reasoning powers are the most likely to win votes to their side of the question. Without referring to political principles particularly, or to men who have advocated public questions, as taking any side now, but merely as an illustration of my subject, 1 would beg to ask — What caused that great statesman Sir Robert Peel to become the leader of the Conservative, party, and, at times, the Premier of the realm, and also to cause his party to repose such confidence in him ? Was it because he was a plain honest man simply, or because he possessed the required properties to maintain his position, peihaps, in a greater degree than any other of the same party. Why was the great and good Wilberforce able to bting a sufficient force of public opinion to bear upon the question, and expose, in a masterly manner, the enormity of the sin of slavery as ultimately to obtain a grant of twenty millions of money from the British Government, to emancipate the slaves who had been siif- j fering under a system of ciuelty and inhumanity ! Was it because he was only celebrated for being a plain honest ni.in, or because he could plead their cause, appeal to the feelings of his hearers, and demand, on the right of justice, their liberation ? What gave to the late Daniel O'Connell the commanding influence he had, and caused him to be the acknowledged leader of the Repeal party in Ireland, and to have a strong party of staunch adherents to assist him to figlit the battle of the Catholics in the House of Commons ? Was it because he was a plain honest man ?— or because he was a learned barrister, a finished orator, and therefore able to ride through Acts of Parliament, avoid the meshes of the law — and had wit at will, and possessed eloquence at all times to plead his cause and to defend himself against his host of antagonists ? Mr, Cobden has not arrived at the popularity and obtained the influence he possesses as having been the leader of the Anti-Corn Law League— the financial re- : form party, and the organ or oracle of the commercial interests of England,— nor has lie been trusted with such power and confidence simply because he embraces the only two qualities of being a plain honest man. A Company is formed in London, whose object is to form a system of colonization on a large scale. They commence operations by selecting and empowering a person to take the charge and responsibility upon himself, as leader and manager of the whole machinery. In a short time this reputed leader, Mr. Godley, and Sir George Grey hold a correspondence on a certain point touching the interests of the New Canterbury Settlement, the result of which is a difference of opinion betwixt these two prominent characters. Mi. Godley convenes a Public Meeting, and delivers a long, able, and deliberate speech explanatory of the whole affair, which is first published in his own paper, the " Lyttelton Times," and afterwards reprinted in the " Southern Cross-" Now, this Mr. Godley was not appointed the chief by this influential Company— he did not carrvon the conespondence with Sir George— he did not deliver this clever and lauded speech, which was extracted into the columns of the "Cross," and other papers in the south, solely as an indication of his being a plain honest man. But the Company selected him, relying on his capabilities ; he conducted the correspondence with Sir George, because he had confidence in his abilities ; his speech obtained a wider circulation, because Mr. Godley is the representative of a large party, a clever speaker, and a man of general talent— and in him it has met with a due notice : but a talented man in Auckland, in the estimation of the scribe of the «' Southern Cross,'' is not so good for a public situation as one who possesses, comparatively speaking, neither learning nor talentLord John Russell has thrown out hints in the Home of Commons, from which people have concluded that his lordship meant to infei that the families from which had sprung, for the last century or more, all the gieat stars of British Statesmen h.i<3 at length become almost extinct, and for which he appeared to lament in a man* ncr over this, to him, very unfortunate and unpropi* tiotis circumstance to the old countryThe thundering " Times," and other metropolitan and provincial papers, have had some weighty articles on the subject, tending to prove that the little gentleman was lit sea and very wide of the mark. Now if the leader of the House of Commons would only have taken