ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. "Chough's language gabble enough and good enough " Shakespeare.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 593, 20 December 1851, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. "Chough's language gabble enough and good enough " Shakespeare.

To tbe Editor of tbe New Zealandlr. Sir, — Some observations of mine, in a letter which you did me the favour to publish a few days ago, seem to have opprated severely — if we niiy judge by tbe quantity of stuff produced in tbe Cross of Friday last — upon a correspondent of tha<- journal, who modestly signs himself iVarcpllus ! Quantum instar in ipso est 1 I bad resolved not to be led into further discussion, but Maicellus is iiicsistible. I cannot forego tbe pleasuie of replying to him; Marcellus is, as the ladies say, " so funny." I have not indulged in " scurvy sneers" at the perseverance of Metoikos ; I have left the " Metoikos " untouched, because the matter is wholly of a personal, not a political, diameter. The defence is with the individual whose veiacity is impugned, and must be founded, if made at all, upon information and upon proofs of winch lie is tbe sole depository. Meantime, until the case for the plaintiff is closed, and before the defence can be heaid, it is, I think, only reasonable that we should not prejudge the question. I have never said that the war " fled aghast" befoie the " martial bearing" of Sir George Grey, because T do not think that Sir George's bearing is martial ; and, secondly, I do not understand what is meant by " war flying aghast," and I am careful to use terms which shall be "intelligible and to eschew fustian. I cannot agree with Maicellus that, if Sir George had remained in Adelaide, the same (" the flight of war aghast !") or mote important results would have ensued here, because I am unable to comprehend how, or by what influence, he could Live operated at such a distance. — Escargoticnlly, perhaps? After all, says Marcollus, it was to tbe energetic gal'antry of the British army and nayy — to the "deluded biavery" of " undecorated jackets, red and blue"— that success was owing, and honour should be paid. All honour, say I, to " deluded bravery," whatever that is, and to undecorated jackets, jed and blue. If it were the custom for officeis in command to mpet in single combat, Sir George, emulating the prowess of tho Game Chicken or the Tipton Slasher, might have gone in and " doubled up" old Kawiti, and thus have earned his civil knighthood : but, as unhappily this method of arbitiament has fallen into disuse, I must admit that he did employ tho gallantry of both services, did use all the means at his command to accomplish his puiposeof putting an end to the war, and succeeded. Now, if he had not been successful, 1 have little doubt that Marcellus and others would have told us of it ; and, as Sir Geoige must have borne the disgrace of defeat, I hope it will not be too much ro ask from Marcellus that he may be peimitted to shaie the honour of the victory. If I am not wrong in my conjectuie as to the individual who sppaks on this occasion out of the lion's hide, I could, if I weie within roach of the documents, show that he held very dift'eient opinions on the same subject some few years ago. I have heard, on what I consider authority as good as that of Marcellus, that it v,as the piesence of the Governor in tbe camp, aiivl bis assistance in Council, winch prevented a very different termination to that hist campaign. Discontent, says Marcellus, exi°ts from the North Cape to Banks's Peninsula. I will admit it ; and I will add that discontent exists also from the icy North Cape to the South Point of Afuca, and from the Polar Sea to Patagonia. What then? — ft is happily the exception and not the rule. If Marcellus can tell me wbeie discontent does not exist, in what part evf-ry-one is satisfied with his condition, and findb no fault in those set over him, I would desire to emigrate there at once. Nobody else than Marcellua has ever said, I hope, that the Governor \vas expected to cultivate all the lands of a colony. All that he is generally expected to do is to afford facilities to the *' untiring energy," &c, of the settlers, and to spe that protection is afforded them in their occupations — and this has been done. I am as sensible of the advantages of the military expenditure as any one can be, but I deny that it causes such an augmentation of iho revenue as is stated, if it be remembered that meat, flour, and spirits, the staple articles of consumption by the troops, pay no duty; and that regimental clothing is also, as I think, exempt, it will not be difficult to calculate the piobable contributions to the Customs by so many men, supposing that they expend the whole of their handsome surplus of pay in exisable ai tides. In the absence of accurate information, it is of course impossible to say how much of the revenue is levied from the natives, but it would probably be found to be the larger portion ; and a^ civilization spreads, and their wants and their mdustiy mciease, so also will the revenue. 1 venture to predict, on this consideration, that the fears which aie expressed of a permanent falling off will prove as groundless as those which were current two years ago. I believe that the "practical poition" of the colonists would not agree with Marcellus that the administiation of Sir George Grey had been barren or injurious. I have, in my former letter, noted the " objects of utility" which be has accomplished, and nothing that has been advanced has altered that opinion. It is true he found the shopkeepers of Auckland in great distress : it is equally true, and I appeal to Marcel lus himself, that as a body he leaves them in comparatively wealthy circumstances. Ido not believe (hat any measuie, bow- " ever wise, libeial, and upiight," could " tiansfoim" them into "substantial yeomen;" and if Maicellus will look about him any fine morning be will acknowledge the physical difficulties of that tiansfoimstion. I believe, moieover, that it is no part of a Governor's duty to attempt such a work. His Excellency has not removed the Seat of Government to Wellington because public business called and detains him there, any more than be removed the Seat of Government to the Bay of Islands or Taianaki, or to any other place at which Ins duties demand his presence. Auckland is still the Capital. Supposing then, which is not admitted, that the writer of this letter is the person alluded to be Marcellus, and that his dismissal from bis appointment of " 7s. 6d. per day" is the cause of his peisonal dislike of Sir George Grey 1 What then? All that can be said is that X has not imitated the example of other dismissed Government Officers, and turned round to vilhfy and abuse the Governor, nor has be permitted his peisonal feeling to piejudice his judgment in matters wherein peisonal feeling should have no weight. If Marcellus cannot undei stand that it is very possible for a man to dibliKe another and yet do justice to bis good qualities — to feel that he may be a disagieeable acquaintance, and jet be able to acknowledge him as an admirable public servant, X is very sorry for Marcellus. I legiettbat I cannot leciprocate compliments upon the ingenuity of Marcellus' peroialion ; it is a very pretty specimen of pathos. lam not acquainted with any ll maddened or despairing colonists," but I know one or two sleek gentlemen of tbe town who occasionally extempoiiBe those parts, and " tear passion to tatters, to veiy rags, to split the ears of the groundlings." Will Maicellus tell me what is meant by "tbe mtegtiUf of colonial opposition," and how is it " weighed ?" Who has seen " the wiongs ot Ceylon sluveied" by contact with tbe Clerkocracy of Downmg-stieet, and when wrong!, aie shivered, what becomes of the pieces? In what history is it written that Poland was partitioned " that convictisra might have scope?" Where can I " jeel New Zealand g.isping and giovelling ! ! •" "Te abei no mamve," " Te wai poenamao," and Stewarts Inland in fits uould bo a sight to see. Maicellus inclines, ns becomes a man of his namo, to heioic remedies, and thinks that an ai my of Yankees, i-eady to " vindicate or absorb," applied to the " flanks"

of each sullennq; colony would be an pllVciii.il " t'uro for all its ills," and affects to roiriet, the f'unn\ iogm', that " lojal-liciiitfd Batons ;it the Andpodcs" «liouUl be dm on to desire m> soveio a rountei-imtant ' ! Jlodroar ior MavceWa^—Bnuivo Maicellm. I\iicnt inter omnes Juhum sid us, vplut inter igne.s Luna Mmoies, I am, Sir, &c, December 16, 1051.