Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 734, 27 April 1853, Page 2

Wo submit this suggestion with the greater freedom, as we kno\% that first and last it was your own wish rather to unite (if possible) than to divide parties, or be in any way a centre of conflict. Henry Malson, W. S. Grahame, W. Hughes, W. C. Wilson, William Williams, John Williamson, Thomas C. Hallamore, Jamicson Jarvie, John Watson Bain, James Si turns, J". 11. Watt, Edward Bull, Alfred Jones. Gentlemen,—l have received your requisition and accede to your wish without hesitation, even with pleasure; but observations are contained therein, and a stale of things has arisen which imperatively call for notice. As you state, I was brought forward by yourselves. I have been passive throughout, save in the single instance of remonstrating against an attack in the New Zcalander, made apparently on my behalf, upon Mr. Brown, the rival candidate. You seem to have been surprised at the appearance of an " antagonistic candidate" in the field : it created no surprise in me, as I could not but be aware that the field was open to all. Blame, after transfer of the New Zealander's support to another candidate, has been attached to me by that journal (the alleged organ of the requisitionists),—blame since reiterated more explicitly by the draft requisition presented to me for acceptance or refusal in the following words, silently dropped from the requisition now before me: —"especially when we remember that you are understood to have entered into an arrangement with Mr. Brown which precludes you from personally soliciting the votes of the electors; an arrangement which it is very obvious to our minds has placed you at a great disadvantage in comparison with that candidate." Now, as regards that arrangement, of which complaint has been made respecting personal canvass, I am obliged to state that it was not merely " understood," but known to, and concurred in by Mr. Williamson, the proprietor of the New Zcalander, and the most active of the Requisitionists, who also appeared to represent that body. With Mr. Williamson's like knowledge and concurrence I proposed to Mr. Brown that even canvassing by friends should, if possible, be avoided; but Mr. Brown and myself finally agreed that such restriction was beyond our personal influence. Suffer me to state that I never did, on any occasion, ask a vote, and it was clear, from my conduct with regard to the late election for the Provincial Council, that I was unlikely ever to do so. The nature of the office of Superintendent would alone, in my mind, have precluded personal canvass. I thank you for the expression of friendly spirit contained in your letter, and remain, Gentlemen, Yours, respectfully, Tuos. 11. Bartley. To Major Malson, and the Gentlemen who signed the Requisition. Auckland, April 2oth, 1853.

To the Editor of the New-Zealakder. SIR,— Mr. Hartley's reply to a letter from his requisitionists, of whom I am one, will appear in the New Zealander of to-morrow morning; one passage in it seems to require some explanation from me. J was the medium of communicating the requisition to Mr. Barllcy which brought that gentleman forward, and on Mr. Bartley expressing his views to me the next morning after he was publicly announced asacandidate, on the subject of canvassing, I fully concurred with him in the impropriety of the prevailing custom of canvassing for votes, and hoped it could be avoided in the election of Superintendent. As soon as Mr. Brown entered the field, however, it was well understood that the most strenuous efforts would be made by his friends to secure his return —and that it would require considerable exertion on our part to save Mr. Bartley from a defeat. On the first opportunity 1 had of speaking lo Mr. Bartley, 1 stated my fears that unless we took the usual course of visiting the electors, we might not expect to cope with his opponent, and urged upon him the need there would be for activity on his own part. Mr. Bartley reiterated his objections to any personal solicitation forvotes, but, on leaving, said he should wish, as far as possible, to do what his friends thought best, and would turn the matter over in his mind. The next morning he stated thai he had seen Mr. Brown, with whom he had agreed that neither of them should personally solicit votes. I then expressed, on my own part, entire dissatisfaction at such an arrangement with Mr. Brown : and many of Mr. Bartley's supporters have disapproved of it, for it was plain that to carry out Mr. Bartley's wishes would excluded every l»ope of success, unless Mr. Brown's friends were to act upon the same rule, which it was very evident they would not do. When Mi\ Bartley mentioned the compact he had entered into with Mr. Brown—l did suggest lo Mr. Bartley that in fairness to himself, he should go farther and ask Mr. Brown to restrain his friends also from canvassing. So far I did concur, —but I had but small confidence in Mr. Brown's concurrence. 1 was one of the most active of the requisitionists in bringing Mr. Bartley forward, believing him to be possessed of the qualifi cations for the office set forth in the requisition which I signed ; but I certainly should have had nothing to do with asking Mr. Bartley to take the field at all, had I not been assured before I signed the requisition, by one who professed to know the minds of both these geutlemen, and who was consulted before any step was taken, that if Mr. Bartley came forward first lie would not be opposed by Mr. Brown.