The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1853. NOMINATION FOR THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 750, 22 June 1853, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1853. NOMINATION FOR THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF AUCKLAND.

He just and fear not: Let all the ends thou aim’s! at, he thy Country’s, Thy God’s, and Truth’s.

Monday last, the 20th instant, having been the day Fixed for the nomination of Candidates for die office of Superintendent of the Province of Auckland, LicntonantGohmel Wynyard and Mr. W. Brown were respectively proposed, at Auckland and at Onciumga, and we presume also at the Bay of Islands, although there has not yet been lime to receive intelligence from that distant part of the Province. The proceedings at the nomination in the City, so far as Mr. Brown’s party was concerned, were of a character which wc cannot look back upon without very mingled feelings,—feelings deeply painful or very gratifying according to the point of view from which wc contemplate them. If our desire for Colonel Wynyard’s return by a triumphant majority were so paramount to all other considerations as to make ns regardless of the extent to which the reputation of the conslitutcncy might suffer, provided only that one object could bcatlaincd, — then wc should rejoice in all that took place on Monday; for, although the violence of Mr. Brown’s supporters succeeded so far as to be, for the hour, predominant, yet the issue of the contest was not to be determined there, or in that manner, and such conduct as they displayed was sure to produce a powerful re-action against their candidate, —tinmistakeable evidences of which have already been manifested, and will undoubtedly be more fully exhibited on the polling day, in the decision of many waverers to vole for Colonel Wynyard,—-whose cause is now’ in a special sense identified with that of good order and constitutional liberty, as opposed to clamour, tumult, and mob-despotism of the worst description. But we cannot coniine ourselves to ibis narrow 7 and exclusive aspect of the case. We cannot but feel distressingly mortified and grieved that it should go forth to the Southern Settlements, to the neighbouring colonies, to England, and to the world, that the first Election under our new Conslilulion Act—and that, moreover, the Flection to the office of Civil Head of the Province—should have been marked by the bear-garden uproar and the trampling under foot of all fair play— to say nothing of the courtesy which on such an occasion ought to

.characterise the meeting ol political anlagonists —of which otic Market i lace was the scene on Monday. Wc can only entreat (hose at a distance who may hear of the (acts, to suspend their judgment until they learn the result of the contest, ihe poljing is to take place on Thursday week, the 50li instant, and it will then he seen whether the electors of the City and Province of Auckland do or do not sympathise in such conduct as Mr. Lrown’s party displayed here on Monday. Though for the present, the wellwishers to the political honour of the country must hear the humiliation and obloquy which it is sometimes in the power of even a few to bring upon the many, yet it will soon he m their own power to wipe away the reproach, and to place on permanentand unmislakcablc record their estimate of the man and the cause for whose sake this temporary disgrace was tlimg upon Ihe constituency by a small band of unreasonable and hot-headed partisans. Colonel Wynyard’s Committee very properly determined to issue without delay a brief account of the proceedings, knowing that they could not trust to the fidelity or impartiality of t!io Report which would appear yesterday iu Mr. Rrowns own newspaper,—a doubt which any person present at the nomination may satisfy himself was not uncalled for, by a glance at Inc grossly coloured version of the (acts given in yesterday’s Southern Cross. ihe Committee’s outline will be found in our other columns, and ils insertion—knowing as we do its substantial accuracy—obviates the necessity of our introducing’ here a summary which we should otherwise have presented. Not dial we intend, however, to leave the proceedings unreported. AVc might indeed doso, finding onr Justification in Ihe fact that Mr. Rrown’s friends “ managed to render themso scandalously one sided that to publish (he speeches in onr columns is virtually to give Mr. Rrown the benefit of a gratuitous advertisement. Rut if we were to exclude them, it would be quite in keeping witii the ladies of Mr. Rrown’s parly to allege that we were afraid of their force, 'ihe absurdity of the assertion would in no degree deter them from making it. We shall, therefore, publish them in cate..so on Saturday, witii such coii.mienjLs as they may appear to call for. Yes: we shall undoubtedly afford onr readers the pleasure of seeing, and, if they wifi, of framing and glazing as a drawingroom ornament, the whole of Mr, .lames O’Neill’s speech in proposing Mr. Rrown It would be a thousand pities that such flowers of rhetoric as spontaneously (?) burst forth from the richly fertile soil of that gentleman’s exuberant imagination should l)c suffered to waste their sweelness on the desert air of such a narrow’ field as the circulation and influence of his Principal’s own journal can supply. All shall be given:— the “ glorious liberty,” the “degrading bondage,”—the “ chainsof Downing street,” —the “imbecile and domineering Government,” —the generous pity for Colonel Wynyard as “as led astray by a few designing individuals” and “grovelling sycophants,”—lhe Colonel's fear lest “his epaulettes might be crushed,’—the “much harm” done by the Colonel, as contrasted with the “much good” done by Mr. Rrown, —the “ complete unfitness” of the Colonel as inferred, from his conduct during his Lieu-tenant-Governorship (with the affecting touch about “ shutting the very gales of the goernment grounds against the sick wives and children” of the citizens) —these gems of oratory, with, we need not say, \heScriptural phrases wilh which the speech was set offal!, ail shall faithfully be given. And ihe whole of Mr. Hoyian’s speech, in seconding Mr. Rrown, shall also be given. Truth to say,—(Col. Wynyard’s supporters having been yelled down, so that their speeches could not be heard, or even delivered)— Mr. Roylau’s address was by far the best thing’ in the entire proceedings—the most .imbued wilh common sense, and the leajrfMaintcd bv offensive attacks on others;

lor, nol bring at all hurl., we arc not at all offended at the very harmless shots al ourselves. Sure we are. that we bore the little castigation Mr. Boykin meant for ns with far more ease than Mr. Brown and Mr. Kennedy., and other bitier and habitual abusers of Sir George Grey, amongst Ins own friends, bore Tns manly a iTmlcs to tiie Governor as having “proved himself the (rue friend of libera! institutions,” and as li tne poor man'* friend" a descriptive title which, coining from such a source, and on such an occasion, Sir George Grey may well regard as one of the highest testimonials ever borne to his administration. We shall give Mr. Boylan’s speech, not only to complete our report, but because, (although we may have a critical word or two to say respecting it also), we really think it intrinsically worth publishing, especially, making allowance for the cause to which the speaker had lent himself, and the company with which ho was associated at the lime. And surely wo shall not curtail Mr. Brown’s own screen. it was not every elector's fortune to sec the mock ('oriolanus on Monday in his “ gown of humility,” hat in hand, soliciting the “ most sweet voices” of the people. Not every one could personally hear his version of “ i will Halter my sworn brother the people to earn a dearer estimation of them,— -I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most counlerfeitly; that is, sir, I will counterfoil the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it bountifully to the desirors ;—ihereto re, beseech yon, I may be Superintendent .” But wc will, as far as possible, supply the want, by recording Mr. Brown’s views of Aw fitness to be at the head of the Province. If the electors would only take his own word as to his merits, they would doubtless be ready to cry, “ Let him be Superintendent : the gods give him joy, and make him a good friend to the people!” But—(wc shall complete the sentence by and by.) Except in those cases, the report must be one, not of speeches, but of futile attempts on the part ol’Gol. Wynyard’s supporters, to obtain that fair hearing which an opposed and violent partv were determined they should not have. Mr. Gonnoli made many | patient and good-humoured efforts to he beard; but tile utmost be could get was a

j partial attention to a few introductory remarks, followed by a roar of hostile noise whenever lie approached any topic bearing directly on the relative merits ol the candidates. Mr. T. S. Forsailh could not obtain even so much, being met with shouts of opposition the moment he presented himself ' which were only reiterated with augmented violence, until he finally desisted from the endeavours to stale his views. According to the account of the Southern Cross itself, Mr. i Forsailh “ was greeted with a perfect tempest ofhootu ings— ‘ Judas’ —‘ Turn-coat’— and numerons other opprobions epithets, were pertiI “ naciously dinned into his ears; and although “ he made every possible effort to obtain a j 11 hearing, he was obliged to withdraw, after “ merely seconding the nomination.” Such was the conduct of Mr. Brown’s friends, Mr. Brown’s own newspaper being witness. The epithets 4 ‘ Judas” and “Turncoat,” were, we suppose, suggested to the liberty-men who employed them by the fact j that Mr. Forsailh is one of those who were ! formerly supporters of Mr. Brown, and who I probably might still have been so far bissupI porters as to have voted for him had his arnj bilion been contented with a scat in the Pro--1 vincial Council or the House of lleprcsenI talives; but who see and feel that they cannot, ; without a sacrifice of judgment and of | theirsense of public duly, act otherwise than I in resolute opposition to hi.< pretentions to the Snperintendency. Such is the requital they receive for their past support. Who would not attach himself to Mr. Brown and his party ? Mr. Brown's own conduct during this scene is truthfully described by Colonel Wynyard’s Committee. He came forward 1 once to request his turbulent supporters to be quiet; but he did that only when an : Elector -on the hustings called on him per- | sonally to do so, declaring that responsibility I f {)1 * the conduct of his party must rest on f him. Had Mr. Brown felt and acted rightly j in the matter, lie would have done, as can- : didates at disturbed elections at home have I repeatedly done ; he would have plainly : declared that he would not himself address the meeting unless those on the other side were fairly heard also. II there had been any doubt as to his real wish on the question, it might have been removed by the nervous earnestness with which he protested against the reading of Colonel Wynyard’s letter, when it was brought forward by Captain Salmon. The part taken by Messrs. Brown and Kennedy in that instance affords ample evidence oi lheir disposition to prevent, so far as they could, The presentation to the Electors of Colonel Wynyard’s side of the ease. Mr. Biown, through bis newspaper, now expresses “ regret ’ at what took place. Very likely lie may feel it 100, now that he has some idea of the damage it has done his cause. The regret will be deeper and more sincere, as be hears more of the effect produced on the minds of the electors who are not partisans of cither candidate, but who are indignant at the attempt of Mr. Brown’s party to ride roughshod overall who presume to differ from them ; and who sec in this transaction a fore-shadowing oflhc kind and degree of liberty which might be looked for if Mr. Brown and bis parly could climb to power. The lesson to be learned from the outrages at the Onohunga meeting is still more deeply inculcated by the scenes and performances in Auckland on Monday; and though it was “ managed” that Mr. Brown should have the show of bands in bis favour then, it will be revealed o.i the polling daj how egregious! y he miscalculated when he supposed that he conk! grasp the Snperintendency of this Province at all, —a.id especially when he, or his party, supposed that the independent electors would be browbeaten, scolded, or dragooned into voting on his side, while his adherents did all they could to shut out tho ether side from being heard also.