Untitled

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 754, 6 July 1853, Page 2

The results of the Polling for Superintendent not having yet been received from all the Polling Places, we are still unable to state formally the total numbers; and can do little more than repeat that it is beyond all reasonable doubt that Colonel Wynyard has been elected by a considerable numerical majority, as well as by an immense majority of the intelligent, reflective, and, in a very proper sense of that term, representative men of the Province. It is true that, owing to circumstances, some at least of which would admit of easy explanation, the returns from one or two of the remoter stations have reduced the ascertained majority to a little over one hundred voles; but there is every reason to anticipate that when the accounts from the Ray of Islands district come to hand, this faliing-off will be fully made up. At all events, we do not believe that any one -even the most sanguine and ill-informed—amongst Mr. Brown's own party now entertains the slightest expectation that anything can turn up which would raise his place on the Poll to that of equality with Colonel Wynyard's. We have known unsuccessful candidates, after a strenuously conducted contest, to accept their rejection by the votes of the constituency in a frank, manly, and generous spirit, —feeling, and shewing that they felt, that, however the heat of opposition may have betrayed them into vehemence, or even into indefensible personalities, yet it was the part of policy as well as of propriety to cease from such a course, so soon as the decision of the constituency had rendered it as useless as it was always indecorous. We confess we did not anticipate any such honourable conduct from Mr. Brown and his clique,—and if we had anticipated it we should have been entirely disappointed. Vindictivcness and baffled rage are shewing themselves hi not a few of the things said and circulated by them; and it would be no difficult undertaking either to refute the charges advanced by them against the objects of their revengeful animosity, or lo retaliate by adducing evidences of "the disreputable proceedings of several of the leaders and members of their own party. In a few instances the temptations lo such retaliation are strong, but we shall not yield lo them notwithstanding. Abuse directed against those who have deemed it their duty to resist Mr. Brown's arrogant attempt to clutch the Superintendency,— when it conies either from Mr. Brown himself or is put forth under his sanction,—will not injure its objects in the estimation of those whose good opinion is of real value, while it will more abundantly confirm the conclusion already formed by the great bulk or the moral worth and intelligence of the community as toMr. Bvown'sutter unfitness for \ the office to which he has had the temerity to | aspire. Well will it be for him if, when the | present excitement shall have subsided, he so | reflects upon the transactions connected with | this election as to lay to heart the lessons which | they are well adapted to impress upon any | mind not absolutely steeled against the inilu- ; ence of salutary though painful truth. No man I knows better than Mr. Brown himself, that,

even if he had succeeded in obtaining a numerical precedence, —there would still] have been an overwhelming moral preponderance on the side of those who judged from thft outset that his election as Superintendent would be deeply injurious to the interests of the Proviuce. Had such, however, been the issue, we might have felt ourselves bound to employ the materials which are most abundantly within our reach, to unmask the means employed by some of his more unscrupulous partisans to coerce, to deceive, or under one disguise or another to purcfiase voters and to manufacture votes, in such ways as, it was thought, might, if notoscapedeleetion, at least avoid legal responsibility. But as a numerical majority is happily with the vast moral and intellectual majority on the side of Colonel Wynyard, we do not feel called upon either to expose calumnies—which, though meant to be deadly arrows, will fall powerless from the universal knowledge that they are poisoned by revenge and disappointed ambition,—or to adduce proof of the great deduction which ought to be made from even the measureofsupportclaimedby Mr. Brown, on account of the means by which the numbers were swollen to what they appear in his minority. In opposing Mr. Brown's pretensions we knew we were acting with men of all classes, parties, and denominations, with many of whom we feel proud to be associated ; and having done what we could to aid them, in the consummation now attained by Mr. Brown's defeat, we can very composedly bear our share of the vituperation which does not spare even the most eminent and respected of them.