THE POLITICAL PILOT FISH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 12, 15 April 1871, Page 2

THE POLITICAL PILOT FISH.

[Nelson Colonist.]

We should be sorry to see a great question like that of a. radical reformation of our land laws, degraded to the position of a mere stalking horse. That there is a danger of this being done, is shown by the circumstance that certain men and certain newspapers of a peculiarly facile disposition, mouldable to the interest or influence of place and party servility, are now advocating schemes, —crude, illogical, and revolutionary—which, had they been promulgated not long ago by their opponents, these same persons wouldhave denounced as unjust. Political trimmers who believe in, and would fain practice the creed of the Vicar of Bray, so as to get and retain office under any circumstances, are the men least to be trusted just as their organs in the newspaper press are unreliable ; one day preaching the rankest Toryism of a pretentious " aristocracy," and the next advocating schemes that savor strongly of red communism. It;is true the Toryism is exploded, and the " tocracy is merely the " Colonial" article,„ but the one sometimes seeks a disguise under a pretended Liberalism, and the other occasionally offers its devoirs to the public in the garb of the so-called Radical Reform. Sometimes from these quarters, a democratic community is startled by utterances respecting the natural governing body, which utteran-' ces applied in the direction which such sentiments are intended to favor, do not not exactly square with the ordinary principles of what we conceive to be a sound democracy. The real meaning of such phrases appears to be embodied in the letter addressed to Mr Stafford by Mr E. J. Wakefield, which is denominated clever by the public writer who parades this Mr Wakefield's abuse of his betters ; and selects those portions of this remarkable person's lucubrations which are the most darkened by personal attacks on the private character of our public men. It has been the habit of his party to indulge in this description of as. sault. This attack, so direct or so pointed in implication, though without any warantable ground, goes beyond criticism of public conduct, and indicates the existence of some imaginary private dealings amounting to dishonor. Such at least is the imputation. Strange too, that this same party is not afraid of reprisals, which in not a few cases could be resorted to with telling effect. Many recent speakers, notably Sir David Monro at Motueka, Mr Stafford at Timaru, this Mr E. Jerningham Wakefield, and others, make a target of Mr Vogel. We need say nothing of a few prints at the nod and beck of a party which seem to take a delight in assailing Mr Vogel. Not only ill-natured, (though that would be little to complain of), but really malicious attacks have been made on this gentleman. There is a method of effecting and doubling this system of attack. It is for some antagonist to write to an Australian paper letters full of personal reflections and implications, and then to get these copies in the journals which have thought fit to enter on a personal crusade against the Colonial Treasurer. But it is only inuendo and direct imputation which obtained currency, and which are re-diessed and repeated with all the enjoyment of a lover of slander. Mr' Stafford at Timaru stooped to injudicious sneering at his old opponent by reflections as to his appearance being likely to be against his mission to England, a remark which might have been left unsaid; because the ability of the man being unquestionable, it is rather diminutive 'to descend to this description of argument, while at the same time ridiculing every other member of the Government by the repetition of the miserable phrase, " Mr Vogel is the Government." Mr E. J. Wakefield, in his so-called "clever" letter to Mr Stafford, not very " cleverly" exposes the motives and hopes of the party on which he seems to have bestowed his honorable aid. He says, and we direct attention to the lines we have italicised : I think that, as you said to the Timaru electors about Mr Vogel, " really he is the Government." I agree with your subsequently expressed opinions that " certainly he waß the Government last session," and that the -paramount manner in which he dominated his col- | leagues, and the absence of any organised I Opposition, somewhat turned his head." I

hope that your impression, that his "position then culminated" may turn out correct. As an old New Zealand colonist connected with Us British colonisation hy hereditary family, and personal association during the last thirty years-th&t is, from my school days —I felt aßhamed when one who had been known not very brig ago in Victoria as a homeless ! adventurer, totally unknown %n New Zealand with Us colonisation, was appointed to represent New Zealand in an Australasian Conference. lam ashamed now that New Zealand has allowed him to appoint himself as her representative with the United States Government, with the greatest steamship owners in America, and perhaps with the London money market." This is in keeping with the "natural governing body " theory, and it comes with singular force and effect from a man whose ideas of self-respect did not restrain him from telling his constituents at the hustings, after his election, mat people had said of him, " Oh, Teddy will be found drunk in a ditch ! " In that speech, too, he sneered at the " wandering Vogel" and put himself on an equality with Mr Fox, Mr Hall, and gentlemen ! " It is however the " hereditary family" question, which, as in Mr Wakefield's writings and speeches, does a good deal of the sneering at *' men who have risen," and who did not come in the early days of the colony, when the pushing and acute adventurer had the choice of "good lands and large" wherewith, for a small cost, to become one of the territorial magnates of the colony. -This sneering at men who, unaided, have surmounted a jealous opposition and attempted contumely, is as unwise as it is opposed to the true spirit of the age, and the prerogatives of manhood, brains, and hard work. If position and influence is secured by these qualities and by intellectual ability, while unassisted by wealth, the greater credit is due to the man who achieves them. The kindred sneer about an adventurer coming to the colony with " a carpet bag and a box of collars," which Sir David Monro has made a by-word by enunciation at Motaeka,points to thesameTory-like and exclusive creed, and merits reprobation and rebuke. Such sneers are an assault to every man who left the old country with the honest intention of bennefiting himself and aiding in the work of colonisation, whether by his head or his hands, or both. It might be asked : Who among those who, either from the genealogical bosom of a" hereditary family" from the hardship of encumbered estates at home, or from motives of adventure and the hope of winning a competency for himself and family,— who of all these was not an " adventurer," whether he came out in the lucky early days, when there was cheap land open for unrestricted choice, or at a later hour, when the other adventurers had preceeded him and limited his opportunities ? By what right can any colonist, who certainly did not leave his native land to sacrifice himself for the land of his adoption,—by what right can such an one term any fellowcolonist an adventurer, or how can he arrogate to himself the right of sneering at others, it may, or it may not be poorer, but not less worthy, dubbing them, "carpet bag and collar box men?" There has been somewhat too much of this, and, in no small degree, writers for the Press have aggravated the theme by their ready pliancy in aiding such pretensions. If it were nothing else, see the avidity with which sundry newspapers, impotent, except merely'in name-calling, seize on garbage which Mr E. J. Wakefield, with natural modesty, has presented to the ex-Premier and the public. If the Opposition and the Opposition journals are driven to such shifts as these, it shows'a lamentable decline in political criticism. By all means let the present and remote political history and public conduct of each member of the Minisiry be freely examined, and their shortcomings shown; but save us from the dreams and diatribes of such men as this Mr Wakefield. Mr Stafford has commenced the advocacy of a system of '.' Repudiation ; " before he carries it out let him by all means repudiate Edward Jerningham Wakefield.