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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 377, 14 March 1849, Page 2

To the Editor of the Neio Zealand Spectator. "Wellington, 14th March, 1849. Sir, — A few remarks only are necessary in answer to Dr. Featherston's letter of the 9th instant (which appeared in the Independent of Saturday), in reply to mine of the 6th instant, inasmuch as that letter, with one or two exceptions, is a series of bare assertions throughout, unsupported by facts. Dr. F. admits that my first charge against him it perfectly correct, and therefore that his memory is so treacherous that he did not recollect, until he was unpleasantly reminded of it, , whether he was one day or four days in coming to a decision upon a matter of such great importance. This being admitted, I will ask Dr.. F. how he can reconcile his statement, " that he had not in the slightest degree changed his opinions or determination," with the fact of his having taken four days.to consider whether he should, or should not, accept 1 * seat in the Council ? I have now, with the entire concurrence of Messrs. Hunter & Bannatyne, to reiterate all that I stated in my previous letter." ' I now come to Dr. F.s last assertions in respect to the motives by which he alleges I was actuated in accepting a seat in the Council, viz. , the alleged threat of Mr. M'Donald, to which I should not have alluded, had it not been brought forward by Dr. F. The particulars are these : — Just before the meeting at my 1 office broke up, Mr. M'Donald said that " he'wouldfgive a lift to any one who acbe'pted' a seat in the Council," upon which Mr. Hunter replied that "^that would be intimidation." *All the parties, excepting myself, then left the office. On considering afterwards that particular expression of Mr. M'Donald's, and that he had no private influence, I could noC arrive at any other conclusion than this — that he. meant it as a threat that he would exercise his influence against us in his official capacity. Sub&^ quently, however, on Mr. M'Donald's utterly disclaiming having used' the words in that sense, I stated that I felt bound to believe him, and added that on his withdrawing an offensive expression which he had used towards me, I would then state that I had done him an injustice, by placing a wrong construction upon bis words. : I fiel ifc'akain necessary to correct Dr. Featherston on ancftfilr point of little importance, merely to show another instance of the. treachery of bis memory. He statei that he called upon me on Friday evening tn?eons'aquence of a report in reference to Mr. M'Donald's alleged threat, and asked me whether it was true, which was not the case. The facts, are these :— I called upon the Governor thatday-(Friday) to accept a seat in the Council, bufc'l fpund Him absent. I then called upon " Dr. J Featherston to see' what' course he intended to ; adopt; he also was from' home, but he came up to me in the evening, be-.' tween which time and the time I had callfed "upon him, I was informed that he had refused a seat. / told him in the co^ Qfconvemtjon^^ft^^

time (having only previously alluded to it to Messrs. Baunatyne & Hunter) that I felt annoyed at Mr. M'Donald having uttered a threat against those who might accept seats, when Dr. F. observed that he did .not believe Mr. M'Donald meant any such thing, and he asked me whether I had ever known Mr. M' Donald's political feelings to interfere with business matters, to which I replied, that so far as I was aware, 1 had not. In reference to Dr. Featherston's assertion, 41 that although I intended to have refused, yet after Mr. M* E>onald's threat, I had decided to accept his Excellency's offer," I am saved the necessity of giving that assertion a positive contradiction, by simply quoting again from the second clause of my previous letter what I said at the meeting before Mr. M'Donald uttered the words alluded to, viz., " I then stated that after the frank and full explanation of his policy by the Governor, that, in my opinion, we ought all to accept of seats." To this I will only add, that Mr. M'Donald's alleged threat did not in the slightest degree influence me in accepting a seat. I am now quite content s to leave my case, supported as it is by facts, to the unbiassed judgment of all impartial persons without any fear of the result ; and in doing so, I may state that, in future, I shall decline to take notice of any thing that may emanate from Dr. Featherstqn or his coadjutors. I will just remind him, in conclusion, in regard to the political agitation ,in which he is now embroiled, that if his cause be a just one, it surely was not requisite, in support of it, that one of its most prominent leaders should Have stated in public, that those persons who differed with him in political opinions were, " Knaves, fools, and liars." I am, Sir, Yours very respectfully, Wm. Hickson.