ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the "New Zealand Spectator."

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 559, 11 December 1850, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the "New Zealand Spectator."

Sir, — A writer signing himself "A Working Man" has, in a letter in the misnamed "Independent," under the pretence of saying a few words in reply to a lettei in last Wednesday's Spectator assumed by him to have been written by me, neglected to rebut the arguments or disprove the statements in that letter, and attacked me'-personally in a series of false statements and inuendoes, the malice of which are only exceeded by their absurdity. I will not waste my time or your space by repeating his statements, but will content myself with answering them in detail, and refer all readers who desire to peruse his anonymous libel to that scurrilous print the Wellington Independent. The only occasion on which I stated myself to represent the working men was at the meetings of the woodcutters several years ago, when legal steps were taken at the desire of our would-be oligarchy, to prevent numerous unemployed working men, of whom I was one, from earning a miserable subsistence by cutting firewood on the Town Belt. As this unfair attempt to cut off our only means of gaming honestly our daily bread, or rather our, potatoes, was made for the avowed purpose of driving us to rent bush land on clearing leases, unfair to the tenants and disgraceful to the landlords, I was chosen unanimously by the woodcutters, as their spokesman, to state our case to the Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company, and also to the Police Magistrate, in order to obtain leare to cut wood fi r our livelihood till affairs mended in Port Nicholson. These were the grounds, and this the only time that I expressed myself as representing the Working Men. I have, however, on several occasions formed one of deputations and assisted in drawing up memorials at the request of divers Public Meetings. I neither have nor desire any power, in-

fluence, or leadership, ami no one can wish more ardently than myself that every man would sift out political truth and attain social knowledge by the use of his own reasoning faculties, and that, instead of wasting their leisure in frivolous pastimes, each and all would study to increase their learning and improve their minds, for by so doing they would destroy the strongest pretext of all those who oppose liberal government, for " The Ignorances of the Masses" would soon cease to exist. With regard to the late Meeting it was, I admit, open to the public, but us it was convened wth a ludicrous apeing of recognized authority by a self-elected clique of political nobodies, more settlers went from curiosity or in search of amusement, than seriously to discuss the proposed measure. It is true the chairman told me I might speak, but the Alehouse Club were resolved I should not be heard, so I reserved my^ remarks for a fitter opportunity. It is falsely insinuated that I stated I represented the Working Classes; I merely attempted to state my own political \iews as an Englishman, and I consider the, liberty of individuals freely t<> discuss alt measures of law and government, the greatest bulwark of British Freedom. The great bulk of the settlers, scorning the lequest of the miscalled "Settlers' Council," refrained from attending the meeting which, including sailors, strangers, and boys, did not at the utmost muster 300 persons : of these, I know, at least one-third were in favour of Sir George Grey's constitution, but they were overawed by the yells and abuse of the dupes of the Faction which were showered on me for daring to differ in opinion from our self-chosen leaders. The £20 or £30 job has had no influence upon me. All the bookbinding that I have ever been employed by the Local Government to execute during the nine years I have been in this settlement has nut collectively, inciuding materials, amounted to £30; in fact his statement about a bookbinding job is a silly, lying invention — fur I am doing no job for the Local Government, and if I were, it would be a pure matter of business fur which the government would very properly pay as little as possible, and tor which I should strive to obtain as high a price as I could for my labour. There is no friendship in trade — and our Government to its honour, has never shewn any partiality to its political friends nor animosity to i's political opponents, which the Independent proprietors well know to their great personal profit. I suspect the bill most suited to the comprehension of the Jndependpnt writer is not a Lt-gislalive Bill — but one scored on the taproom siate at the Alehouse Club, with some of the liquid items of which he was probably muddled, when inspirited to mvcntthe bookbinding | job falsehood. Sir George Grey's constitution I would ghe votes to abouttwo-thiids ol the set tiers and if the biiggtstimis i fthe writer in the Spectator were earned out m the Council, every steady man would be enabled (before the two yeais were expiied which limits the duration of eacliCouncil) to become a freeholder, and there b\ be legally qu ilified to vote and be eligible for membership in the npxt Council. The reading and writing qualification, which the Independent wiiter desires would exclude many sensible but uneducated settlers who have clear heads and sharp wits whilst it would include main' like that writer, who can scribble without having either. I deny that the agitators of the Ale-house debating Club are the leading men in this settlement; they may lead such dupes as the writer in the Independent, for one-eyed men may lead the blind. The letter in the Spectator, which has galled them so sorely, said nothing about their honour or integrity. I have seen no proof of political abilit}' shewn by their faction, and therefore doubt its existence amongst them. I deny that they have always been the advocates of liberal measures — witness, for instance, their unauthorized barter of the claims of their felljw-settlers for sections for themselves in the Rangitikei Compensation Scheme. In conclusion, I do not desire the Independent scribe for a tool ; he is too dull to be useful as a friend, and too blundering to be injurious as an enemy. His fiiends, "the Council," (if indeed he is not one of that body himself, for I have heard no one praise them so highly before,) shew needless concern for our peace of mind when they caution us to feel no alarm about their suggestions for a permanent constitution — they rather amuse the public with ideas of the same farcical mockery of legislation that the Drury-lane Judge and Jury clubs exh'bit of law. Probably Earl Grey may think our Alehouse Debating Club displays less wit and more folly in their lucubratious than those facetious performances, and may therefore value accordingly their " Permanent Constitution." I remain, sir, Your humble servant, Robert Carpenter.