New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, January 15, 1851.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 569, 15 January 1851, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, January 15, 1851.

On the first day of the New Year the penny trumpet of the soi disant Constitutional Association, in an account of the proceedings of their last meeting, announced that “ the Committee was requested to lay their report before the Public on an early day, and Friday the 17th January was fixed for a Public Meeting.” Except the meagre, confused, and unintelligible outline professing to be “ a brief extract” of the report of the said Committee then published, not a syllauie more nas been said by them on the subject, the Public have nad no opportunitv of judging of the views and intentions of these constitution mongers, and it appears to be toleraoiy certain that the meeting announced by them will not take place on the day appointed. Of course no one is surprised at this, no other result could well have been anticipated ; it is only in keeping with their other proceedings. If these persons had any confidence either in themselves or their cause, if they really desired the good of the colony, their course would be obvious. Sir George Grey has published his pronosed Provincial Councils Ordinance which has been circulated throughout the colony. If these persons can suggest any improvement, rf they have any thing to substitute, which in their opinion will be more conducive to the prosperity of the colony, why do they not

submit their suggestions in the same clear, intelligible shape to the dispassionate consideration of their fellow colonists who would then be able to pronounce an opinion on them and decide on these conflicting claims. This is the last thing they would think of doing. Just as in the case of their vaunted petition (which we suppose was ordered to lie under the table of the House of Commons since it was so quietly disposed of), they obtained the signatures to it first (how these were obtained we will not now enquire), and then gave the public an opporunity of judging of it afterwards, by publishing it; so we presume their suggestions for the future constitution of NewZealand would be first heard of by being hurriedly read over at a public meeting, in which the only actors would be their own partizans, the others present, as at the previous meeting, looking on passive and indifferent spectators of the farce, and not taking any part in the proceedings of the meeting. And then we should be duly informed by their organ of the important and influential gathering of settlers which had just taken place, the wise things that had been uttered by the movers and seconders of the resolutions, the unanimity displayed, and the determination evinced by the whole colony never to rest till they had achieved their liberties, and obtained all those privileges and institutions which were their birthright as Englishmen, with all the other platitudes which form the ordinary stock in trade of our agitators. After this fashion are their demonstrations made, thus Faction With self applause her wild creation views, Sees momentary monsters rise and fall, And with her own fool’s colours gilds them all. By the way how is it the Association has not published “ for general information” the answer received by their Chairman from the noble Secretary of the Colonies to certain resolutions passed by them some twelve months since, in which answer "certain gentlemen styling themselves a Constitutional Association” are informed that Lord Grey has received their resolutions, and that her Majesty has the most implicit confidence in Sir George Grey and the Lieute-nant-Governor ? This is the snubbing they are currently reported to have received, of course if we are in error they can easily set us right by publishing Lord Grej’s communication. The fact is, the “ gentlemen styling themselves a Constitutional Association,” are small enough in this settlement, but viewed from the Mother-Country they are so infinitesimally minute that it would require some instrument of the power of Lord Rosse’s telescope to make them out.