To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator, August 6, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, 6 August 1853, Page 5 (Supplement)

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator, August 6, 1853.

Sis, It is universally acknowledged that the benefits to society attending Representative Institutions, arise oat of the complete investigation which all measures necessarily undergo in popular assemblies in the conflicting opinions brought forward by contending parties, so much is this (he case, that hardly any man will attempt to deny, that the amount of liberty and fair play enjoyed by the subject is in proportion to the members which can conveniently be entrusted witb some degree of power. Now this being the case, I would like to know how we are to expect that a combination such as the one now attempted by a party of men in this place, who are all evidently of one way of thinking, and who are trying to confine the power entirely to their own bands, can possibly benefit those interests they pretend to have at heart. Is it not manifest, that when there will scarcely be one to oppose measures, however well meant, or however obnoxious, which they, or any one of them may bring forward, that those measures

will be carried without a fair discussion ? But bow much more dangerous would such aa oligarchy be, should four years of uncontrolled p»«rer corrupt their present sentiments and feelings into those of tyrannical domioators, a change which invariably takes place in such circumstances. Would they not, I ask, be more powerful for evil and selfish sur poses, than any single despot who ever sat upon a throne. A single despot, however tyrannical, has always before his eyes the fear of public dislike and contempt, or it may be even a sanguinary retribution, but a combination of men in power alway« feel the confidence natural to numbers. A body of men never feel the responsibility of of their conduct, or the scruples in the commis-

sioa of error or crime, which a single man does, 1 would therefore warn the people of this place agaioßt committing the folly of supporting a set of men who, from their very unanimity, do not contain the essential elements of a Representative system, I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant,

X. Y. Z.