The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHBD DAILY.) TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5316, 9 April 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHBD DAILY.) TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1878.

One of the most amusing conceits of those who are at present in power is that there are two political parties in the colony as in England—the Liberals and the Conservatives ;—that the supporters of the present Ministry are Liberals, and that their opponents are Conservatives. A very slight knowledge of the history of this colony, or indeed of that of any other British colony governed on constitutional principles, would dispel this error. Parties in England are the result of a varied and eventful history, and it. is as absurd to suppose that we could transplant them or imitate them in a young country, as to expect our society to go through all the phases of English life from the feudal times to those of thepresent century. In England there is a recognised aristocracy, and there is a party ever resisting change ; while another party is ever advocating progress towards more democratic institutions. It is true that the men on the confines of both these parties—the most liberal of the Conservatives and the most conservative of the Liberals—almost meet each other; but for all practical purposes there is, underlying all temporary divisions and mere questions of the day, a broad and intelligible reason for party divisions and party Government in England, in the instinctive opposition between those minds which Chiefly love' to dwell on the past and those which prefer looking forward to the future. But here in New Zealand the conditions of our life, —social and political,—are completely changed. There are no classes ; the man who is at the bottom of the tree to-day may be at the top of the tree to-morrow. We see every day men who landed in the colony without a penny, and often even without education, enabled by their energy and success to take a very prominent social, and even political position. We are a democracy, and can be nothing else. We have no history—-no past. The future must ever be before the mind of everyone, be he a politician or a new-comer hewing his way to a higher position in life than he now enjoys. There can be no fear whatever of interference on the part of any predominant class with the ultimate will of the people ; and any cry raised that the liberties of the people are endangered by class legislation may be treated with the contempt that all claptrap deserves. The people have the Government and the Legislature in their own hands, and it is their own fault if they allow any man or set of men to take them out of their hands. Now in a young State like this there can be no Conservatives in the old world sense of the term ; unless, indeed, the term is applied to the late Provincialist party. One of Sir George Grey’s earnest pleas for maintaining institutions that we had outgrown was reverence for our early Constitution, the only one capable of maintaining Hhe liberties of the people. We can respect an old English Tory when he resists any change in the time-honored and weatherbeaten Constitution of England ; a Constitution never reduced to writing, not capable of being included within the four corners of any document however venerable. We may smile at the old gentleman’s unreasoning enthusiasm, but we can respect his motives. The enthusiasm of Sir George Grey for the very imperfect Constitution of which he unwarrantably claims for himself the credit of paternity ; this obstinate adherence to a very recent past history, is the veriest burlesque and vulgarising of conservatism. And when he poses in another character, as the only friend and patron who can save the poor ignorant helpless population of, the colony, surely this is the veriest burelsque and vulgarisation of Liberalism. There are three classes of men who believe, or affect to believe, in the existence of organised: Liberal and Conservative parties in the colony—the ignorant, the doctrinaires,: and the designing. Those who' have never troubled their heads about colonial politics, or i who: have paid very slight attention to public affairs since they came to New Zealand, are apt to accept a classification: which falls in with their preconceived bid world ideas. They have all their lives been accustomed to hear of Liberals and Conservatives ; they have not yet realised the altered social and; political atmosphere,in which they live ;! and if- they belonged to the-Liberal party' •in the old country, it is natural for them to look for a Conservative party on

which/they may lay the,'blame of anything that goes wrong in society or State. Then we.bave the ‘doctrinaire class, and by this term wo do not mean,such great constitutional doctrinaires as have arisen in troublous times in the old world,,but a class of doctrinaires verylarge and tolerably influential in such a society as ours. It is composed for the most part of young iiieii who have read a little, and assumed a, groat deal, who without much experience of books or men are constantly propounding theories, on the strength of the last new essay they have read, and attempting to apply them, without respect to surrounding circumstances ; who .perhaps have based their political hopes and political ambitions on a belief in the existence of the parties whose constant struggles have made modern English history. These young men have not yet learned to apply the lessons to be derived from history without the surroundings which accompanied the lessons; and if they cannot Bud those surroundings here, why they must make Them To carry out their political views, and to realize their aspirations,' there should be two parties, Liberal and Conservative ; and therefore they are tempted to dub whatever temporary parties exist for the moment respectively Conservative and Liberal. Thd ignorant and the fanciful are unfortunately numerous, and on these two classes the designing work. Those who at any price desire- to secure power, know very well that there is no other road to office but by obtaining the support of the majority. They may talk about influences and classes, but they act on their knowledge that the power is in the hands of the people. In order to induce the people to hand over to them the : authority to wield that power, it is necessary to discredit their opponents in the eyes.of the masses,;and to hold themselves forth as the champions of popular rights. If- there are no grievances, they must be made ; if there are no class inequalities, the suggestion of such inequalities must be imported. ; To do this effectually, it is necessary to popularise a belief in the existence of a state of society and of politics that does not exist here. And as there is already a strong tendency among the ignorant and the half-educated to believe in the possibility of English parties, the best and most effectual way. to pose as friends of the people is to invent a party which may be held up as the people’s enemies. Listen to ua, oh, down-trodden and injured people ! We, the Liberals, the friends of the oppressed, are endeavoring to rescue you from the clutches of wicked oligarchs; Conservatives who are creating an aristocracy, and who will deprive you of all ; your liberties, if you lot them have their way. Trust in us.- ■ Above all, trust iri our leader; obey him, honor ,him, and be servile before him, and he will give you all the good .things of this life. The men whom you have hitherto respected as leaders, who have lived among you, and whose interests are yours, belong to a party which you know is not liberal. Never mind present appearances. It may not appear quite dignified to live in a state of everlasting adulation of a man who was a despotic Governor, and who used to misrepresent and snub you ; but remember that he is a Liberal, and that with such a title he has a right to spend your money as freely and recklessly as he likes, and to neglect your work while he parades his own virtues. You may be lovers of constitutional government, but a Liberal must not be bound by Parliament or colleagues. You may be loyal, but it is the privilege of a Liberal to insult the Queen's representative. This “Liberal and Conservative” frymay pass muster for a very short time ; but a widespread spirit of inquiry is already abroad, and the public' is beginning to inquire into the pretensions of those who arrogate to themselves the title of “Liberal.”