AN APT COMPARISON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5318, 12 April 1878, Page 3

AN APT COMPARISON.

Is there (writes the Poverty Bay Standard) any material difference, excepting in the! phraseology, between the sentiments uttered by Sir George Grey, when on the stump, and those expressed by Mr. Rogers in one of Box’s' admirable sketches :

“ You, gentlemen,” said the red-faced man, “ are the best judges on that point; but this I will say, when I came into this parish, and first used this room leu years ago, I don’t believe there was one man in it who knew he was a slave—and now yod all know it, and writhe under it. Inscribe that upon my tomb, and I am satisfied.” i

“ Why, as to inscribing it on your tomb,” said a little greengrocer with a chubby, face, “ of course you can have anything chalked up as you likes to pay for, so far as it relates to yourself and your affairs ; but when you dome to talk about slaves, and that there abuse, you’d better keep it in the family, ’cos! I for one don’t like to be balled them names, night after night.” “ You are a slave,” said the red-faced man, “and the most pitiable of all slaves.”- ‘ ' “ Worry hard if I am," interrupted: the greengrocer, “ for I got no, good out of the twenty million that was paid'for ’mancipation, anyhow.”' ’ ' ‘ “ A willing slave,” ejaculated the red-faced man, getting more red with eloquence and contradiction—“ resigning the dearest, birthright of your children—neglecting the sacred call of Liberty—who, standing imploringly before you, appeals to the warmest feelings of your heart, and points to your helpless infants, but in vain.” . ! “ Prove it,” said the greengrocer.

“Prove it!” sneered the man with the red face. “What' bending beneath the yoke of an insolent and factious oligarchy; 'bowed down by the domination of cruel laws,, groaning beneath tyranny and oppression bn every hand, at every side, and in every! corner. Prove it !—” The red-faced man abruptly broke off, sneered melodramatically, and'buried his’countenanoe, and his indignation together, in a quart pot. , ' We have only got to substitute the name of Grey for Rogers (leaving out the quart pot) and in Rogers’ speech we have one Horn our Premier.