THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1862.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 117, 1 April 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1862.

If Sir George Grey's object be to secure a character for inscrutability, be is likely to succeed to his heart's content. ' The men 'most intimately associated with him, his constitutional advisers, his. obliging ministers, the , minions whohang upon his smiles and strive but to do his pleasure, these are indubitab^as ignorant of his real purpose as are the Maories to whom they consent to undertake humiliating embassies. But whilst Sir George Grey consents to use the men he takes no pains to disguise the small account in which he holds them, nor do they spare any trouble in justifynigthe opinion with which he evidently regards them. Either there was a serious native difficulty to contend with,- or. Sir George Grey went to some trouble to snub his ministers, when he disappointed the people of Wellington and Napier of his presence, after the solemn assurance to the contrary, which his Executive had given. True, Mr. Fox did his; best to . prevent the materials which had, been prepared for the feasts from being wasted, for he went down to partake of them himself. ■ But the representative of the representative- of royalty was looked upon as a sorry substitute, especially after the recent snubbing he had received-when he attempted a like experiment in the vice-regal substitute at Waikato. »

Mr. Fox has, however, 'evidently believers in Wellington ; but they do not yet appreciate "their little gay deceiver." His "repudiation of Mr. Cr'osbie Ward's mail service arrangements was not only listened to "hut believed, and' the Wellingtonians still fondly indulge in the hope that the coming session of the Legislature will be held at the capital town of their province. It is almost a shanie to destroy the fond illusion, but lest the shock, when it do come, should prove too severe, it is as well to prepare them for it. If argument hy analogy' be. permitted, ,we think we may make it clear to their acute perception, that they.have little chance of enjoying the distinction they covet. One of two reasons must have kept Sir George Grey from going to Wellington, -when it was understood he was so distinctly pledged to go —either the cause must have heen a native difficulty, or the desire to reprove the arrogant responsibility assumed by his ministers in promising his presence. In regnrd.to.a native difficulty we may say that we are in possession of information that leaves us at liberty to state that at the time there'was less prospect of a sudden or immediate . rupture with the Maoriesthan for some period previous. Indeed this fact might be inferred from . Sir George allowing his ministers to 10am about at pleasure over the country,—Mr. Fox, Mr. Ward, and the semi-official minister, Mr. Bell, all being absent or ahout to be so. We have only the other solution to fall hack upon that Sir George Grey desired to show that he whs not so accommodating as he was supposed to be, and that he would not he " trotted" out by Mr. Fox to please that gentleman's Wellington constituents. Butif^inso minor a matter and for so short a time he declined to put in an appearance at Wellington, is it to be believed that he will allow the session of the houses of Legislature to he held there when his presence in Council might he hourly required. It is not to be disguised that the Houst of Representatives is likely to enquire into Native matters, a great deal .more than will seem palatable to Sir George—a great deal more perhaps than in'wisdomit ought. Holding the strings in his own hands, and alone being conscious of the designs he cherishes, Sir George Grey will consider it absolutely necessary to he on the spot to interfere in case, he deems his interference necessary. He knows well enough that however the House may resent Mr. Fox's interference in Native matters, a word from .him will be sufficient to check an' ill timed or injurious interference1; • and . although we are asassured lie will not moye a finger to save the Fox Ministry, he .will take care that political.

But, whut are these plans? And why, ijhe finds ■ such willing''tools in t,he Fox Ministry, will he hesitate to do his best . to save them from official extinction. The answers to these questions involve a , somewhat intricate line of argument. Sir 1 George Grey's policy ostensibly is the desire to secure peace at any prise, even at the sacri- ■ ficeof national honor. But the only guarantees of that policy are (he Ministers who, having served the purpose it was desired they should serve, may, like any kind of tools, be readily flung aside when their usefulness is impaired. We have referred to Sir George's ostensible policy, but his real policy may have a wider and more comprehensive significance. Indeed it is folly to suppose that Sir George Grey '•an for a moment assume the native question settled, when the position taken by the Maories is singularly unconciliatinganduusympa thising. But Sir George knows that every friendly native he secures is an advantage, and he also knows the vast moral gain of having a good rallying cry, if war should be resumed, to foil back on. The rejection of overtures of the most friendly character would be a rallying cry of the most effective nature. Their own people would fall away from the insurgent tribes that repelled the friendly advances made by the pakeha. Instead of a war between the European and Maori races, the war would be one on which the Maories would themselves be divided; and in the course of which they would probably be ranged on opposite'sides. 'It is impossible to over-rate the importance of thus changing the character of the war. Warren Hastings and Cliye.'in all their Indian struggles, carefully avoided a war between the' races. To set native against native, to espouse the cause of the apparently weaker, was the astute policy they pursued to save from the reproach of t the civilised world the warfare between the conquered ami the conquering races. A Maori war In which the British' troops advanced to the support of weak but friendly allies threatened by Strong insurgent forces, would he a struggle redeemed from I the character of a war of extermination, and possessing features which would enable the Maories who took no part in it, to. hope, as much for the success of the allies as of the opposing force. . _. Sir George Grey has 6"pened the road.to the Waikato River, and it is said has invited a friendly native, Wi'remu Nera, Chief of the Ngatimahanga section of the Waikato tribes to open the communication with, his own country. If the other Waikatos oppose it, as they are disposed to do, Sir George must advance to the support of his ally, and a war will then be commenced with the insurgent .natives, freed from the character of a war between the races. We pretend to. be no better judge of Sir George Grey's real, intentions than others, but having a high opinion -of his abilities, we think he 'will have too' ■ much' regard .for his own ' reputation nt hazard a merely temporary healing up of the difficulty, when the-opportunities are to hand ;which may enable him to find for it a lasting 'solution. If the road-making do not excite the natives to opposition, Sir George may then think it necessary to make a positive stand on the adjustment of the Waitara purchase difficulty. ■ "

Every community has its mystery with which to torment or to worry itself. Sometimes it takes a social form', sometimes a political one, but there is always a mystery, the elucidation of which excites ■no eiid of conjecture. The mystery now agitating the mind of the Otago people, as far as they are in the habit of allowing poliiicalevents toagitatethem is, whether Captain Fraser, who lately took his departure for England by the Chili, is one of their_ members in the House of Representatives, or whether he has resigned. Seeing that a voyage of sixteen thousand miles each way is a somewhat lengthy trip, and exposed to many incidental hazards, it is'usual for. a member of a popular.Assembly who undertakes it to do his constituents the condescension of at lefist informing them of his intention. But Captain Fraser, with a noble contempt for such conventualitics, which cannot be too. highly extolled, deemed it quite unnecessary to honor hi? constituents with a mark of rei spect which, he did not feel for them, and, has taken his departure for England without making public either his intention of resigning or returning. As might be expected rumour ha.s not been silent on the subject. After the honorable and courteous" member's departure, we hazarded a " feeler" iv the shape of the popular rumour that he had intrusted his" resignation to a political friend, adding also the hope that if he had not done so steps would be taken to declare his seat vacant, the impression being that he had no intention of returning. Shortly afterwards the report was indirectly conveyed to us, that he had not resigned, but, that he intended at some time or other to' return, and had obtained from an obliging semi-oflisial member of the Government, Mr. Dillon Bell, a leave of absencefor two months. This gentleman is now here and, we believe," contradicts this second rumour. Indeed it would ■be impossible to snppose that. Mr. Bell representing as he does Southland, and perhaps having to undertake charge of a measure which may raise a question .between the Province he represents anc^ Otago, it is impossible to suppose we'say ',' that' either in honor or decency, he would be a party to deprive Otago, during the coming session, of one of its members. Captain Fraser surely should have representatives here, it is time that they should speak . out and state' whether the honorable and gallant member proposes to return, and if in the interim without the permission of, his' constituents, he has determined to keep his seat.

How bitterly must the scandalised relatives of that highly interesting young gentleman, Mr. Windham, regret that they live in so material and : matter of fact au age as the present. j Alas! for them that, along with the burning lof witches, and all the paraphernalia of the absurd superstitions of the middle ages, the days of private mad-houses, and doctors of facile conscience, should have been swept away. Probably, it is in the recollection of some of them how easy would, in their younger days, have been the process of accomplishing the end they are now striving so recklessly of cost to obtain. A dose, a hackney coach, an accommodating doctor, andthetliHig was done, and the reprobate scion of aristocracy would have been safely lodged where, if at anytime after a-few months judicious treatment, such as one readsofin the highlyspiced tales oftheßeynoldian blood-and-'thunder school, he was afforded the benefit of a commission de lunatico inquirendo; even " Ten Thousand a-year" himself would ominously shake his head, with a " Very mad indeed, gentlemen." Although 'we no longer Jive in an age whep, jti all pro? bability, a case such as young Windham's would never have been ventilated by a public enquiry, yet it is somewhat startling ,to find what are the modernly conceived .ideas of lunatic symptoms. To judge from the instances adduced in this enquiry, it- is quite evident that we arc nil more or less *'mad as March hares." Take tlie evidence of Colonel Bathurst, —" Speaking generally, his (Windham's) manner was nois\'and boisterous

•• he bought foolish things." Can any of us sleep easy on our beds alter this ? r What horrid recollections of " night's of 'it" will flash across our minds! -What a phantasmagoria of .-.lavender kids six and a 1 quarter size, lockets, bracelets, and multitudinous • "sweet things-in bonnets, &c.' will be pzesented to our mental vision! Then again, Mrs. Mary Wilkinson," a " widow," says '" I had frequent 'conversations with him^he conducted himself like a child, — I todlt ah interest in him." Was Mrs. Mary Wilkinson -jjgnng-?.••■ Was she pretty? Was the "in-

'widows," from time immemorial.?'. We can ourselves call to mind being remarkably childish under similar conditions, —(ah ! sweetest of thy sex—but no; false one we banish thee from rememberance.) Do any of us snore?; No, certainly not, nobody ever did snore of. course; yet Mr. Ilorrocks, tutor to Windham, oiaketh oath and sayeth that " he. was quiet only when he was asleep, and then he snored." We have vivid reminiscences ofdonble-bedded rooms, when snoring and quietness were not synonymous. 80, O! my friend of stentorian lungs, sleep not with thy month open, or peradventure another Horrocks, smarting nn--1 tier the infliction of sleepless nights, will bear j testimony against thee. Do any of our uncles i invite us to dine ? if so we must not have." a foolish way of laughing," or " fall asleep after dinner," such conduct being (vide the Marquis of Bristol) an indubitable symptom of insanity. Are-we modest?* Would we rather not join the ladies in the drawing room ? Very bad sign indeed. Do we ever " chaff the bobbies ?" (no ofl'ence, St. John 13.) Do we evjjr state explicitly that "we are ' all there when we are wanted ?"—promonitory ' symptoms, eh, Doctor ? Do we sing nigger melodies ? If so, we had better go " off to 1 Charlcstown," and that very early in the morning indeed, or else it is all up with us; Are any of us fond of eggs for breakfast? If so, gentle reader, we advise thee to be hereafter content with the modest bloater, for eggs are dangerous. l' Are any of us " very much in love?" Do we make extravagant presents to our wives ? Infallible sign ! So, Benedick, we-warn thee, countermand that " moire antique ;" stop that " elegant lady's watch," jewelled in a fabulous number of holes ; and despite the tears and entreaties of the fair enslaver, send back that " love of a bonnet" in its original band-box. This enquiry reminds us very much of the medical conflict anent the Rugely poisonings. But in this case the jury sit on the understanding of the victim, instead of on the body. We are at once amused and instructed-; men of high ■ legal and medical attainments'show us how fine a line separates reason from insanity, in pretty much the same style as in the former case, they described the difference between natural disease and the action of poison. Thus, we are told, that ah act of indecency committed- in the public road, was not evidence of insanity, but a similar act in a bed-room, was. Welesni, that vice is r.ot an attribute of insanity, " but the reverse ;" if this is the case what connection has virtue ? If nigger melodies are suspicious, what about 'Auld Lang .Syne,'. 'jKathleenMavourneen, 1 and ' Rule Britannia ?'. If laughing, is symptomatic, how about crying or sneezing." Why eggs ? Are we to have the pleasure one always feels at the first tap of the spoon on our matutinal ova, marred by' suspicions of being watched by some interested informer ? Wiiy would not ham or bacon answer the purpose? .Why .not- kidneys? When the well feed, and we hope, in spite of eggless breakfasts, well-fed gentlemen ■ who ■are making such a nice thing out of this case) have settled entirely to their own satisfaction what are the conditions of in-" sanity, they would confer a boon, and' relieve the minds of an-anxious public-if. they would define the - necessary qualifications of a man supposed to be in his senses. ■