The Southland Times. SATURDAY, OCT. 1, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 53, 1 October 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. SATURDAY, OCT. 1, 1864.

There ia a class of persons whose vanity prompts them to be conspicuous at public meetings. In no way qualified to play leading characters, and unblessed with brains to be of service to the community as public men, they unfortunately possess what is termed the " gift of the gab," and are never happier than when pouring forth the torrents of their eloquence in " one weak washy everlasting flood." Men such as these are to be found whereever there is a crowd, but are more particularly in their element at election meetings and such-like gatherings of the people. Provide the stump, and stick one of this sort on the top of it, or, at all events do not forcibly prevent him from mounting it, and he will talk by the hour with a fluency and plausibility very likely to impose on the masses. Of course he prefers a special grievance for the exercise of his powers, but that being wanting, he will supply the deficiency, either by holding forth on "things in general," or by creating an imaginary cause of offence. Let us not be misunderstood. No one is better pleased than ourselves when private citizens take an active and genuine part in public movements, and enforce their honest convictions on their fellows by public speaking — if they are able. What we refer to is a very different matter. " Spouting " for the sole object of* showing what a fine fellow the speaker is, is what we deprecate. The meeting of the electors of Invercargill oil Thursday night supplies us with a case in point. It was moved and seconded that Mr. J. R. Davies was a fit aud proper person to represent the electors of Invercargill in the Provincial Council. Everyone knows the candidate — knows that he is an honorable, energetic business man, who employs a large amount of labor ; who holds a considerable stake in the country, and has taken up his permanent residence amongst us. A man respected, and liked by his fellows, and against whom not one derogatory word has ever been breathed ; a man, moreover, immeasurably superior iv every way to the majority of those who occupied scats in the old Provincial Council. One would have thought that here there could be no hesitation, particularly as the candidate's political opinions tallied with those held by the great majority of the electors. But not so ; there was one present at the meeting who was suffering severely from suppressed elocution — who was consumed by a longing to show the people of Invercargill that he could speak. lie who had held forth to a gaping crowd in the Eastern market could certainly make an impression on the quiet and less sophisticated gathering at a Southland election meeting ! The attempt was at least worth making ; but how best effect his purpose ? Everyone was iv favor of Mr. Davies, and any remarks the would-be orator might make of a similar tendency on the same subject would probably be but a repetition of what those present had heard on many previous occasions, and would therefore go down but tamely. It was advisable to attempt something with the recommendation of novelty, and the necessary inspiration did not fail. Amidst an uproar of voices, and a storm of hisses, laughter, and ironical cheers, the wretched man got on the table (catch him speaking from any lower elevation if he could help it !) and commenced to discharge what he was pleased to designate as " his duty to the electors." No amount of dissatisfaction could dislodge him until he had expounded his views at sufficient length to gratify his vanity. From amongst a mass of meaningless verbiage, the froth aud scum that constitute so large a proportion of the oratory of the stump, we were able at length to understand that the speaker objected to Mr. Davies on the ground that he was a Government contractor. He was everything else that was good ; but the incompleted wooden railway was found to be a thoroughly indigestible morsel, and the electors were warned not to rush on their certain destruction by countenancing a gentleman who might, at some future period, be called on to make further wooden railways or other public works for the Government. The meeting, probably to make amends for the manner in which they behaved during this brilliant display of talent, endorsed the views of the speaker, so far as may be judged from a show of hands. Quietly observing the whole of the proceedings, from first to last, we came to the conclusion that the upraised hands did not fairly express the sentiments of the electors. There were very many present who had no votes, and there were many in favor of Mr. Davies who neither raised their hands for the original motion nor for the amendment. The object of the stump politician was, however, attained. He got a hearing and supplied himself with food for self-laudation. We have no wish to drag this man from hi* every-day obscurity, but could scarcely have effected the object wo aimed at without; alluding at some length to hfa QAzh'tevomeßL , ; Ifc may or m&y- not; be true' as an abutracb '(mention fcluifc. Government con* bvM&om Htiould not mb in tho Provincial 'Obuhd^ 'btit-ther© ft no law to prevent

them doing so, if the electors choose to place them there, and our opinion is that each case should, be decided on, its own individual merits'. A 1 sweeping regulation .which would ■ exclude a useful and highly intelligent body of men from taking any part in legislating for the country, appears more calculated; to have: an injurious effect than leaving the matter in the hands of the electors. We cannot see" that in the case of Mr. Davies the Province would" run the slightest risk in electing, him. To guard against the remote possibility of a small amount of evil, are the electors prepared to throw on one side the proffered services, of a gentleman in every way qualified to represent them efficiently ? The number of talented and energetic men in the Province who are willing to go into the Council is not so great that we can afford to efface a name from the list unless on very strong grounds, and in the present instance they do not exist. Mr. Davles' power to benefit himself by his action in the Council would be very small indeed, should be even endeavor to do so — of which there i« not much danger — but the Council, and the Province through them, may be large gainers by his experience should he be elected. We do not think the issue is very doubtful, but we have written thus at length lest some who were not present at Thursday's meeting, and not knowing the antecedents of the mover of the amendment, might be inclined to attach more weight to his objections than they deserve either on their own merits, or as embodying his opinions. The statement of his political opinions by Mr. T. M. Macdoxald was very satisfactory, and will tend greatly to ensure his success on the day of election. On several minor points we disagree with him ; as, for instance, when he speaks of abolishing the Town Board, and placing the management of matters municipal in the hands of the Provincial Government. Badly as the Town Board has done its work, the (rovernment would not be likely to do as well — having quite enough on its hands without attending to the streets of Invercargill. We sincerely trust that both Mr. Davies and Mr. Macdokald may find favor in the eyes of the electors.