The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1866.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 272, 1 June 1866, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1866.

The Eailway Investigation question, has assumed an importance, and called forth, from an extreme section of the community an amount of bitterness of feeling quite unnecessary. The parties that are keeping up this agitation are displaying a misdirected zeal and resorting to means for the accomplishment of their designs as foolish as they are un-English — they are throwing out groundless insinuations and making reckless statements which must damage the cause they have espoused, and ultimately bring universal censure upon themselves. We have before said, and now reiterate the assertion, that in the past the Eailway transactions were a series of blunders, of extravagance, mismanagement, and stupidity. That they were entered upon in haste, conducted in ! anything but a business manner, and that much loss to the Province has been j the result, but few will deny ; but when ! peculation, jobbery, corruption, and intensified wickedness is attributed to all the parties who had anything to do with them, and many who had not, we join issue. Whatever may have been the errors ofthe early administrators of Southland's affairs, however great may have been the mistakes made, their intentions have been good

the cry of governmental incapacity and i and governmentat fraud, with that inconsistency and small mindedness, which is usually characteristic of little knots of but partially informed villiage politicians, have hurled anathemars at all without judgment or discretion. The only effectual means of silencing such men is to prove that they are wrong — to show that fche idol at whose shrine they worship is not the infallible demi-god they had imagined. Holding these views, we welcomed the initiation of a Eailway Commission, by the CUTHBEBTSO2r-C^?ra-BLACKLOCK Ministry, and gave it support. When after the debate on the railway question had terminated ; and the dispute between Mr. Maechant and the Grovernment had been settled, one of fche narrowminded leaders of the discontents, affirmed that the time had passed, that the investigation was no longer required, and induced the Council to strike out the item for the expenses of the inquiry. But immediately after the sitting of Council, this embryo-politician in an underhand manner endeavours to gefc up a petition and seeks to cast unmanly and unwarrantable reflection on the present Grovernment, and for the furtherance of party ends, seeks to fix the blame of neglecting to obtain au inquiry upon the i present Executive. The course which is ' now being taken to obtain it, is vicious, ! un-English, humiliating, and degrading to a community professmg to reverance self-government. The "Star Chamber" manifestations of these small pretenders to political distinction, are such as would render them harmless, were it notthat they are the cleverly worked tools of deserving men — that under the mask of desiring an investigation, the adroit pullers of the wires are making the puppets dance to a tune which means no inquiry at all. These remarks are not too strong pWhiie the fchout for investigation, wore I a .legitimate aspect all who desired the welfare of the province, gave the advocates credit for honesty of purpose. _ All they dem anded was conceded, but it did not suit the purpose of the leaders, to have the questionsifted, and therefore every efiort was made by them in the Council to burk the inquiry. They succeeded, — but no sooner is the session of the Council closed, than the "cry Eailway investigation " is again heard ; appeal to the G-eneral G-overnment becomes the demand. No public meeting to debate the question is held, but a snug hole and corner party consisting chiefly of those who were instrumental in " burking" the investigation in the. Council, concoct a petition to the G-eneral Aasembly, and expect the public to endorse the backdoor arrangements of the imitators of the "three tailors of Tooley Street." We have much mistaken the tone and temper of the public mind if any such un-English and cunning devices, will be supported by the people ; or the petition ever received by the General Assembly. We will not say that there are no men among the faction who do not honestly desire that a thorough investigation should be obtained, but we do say that they have adopted the very best course to prevent it, and that their leaders know it. It is to this we object. The Commission of Inquiry instituted by the Provincial Government should have been allowed to carry out the task appointed for them— they were not permitted so do this, and who were the obstructors ? . Certainly not the Government but those who a few days afterwards were with locked doors concocting a Petition to the G-eneral Government, asking it to do what a few days previously they had affirmed _in the Council to be unnecessary. Consis^ancy such as this is as degrading to the individuals displaying it as humiliating to the country in which they live. If a Eailway investigation is to be obtained — it is desirable thai it should— it will not be by the machinations of the " secretroom" fraternity, but by a legitimate and openly expressed public opinion — the present movement is not such. — " .i