"A TERROR UNTO EVIL DOERS."

Southland Times, Issue 889, 27 January 1868, Page 3

"A TERROR UNTO EVIL DOERS."

f Erotn the kelson Jsximiner ) The Wesipori Times of 3lst December, contains ft letter from Mr Apted, the editor of that piper' narrating the birticuiafs of ft violent Assault upon him bk , $tr , dqramissiqner jfynnersley, the Chief Magistrate in the Neison Southwest Gpldfields, which letter refers to., another- which , appeared in the issue of the previous day. This last mentioned, but first published letter, is one of a sketchy series, more or less clever, signed "Bohemian," and containing on this eventful day a paragraph full of blanks and dashes and initials ; but which, whatever force it might have in the immediate locality, — and although it contains' some sound moral lessons and just conclusion respecting the conduct and public demeanour of persons who occupy positions of rule and authority in a community, — Would have been passed over by persons ttt.a but for this subsequent letter of Mr Apted, who tells the public that Mr liynnersley endeavored to batter in his face with a heavy, handled ridingwhip. "We can luirdly bring ourselves to believe that such a thing could have occcured ; and meanwhile, as the matter la one involving issues most important to the welfare of the community, we refrain at present from making any comment on this strange and most deplorable saury." — j.ne n mowing — is tne — peccant" paragraph from " Bohemian's " letter :—- --"It was a lovely day, and I wa3 glad to see both the principal booths ■well patronised — the rank, including Mrs Harris and Mrs Giles patronising on the previous day Morey's ; while the iashion — the demi-monde — patronised Cor-i eoran's. I'm afraid I shall offend ' Truth ' when Itaj that it was hardly the place to expect to find our worthy- — — : the centre of attraction, placed between the gay Florence and the equally g*y Mrs E - — . To be sure a man can do as he hires, but when a gentleman occupies a public position, if he : does- not care about himself being respected, his position demands something, not to say .anything a>jcut the slight or insult implicitly conveyed to the ladies in the other booth. What wouidbe said if Sir H. M. Sutton, the Governor of Victoria, seated himself at the opera; or race between rtwo of the ladies belonging to Mrs Fmzer's establishment, or Sir George Bowen, between Mrs Kinder and a protege of Mrs M'Donald's — and ; — : — fills a similar position in Westport. To say the least of it, it was a gratuituous insult to the people there assembled. There was no attempt at mauvaine horde, in the matter. There is a clauß9 in the Vagrancy Act which we recommend to: active Constable Ehodes, which empowers him to make inquiries info the mode of life of a certain class of females, it is a pity he does not pay a little attention to what i 3 an obvious portion of his duty. I have seen magistrates, Mr Button, .for instance, send women to gaol under this clause j I wonder whether — —could find it in his heart to do so, especially if her husband happened to be in prison ? Scandal was busy enough before relative to certain proceedings, but . I hardly thought that . would have gone the length he has ; to blazon forth to the world his utter disregard for the morals and. usages of civilized society. No doubt he may say ' society be ■ i what do I care for society? I will do as I like: but he ought to know that any scandal on society not only grows stronger as it grows older, but eventually overthrows the scandalizer. Noscitur ex sociis is a good old Latin phrase that may apply in this instance; and when I consider that next to Mrs B— — sat another lady of the mode with a gentleman very well known in society, I might aay Par nohile fratrum. Sufficeth to say that I care but little about the usages of a great deal of modern society ; but I think this is carrying contempt a step too far." And this is the letter of the assaulted editor: — " Gentlemen, — Having placed my resignation, in your -hands this morning, inconsequence of some misunderstanding relative to the conducting of your paper, and in cons; quence of my refusal to divulge the name of any. of the correspondents to your journal — a point of honor with gentlemen in my situation — I'^was little prepared for what was to follow. About four o'clock this afternoon, while reading in your office, I was rather Burprispd to receive a visit from our respected Commissioner Kynnersley, who inquired for me byname. Upon rising to receive him, he asked me to accompany him over to Hamilton's Hotel. Mot knowing what this might be for, and seeing that he had a heavy riding whip in his hand, I refused to go, believing as I had never received ouch an honor before, that h;;had snuie ulterior motive, and in- this. T was not deceived, as the facts will show. He then asked for that morning's paper, and having produced one, he wished fo mow who was the writer of the letter signed " Bohemian." As I had previously refused to satisfy yourselves on that point, and had tendered my resignation rather than do so, I refused to comply with his request. He then wished to know if I was the author of it, and I refused to gratify him, upon which he said it attacked him privately, and on my proceeding to argue the matter with him, he, without a word of warning, struck me unawares, and knocked me down in n bunk, and then proceeded to " hammer" away at me without any further ado, while I was in a defenceless position. Assulting use in such a brutfil manner that I had to send for Dr Bruen, and I am not certain whether my nose is not

, broken. These are the plain facts, and I leave it , to the public to decide wether this is the way for j the head of the law to treat, an Editor of a newspaper who considered he was only doing his duty I shall not let the matter rest here, and believei"g that n cabal has been formed against me here, . 1 shall seek redress elsewhere. . "i haniinjj you ft>r your past Undness, I beg to ; i*eniai"j "Sours fr'ufr, Wtic F. .AP'TEn. Ln! • Editor of the Westpori l^mes and Charleston Argvs.