THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1857.

Colonist, Issue 6, 10 November 1857, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1857.

" As truth is truth, And, told by halves, may, from a simple thing By misconstruction to a monster grow, I'll tell the whole truth." Sheridan Knowles. Society, in old countries, if in a moderately healthy state, must, in its ordinary issues, press its increase into new and wider scenes. Indeed, it cannot sanitarily hold together without either limiting itself by prudential means, or swarming off its redundancies. Genuine freedom, the proper well-being of its citizens, inevitably augments our species, in accordance with the earliest" and most obligatory social mandate, "be fruitful and multiply;" and colonisation, from the dearest of ancestral Edens, naturally seeks new homes in virgin or unoccupied regions, as the sequence of 'legitimate physical, not to say moral, obedience. Such being the fact, every sober and duteous mind must necessarily, in theory or practice, take some kind of direction resembling that of the personal colonist. To free -born Britons, whose unrestricted 'feelings and "movements render them such contrasts to others of olden Europe and Asia, colonial tendencies and movements are the strenuous promptings of their consciously ennobling advancement, we might say patriotism ; for our national empire or glory,—the reign of equity and peace, to which victories at best are but tributary,—assumes the true colonial character. To invest this with its right accomplishments, it becomes essential to employ whatever agencies are likely to strengthen and improve it. Few things contribute to this object more favorably than the Press, in particular those portions of it situated in the various British Settlements, and under the fullest influence of their hopes, solicitudes, and exertions. Publications, -therefore, like the Colonist, whose usefulness we are anxious to mature and exert, in an enlarging sphere, are exceedingly valuable as watchers on our political battlements, and wakeful, careful warders of the people's weal. They are the proper tutelary spirits, beaming through their appropriate emblems, and stationed by Providence around our most important strongholds. One of the prime duties of the' Colonist will be to form intimate acquaintance with the habits and wants of all/parties in its "ample field of labour. For this we shalltry so to elevate our vision as to be enabled to range the entire intellectual horizon that may be unfolded to us by time and circumstances. It will be ours to attempt something for the consolidation of really good institutions. To a utter 'timely warning; to adventure upright counsel; to rouse the apathetic at any post of moment; to cheer the faint in enterprises of permanent interest; to beckon the rising genius of our young and vigorous commonwealth to advantageous openings worthy of its promise : these will be a few of our obligations. Nor shall we refrain from the less grateful but imperative work of firmly, but kindly, and, if possible, becomingly administering rebuke and correction, when reformation or amendment is obviously demanded. Of course, we shall ever feel self-admonished by a due consciousness of our various personal and editorial imperfections,—nor shall we be insensible to improvement under the beneficial admonitions, from time to time, of either friends or opponents—the latter perhaps most often more out-speaking and awakening to sound wisdom. But we purpose to listen to conviction, and manfully to withstand the temptations of mere partisanship. To rectitude and verity alone we owe allegiance; and we must fare hardly indeed if, in any serious instance, we knowingly betray our loyalty. We may unintentionally countenance, if such expression be permitted, mistaken individuals in minor concerns involving no paramount or guiding principle. Yet we shall systematically do battle for no mere class, as such ; on the contrary, we shall contend, if it must be so, for what we consciously deem the best, the best for \he many now, the best for posterity, the best most purely and extensively. If there he one matter from which our better nature will more instinctively revolt than from any other, at least in the way of political business, it will be the low, ungenerous, but too common fault of diverting precious public time and service from their highest and truest end. Petty speechifying, frivolous opposition, foolish squabbles about paltry expedients, silly personalities, egotistical individualities, together with the contemptible tricks of incroaching and hindering factions, we shall do our utmost to silence. Nor shall we be tardy in holding up every meanness of that sort to censure and to castigating contempt. One great duty will ever command our fidelity— all the good that can be effected honestly, at any given period, for our little Settlement and our Colonial body politic. At this we shall uniformly aim. For this we shall struggle ; and we feel that in such a cause we shall enjoy, in defiance of all contravention, most exhilarating satisfaction. Virtuous endeavour is power; it is more—it is enjoyment of permanent reward. . . . Our readers have a right to ; expect in our columns correct statements, fair arguments, and

records in strict faith. We trust they will be seldom disappointed. But there are cerlain almost unavoidable illusions. p;oduced by various .extraordinary excitements, that may now and then exhale,us it were, in the Provincial atmosphere, and deceive us v.o less than our more experienced neighbours. Mis representations, .occasioned by partial and defective ex parte, or circumstantial evidence, sometimes become the parents of monstrosities, often ridiculous, but anon of grave and even lamentable results. Our task will generally, we flatter ourselves, point out to us the importance of guarding against such evils; for whilst they by chance pavtial.ly deify a poor creature,- they not infrequently stimulate the votaries of ignorance, passion,- or sanctimonious pride to the perpetration of a kind of crucifixion. Our Colonist must necessarily be more of a contemplative and literary order, than a stalwart adventurer in rough, lands and forestsBut our work, nevertheless, will probably extend itself to difficult,. rugged departments of thought, involving, peradventure, social, legislative, and scientific hardships. Still we shall be emulous of equalling and mastering our vocation. At least we cannot dare to ■fail in it, without a strenuous essay to overcomjg^every obstacle. We hope to be able to attend practically to the dictate^ of St. Barnard—-" J spice, respice, prospice" —steadily surveying, reviewing, and anticipating all that subserves the onward course of out compatriots. However, it becomes us to be wary of the forward brag, and empty vaunt. Deeds, honafide serviceable actions, though merely feats of the nimble pen and ready type, must at length speak for us, rather than easily spoken words. An era of gold has recently embossomed its treasures in our midst; it is an age' also of palmy intelligence and desert; unhappily, it is more remarkable for profuse verbiage, useless wordly lumber in senates and stated assemblies; and the mischief burdens every form of jurisprudence and correspondence. If any diggings want a strong cleansing current, the digging and delving of the tongue and pen require it. We shall esteem it fortunate if by concise and accurate reviews of public men, measures, or authors, we can now and then form a beneficial rill of this description where it may be urgently needed. It will be our care to remove the rubbish and preserve pure nuggets. .Never shall we overlook the rising generation. The recollection of our own early aspirations, of our sufferings, tranquilly borne, of portentous plans, dissolved by the charm of unquailing courage walking in its own light through, darkening storms, will ever attach our sympathies and kindest fraternal wishes to our younger brotherhood. All that is gracious. ji*t aad serviceable within us, will be constantly and •pleasingly taxed for their welfare. Nothing that can taint or injure them shall we tolerate. To raise the poorest,—even those who say they are rich, but are the while blind, destitute, aad miserable, —to refine the rude, reclaim the wayward and reckless, but above all to seek to ennoble the industrious^ will always be to us so many sovereign motives impelling us; onward in our arduous mission. Purifying recreations, and many such there are, intellectual entertainment?, and anything that can m:tigute. the sorrows, or elevate the pleasures of our kind,: will not be suggested to us in vain. In a wo.'d, every profitable idea, each sweetly budding and expanding sentiment, we shall be but too happy to gather and bind on the brows of the young Our youth are the hostages of that more perfect future, that looming restoration that shoots upward its tokens of approach. Whatever have been the fearfully intimidating hostilities of error, vice, and oppression, and we all know they have been and still are most appalling,—one prominent, aye, we may say, dominant fact is established—the gathering force of virtue, the confluent spiritual energy of mankind, deepens, and widens. Already does it spread a living glass to improvements grouping along its progress, and- smiling under, auspicious slues. All the signs of the times, the ■ revealing fingers of prescient mind, point urimistakeably over all our little passing secularities, to a sublime advent. Christians, Israelites, Moslem Changes, Multiform Paganism, and even Pantheistical Philosophers are all turning to one quarter, as if they all sailed in one invisible but mighty stream, or obeyed an unseen moral attraction. The secret pressure of all learning and philosophy, every one of the diffusive rays of impulsive and essential light, all benign influences seem to unite in publishing an approaching consummation. A new and an eventful day, potent as a creation, although gradual as a spring, glows and blushes in our last, and, to a true discernment, encourages the hope of nations to hail a brighter, better epoch, than ever dawned before. Glancing for an instant over what we have written, we fear all this may sound too much like a homily. It is so probably; because we write in all earnestness ; and to be earnest is to be solemn, as we presume every one should be who seeks to grapple with sturdy wrongs, and who ardently longs to do his best in a serious undertaking. Other seasons will occur in which, by way of relief, it may be well to sparkle and even to laugh. At present, much as we detest heavy gloom, and sour looks, we have no inclination for sportive trifling, any more than the gew-gaws of formal cant. In this temper we conclude our editorial strain, —the blowing of a feeble horn it may be over the line of march before us ; hut if we have succeeded in calling attention and reflection to interesting pursuits, it will be enough to inspire us to dare far more. Meanwhile, gentle reader, we would propitiate thy candour and forbearance.