THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1860.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 325, 30 November 1860, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1860.

The best institutions will not sustain themselves. They are mere outside forms expanded by human purpose; and if their animating purpose tends to collapse they will naturally shrink back again into mere empty folds. Like balloons they rise only while the breath which fibs them is lighter than the surrounding atmosphere; aud it this begins to escape they must either rapidly sink or be kept up by throwing out the ballast.

What a busy mass of self-educators we see, all studying in the broad comprehensive school of active life. A fermenting present and a hopeful future monopolise human interests, and leave little time to look back upon those eras of romance when families were ennobled and artificial distinctions were created. We cannot stay now to inquire whether the qualifications of a candidate for our suffrages consist merely in 'he means well, and is, besides, a man of education.' We are approaching a time when every man must take his stand upon his own merits, and point to what he may-possess as a proof of what he may be, of his capacity to serve a responsible condition, in which the true worker will stand the highest. We are clearly working our way to a social and political ascendency which must bring with it duties, dmgers, and rewards. It is therefore to all who will be shortly, called upon to exercise the: privilege and responsibility of choosing representatives for parliament, that we wish to address ourselves upon matters that lie nearest to their interests.

We have reached an important period in the history of these islands. Everywhere we see old influences dying, and new principles of order emerging from the apparently decaying elements. How conspicuous is this fact in the wane of the power and charm of rank and station, and in the tendency everywhere manifest sto-.respect the energy that is cutting out its own path and constructing its own fortune.

We are by nature a cautious and conservative people; averse to violent changes of any kind; disposed rather to develope and improve existing institutions; and put up with men, to represent our interests and to make laws for us, whose political honesty or ftatecraft may not be very questionable. It is this sound conservative tendency which, in spite of occasional demonstrations to the contrary, is the governing principle of the English character in every part of the world, and the knowledge of which led to

the conception that it would be perfectly safe to entrust the colonies with a much larger measure of political power than they had ever yet enjoyed. The privileges which we possess by this movement were originally inspired by an elastic and catholic spirit, and their maintenance has unfortunately fallen into the hands of persons wbo think them too full of that spirit, and are therefore uneasy at finding themselves carried up into an atmosphere so much rarer and purer than the dense vapors of class legislation. They have tried to discharge a portion of the original spirit'; and the consequence is, that they are now obliged to discharge a portion of the original cargo. \ The approaching election ought to rouse every man in this province to a sense of what he owes to himself and to posterity. It remains now to be seen whether the influence at work amongst us is that of a stern sense of duty, or a tame submission to a Government who condescendingly point out what ought to be done; stake their political existence upon the success of their measures; and passes over, only, such necessary improvements as the majority of the settlers think desirable, but have no power to i enforce.

Seeing that the ' Nelson Opntingent,' the 'Wellington Oppositiohists,* and the * Taranaki Expectants,' can no longer proceed together, the • friends' of the Stafford Ministry are prepared to cast off those with whom they have the least sympathy, and politely hand down the sturdy but independent yeomen electors into a parachute, as ballast too heavy for their complacent flight. Look to it, Electors of Nelson! The men you want must be men of indomitable will; of stern and unassailable honesty; of uncompromising purpose in political action; men who will identify themselves with the governed, and not with the place-giving governors', men who will seek not their own emolument, but the good of the province:: These are the men we all need—theme**; we must have to represent us in parliament' for the future. Otherwise that which was bestowed upon us by the Imperial Govern- ! ment as a boon will become a curse, and all the paraphernalia of ' Responsible Government,' ' Representative Legislature,' *Ge-| neral Assembly,' &c, a byword to older nations, who, seeing our folly, will laugh us to scorn, or pity our weakness. Perhaps there is no task which is less conscientiously discharged than that of defending political rights. Often passionately claimed, passionately assaulted, and passionately defended, they are rather scrambled for like property, than watched oyer like trusts. When once they have been long yielded, and the prescription is fully established, a practical usurpation is frequently tolerated simply because we are too idle to interfere. No one thinks of political or social rights as trusts which, as the temporary guardians, it is a breach of duty in us to neglect, but rather as property to which we have an absolute claim, which claim we may waive if we will. Rut we are not proprietors of trusts such as these; we are only tenants for life. And if a tenant for life permits a proceeding which deteriorates the value of that which he transmits to his descendants, he is, as we all know, not a mere easy, kind-hearted | man, but an unjust steward. Certain it is that never in the history ol this colony was there a time more propitious for the introduction and the carrying out of comprehensive and liberal legislation for both races who inhabit these islands than the present, because there was never a time when people of all parties were more ready to enter upon the consideration of great principles free from factious agitation or excitement. If only our political leaders will cast aside their petty personal rivalries and disputes there is every reasonable prospect of their being able to carry wise, I equal, and comprehensive measures, which shall satisfy the intelligence of the country, and admit to political rights all who possess the requisite qualifications to exercise those rights. If we have once more to postpone ! the great questions now agitating every thoughtful and patriotic mind on account of our puerile party disputes, our statesmen may be compelled to yield hereafter to a force of circumstances not to be resisted, and that may prove to be the total ruin of the colony.

We earnestly hope that every elector will be faithful to the trust committed to him. Whatever is thought to be morally and politically true should be openly professed and acted upon. That settled, there can be no faltering of purpose, no hesitation in action. With this root of honesty in each man's soul, support will be given to men of like calibre with themselves, and a happy and hopeful day will doubtless dawn upon Nelson.

As another specimen of petty trickery resorted to by the Stafford Ministry, whom it has delighted our late so-called representatives to support through thick and thin, we quote the following from the New Zealander of November 17th, without further note or comment than merely observing that it has bi-en overlooked by both editor and Mr. 3?ox that Nelson City, for some dirty object or other, has been similarly treated. «THE SOUTHERN WRITS., ; 'We stated in our last that some of the writs for the election of Members of the House of Representatives at Wellington had been issued, and were sent down by the steamer which conveyed the ex-mem-bers to their homes; We gave, the on dit as we heard it, not being certain, and not | being willing to believe, that theTßesponsible Government had condescended to play so small a trick. As the statement has not been contradicted, we are compelled to accept -it as a fact, and we very heartily concur in the sentiments respecting that procedure, which are expressed in the following letter from Mr. Fox:—