THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 436, 27 December 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSOS T, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1861

' No man is a greater friend to democracy than ourselves ; and our firm conviction is, that, unless the people govern, good government is unattainable.'

Such are the words and such the judgment of the editor of the Examiner, in the article from which we extracted the other day, Tha drift of ,the article is so appropriate to the present electioneering period, that we make no apology for acknowledging our obligations to our contemporary for a eading article.

(From the Nelson Examiner i M.&rch 11th, 1848.)

But we are not so blinded by this opinion as to believe all the people do is wise, neither Will we call them so when -we believe them to be ignorant. The consequence <of this ignorance amohgßt the people has been that their representatives have been chosen often underlie influence of passion, and still more so of prejudice, and not seldom in downright total ignorance. In proportion as the people gain power, so is the necessity for them to possess sound information. We do not expect that the mass of the community in. any country can become legislators, or even acquire the knowledge a legislator ought to possess. But we do confidently hqpethat the people generally may become so far informed as to be able to judge accurately,of the capacity and moral worth of those whom they may select as their representatives. A man may be ignorant of medicine and of law, and yet, from the general cultivation of his intellect, be well capable of selecting with judgment his physician and his lawyer..- So a man may be ignorant of legislation, ■but yet be able to know whether a given candidate befit for the difficult and responsible office of a legislator. This general training, and that sort of knowledge requisite to accurate judgment in such inatteis, is becoming of infinite importance. The instructions lately sent out here by Lord Grey, by which the people of this colony are to be. endowed with self-government in all matters relating to their local affairs, renders it absolutely necessary that the people should acquire the knowledge needed for the right exercise of that power. And yet we find certain persons insidiously throwing obstacles in the way of those who seek to instruct the people, who would attempt to rouse them by discussion, and attract their attention by making them feel and appreciate their interests in the great affair of corporate and legislative government. How many in this small community will be called upon to decide upon matters respecting which they are profoundly ignorant, and which have been studiously kept out of sight at home by ciiurch and sectarian influence, and the still more, mischievouspolitical imposition of taxes upon cheap publications?' < J God knows, we have endured all the miseries and oppression incident.to arbitrary power long "enough, and we have seen that good government is wholly incompatible witli class legislation and aristocratic rule; and so convinced are our would-be rulers of ihat fact, that they are driven to democracy as an experiment, whether they like it or1 not. "■■■' . " . •.....' '■ Common prudence then, one would think, would suggest that it should be tried, under the.most fivorahle circumstances; that is, among an instructed instead of an ignorant people. And yet v may be a-ked, where, issueb a people to be found? The only answer to this that we would make is, if you cannot find one, make one. And it is in the hopes of creating such a people that we have taken the.only course to convey that instruction which, in our isolated situation, and with our limited resources, is open to us. ... It will be said perhaps that we seek to destroy the influence of the richer and more respectable classes. Our object is not to lessen the influence of the respectable classes of society. Our object is to render all classes respectable, in the- only sense in which we consider the term. Weseek to make alTclasses reasonable and intelligent; to make"the people participators in the : business of the government of their own affairs. Hitherto it has been the prevailing cry, tlmt those who-'think should govern those who toil y \ and therefore it has been "assumed" that all those who do not"toil necessarily"think. We deny the assumption and the conclusioni drawn from it. They who toil may be itiduci'd to think, and be so in-' structed as to be capahleof taking a useful as well, as an active part in polities.'. We do not mean biy this that the mechanic is to turn legislator, though ,we know hundreds, of them far better fitted for the task than the idle, extravagant; highborn,'hereditary, and self-constituted legislators, that have been and still are'vour rulers. We would wish \o see every individual capable of truly appreciating the conduct of the legislators whom he has a voifce in choosing. . : ' •-. •> [

By discussing the subject of government vjre enable the people to acquire adefinite'understanding'of what ought to.be the nature or.form of uoverninent. They would then perceive, for ex-ample,-among other things that tlie great mass of the people have hitherto had no share in the choosing their governors;"that, a small body lias usurped the functions of government^ and employed ,tlie powers thereof for their own special benefit.: They would perceive also that so long as they are shut out from any interference with or choice in" the form of, government^ that this small body will continue to.u-r.urp the power, and turn it to .their own private advantage. ... ~''■'■ It is a favorite notion with the English people, that the rich are the most intelligent and most respectable part of the community, and that therefore means should be devised by law to preserve the ruling power in their hands. This is a false assumption. From the nature of all our institutioas at home, and even in our colonies, th&rich have no motive to labor; the two extremes oi society bear a strong 'resemblance to,each other—; the very rich and the utterly destitute; and both are beyond the reach of public opinion. All the great specimens of vice amongst us are to be found in these two classes. They are both of them idle and profligate, rapacious of other men's goods and profuae of their own. - : There is in reality very little difference, except in the outward manner, dress, and language, between a gambling, horseracing, profligate, rich man, and a thieving, drinking, gambling beggar. Both the one and the oilier are a curse to society. Thank <iod, as yet [1848], we are.freo from such extremes. . • We must look to the men of moderate means, who are industrious, intelligent, and honest; to the tradesmen, living by their own daily exertions; to the intelligent and laboring mechanic, for knowledge, and respectability, and worth. To brine the rich within the sphere of those motives which render these classes thus dess rving, is not to iietitroy their rights, and legitimate influence. But this is the charge that, we, and thosiwho, like ourselves, seek to iufuse a proper knowledge .and'spirit of inquiry into the p(?QpJe t are <#nst;*ntly ttytyittyi witbt

The ideas entertained by our opponents of the legitimate influence of property, is keeping people in ignorance by means of laxis upon knowledge, and the getting the people and their children into their national schools, and there trying to frighten theni into a slavish obedience to their factors and masters, and all that are' set in authoriy over them.

It is the having one law for the poor and another for the rich, and a thousand other equally extravagant provisions, that the aristocrat calls the legimate influence of property ; and if, being desirous to free the people from the baneful .effects of such be considered as a desire to destroy its legitimate influence, then we plead guilty to the charge.

Reader,.these are the words of the Nelson Examiner —twelve years ago: there is a great gulf between the Examiner and the People now.

The Prince Alfred arrived from Sydney on Tuesday last, with a large mail for this and other ports. ;She left on the evening of the 17th instarit,J>ringing Bydney files to that date and English news to October 26th. She left for the south yesterday with a large number of passengers and more than eighty horses for Otago. The European intelligence on this occasion is somewhat baie of interest. ■

Theßacks.—Yesterday,being the first day of the Nilson Rupee, according to the arrangement .which appointed them considerably earlier on this occasion than usual, there were four events upon the card which terminated as follows:—The Great Nelson Trial Stakes won hy Mr.; Morse's* chesnut filly Lady Bird; against Mr. H. Stafford's St. Patrick-and Mr. Newcomes Ugly Buck; time, 3 minutes 4 seconds. The Turf Club Plate; won by -Mt. Morse's bm Revoke against Mr. Redwood's? Otto. For the Handicap Sweepstakes Revoke, Ultima and Shadow started ; Waimea being drawn,-Ul-tima, cut out'the running and held it throughout ' coming in a good half length in advance of Revoke' ■ The. Ladies'rPurse, Heats, was contested for by Lady Bird, Ultima, Otto, Kate, and Colonel, and elicited some speculation ; Ultima, won both heata - easily. The weather was much fairer than the ~ early morning augured; a strong S.W. wind, however, qualified the enjoyment that otherwise have attended a. cool and favorable day. We shall give an extended notice of the whole three days'races, in bur next.

Members of Provincial Council —The nomination of town members will take' place on Monday next. As yet;' with ihe cxQeption of Mr. Maekay, no names 6f candidates have appeared. We caa scarcely regard this as arising from lethergy on the part of the electors so much as from the little time that elapses between that and the elm ion for Superintendent. It has been too frt-quent a practice here to elect a Council inimical to .Superintendents, and much of the, time/of the Council has been fritted a way in needlessopposition. In oider to remedy this to some extent, a portion of the electors are desirous of bringing forward the following gentlemen .—-Me* s -s. Adams, Domett, Kingdon, Symons, fl; J. GcoJman, and R. Barn.