What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2069, 21 August 1875, Page 2

What Everybody Says.

"In multitude of counsellors there is safety." —Old Proverb

For nearly a fortnight now the honorable gentlemen of the House of Representatives hare been hammering away at the Abolition Bill, and the end seemß as faroff as ever. If one member makes a point on one side, anotifer follows with a speech which apparently cuts the ground from under him. And yet in all the speeches there is a remarkablesameness. Not one single member has yet advanced any real argument—that is, a careful analysis of the pros and cons of the question and some logical deductions therefrom. All are one-sided—that is, they favor Provincialism or Abolition, and speakers use the strongest arguments and the bett language at their command to suit their own particular views or the views of their party. If some unforeseen event does not happen, it seems more than probable/ Christmas will come and find members still talking when they should be harvesting their grain or counting their fleeces. It will be an unprofitable state of thiugs for the country ; but that is nothing. It will only hasten the financial crisis which the croakers say is inevitable, and the few extra pounds paid to members by way of honorarium will help them to pass through the terrible time without feeling it so keenly as their brethren who do not happen to be regarded as heaven-born statesmen. There is one thing certain, that everybody is getting heartily sick of the whole thing. * They begin to distrust the abolitionists as much as formerly they decried their opponents. And if "a general election would dispose of the business amicably, ivhy everybody would be glad to assist in the solution of a problem which legislators seem to regard as a very knotty point indeed. Some people and some writers have a habit of making up by vehemence what they lack in sincerity. Numerous instances have occurred since the abolition question came so prominently before the colony, and Auckland furnishes the most notable example of this state of things. Provincialists have doubtless much to lose and little to gain by the destruction of their much-loved institution, and they are not particularly choice in the weapons they employ to defeat the object of those whose convictions are opposed to their own. Provincialists in Auckland are a blatant, pugnacious crowd. While agitating against having anything opposed to their own tastes forced down their unwilling throats, they yet seek to compel their opponents to swallow a dose much more nauseous. Their argument, seems to be of a: positive character —that which is, is best, and those who don't like it must yet submit in deference to those who are quite satisfied—never making allowances for the different-cir-cumstances under which people are placed, and the conditions which guide them in forming an opinion of any great principle. Everybody has come to regard abolition as a trial of strength, in which the most powerful must win. So long as people are content to.be governed by majorities, the minorities will have to cave in; and if they won't do it, they must be made—not by "cutlass and brand," but by the force of public opinion, which is a much more effective weapon than either steel or firebrand.

We live in " parlous " times. No one can tell what a day may bring forth. If a sudden stoppage on the telegraph line should occur everybody will suppose that the fair city of Auckland has cut the painter and declared its independence; that the Custom House has been shut up and the bonded stores thrown open. This would be a catastrophe to be deplored as much by Good Templars as by the owners of the bonded goods. It might give some license to the lovers of ardent spirits and dutiable goods generally, but its tendency to order and good government admits of doubt. How is it that some men will make, themselves ridiculous by openly avowing a disposition to acts of lawlessness when they happen to .be.placed in a position from which ihey are supposed to direct their fellowmcn to do what is lawful and right? The only reasonable answer is that these lunatics are anxious for notoriety, no matter how gained. They forget that "the people " to whom they appeal have an innate sense of what is right, and that such stupid utterances can only result in making the utterers ridiculous. Their intentions are undoubtedly mischievous, and a few may be found to listen to these evil counsels, but in the end they will discover that their advice has not only been disregarded, but that they have made motley fools of themselves and their misguided adherents. There was once a great struggle between the North and South of a great country, and the principle which formed the bone of contention was Abolition. The opponents of the principle suffered a defeat. They carried their opposition tp extreme lengths, but the. uselessness of sustaining the fight, had to be ultimately recognised. There be some who would no doubt like to see the present contest carried to the same extreme length, but they will not have that satisfaction;:, Battles .of words are better than physical force in working out the system of political life, and much as some desire to see. the strife removed from the arena of the senate, they will not succeed. They may " Cry havoc and lei loose the dogs of war," but the dogs are too sensible to be egged on by the bulljbaiters. ; v.

AH about politips again, everybody will say, but what can be done in such terribly excited times? Why, say something about

the Fire Brigades and their demonstration says one. All very well, but enough has been said about that business, and there is nothing left to touch upon but the little contretemps which is said to have taken plage in the ball-room, and which came neat to interrupting the harmony of the evening. ;-E>ut this trenches so much on the scan. mag. sort of incident that it is just as well to, observe the old proverb about " the least said the soonest mended." A word to the : wise should be sufficient.

The following epigrammatic parody—or parody epigrammatic—is dedicated by permission of everybody to those individuals, whose intemperate zeal in the cause of Provincialism seems likely to lead them into all sorts of extravagancies :—

Order is heaven's first law, and law is heaven's decree. This is confest, and therefore it must be, That he who wilfully the first perverts, The law designedly and wilfully subverts.