THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M Resurrexi. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2088, 13 September 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M Resurrexi. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1875.

These is a martial spirit rife amongst the members of the fourth estate, and the pugnacious mantle of the renowned editors Pott and Slurk of Eatanswill, bedecked and adorned with choicest invective and abuse, seems after' a short stay at the offices of the French Figaro to have fallenjuponthe shoulders of Mr George McCullagh Reed. The facts at any rate seem to justify us in coming to this conclusion, if the word of Mr William ■Bowe and the columns of English newspapers be taken as sufficient data whereon to base conjecture. Thus we have an account of a duel in Belgium between M. Eosati, editorial secretary of the Paris Presse, ajjd M. Perivier, a writer in the Figaro, the result being that he of the Figaro, was slightly wounded in the chest and arm. Not content with thus vindicating tho honor of the Figaro, the editor, the elder Cassagnac, a youth o'er | whose head as novelists would say some sixty-eight summers have rolled, considers that to M. Gambetta he owes all the insults which appeared in the Bepublique Francaise, and challenges him to settle their differences by an appeal to the duello. M. Gambetta, despite his hot-headedness,properly refuses; averring that he has other duties to his party and nation to perform which prevent his offering his life to the first licensed cutthroat who may imagine himself capable of taking it. With this answer, however, M. de Cassagnac ianot content, and openly avows his intention of publicly kicking M. Gambetta on" the first available opportunity, and thus forcing him, as he supposes, to vindicate his damaged honor. What will be the result we have yet to learn. We know that Frenchmen are proverbially choleric; French editors perhaps more so than the generality of their countrymen. As long as they confined their pugnacious propensities to themselves, it did not so much matter; and the mere fact of one of the staff of the Figaro being pinked in the chest and laid up for a few weeks was not of itself of sufficiently startling a nature as to cause the rest of the world much inconvenience. Neither, in fact, did it make much difference to us of this colony whether Cassagnac and Gambetta exchanged the columns of the Figaro and Bepubiique Francaise for the sword and pistol; the latter might be more fatal, they could not be well more acrimonious. But it does become something to us when evil examples spread their contagions to pur own shores, and the " evil communications " engendered in the French newspapers prove the truth of the sentence so oft dictated to us in our copy bookstand " corrupt the good manners" of Mr G. M. Eeed. We presume that Mr Beed's manners were good hitherto, but they can hardly be considered so now when we find him following the example of the French editors and shaking his fist in the face of Mr William Bowe of Caledonian renown (vide Auckland Evening Star) as that gentleman was taking his walks abroad in Auckland. Mr Bowe has promised to tell us more on this subject, but the cause of the insult seems to have been—as far as can be gathered from what he aaid on Saturday, and from what appeared in the Auckland Erening Star—that Mr Beed imagines that the Thames community at large are at the beck and call of Mr Bowe in all they do or say, and picture him as saying—

I am Sir Oracle ! and when I ope "• my lips lot no dog bark. And as the people of the Thames have committed the unpardonable sin (in Mr Seed's eyes) of declaring in favour of Abolition, Mr Reed can come to no other conclusion than that Mr Rowe forced them to take the part they hate taken, and therefore insults Mr Rowe in the

street, imaginiug that thereby he vents his auger ou the Thames. Now if Mr Reed intended, by shaking his fist in Mr Eowe's face, to imply that he was ready for Kirn, roan to man, whenever he chose to come to a pugilistic encounter, it is no matter of ours. Unlike England,-there are no doubt many spots -$t> New Zealand where these frolics of the fancy can come off without the interference of the police, and if Mr Eeed wishes to fight he can for all we care; we certainly shall not follow the example of Bell's life and send a reporter to the scene of action, but content ourselves with quoting the stereotyped phrase of- that journal, and wishing that " the best [ man'inay win ; >f but if Mr Eeed thinks that the Thames people are so much under the dictation of Mr Eowe as to follow him like sheep, why he is about as much out in his reckoning as he can well be. It was not Mr Eowe alone who wished for abolition, but a goodly proportion of the whole community —Anti-Eowites and Eowites combined; and it would require a man to speak with, a hundred times Mr Eowe's power of voice, and ten thousand times his ability to induce them to form opinions different to those they now hold. At the same time it has never been attempted to be disguised that there are amongst us many who hold very strong opinions agninst Abolition, although they have not been so loud in condemning, as others have in approving the principle. The insult to the people of the Thames given by the self-elected champion of the " men of Auckland" in supposing them to be such slaves and fools as to be under the control of one man, no matter who he might be, and to follow him right or wrong, is greater far than the shaking of the editorial fist in.his face is to Mr/Eowe7 When will the Auckland/ Star fearii to separate the individual from the community? The Thames people are certainly against him in his political views, and if he chooses to make them the subject of his abuse let him do so for ought that it is likely to affect the interests of the place; but as far as the threatening gestures are concerned^ if he indulges in many of them, Mr Eeed may find that these things do not always end in gestures, neither are they always confined t© one party, but that arguments may be a posteriori as well as a^priori.

We do not know who is responsible for the fiasco at the Theatre Boyal on Saturday night, but whoever it was does not deserve well of the Thames people. The ostensible purpose of calling the meeting was to obtain signatures to a petition urging the Government to press the Abolition and Local Government measures through Parliament during the present .session, but it was apparent that this was not the real intention of those who had convene.d what will be termed by the opponents of abolition a hole-and-corner meeting. The Thames people have already spoken out freely on the subject, and although the public meeting at which the abolition was approved was hot a large one, we believe it represented the feelings of a large majority of the people in the district. At least that meeting Lad the merit of publicity, and it was open to the opponents of the measure to come forward and expound their views. But the same cannot be said of Saturday night's failure, and the only way-we can account for such an iil-advised proceeding is that a few persons who would wish to be considered the leaders of public opinion thought to make political capital for themselves; whereas they were very nearly bringing the community into disrepute, as they certainly made themselves ridiculous. The latter would be a trifling matter, but if the absurd proceeding had resulted otherwise than it did, it would have furnished a handle to the opponents of abolition winch would have been used against the district and people. We trust these self-elected exponents of public opinion will take a lesson from this miserable failure and try in the future to act openly and above board. For ourselves we will be no party to the machinations of a clique. If it be considered advisable to reopen the discussion on abolition, let it be done publicly ; but if certain gentlemen wish to make personal explanations, or gain political influence by fictitious pretexts, then we say the people will not be a party to any such proceedings, especially when advantage is taken of circumstances to compass their ends by means which are discreditable, and calculated to prejudice the healthy political feeling of the community. The only persons whose names appear in these proceedings are the Mayor, Mr Wm. Davies, and Mr Wm. Eowe. The former has compromised himself, and was very nearly involving the Borough over which he presides. We hope he will avoid such a mistake in future. Mr Eowe evidently wanted to make persona explanations, and- under other circumstances such explanations might furnish aome amusement; but on Saturday night the Mayor and Mr Eowe were made catspaws of by some persons who were afraid or ashamed of the result of their intrigues. j

The Rev. P. P. Agnew, at present on the Thames as a lecturer, filled the pulpit at St. James' Church yesterday morning. In the evening the reverend gentleman held a special service inthe Academy of Music, commencing at seven o'clock. There was a large and respectable attendance. Mr Agnew commenced the service by reading a portion of the evening service of the Church of England, after which he engaged in extemporary prayer. He then chose for his text a verse from St. Paul's Epistle to Timothy—" Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life." The discourse on these words was a most earnest and.impressive one, lasting orie hour, but the attention of the hearers was absorbed

throughout. The preacher has a gift of language and a ready delivery which are surprising. Without note of any kind he dealt with his. subject in a thoroughly exhaustive manner.^ Tho service was brought to a close with the singing of the Doxology, and the Benediction^ ,-_„ : " [Enoch " made "its appearance? on Saturday, and the "following appeared?:—r About those boots;-- An Intelligent^agrant is perhaps not ,so hard upnowNas he used to,be when in this poor prdvinco of Auckland. If ho will be so kind as to send us twelve and sixpence in stamps, the amount shall be applied towards the expenses of oinT periodical. Tbe conscience of "Intelligent Vagrant" will then be at rest upon oce little matter at any rate. [Really,,, his nonchalance is astounding ! Suum cuiqite is » motto it would well become him and all others to observe, when they have ability.

The suspense which, for some time, has been experienced in regard to the return of Bishop Croke to the Diocese of Auckland, was by the San Francisco mail of Thursday, removed. From letters and papers received by the Very Rev Father Fynes, who has acted as Vicar-General and Administrator of the Diocese since his Lordship's departure, it is learnt that the appointment by the Pope of tho Bishop to the Arch-Diocese of Cashel, is a fact. Bishop Croke writes :—" Will you kindly say, in some public manner, to the Catholic people of Auckland, and ■when convenient, to those iof other localities also, that-4t shall eyier cherish a grateful remembrance of them, and that my separation, though in some sense satisfactory, is not wholly unmingled with regret. I spent in Auckland some of the happiest days of my life. Amongst the priests and laity I reckon, and shall always reckon, the most valued friends I have ever had on earth." Again : "In every way possible, I shall endeavour to advance the interests of the Diocese of Auckland as long as I live; and the new Bishop, whoever he may be, will find in me a true and faithful friend. I shall request the authorities in Home to lose no time in naming a Bishop to succeed me." —Cross.

The anhiyersarj soiree of Lodge Sir Walter ScotP' will take place in the Academy of Music this evening. Tea will be supplied at a-quarter-past six. A concert will follow, with addresses from the Key. James Hill, the Eev. Mr Agnew and others, arid afterwards there will be a dance. In connection with the latter we are informed that ladies provided with tickets to the soiree will be admitted to the dance—and none other; but gentlemen attending the dance will be charged an additional sum on the soiree tickets. From the success which attended the gathering last year expectation is high as to this evening's celebration. The Rev. Mr Agnew on a visit to the Thames, who formerly was Grand Chaplain to two Constitutions in New .South Wales, has kindly consented to deliver a short address, which will no doubt be listened to with interest.

At a Consistory held on July 5/the Pope appointed Dr Herrera, Bishop of Santiago de Cuba; Dr Romero, Biihop of Santa Maria, in New Granada; Dr Cayaez, Bishop of Puna, in Peru; Dr Crbke, Archbishop of Cashel, in Ireland, Dr Doutrelon, Bishop of Gerra, in partibus and coadjutor. ■. c

All the world is n^w hearing of Signor Salvihi,Mthe Italian tragedian, who, as stage cant has it, has just " knocked 'em" in London. Writing of" his earlier life, a correspondent of th© Melbourne Argus says:— l( At Florence, where the Marquis of .Normanby—whose taste and cultivation are well remembered—was ambassador from England to the Tuscan Court, he was received with immense enthusiasm, and Lord Normanby, who was his strenuous friend and admirer, is said to have decided him to add "Hamlet" and " Macbeth " to the " Othello " which he had already rendered famous."

It is some time since we were called upon to record anything in the way of "selling off" or "immense reductions" in the clothing department. But we are now reminded that Messrs J. Cosgrave and Co., are caUing a sale of drapery and clothing at their establishments in Owen and Albertstreets. The stocks in these establishments embrace £20,000 worth of goods. Cheap drapery and winter clothing will now be the order of the day.—Advt.