SOUTH SEA LOYALTY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 3, 29 February 1868, Page 3

SOUTH SEA LOYALTY.

BY SAW JONES.

| I must differ greatly in my mental construction from most people. I fear I am, as I overheard a young man remark, " A queer old fish-."" I certainly view many things differently from what most people do : but then most people never think for themselves on any question not immediately affecting the great ones of food and clothing. • They are certaily question* that demand our best consideration these hard times ; but still, I like occasionally to take some subject of great interest, or which men seem to think of great interest, think it over quietly for myself, and form my own opinions. Whether lam getting stupid as I grow old, t know not; but somehow my opinions often set dead against those of many very wise and very great men. I would not represeUt myself as being altogether singular either, for there are not a few men round these parts old males and acquaintances who will on most occasions back up Sam Jones.

I have often said of late, " What confounded jackasses they are making of ti.-»~ -elves on the other side, kicking - ..n. li a s 1 jjvlv about Prmge_Alfred ' mid so .he- are. ' There are a great i ber (.£ 3on,iMe peop'c ;n; n Australia, i nationally they are making iolly fools of of themselves. Prince Alfred is a very decent young fellow, I daresay— clever and well informed ; but then there are many young fellows as clever and well — informed as he, who find it takes all their ' cleverness and information to keep themselves decently clad. He is the son of an honorable man and a virtuous estimable woman; but Britain owes much of her prosperity to the fact that so many of her sons can make this boast. lam & loyal

subject, and have no wish to preach republicanism-. Monarchy in Britain has of late years wrought well — (Fenianism I look upon as a Yankee speculation) — and I am a believer in anything that promotes quiet and order ; but I am not disposed to altogether endorse the sentiments contained in a nicely- written but somewhat gushing ode of welcome to the Prince, which I read sometime ago. Speaking of the Queen, the ode writer says — 11 For 'tis Our boast to own her Queen. We would not from her sway be f^ee Save to be ruled by one likf tlve, Brave Sailor Duke, thou worthy son Of Albert and Victoria."

How the writer may feel when off hi« stilts I know not, but I have never felt any great inclination to boast on the subject. She is a very good specimen of v very bad class. Few people;, I daresay, have any particular desire to see these colonies free from her sway, and least of all to see, which I suppose our Mend means, Prince Alfred, however brave and worthy he may be, disporting himself as our monarch, and manufacturing a nobility out of such materials as heaven sends him.

If he is, as I suppose him to be, like other young men, fond of enjoying himself in his own way, how he must be bored ! Constantly surrounded by a crowd, and such a crowd. Fools congregated from all quarters to stare at him, and fussy conceited persons making excuses to get themselves under his royal eyes. I have almost expected to hear of his losing all patience and kicking somebody. I could imagine some pudgy important legislator preserving with sacred care the garment touchel by the foot of a j t'nee, and thinking that the part of his person hurt by the royal toe was specially honored. I don't think the Prince could have been blamed if he had conferred this mark of distinction very freely. I would infer from not having heard of his doing so that he has considerable command of temper. But. don't by any means imagine that 1 think no honor nor attention should be paid to him, and that he should be allow^Y i ii. xi. t. i j .-aOTllfied, land altogether unheeded. -^ %■. .• tt •• . ..-a, inendly greeting He is m a ma»v' - „ . j n. -, • __* Kindly feelings towards the and. in -""^ . J . ,i , -■ • bid country; but knowing that he is a man no better nor Worse than thousand* of men everywhere, ought to prevent our over-doing it. If he chooes to Visit Tuopeka in a quiet way, I have a comfortable lint, and can give him as good a feed and spinJiim as good a yarn as any man. Our first-quality men will be ready to throTr themselves in the mud to make stepping stones- for him. Catch me at that game. I would like to clap him on tbJe shoulder (he wouldn't myid the liberty in an old man) and say, " Alf, my boy, you are come of decent people, and if ever God blesses you with a son, let him also be able to say, ' My father was a Prince — that was the accident of fortune ; but I am prouder , because he was an upright honoroble man , than if he had been ten times a prince.' / Yes, Alf, the manly man is the true / nobleman, If we had you up here "work-/ ing in a claim for twelve months we wouly make- » man of you. You would lea/ • the values of yourself and the value f^s others much better than you are or \ likely to do.'* ,