OPEN COLUMN.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume II, Issue 58, 8 February 1868, Page 3

OPEN COLUMN.

(To the Editor of the “ Wairarapa Mercury.”) (To the Editor of the “ Mercury.”) Sir, —If I could have any idea whatever that the Editor of the •* Wellington Independent ” was as impartial as yourself in' admitting correspondence that would reflect upon his own leading articles, I would have written to him last week instead of writing to you. And now he that is ready to abuse everyone else that may fairly differ from him in opinion has the meanness to use his own expression, to make insinuation that “ I do not think ” he himself believes, but which be “ may ”, think he can persuade a .few of his readers to believe, .

In my letter to you last week which has so seriously hurt the thin-skinned editor of the “ Independent ” who is so ready to give a blow but cannot bear to receive one himself. I pointed out how I thought he had accepted the “ Melbourne Argus ” as the only correct of public opinion in Victoria. When any thinking man who is a reader of Victorian newspapers might have noticed that that journal does not represent public opiniou in that colony because it has for years past denounced a Ministry that has retained the confidence and support of the colony. Time after rime has the McCulloch Ministry dissolved the Victorian Assembly to appeal to the colony against the obstructiveness of the i Upper House and on each of these occasions it has received the approbation of the colony, and even now that colony is again appealed to and is now in the midst of a general election, and the government have again secured sixteen seats out of the first twenty. That your readers may understand the mean-’ ing of this statement more fully, I may mention that the 78 seats of the Lower House are filled up at a general election in three separate batches and the twenty seats mentioned in the telegram refers to the first of those batches.

, The habit of cbhdemning people on the dictum of their opponents appears to be a growing evil with journals that are not subject to the action of a fair and healthy rivalry and competition. Another instance of it occurs again in last Saturday’s “Independent,” It appears from the leading article that the editor of that journal fully believed what appears in a New York newspaper about four millions of blacks being armed with the vote and that by means of those four millions of black votes civilisation will retrograde in America. Now Sir, a moment’s reflection ought to have shown the editor of the “Independent” that the picture drawn up by the New York newspaper he refers to was much exaggerated. In the first place the whole of the negro population of America is only about four millions, so that there are more than six white men to one l negro in the United States. In the next place, all the negro women and ehildren should be deducted from the four millions who are said to be armed with the vote would reduce the blacks votes, to less than one million adult males and out of that number there will be many that may not have votes at all and a great many others that will not trouble themselves to vote after the first election or so when the novelty of the thing shall have worn off.

There is also another view of the matter that has been overlooked by newspaper writers that with the self-confidence of ignorance look down on American statesmen. The black vote will not exert a greater influence on American politics than the Celtic vote has done for many years past.

The Celtic race never has been strong enough in America to form a party to govern the country, but nevertheless when other parties are nearly balanced, the Celtic vote may then as it often does decide which of the American parties will govern their adopted country. This is also what the black vote will do. It will influence and may sometimes decide the fate of parties and in some measure it will no doubt counteract the Celtic vote and therefore will reduce the power and influence of Fenianistn in American politics because the black vote and the Irish vote will be opposed as to each other, and therefore will neutralize each other. Your’s &c., X.Y.B. [As this Column is impartially open to all who have opinions to express or comments to make in a fair and legitimate manner on public men and measures, we have thought it only fair to give X.Y.B. an opportunity of repelling an attack that was made by the “ Independent ” on the colony and form of government in which he appears to take an interest. As for the remarks made by the editor of the ‘ Independent’ about ourselves, we pass them by as unworthy of any notice from us Ed. W.M.]

Pleasant Place, Tu Pam Para, January 27, 1868. SIR, —On referring to your paper of January IS, 1868, I perceive that in the report of the Resident Magistrate’s Court held at Peatherston on January 14, that “ a charge of assault by R G rant against John Vile was withdrawn by consent of the Court.” Now Sir I wish to correct that report, The fact was, J Vile v. R. Grant for charge of assault which was withdrawn. As I have always endeavoured to live peaceably with every one and was never accused of an assault. I felt annoyed at the incorrectness of the report and shall esteem it a favor by you inserting this letter for the information of the public. I remain, Sir, Your’s respectfully. JOHN VILE.