THE TESTIMONIAL TO MR. GASQUOINE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 548, 28 August 1869, Page 2

THE TESTIMONIAL TO MR. GASQUOINE.

(To the Editor of the Westport Times.) Sir, —Allow me through the medium of your paper to correct an error which haa been circulated in the pages of our Charleston luminary. It is with reference to the Gasquoine testimonial. Mr G-asquoine, through sickness, had to leavo, and a few of his friends met for the purpose of presenting him with an acknowledgment of their good-will and esteem. The testimonial was subscribed to by his friends, and no person else was asked, so that " Mothodicus " need not be surprised if he was not numbered amongst them. Bear in mind, it was entirely a private affair. " Mothodicus " wants to know what Mr G-asquoine has done for the district. In reply I will say he has done liis duty right manfully. Ho was first in nearly every undertaking for the good of Charleston. He dfd his best for the Hospital, and worked hard for the Prospecting Association. He also did what he could to further the Water-Kace scheme. As for education, he was always trying to push it ahead, and the only injury he did Mr Moore was to take his own children away from his school. " Methodicua " speaks of Mr Gasquoine suppressing the Catholic school. Such an institution has never been in Charleston. We certainly had a Catholic master, and Mr Gasquoine was the first to hold out a helping hand to him, and

he it was who got Mr Phelan his present situation in Greymouth. " Methodicus " forgets to state that it was Mr Gasquoine who advanced the money for the purchase of Mr Moore's school, and placed that gentleman in it rent free. I need not speak of church matters, as every person here who takes an interest in religious affairs knows very well that he was the first in every thing that was good. Now, Mr Editor, which of the two is the worse —tho publisher or writer of such a letter as that signed " Methodicus ?" I am, Sir, yours truly, Veeacitt. Charleston, August 26. [We have received another letter written on the same subject, and in the same spirit, by a correspondent who signs himself " Pacts." The letter is, indeed, so similar in spirit and diction that it is unnecessary for us to publish it. If anything, " Pacts "is more warm than is " Veracity " in his defence and praise of Mr Gasquoine, and he is highly indignant with our Charleston contemporary. Of course we are bound to say that the opinions of a paper are not to be identified with any letters which appear in it, and such, we shall take it, is the case with any letters which may have appeared, or may appear, in our contemporary's columns on this subject, either pro or con. We must take it for granted, however, that our contemporary has a hearty appreciation of Mr Dutton's recent deliverance on tho ethics of testimonials. For a man to have his character dragged through the mire, or debated in newspaper columns, simply because a few friends wish to fill his fob with a watch, his head with self-esteem, or his heart with kindly feelings towards his fellowmen, is certainly a sure way to put an end to the practice of making such presentations. Under such circumstances a man may well exclaim " Save me from my friends—and testimonials," for he may have reason to sing with a sigh, ana with a very different meaning from that of the author, the common couplet—- " 'Tis thus that on the choice of friends One's good or evil name depends."]