The Westport Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 573, 28 October 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1869.

Qklt two working days now intervene between the present date and the day or polling for the election of a Superintendent. In that shore interval, according to existing arrangements, a deputation jointly representing Charleston and Westport has to proceed to Nelson ; there it has to glean all the information it can with regard to the relative position of the two candidates whom we may distinctively accept as opposing Mr Curtis; and, thus fortified, it has t ' return to the West Coast, or to make use of that uncertain medium of communication —the telegraph—with :i view to influencing the polling in t'-.ese parts. We may not sympathise with the object which the deputation has in view, but we thoroughly do so with the object of the meetings by which its members were appointed. There can be but one conviction, based upon a close observation of the conduct of those who lave interested themselves in the matter, and that conviction is that what they desire really to know is the facts—or, the next best thing to facts, the strongest probabilities—as to Mr Gibbo's or Mr Akersten's chances of success. Each of the candidates may have his friends, more or less enthusiastic, or more or less lukewarm; but, as to the one object of being accurately informed, there is, evidently, a general sincerity and a perfect unanimity of desire. Is the deputation, proceeding to Nelson at this time of viay, £0 closely upon the eve of ihe election, t,nd constituted as >z is, likely to attain that one and worthy object? Are its members likely to achieve anything more than iwcnty-four hours' sea-sickness to themselves, and hope-deferred heartsicdiness to others ? We think not. We believe that their journey will be so much more " love's labor lost." It will not be their fault—they eannot i'ommaud the elements any more than they are likely to command credence. It will simply be their misfortune, but the loss will be the same notwithstanding. It is a second misfortune that, at present, telegraphic communication is interrupted, and, though the interruption may not be a permanent or even prolonged feature of that useful and occasionally " oracular " institution, it may be the means of preventing more than partial and unconfirmed information being received; and, of such information it is of course the impression of parties, according to the slight bias they may have, that already too much has been received. In this dilemma there is but one alternative i'ov the electors. They must—or, rather, will, in all probability—act upon their sympathies with the candidates or with such information relating to them as is already to band ; and the simple sad result will be that Mr Curtis will go in. Were the electors to give as a body, and as they courteously do on other occasions, some heed to their ordinary media of information, we are disposed to believe that this would not happen. So far as this journal is concerned, we have said that we have no more desire to deceive others than we would wish to be deceived ourselves ; and, acting with that feeling, we have given all the information that has come our way relating to the two candidates. The information regarding Mr Gibbs's candidature has certainly been the most ample. We believe it also to be most reliable. We know some of it to come from people who, without extreme sympathy for Mr Gibbs, are, at least, sincere, strenuous, and consistent opponents of Mr Curtis —equally sincere, strenuous, and consistent as, we say—notwithstanding any miserable sneer to the contrary —this journal has been, now is, and would be so long as he holds

office. Of the evidence regarding Mr Akorsten, on the contrary, it has been its feature that it has chiefly emanated from himself, and he had the rnisfortime, if it was not his deliberate fault, to start by giving a false impression in Nelson of his support on the West Coast, where he had never been, and of which he knew nothing. It can be no reasonable wish of ours—it can only be a source of disappointment and caargrin—to point to any one candidate in preference to the other, if by doing so we were to point to the wrong man, or to ensure the success of the man in opposing whom we have given much time and labor time and labor which may not be so palpable as the work of the public speaker, but which, nevertheless, exist in fact. But we have no desire to " force " any information on the electors one way or the other. It would be unbecoming, as it would be fruitless with the " free and independent." We give the information for what it is worth, believing it to be of some worth. T'ley can receive it, or they can refuse it. And as to " persuasion " on the merits of the men who are candidates, they have been before the constituency, and can be judged of " according to their merits." Were they to be fully so, we should have said less as to what is, after all, merely a question as to the fidelity of reports. Our readers may have observed in these remarks more frequent repetition of the first person plural than, we hope, usually characterises these columns. It is contrary to our custom or desire to import the element of " we" into any articles with which our columns may be occupied. In this instance it only occurs in consequence of what is, perhaps, more worthy of contempt than indignation. In a paper which serves badly even the basest purposes—a paper published by, par excellence, the " disinterested" member of the deputation to which we have referred—have appeared some of the most extraordinary, unaccountable, and, we are sure, our readers believe, altogether unwarranted attempts at '* moral assassinttion " that have ever been the- fate of an innocent victim. Neither innocence nor good-temper has saved us from the impropriety of referring, with an air of self-ini-portance, to the principles which, in Provincial politics, this journal has long and persistently advocated. Our apology is due to our readers for elevating, even into momentary consideration, and in such associations, any miserable pariah of the Press, who has, by the " accidents and offences " of his life, become connected with a usually worthy profession.