The Westport Times. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1128, 28 November 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28, 1873.

" There is hope in change."—'A. puny [platitude yielding to vacillating minds scant crumbs of comfort. A straveling idea begotten of babbling innocents. As applie 1 to mortality in extremis •meaninc; little as against the dim uncertain future. In politics meaning 'still less. Especially in the mouths of present local politicians is the phrase •of doubtful value. More especially as affecting the contest for the Sup.-r----intendency is the truth of the adage wholly unassured. Change is needed, the patient may be sick even unto death, the physician may know how much depends on his skill in alterative treatment, how much evil has resulted from his previous excess of cautiousl'ess, but at the crisis between lift-and death he does not give way to the first audacious charlatan who, with Undue and noisy pretensions, asserts himself. Nor do sorrowing friends permit to cross their threshold one who, with rant and bluster and inflated selfconceit, attempts to intrude where calmness and careful judsjment should alone prevail. The simile shadows forth the present aspect of Nelson affairs political. Doctor Curtis has ministered not wisely but too well. He has trusted less to his own skill than to the vigorous vitality of the Pioviuce, which, struggling against

manifold evils, is yet a long way from death's door. Irs system requires recuperative treatment, and under Dr Ciirtis's new regime will obtain it. It would tinn with loathing and infinite distrust fioin the nauseous compounds and villainous concoctions Dr. Eugene would incontinently drench it with. That in such a change there could bo any hope is but proof of human perversity, a proof conclusive that reasoning man too often hopes against his better judgment. 'Tis a wearying task to pen so often the name Eugene Joseph O'Conor. To him it may, in fact it does, give grim satisfaction. It gives him notoriety without which he is as nowhere. Claiming to be a persecuted martyr of a venal press, and possessing the impertinence to suppose that those who write therefor consider him from any other point of view than as an unmitigated nuisance, he asserts that he is the victim of conspiracy, and, such is the influence of overhearine; conceit, prevails on some few at least to believe, to pity, and confide in him. Under such influence the duty of penning a single line concerning him is as something to be aohorred, but as a duty is also something to be done. That duty now is to ask the electors have they consid red carefully the credentials of the Westport " local" aspirant to the office of Chief Physician of Nelson Province. Do they know of their own knowledge of his education, training, ability, or integrity of purpose, that he is fitted to fulfil the duties of office. Never mind about his re_:al or noble descent. It matters little to him or any other man whether his ancestors descended from " earth's early kings," came in with the Concpieror, or went out with the first batch of convicts. Never mind considering his present " energy." Greed, self-interest, or a hundred other base incentives, will rouse a man to struggle for the prize of power, rank, and pelf. The one question is, his personal fitness for office. Let the electors consider, apart from all outside influence, whether, in their business relations with Mr O'Conor, their private intimacies, and their knowledge of his conduct in public affai s he has favorably impressed them with an idea that he possesses the qualities of gentlemanly dignity, moderation of speech, and administrative ability so essentially necessary, or does such experience as they have gained prove him a fierce, overbearing demagogue, a feilow of infinite talk, one of the tribe of " hollow men" who " Like horses hot at Viand Make gallant show and promise of their mettle. But when they should endure the spur They fall their crests and like deceitful jades Sink in the trial." This to the conscientious electors. To the followers who surge around' their Chief with angry clamor, hoping in his success to share the spoils of office — nothing.