EUROPEAN MAILS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 175, 26 January 1860, Page 3

EUROPEAN MAILS

ARRIVAL ..OF THE

Up to the 18th November, and Telegraphic Neua to the 26'th‘ November. "

'[Ffour;tl)Tr/fpme A' severe" hurricane hal the coast of England, occasioning . numerous .."shipwrecks. Xhc. Royal Charter from : Mel bourne has been lost," witli .450 souls. The verdict ascribes the wreck to accidental' causes. The Board of Trade have instituted an Inquiry.

Correspondence^

The Gretit Eastern is now at Southampton, after'SsaccessMtnpTrobHoiyliead:par(j'ei r 6f : fins: Kauri gum at; 2gK3o 15s?; and some'very good - realised T7s. per cwt. ■■■■■'* " ..,/■. - . // / The Assemblies of Tuscany, Parma, Modena’’and the Romagna, have elected Prince Carignan .Regent. He has declined the; honour, but appointed a deputy. The Emperor Napoleon has requested the King of Sardinia to annul this appointment. It is reported that .Garibaldi has sent in his resignation as one of the Generals of the Army of Central Italy, and has been made a Lieut.General in the Sardinian army. _ T he apprehension of an invasion by France is revived.

An English Naval Reserve Force 0f30,000 is to be enrolled for the national defence. The Rifle Volunteer movement is going forward with great success all over the country. The Zurich treaties are fully signed. The expected Congress has not yet been summohed, but will probably meet soon. England refuses to join the Congress unless the rights of the Italians are recognized. A French expedition of 8000 men is expected to sail for China ahout the middle of December. It is stated that Austria, Prussia, Sweden, and Denmark, intend to despatch ship 3 to watch the proposed Anglo-French expedition to China. Spain lias declared war against Morocco. Afarshail O’Donnell takes the coramand-in-chief of the Spanish expedition against Morocco. : Tangicrs is deserted by Europeans. There is a strong British fleet at Gibraltar. An interview between the Emperor of Russia and the Prince Regent of Prussia, at Breslau, has been the subject of much speculation. Four chiefs of the late conspiracy at Con - stantinople have been condemned to death. The executions have been delayed. The population sympathizes with the culprits. Tlie reply of the American government on the San Juan affair is stated to increase tho danger of hostility. A negro insurrection broke out lately in tho United States, hut has been suppressed, v. The Pope promises reforms. Prayers are constantly offered up for the Pope in all the Roman Catholie churches in Great Britain and Ireland. The Roman Catholic clergy and laity of London have sent the Pope an address of sympathy. A movement is attempting in Ireland to raise levies for the service of the Popo. The Builders’ strike is at an end by the withdrawal of the: nine hours’ movement., Dr, Smethurst has been committed for bigamy. A free pardon has been granted to him witli respect to the alleged murder with which lie was lately charged. The sugar market was a shade firmer, but for rice, coffee, and tea, prices were barely supported.

To the Editor of the Wanganui Chronicle , Sir, —The remarks on Separation in your paper of the sth inst, elicited from the hide pendent of the 10th, and Spectator of the 14th, articles, a comparison of which may be instructive. The Independent accepts your statement of the cause of the Separation move-ment-expresses its regret for the likelihood of a second dismemberment of the Wellington province, coupled with its conviction .that if separated the interests of Wellington ano Wanganui would not be different, and that the two Provinces .would pull together rather than act as rivals—warns its readers in general terms that' the “ New Provinces Act ” cannot remain in statu quo hut that if tno Separation movement spread, and the principle be admitted that a temporary local pressure is to justify Provincial dismemberment, the present limits of 60 miles, 1000 souls, and 150 voteis, must be lowered, till Provinces sink to the level of parishes, their government to that of vestries, and “Centralism becomes the only condition” of our Colonial government. There is not in the whole article & single word of unmanly whining, or the slightest attempt to fetter the judgment of us Wanganui electors, or deter us from the course we might deem most advantageous to ourselves; but on the contrary the writer records generously the assistance rendered by Wanganui to the Constitutional cause; assigns it as a reason for hoping that Wellington Province may still remain “ one and undivided,” but, if otherwise, cordially wishes us and our new Province success.

Far different is the Spectator article, which is headed, “ The A'ewProviuee.that is to be.” Commencing by congratulating Mr. Gibson and his friends ou their success ; and lauding them for the wisdom of the course they had taken to free Wanganui from difficulties which it ascribes to the present Executive ; the Spectator goes on to assert that the Wanganui electors are disgusted with Dr. Featherston, and will not again support him —hints at bribery as our. reason for having done so hitherto—accuses him of strenuously opposing Separation, and of attempting to thwart the Wanganui people’s views of.their own interest, and condemns him as ungrateful for so doing—declares some “ obstructive clique" (which term it se^maUo-Upply-..to' Gibson and Co., as much as to any one else) has withdrawn its opposition, and joined in the Separation cry—devotes much space to abuse of Dr. Featherston, and to a description.of his opponent’s -policy as his —holds up Welliiigton as a warning to Wanganui.; and; after accusing Mr. Vox and ethers of Dr- F.‘s friends of;

" attempting to open a-, port of refuge for himhere;” patronisingly gives us-a- piece of good advice,-which we fear Wanganui settlers will receive in/a widely' different sense from that intended" by the giver, as indicated’ by his assertion that “ Wanganui , settlers will not again trust their affairs to Dr, Featherston.” It also discovers a hidden meaning (a mare’s nest) in your article. The whole 13 seasoned with ridicule of Wanganui members, and ironical praise of the typography and leading articles of vour paper—(in reply to which I beg to remind.the editor of the appearance of his own columns at; ho distant date, and to exprees a hope that when the Chronirfe equals the Spectator in circulation it will/ not be behind it in editorial ability)—and concludes by: what may be an equally ironical wish .for our

success. - ' . Now, as the capital of a- colony has always greater attractions for capitalists and many, others than any other part of it; particularly, when, as in New Zealand, a large aboriginal population just emerging from barbarism tends to deter new. comers from- a bush life ; and ns the growth-of the capital rapidly promotes the prosperity of the neighbouring, districts ; I consider that anything which, like ,Separation,, would necessarily tend to weaken the influence of IFellington in the colony generally ; and through that weakening to lessen the probability of its becoming what so evidently intended it to be, the capital of New. Zealand ; ought to be a subject of regret to all in Wellington province, irrespective, of their opinions on merely local matters. I sought in vain, however, for any such expression of regret in the Spectator. Its whole article is merelv a party tirade levelled at the present Executive and all connected . with it, and its exulting tone goes far to prove that, ii the Spectator represent correctly the fceiings of the.radical leaders, the charge so often brought, against them of readiness td'sacrifice, the Province to gain their own ends is not unfounded. - In the midst, however, of the counting of unhitched chickens, of the lo Pcean for an umvon victory, the news of the result of the Separation meeting seems to have come like & thunder-clap.. The press is stopped, and a curt, bitter report given. I can easily conceive how the Spectator's editorial ears must ha\c tingled at the thought that its readers might by chance or curiosity see the Chronicle, and learn that while Wakefield .obstructiveness, and not Featherston mismanagement, was throughout assignod by the Separationists rs the reason for their project, the feeling that it would promote Wakefield’s views was “ the only thing that damped their ardour.” The evident soreness at having been hoaxed, wlnca led to the attack oh Mr. Gibson for not having been able to read his ong.ual resolution, is most amusing. Respect for. Mr. Gibsons feelings, no doubt, led you to suppress tho facts, that neither he, nor the chairman, nor several others could read the hieroglyphic, and that after being decyphered piecemeal at doors and windows, and reduced to ordinary writing, it va3 found to be so ungrammatical, and to attach so new a meaning to a common English word, that Mr. Gibson’s friends were fain to withdraw’ it, and substitute for it the resolution submitted to tho meeting. It was, probably some old correspondent of the Spectaior who gave the hint for its remarks, winch I think ought to serve as a warning to Mr. G. and others never again to play the game of those who praise them so long as they seem likely to win, and turn them into ridicule it they lose. A lugubrious cheer, and hopes of better luck next time, thanks to some “men of Rangitikei”—(Queiy, Messrs. I ox, Fitzherbert, and Brandon ?)— form an appropriate finale to the Spectator's, article.. r l here is one point, however, in widen both articles agree, namely, in the admission that from the divided state of political feeling at Wellington, Wanganui holds a balance of power in the Province. I have long been aware of this, and that it is the main reason why the Radical party is so anxious to get rid of us; but I -mention if now particularly, because I feel that, should the Separation agitation be revived, it ought to be a matter for serious consideration—-whether it is better for us to keep the whip hand in a strong Province, particularly when its capital is likely to become the seat of Government and capital of the whole colony, or to reduce Wanganui to the level of a petty, and to. some c-xtept rival Province, and in so doing risk the retention of ihc General Government at . Auckland, or its removal to Canterbury.' I am, sir, your obeli, servant, Englishman.