Notes by Colonus.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1016, 7 June 1878, Page 7

Notes by Colonus.

«*»-. *" ' POjLITICAIi PKIIfCIPI--. Is it an accomplished fact, or merely a vile suspicion, that the present Government has been, or is, tampering with the -Press? .Surely only a mere surmise, it, can hardly be tjie truth — the whole truth^ — and nothing but the truth. What! a ministry that has risen to power on such' an excessively virtuous ticket, to be* already exhibiting a want of principle. Oh! horrible! yet we are told it is the fact. The rumour is abroad, and what we are waiting for and expecting, is that a member of the ministry should come forward and hurl back the base insinuation in the face of the accusers with scorn and indignation. If it were the fact that the present Government, after such a profuse profession of virtue, sucr heavy declama-,, tions against the want of principle in the. late^ Government had really managed to get fouled in'the same old rut, i. would be ridiculous, if it s was , not .too serious a matter for laughter. What is there about office, that renders it apparently an impossibility for any man to get into it 1 without' being befouled . Is' it an utter, impossibility for men in office to act up to a lofty notion of high principle? Is there no getting out of the dirty track ? Is it absolutely necessary for the, existence of any ministry for the time being, that it' should resort to disgraceful expedients for its preservation — that it should purchase support by an inequitable apportionment of the loaves and fishes ? These are base accusations against the present Ministry. — of tampering with or buying up the newspapers, of not acting in an impartial manner in the granting of Government contracts, of miscarriage of justice and the rest of it. Well, I think if public opinion be healthy and not morally deceas-' ed, any Government which . resorts to base* and nefarious practices to obtain support, is by so doing far more likely to injure, than ; benefit itself, and that the existence of the present government will depend to a considerable extent upon how far sext session of Parliament, it is able to contradict the vile reports flying about of its having acted in an unprincipled manner. Mr Donald Beid was rather roughly handled, and received a somewhat severe moral castigation for not sticking to his colours, and joining the Atkinson Government with too much celerity,; and it is rather perplexing, to say the least of it, that a Government of which his castigator -is now a member, should be accused' of. want of principle, and the accusation not be flatly denied. No doubt the Grey Ministry has, or are we reduced to the gainful necessity to say had, the confidence ofthe country, that its proposeoVpolicy was grateful* to the nation, and its programme a* very pretty and satisfactory one. Pity if all should be spoilt by a perverse determination of Government to go in crooked wayß. I hope, however, that early'i'n the approaching session Government will be able to clear itself of the mud thrown at' it, and come out bright and shining. '' -- P ' ' HOME LEGISLATIOMV* r*? ' The Britishers in~ little England seem rather a queer lot in some ways. They lately allowed 'some of our Australian' neighbours 'to ° make a law validating marriages between a man and his deceased wife's sister, [and now they have lately been discussing in the British Parliament whether the children* of such marriages' shall be capable of inheriting real 1 property, i. c.,' land — in -the British Isles, as lawful issue of their deceased parents. That seems to me about equivalent: to raising the question vrhether^the children of such marriages are to be considered legitimate or illegitimate in the Home country. Surely such marriages should be considered either valid or invalid, to all intents and purposes. I cannot well understand how the question could be raised or' lie open td discussion. Anyhow, I should have thought it now a question for the Courts of law rather than for Parliament, and' that *.nch Courts should hold that the children of a marriage -solemnized under the Imperial' sanc|ipn were legitimate throughout the British Empire, and if legitimate, capable of in heriting land -in the British Isles or elsewhere throughout the .British Empire, However, it is satisfactory to find that the Home Government has been defeated by a majority of 21(182 to. 161), and that the Bill to "validate such marriages for the purpose of giving -the 'issue of the same the right to inherit real estate in the British Isles, hae been read a second time.