THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Tuesday, November 13, 1860.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1350, 16 November 1860, Page 2

THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Tuesday, November 13, 1860.

IUCEO NOV UEO. "If I have been cxtinguibhed, yet there use A thousand beacons from the spaik I boic."

A few good electioneering cries are wanted, and it is a pity that we have no Messrs. Taper and Tadpole to furnish us with some original ones warranted to wear well on the hustings, for a general election without at least two good ciies, if one could imagine such a thing possible, would either be a veiy tame affair indeed or resemble a Milesian fight, — everybody pitching into everybody. Men's minds are divided on many subjects of paramount importance to the Colony, and diametrically opposite opinions are held by men equally able and equally honest. One holds the present war to be necessary and justifiable, whilst another looks upon it as a national sin, — and yet both are equally conscientious and sincere in their expressions of opinion ; one considers provincialism the bane of progress, and talks of a country cut up into Little-Ped-lingtonian communities, whilst another regards centralism as a upas tree spreading all around with deadly influence — and yet both have read history past and present. At an Election time like the present therefore, and indeed at any time, we see no reason why compromises should be attempted and men's opinions not stated openly and fairly. We cannot ever expect honest men to agree upon eveiy subject, though we often find dishonest ones pretending to do so ; and the men to be ti ustcd by us are those, who come forward and tell us openly what their opinions on political subjects really are. Allusions to past sendees may suffice in some cases, but not in all, for the times change, and the men of yesterday are not necessarily the men of to-day, and to-day again is but a preparation for tomorrow. We have men in the country whose foresight and wisdom have been aheady tried and stood the test : we have others again of whom the wonder is that they ever got the chance of being tried, but who certainly never will, or at least never ought to be allowed it again. In the Colonies men are too fond of running into extremes in politics. Either -they go in for unscrupulous opposition to each other, and make the political arena one in which to fight out private feuds and give vent to private animosities ; or else they pooh-pooh the idea of party, consider that a " good deal is to be said on both sides" — and yet say nothing on either — and take credit to themselves for the liberality of their views, because they never make up their minds to support any party. Kepresentatives of the latter stamp are not the men we want at the present time, any more than we want blind followers of those in power. We want men of strong convictions., and with the will to act upon them : minds not merely made to be led, but gifted themselves with powers of leading : men who will in short wipe away the disgrace which attaches to us as a Province, that our members are either silently subservient or impotcntly in opposition to the Government. But few candidates have so far offered themselves for election, but we expect that soon old public characters and new ones, tried and untried will be coming forward and telling the oft repeated tale of the wants of the country, and their own power and will to supply them. We certainly care but little for the general promises made by a candidate in his address. When he says that he intends to do what lies in his power to remedy the evils under which the country labours, of course we believe him, for "Brutus is an honorable man;" but at the same time we should rather like to know what does lie in his power ; or rather, what he thinks, does. We do not merely wish to hear disapproval expressed, but also suggestions made, and in a practical way. Thus it would be as well to hear Mr. Reader Wood's views on the present war, that war which had its origin according to him in a most gross and wanton attack on the persons and feelings of European subjects ; which commenced in short with an attempt on the part of several old women to throw their arms round the necks of several young surveyors. Mr. Wood instead of indulging in general remarks on the shameful policy of the Government, should point out what he would have done under such painful circumstances himself. Would he have used force in removing

the tenderly twining limbs or the opposite: • would he have introduced a stringent "Arms Biiyi^r allowed events to take their natural couTse 1 [these are the sort o£ questions to ask a candidate. They must be asked however sliarp, like Sam Slick's celebrated question : many fins has a cod 1-r-at a word" And if he hems and haws, you may be sure that his behaviour, for instance with the arms of those ancient aboriginal ladies round his neck, would not have shown those qualities of decision and promptness which are so necessary for a legislator. But seriously, in a great crisis like the present, it is absolutely necessaiy to know what men would do under • circumstances almost certain to arise ; for it will not be a question of passing laws which may be moulded, or even repealed at leisure, but of sanctioning or forbidding acts which will take immediate effect, and the results of which for good or evil will be in too many cases irremediable. We should be the last however in the world to insist on pledges from members. We consider them unworthy of constituency and representative alike. But we are highly practical and like a practical manner of putting a question, and prefer certainly the style of candidate who tells one fairly that he intends to vote for or against, as the case may be, direct steaincoinmunicationbetween Auckland and Sydney, to that of his oilier colleague who " will alwayshave the commercial interests of Auckland at heart." Pledges are generally only asked for by democrats, who for the most part are quite contented with a rogue, a schemer, a man not to be trusted out of their sight — if they can only make him give unmistakeable pledges ; whilst a searching enquiry into a candidate's opinions and antecedents is all that is thought necessary by the wise voter who wishes to have a thinker, not a mere mouth-piece in parliament ; a representative not a delegate ; a man tied down to do what is right, not by promises, but by his own convictions and his sense of duty. There will be a struggle, and a severe one at thjinext session for power, that is if the war snaff by that time have been brought to a successful issue ; and some see no reason why it should not. There will be many men anxious tqg|iold the helm of state when the sea is sniopth again, though they were only able to criticize, whilst the storm was blowing. The three I"s. will be anxious for power, and even Otago will not be afraid to take in hand the rareyfied Maori, though rather shy of him so long as he was kicking and plunging. It well behoves Auckland therefore to beware lest her interests are entirely overlooked, if not crushed under foot, in the " ugly rush" which will ensue, and it depends wholly on the class of men whom we elect, whether they are or not. Our Electoral Koll reads as well as that of any other province, our late list of members looked well on paper, but still a Heale is not a Featherston, and the South knows it. Northern holds are necessary for any party that wishes to vote its own, but so long as the vote is duly recorded, be it recorded for Fox or Stafford, Wellington or Nelson, the less expression of Northern opinion, or exhibition of Northern talent accompanies the vote, the more pleased will Fox or Stafford be. Our meiubeis have been too much looked upon hitherto as mere rank and file in the. house, but the time has come when they must make themselves respected for their individual, and not merely their numerical strength.

The Waikatos are still in a state of uncertainty as to what to do. War has not proved the pleasant occupation which they anticipated, and peace they are ashamed to ask for. A feeling of animosity has naturally been awakened in their breasts by the conduct of the chief whom they went down to assist, and who stood aloof whilst they were being cut to pieces. William King is, we daresay, at present more in fear of the Waikatos than are any settlers in the country. A rebel to the Queen, a traitor to his own countrymen, a braggart in the council room, and a cowaid in the field, verily he holds a proud position ! Some feelings of pity for the fate of the misguided Waikatos we majnfcel, but any such sentiments for the archmover in the work of destruction, which has laid waste the garden of New Zealand, would be utterly thrown away. ]?was rumoured two days ago that the Waikatos had sent in a message praying for peace. We have no doubt that they are most anxious for peace, but no more so than we Europeans are. We however desire a real one; and will state what in our opinion would be the proper manner in which to receive any overtures. Let the natives be ordered to lay down their arms unconditionally. If they mean obedience to the law they will do so, and if they do not, it will be as well to know their intentions at once, jfwe wish to avoid having wars recurring at stared periods like Wellington earthquakes. At the present time a peace on any other basis would3e a farce. Let^e Waikatos lay down their amis, and Southern natives will be paralysed and at our mercy. Win. King must cither take to the bush and leave us possession of the countiy, or else give himself up as a prisoner ; whilst the Ngatiruanuis and Taranakis, already broken as tribes, could be easily brought to account for all their wanton atrocities since hostilities have commenced.

In the fifth page of to-day's issue will be found the report, of the "Waikato Committee, one of the most important and interesting papers laid on the table of the house during the late session. We shall have occasion to revert to it, and in the meanwhile recommend it for perusal to our readers.

Lieitt.-001. Nixon lias, it will be seen, issued an address to the Electors of Franklin. Though unknown — comparatively speaking —in the political world, he is well known in the province, and a better man for critical times we think it would be difficult to find. We wish him every success.