(FROM THE "WEEKLY DISPATCH.")

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2238, 22 September 1864, Page 6

(FROM THE "WEEKLY DISPATCH.")

Tlic question of giving the security of Great Bntnm for n million sterling, part of three millions about to l,io laised foi tlio uao of New Zealand, has been debated with some vigour in the House of Commons. Some members are for compelling the colonists to pay the 6 or 7 per cent, that the money is worth upon their own security, m order that factitious facilities in borrowing may not induce them to continue tlic war against the Maoris beyond the need of the case. We arc not much moved by Mr Gladstone's pica that they will be thus enabled to pay us half a million due to us; that, in fact, we shall have the money in our hands. Tiie principle of restraining our liability to our own needs is w orth more than that. We arc paying enough for our good-nature in putting our i.amc lo little bills. As to the war itself it is very difficult to lay it at the door of auy individual or party. Jt is the fault of a want ol continuous and firm system throughout our colonial affairs —evicting too much, then yielding too much to atone the tyianny and quiet the disaffected. Where the responsibility is, there should be the power , and if we intended to protect our colonies cither against nalivc-* or rival civilised States, vie should, from the fir^t, have kept the peace and war power entirely in our ovi n hands. If ever a policy might be expected to be honest, „nd therefore successful, it should be when an intelligent third part}', as the mother country in this case, decider upon disputes, and prohibits an unjustifiable resort to arms. But the authority has been cast into hotcli-pot Sometimes the Governor has decided, sometimes a local legislature lias had the opportunity of forcing on war Tlio disputes have been further implicated by the missionaries. The utmost of their interference should have boon m fnondly information, and advice to the authorities, without suffering the Maoris to believe that thoy possessed any influence. Cut all priests are most unhappy politicians. They do not understand the express policy of the Founder of Christianity, for the sake of religion He desired to propagate, enjoined a total abstinence from secular mterfeiencc Their wisdom is quite at odds with His. They afl'ect secular consequence by their spiritual office. They farm, trade, job upon their Chustian lank and pretensions. It required from the first that there should be one rule of equable conduct administered by a succession of men who had not only the judgment to do i lght, but the skill to prove it to those concerned We came as interlopers into the land, and were bound to prove step by step that we brought benefit, not harm, with us Mr. Cardwcll takes it mto his head now to laud Governor "Browne, and j^et he would fain show that this very unlucky war, w Inch is likely to cost U 3 a million and a half —more than a penny of income-tax: —-cannot bo laid at the door of his successor, Sir George Grey. Browne might be unfortunate , but we have no business with unfortunate men m such places, especially men quite untried m great difficulties. Our plan of giving the colonists all the pleasure of independence, and reserving to ouiselves all the eoH of their doings, or at the least the far hoivier share of it, is an egregious folly Tt must break down some day with a ciash. And this is hardly the worst, The wickedness ot conceiving a sort of Divine destiny, as Mr. .Roebuck seems to do, that mtercouisc between i moie and a less civilised lace meaiio extirpation of the inferior, is to us a blasphemy. Giant that there is an instinct in the strong to oppress the weak, what is tli.it but sheer buiUlity <J If this instinct is to be the constant law of the woild, what do we want with Ivoebucks or Paihamcnls to talk about it J It is less atrocious, if it bo blindly obeyed, not reasoned upon. Wo need not sjlonfy the dcviliy by erecting it into a science. But the truth is, that our reason is given us to aigue down this tiger and alligator piopcnsity, denounced in the very simplicity of the Decalogue Cany the fals.e piinciplo far enough, and it will justify every atrocity at home' as well as abioad Let us wash our hands of the sodden trash, leave it to Aincucans, and to the oxthodox; who admire and uphold them.