STRAY NOTES.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 802, 30 November 1865, Page 2

STRAY NOTES.

BY A LOUNGER IN THE HOUSE.

The other day, whilst lounging in my accustomed seat, endeavoring most perse-

' vV-. ' ‘ out-jof-oue of 13rociie s speeches, aua irnnentabljfailing in the attempt, I was suddenly impressed with the thought —what mistaken opinions one sometimes forms of individuals. This reflection rushed through my mind, as I caught sight of the hon. member for Dunedin, Mr Grant. I said to myself, as I contemplated his intellectual and classic features, “ how utterly mistaken we have all been with regard to that man.” I say “ we,” because I form one of a pretty large section of the community, who viewed Mr Grant’s candidature for Dunedin with amazement, and his election to the Provincial Council with horror. I confess I was led to believe that Mr Grant was one of those dangerous firebrands of society who desired to set all our political institutions in a blaze, and who, if elected, would some fine day summon thousands of deluded followers, march down to the Provincial Council, turn out all the members, take the Speaker prisoner, banish the Ministry, and establish a republic, with James Gordon Stuart Grant as its President. Such possible events I could not, of course, contemplate with any degree of composure ; and as I had, on two or three occasions, heard Mr Grant indulge in some very violent revolutionary threats, I admit I was not prepared to find all these evil forebodings prove to be mistaken and groundless. I have enjoyed many opportunities of hearing and seeing Mr Grant in the House, and I now most unhesitatingly confess that I had much misjudged his character. A “firebrand!” —why, you never were more mistaken in your life. Firebrand indeed ! why, my dear fellowelectors, and especially those of you who didn’t vote for Mr Grant, I assure you that it would be a libel on the dampest of lucifer matches to compare Mr Grant’s inflammatory capacity with that article. He bears as much relation to a dangerous political firebrand as a spluttering farthing dip does to the magnesium light. By-the-bye a farthing candle with a damp wick is a simile that could very aptly be applied to the inflammable powers of the hon. member for Dunedin ; now and then some one applies a light to him, he shoots up a feeble flame, makes a greqt splutter, and suddenly goes out, leaving a most unpleasant odour behind, as most dips do. For the rest he is quite harmless, his greatest ambition being apparently to make himself “ generally useful” to Major Richardson. My friend Jones will insist

that the Major gets Grant to do all his dirty work —but then Jones is prejudiced, you know, and looks on the Major with a jaundiced eye. For my part I don’t believe a single word of the rumor that Grant’s various back-thrusts at the hon. member for Port Chalmers, were in reality directed by the hon, member for the Clutha. I hear lots of things of this kind in “ the bar or tap-room attached,” but of course I don’t believe them. For instance, you could hardly credit the speculations made and the bets registered with regard to the mysterious disappearance of the member for Waikouaiti. I myself refused twenty to five in shillings that he had been “ sent for” by Mr Stafford. Others backed their opinion that he had gone up to convince the Editor of the Wellington Independent that his critique on that wonderful pamphlet “ Great Britain and her Colonies” was unfair and mistaken. Another guess was that he had gone to propose to the Premier a certain scheme for paying off the colonial debt, and raising a thousand million loan without anybody feeling it. Another was that he had gone to no ; on second thoughts, I won’t repeat it —-only that it is “ certain to come off this time.” Now, what a shame it would be to “ sweep away,” as Mr Grant says, the pleasant little gossipping, drinking and plot-hatching room attached to the Council Hall. It is too bad of Grant, upon my word, just because he wants to prevent a count-out being easily accomplished when he begins his dreary speeches. Rumor hath it that the hon. member for the Goldfields will move an amendment that the word “ away” be converted into “ out,” as the dusty floor is sometimes an objectionable feature of the room in question. Said Jones fb me as we left the House together, “ Who is that hairy-faced, greyheaded, middle-aged gent as sits next to Mr Reynolds?” “That is Mr Rennie, formerly Speaker of the House,” replied I. “Is he the party as the yarn about the breeks was about?” says he. “The same,” said I. “By Jove ! how that old gent does rattle along when he speaks; but I’m blest if X can tell a word be says.” “My dear Jones,” said I; “Mr Rennie’s voluble utterance and somewhat demonstrative manner arose from his honest indignation at the presumption of the people of Waikouaiti asking for £4OO to join the town with the main road.” “ And who is the swell with the horburn ’air and dis--tingav appearance f” “That, Jones, is

House, and was once a Cabinet Minister.” 3 ones was going on to say something about not exactly understanding his speech, when I hastily bid him good night, and ran off to my club.