Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume I, Issue 4, 17 October 1857, Page 3

ELECTION FOR SUPERINTENDENTTo the Electors OF THE PROVINCE OF WELLINGTON. YOU are no doubt aware that the election for the Superintendency of this Province, hitherto so worthily filled by Dr. Featherston, is about to be contested. The other candidate is Mr. Porter Welch. It cannot be necessary to say much in support of the claims of Dr. Featherston to the continued confidence of the electors. His career as a colonist and as a leading politician of 16 years standing, is well known to most. The satisfactory manner in which he inagurated our new Constitution in this Province amidst many difficulties and complications is fresh in the recollection of all. The ability exhibited by him in the administration of his office during the four years of its tenure by him, is universally acknowledged. By his statesmanlike conduct and his large and liberal foresight, he has advanced the local prosperity of the Province, has raised its character as a field of emigration, and established its credit in the great money market of the world. His integrity, his general intelligence — his courteous demeanour to all men — accompanied by the most perfect independence of mmd — in short the thorough soundness of both his head and heart — tested by a long course of consistent acts, and a devoted^ attention to his duties as head of the Executive, have shewn him to be unsurpassed in qualifications for his office. The marked feature of his administration has been- a careful regard for the interests of the whole community, favoring no one class to the iujury of another — but securing to all their fair proportion as men and colonists of the advantages conferred by Government. Of Mr. Welch we know but little — yet the little we know certainly does not recommend him to our support. A comparative stranger in the colony — comparatively unsettled therein — unknown even by name to the majority of its inhabitants — with no previous public career to appeal to — possessed, if we may judge by recent exhibitions, of neither the talents, the knowledge, nor the ; capacity of a statesman — he appears to be in all particulars the exact reverse of Dr. Featherston. The leading feature of the policy enunciated by him consists of an attempt to secure the support of one class by a bribe of free grants of land, and that of another class by a bribe of a right of pre-emption — while he and his supporters labour by every means in their power to set the two classes against each other. We are not prepared to entrust the public security — the public credit — the safety, welfare, and good Government of the Province — its hopes of local advancement, and its character abroad — to a person whose qualifications for governing and political principles — if such we may call them - — would, in our opinion, involve the Province in confusion and ruin, and utterly destroy its future prospects. That Dr. Featherston will be elected by an overwhelming majority we confidently believe. His friends, however, should remember that it is never wise to allow over confidence to prevent the exertion necessary to attain a complete victory. The object of Dr. Featherston 's Committee in addressing you is to press on your consideration the urgent importance of recording your vote in his favor — so that at home and abroad there may be no mistake as to the Superintendent of your choice really possessing the confidence of the great bulk of the Electors of the Province ; while the record of your vote would confer a ■well merited rebuke on those who, without the slightest prospect of success — and in opposition to a most generalising, plunge the Province unnecessarily into the turmoil and expense of a contested election accompanied by the consequent disturbance of public and private business. We have printed below copies of the reports of the speeches of Dr. Featherston and Mr. Welch delivered at the hustings in Wellington on the day of nomination ; the former extracted from the Spectator, the latter from the Independent newspaper. "We can guarantee the substantial accuracy of the reports. Dr. Featherston on coming forward yrould contrast the circumstances under ■which he appeared before them then, with those that took place four years ago. On his first election, they supported him without any solicitation on his part — and they, he might say, almost unanimously, requested him to accept the highest office it was in their power to confer, and, at the same time, imposed on him duties of a most arduous nature. He hesitated not, however,