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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 2, Issue 63, 4 December 1858, Page 3

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To the. JSilltor of the HaiuTce's Bay Herald.

Sir, — As the subject of the enclosed addregs is of no ordinary importance, I shall feel much obliged by your inserting it, if possible, in this week's issue. I am, &(*., Veritas. Napier, Dec. 1, 1858. . To the Inhabitants of the Province qfJUawlce's 'Bay.

Fellow Settlers, — "Publicola's" letter in last Saturday's issue of the "Herald," and Sir. Domett's avowed int3ntions of offering himself for the new superintendency, renders it imperative « every honourable man, whether husband, father or brother, no matter what his station in life may he, and on every virtuous woman, one and all to Tin te their voices in loud and earnest, protest against even the idea of placing at the head of our body politic a man whose leadership wbald be no honor, whose position as superintendent of our .infant province would bo an insult to all right min:led people, and a blot on society, that no amount of supposed ability will compensate for. Fellow settLrs, — 1 am deeply pained at being obliged to write thus, at apparently offending against Christian dim it/ in assailing the reputation of my neighbour, and th;.t neighbour a man whom I have much admired for his literary talents and scliolarlike aecomplishm :nfc3, — but as he seeks to be placed on our social pinnacle, a higher du ! y now demands that all feelings of private friendship should be put aside, and ih.it for tho sakj of ourselves, our children, and children's children, we carefully examine the pretensions of one who would seak to rule over us, and on whose conduct anil example so much of our future depends.

It is said by "Publicola," that the idea of Mr. Domett's - coni'.ng b.a3 be^n gradually gaining ground in the public mind. This, I think, is simply an illusion. I heard of it not more than •a week ago ; and only 3 days sines that there was any serious intention of bringing him forward ; and have every reason to believe from the number of persons I have sines spokeii to on tho subject, that in 5 oases out of 6 it has taken them by surprise, and exeitsd in their minds the sama unqualiiiad disgju.3t and apprehension with which I myself viewed it. Can it b 3 believed that after having fought tha battle and achieved independence and local self-government, our very first act is to •declare we cannot carry it on without extraneous aid ? Can we find no honest, straightforward, and honourable man amongst us to carry oat ifte simple requirements of out now government, that- we have to look abroad for one who has not participated in the struggle in any way. Let us look fairly into this matter, and ab the character of the man regarded by "Publlcpla'l r with bo much admiration and even affection.

Mr. Domett was first brought prominently before.the public of New Zealand as th.3 principal author of thi well known monster petition, and, ia the early part of Sir G-. Greg's government, suffered himself to be bought over from the ranks of the opposition by the office of Colonial Sccre-'tu-y of New Munster; and, dv sorting his party fjr the sake of office, nmiined a mere passive instrument of G-overnor G-rey's will to the end of his term — materially delaying by Buch desertion the introduction of the representative system in New Zealand, — losing ia consequence all caste for the time with those of whom he had formerly been the acknowledged leader ; and at the close of Sir G-. Grey's G-overnorship descending from the high, position of Civil Secretary for New Zealand, fie became at the beginning of 1854 Resident Magistrate and Commissioner of Crown Lands at the then almost unknown settlement of Ahurixi. Let those who have witnessed his public conduct in both those capacities here, and they" are not flw, bear witness to his conduct in office ; and I will venture to say that 9 out of every 10 -will be' found to declare that a more vacillating, irrasolute, and undecided magistrate or commissioner never sat on the Bench. In fact it is well known that the most p linful scenes of indecision , and want of energetic action were often witnessel in his court, where opposing parties were allowed to -wrangle by the- hour, -with a total absence of that respect and decorum that a more decided man would- not have' failed to enforce. 1 Yet this id the person we are i' invited" to call on to lead us as 'superintendent, where without energy of character, prompt decision, and steady application to business, the highest qydav of likrdry, ability would go fornotnrng. ;., Then again : let.. u^lopk,--tOrtue -results' of his political attaiiimentgi^li'tTi' brought in- contact with his compeers in the" two sessions during*' which he has sat,: in ith^f House, of BBprcaentative?. .In .lie .dJßtirgijishiivl himself as an able poUt^imi^r oneiilted to; direct brHead others ? j^^ Ke: not{f ath^p^remained, • fropt- itiaoleiice of 3iqpbaiSoa:xloriiapßi \ in a very middling place—atmosta silent member .fro^'the coramencemerit, . oad;let ; -n^ny : bfchersvpass Mggaa.dfgain for. them- .

selves high station and reputation that had not originally half his" natural talent and cleverness, -

"Pubiicola's" partiality for an old friend or* pleasing companion has led. him to say far. too much; and his evident want of reflection on the altered position of our superintendent to that of the superintendent of th.3 original provinces^ makes some of his statements or assumptions'^? pear ridiculous in the extreme. For need I re-j mind my fellow settlers that under the new Act the superintendent is merely the executive oUber of the people's council, without any of the important and often mischievously applied powe s still held by the heads of other, provinces. My firm belief is that a man of .hone&tgr of purpose and integrity of character is all thajfe? we require, and ■would serve us much more effectually than the most scheming politician or literary day dreamer that we could select. Of the former I believe several may be found who have warmly interested themselves in the separation movement from the commencement, and on£ of whom I would name as having been strongly recommended by one of our late members, his near neighbour, and many other persons both in town and country to come forward. It is Captv Newman! I will not attempt to describe his qualifications, or to excuse what appears to be the principal objection raised against him, namely, a supposed too great liberty of speech or openness in expressing his opinion. As yet he is an untried politician, and puts forward no Ftartling pretensions ; but I belitvj him to be a sensible and thorouglily upright and honourable man, and one who would act fribhfully and energetically in the discharge of his public duties without the array of salaried assistants, in the shape of secretaries, treasurers and so forth, that we shall most certainly require if a lazy inactive man — such as no one who knows Mr. Domett can deny him to be — were put in. Viewed socially, however, and as exerting an influence by example on our dearest relations of life and domestic ties, how different would our standing be in the eyes of New. Zealand at large, with a man of unblemished character and conduct at our head, than one who has withdrawn from a fellow man all that renders life most precious, who sets at naught the most important of the laws on which Christian society is founde 1, and with whom any kind of social intercourse would be both painful and Inimiliafcinif. ... . . ;

Fellow settlers, — husbands, fathers and mothers, I intreat of you to ponder well on this all-impor-tant matter, — to consider if you would look calmly on the desolation of your own homes, and, if you would uct, lo thinit deeply on what principle you can consistently c lueate youv sons and daughters in virtue and honor if, by following "PublicoLa's" advice, you would assist in placing at tlic head of society the person he would wish. And I am. convinced there is scarcely one ameng it you that would not instantly say, — "Better let us have the veriest booby in the province at our hrad, than call cnona who, even with the greatest genius, wou'd cause our infant province to be shunned by all respectable persons that had the interests of their families at heart, iind dreaded Ihj corrupting iniluence of bud example. I remain, Yours faithfully, V.EBITAS.