TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 2, Issue 64, 11 December 1858, Page 3

TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.

"Dare lucem eft dare servem" Mb. 7. — Daeivs Jiss> his GbooM.

; " The thing that hath been it shall be." Verilyit is both curious and painful to. the reflecting' inind to note how the world ever moves in cycles 1 The old father of history, Herodotus, informs us how it was in Persia some 2500 years ago. How that the great Persian ting Cambyses being dead, a usurper, named Smerdis, possessed the throne until he was suddenly killed by a few Persian nobles, who then decided that they should again meet at sunrise on the morrow on horseback, and. the one whose hor3e first neighed should be king. Darius (who was afterwards so celebrated) was one of them: and on his return to : his house he told his clever groom, GEbares, of their determination, and caused him to set liis wits a-wbiking how to "ensure to his master the wished-for honour. That night; CEbares took a mare to the place selected, and also Darius' horse. In the morning the six nobles were soon on the ground, and on coming to the spot where the horse had seen the mare the evening before, he instantly began to neigh, when the others dismounting and falling at Darius' feet hailed him king.

We are obliged sometimes to compare herrings with whales ; we can't help it, though it may be impolite, the mind being master. . Just so 5 late events have called-up the foregoing from old-bu-ried depths of memory ; and lam thinking how many would-be Darius' we have already among us, each working through his clever grooms and sagacious horses.

In the ancient case of the Persian, there was indeed a rare nugget to be gained : in the modern, one of the Ahuririan, thero is what ? anything but a pillow of roses to the best qualified, and a sure earthly pui-gatory to the incompetent.

Then, again, those Persian nobles did not pro- , fess to seek that high post — either, as being the best qualified for it, or for the public good. They were the magnates of the land. It seems the art or depth, of humbug was reversed for us moderns. Why is jifthat A, B, C, D. E, should think so very highly of their qualifications as state pilots, when those who know them best greatly doubt their possessing any such abilities ? Is it, indeed, owing to their being the best qualified ones among us ? This they dare not say." Is it owing to their being better born ? They know better than to think this. Better educated ? Highly doubtful. Is it owing to their reputation for genei*al wisdom ? Unfortunately the majority of them have this to seek ; and their present acts shew their distance from it. Is it owing t# their ' pdiseSa l^^*^ -s«4e?xtej;.pHrsa? yery quastio^S^!?-- hnfc-if-sos*-any lucky nuggett- finder may 'arrive to-morrow from the gold fields and put them in the shade. But, if it be so, that they really possess Suitable fitness and hoxest intentions to seete the comMONWEAii, why do they not quietly seek to enter the good ship as able seamen to hand, reef and steer, and there to work with a will that she may duly perform her voyage ? But no, not so — (as old John Dryden long ago sang) : — "Much rather woulds't thou choose a Bmall renoAvn, To be the may'r of some poor paltry town, Bigly to look, and barbarously to speak : To pound false weights, and scanty measures break."

— Depend upon it, if those would-be Superintendents really possess the needful qualifications, such cannot long be hid. To me, our political prospect is anything but pleasant : and mainly (as yet) owing to the pride and vanity of a few noisy or puffed-up folk who wish to play first fiddle at Ahuriri ! It is an ancient saying and a very true one, that "he who knows not how to obey knows not how to rule;" those persons plainly tell vs — obey they will not, rule they will (that is, if they can) — how very modest ! how unassuming ! ! Now all such aspirants should certainly be (at all events) believed by the many to possess sxu'table talents ; but, alas ! when one considers some of whom we have heard, it brings forcibly to mind the saying of the black slave — "I 'spect I'll wake up some morning and find myself playing on the pianny forty."

Men of Ahuriri ! be wide awake to all would-be Superintendents; be ditto ditto to the whole ge« neration tag-rag and bobtail of (Ebares — whether grooms, dtxfiies, toadies, touters, sycophants, lickspittles, or expectants. Remember, it is always when the game is played, that we discover the cauae of the result. Darius, when he had gained the kingdom, erected an equestrian statue, with this inscription — "Darius obtained the sovereignty of Persia by the sagacity of .his horse, and the ingenuity of his groom." Only fancy A, or B, or C, gaining our Superintendency, and then gratefully and openly acknowledging how he got it ! ! To be sure, such a proceeding would take away from the Electors a-portion of the odium which will necessarily follow the success of an incapable. I, however, agree with Bright, "that, after all, our main hope and reliance is in the sturdy English, common sense of the working classes ;" who generally are more free from that political cunning and knavery which has too often beeri\.tb.e bane ' of Old England, and . which must -ever prove a curse to any people or nation. . ->,-■■■. With, the sole exception of Domett, there is not ooe (among the whole batch of those whose names, have been so unthinkingly thrust forward).. who is any ways fitted for Superintendent. How on earth some ofthem were even once thought cf for that office, is still a mystery — unlesa it was owing to the same principle as that of the old owl,, who " who- thought her young ones the handsomest creatures in Creation ! . : ■ Many among you have repeatedly asked me for., my opinion, and now you have it. " '"■ ,-.'-?'■'"-'< '■■ - ; ' Coj^ma,[::.''\ Waitangi, . ■- . •'"> >\ : 'V V ; , --"■:. Dec. 6, 1858.

men," if so they can have none with themselves, as the government gave two or three casks of tobacco for the- treaty of "Waitangi," and paid; the- natives here and at other places in blankets and other trade to obtain their signatures to that treaty. More in my next.