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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 195, 15 June 1861, Page 4

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SlEjr^The' letter "Which appeared iv the JKeralcTof the 25th ult., and signed 'A Country Settler,' is. bo reasonable, and, at the same time, points out', and recommends what appears to me really called for on the part of the European population, of the Province at the present moment, when, to say the least, the natives are, in a very unsettled state; end", for all' we know, war may have been declared, and the-first we hear of it may be our finding our .-neighbours, in arms for our destruction. " .

/. I have heard it asserted that the Province of Hawke'a Bay is the pet child of the Governor and his present Ministry. It may have been, (for a / political end);; it certainly ia not now, or they would have taken some steps, and shewn some anxiety for its safety. Should the Waikatos prevail Upon the natives of tbis Province to join, in rebellion,^ ask what protection the two hundred soldiers stationed at Napier (if there are so many) can give the inland settlers P Of course Government ia responsible for our. safety, or ought to be ; but, I. ask my fellow- settlers, of what avail to us wilt be their responsibility if, through their neglect or wanfof foresight, the lives of many of us, and of those dear to us are sacrificed ? and, so far asl can learn, no steps have as yet been talten even to organise the means of making us acquainted with danger, should it arise, and none to resist attack or* aiford protection to the distant settlers. I therefore press upon my fellow- settlers the necessity of following the<advice given by 'A Country Settler,' and that without delay. I am, &c., CHAHUBS LAMBERT. , Suataniwha, '- June!, 1861.

1 Byiig perished, as it; were, &r national sacrifice ; v'op so much for; His own : demerits as, because the country's prestige being weakened,, it was felt to be- a. stern necessity that some stern and striking example should ibe jjiven,/ in : order;: that, like Cesar's wife, the country's, honor, should beset above suspicion. And it waa felt right to strike high.' . The perusal of this episode set me a wondering 5 whether, there was any such distinction between; 5 , the two services as to make that reprehensible-^ ; aye, reprehensible to the death-— in the one, which ' in the other seems to be of no moment, and is apparently taken as a matter' of course. And I speculated upon how this difference could exist, and why- the honor of my country should be so flexible as to admit of such distinctions ; and whilst thus pondering, it appeared to me that perhaps our ancestors were wrong, and that the honor of our beloved country was as nothing to the precious lives of men contending with ugly, wicked savages : and that had we lived in 1756, Byng had been complimented for hia misconduct and exalted for his inaction. But as I could not reconcile, this with my ideas of right, I resolved at last that our warriors ought truly to congratulate themselves upon living in so much enduring au age, when professional disgrace entails no punishment, and national dishonor is connived at or overlooked.

And this train of thought insensibly led me to recur to that passage in the old author, where, after decrying the effeminacy of hie age, he pretends to fancy that there really were aliquos manes et eubterranea regna, and asks what would, the ghosts of Curius and the two Scipios, of Pabricius and Camillus, of the legion cut to pieces at Cremera-, or of the knights slaughtered at Cunse, tot bellorum animce. What would they think of his contemporaries ? "Would they not feel themselves contaminated by their presence ?

And then methought I saw the shade of the gallant old admiral gliding along the silent shore, and I wondered with what, feelings he would encounter the disembodied ghosts of these our warriors on the banks of the Stygian lake.; and whether he would not rather have died the death, he did, and remain a lasting historical regret, a victim for the public good, than have suffered, .the ignominy which must for ever cleave to those who vrere partakers in the late retreat. Why has no enquiry been required by the army itself to vindicate its own repute ? Yours/ &c, , OIVIS.