THE Marlborough Express SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1868.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 135, 12 September 1868, Page 2

THE Marlborough Express

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1868.

“ Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and toersrua freely according to conscience, above all other liberties." —Milton.

Notwithstanding the “ special pleading ” of our Picton contemporary this week—who shuts his eyes and those of his readers, to the unimptignable figures which we have published during the last fortnight—we allege that no change has come over our opinions. On the contrary these have only been confirmed by recent events and circumstances. The writer of the article supposes that because we consider the suocess of Picton in gaining her own ends, is sure, therefore we fall in with her views ; but “ perhaps like wise Generals ” of another class to those he alludes to, we have progressed step by step in accordance with circumstances; and our conduct in the past, impartially considered, should at least have secured for us a belief in our earnestness and candour, the more especially that we last week so largely coincided with his object, besides the expression of a wish that byegones should be and contention abandoned for ever.

Our contemporary is pleased to intimate that we have, “ in anticipation, proclaimed the County of Wairau,” and we can assure him that the idea has tound considerable favor during the week with many of our readers, who however, are not therefore in haste—Chartist-like—to demolish all the Provincial fabric, with, its machinery far dealing with the Land --Revenue $ and its unsettled accounts with the Colonial Trea surer, especially at-the present time, ; when a change of some kind is imminent, from, the action of our rulers. What would be the opinion of a lawyer, after a case had been placed in his hands, and was-just ap-

preaching fruition, if his client threw the •whole concern overboard, lawyer -and-all f ■■Weion this side the Wairau, are contentedto wait, yet another week or two, until Hie measures now-under consideration. by-.cue General Assembly have been passed; when without doubt, they will be well and truly considered by us—a course which will place us in quite as advanced a position as those in other places, who would Hand themselves over to anything, or any system, giving up all freedom of opinion, all control over their own contributions, simply because they cannot have their own way in everything—or that they are in a hurry for a change. We do not shut our eyes for a moment to the shortcomings of our Provincial Government machinery. But perhaps our Picton mentor will favor us with an opinion as to what other course could have been adopted by those placed in office by the people. The Government are not in funds for Public Works, because this Province has been so shamefully used by the Ministry whose nominee and creature some of the Pictonites desire to have placed over them y and because Marlborough, as the Colonial Treasurer now acknowledges, has been “ practically beggared,” through supporting her sister Provinces with payment of her Customs therein, by reason of difficulties, natural and otherwise, in the way of their payment here. That the present attitude should be preserved for an indefinite period by the Provincial Government is as unlikely, as it would be unjust, and we presume that as soon as the present Session closes at the farthest, our Provincial legislators will be called upon to deal with the question. In the meantime, the public mind is daily getting more prepared for the change which every sensible man at least, considers is necessary.