THE MODERN BAYARD.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, 29 November 1845, Page 153

THE MODERN BAYARD.

It will probably be recollected by our readers that the despatch from Captain Fitzßoy to Lord Stanley which appeared in the Examiner of the Ist instant, contained a passage attributing the bad feeling entertained towards the English by the natives in the north to books circulated amongst the latter by the Roman Catholic missionaries. In refutation of this calumny, Mr. Clifford, of Wellington, formerly a member of the Legislative Council, has addressed a letter to the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator, in which the " soul of chivalry " is clearly convicted of having deliberately made a statement which he knew was untrue ; for it will be observed that the despatch was written two months after he had himself examined the pamphlets referred to and admitted to Mr. Clifford that they contained nothing objectionable. The Spectator, in a paragraph on the subject, says —

" Captain Fitzßoy has, in this instance, taken advantage of his official situation to make charges, which he knew to be untrue, against a meritorious body of men, who have earned the respect of those to whom they are known, and who have studiously avoided meddling with

politics. In consequence of the publication of this despatch, we are informed that Bishop Pompallier, who is at present at Sydney, does not intend to return to this colony until peace and order is in some degree established under Captain Fitzßoy's successor."

We subjoin Mr. Clifford's letter :— ' To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator.

Sir — In a despatch from our late Governor, Captain Fitzßoy, to Lord Stanley, dated Government House, Auckland, Sept. 16, 1844, and printed lately in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Nelson Examiner, there is the following paragraph, attacking the ministers of the religion to which I have the honour to belong, but which I should not feel called upon to notice had not Captain Fitzßoy a short time previous to the date of that despatch assured me personally that he held a totally different opinion : — " I should be sorry to find, indeed, that any Roman Catholic missionaries have contributed to excite such a feeling * * * they have circulated small books in the native language, printed at their own press, the contents of which are considered to be very objectionable; and although confined, it may be said, to religious questions, there are passages which have, in my opinion, a direct tendency to cause bad feeling towards the English generally."

Now, sir, as such an assertion as the above, made in a public document and printed throughout these colonies, may be calculated to create erroneous impressions, if uncontradicted, I beg, through the medium of your widely-circulated journal, to give an account of two interviews 1 had with Captain Fitzßoy on the subject.

During a private interview I had with the Governor on the 10th June, 1544, while attending my duties at Auckland as member of the Legislative Council, he took occasion to remark that he had been informed that certain pamphlets had been published at the Catholic Missionary press, containing statements of very dangerous tendency. I said I could not believe such to be the fact, but that I would endeavour to obtain the works in question, and lay them before his Excellency, in order that he might judge for himself.

A few days afterwards I did obtain the books, both in the native and the English language, being all that had, or up to this time have, been issued from the Catholic press. At the same time also I obtained from a person, with whom it had been left, a tract issued by a society of ladies, who, under the auspices of Mrs. Fitzßoy, were in the habit of meeting weekly at Government House, for the promotion of charitable objects, and among others that of superintending the distribution of tracts to the surrounding neighbourhood. The tract brought to me had the name of one of the ladies on the title-page, and contained the most absurd and virulent abuse of the Catholics. I can only just now remember one of the various assertions it contained, but which will serve to show the tendency of the work.

It was putting the readers on their guard against those horrible people called Papists, and informed them that they must not be lulled into a false security from the present quiet demeanour of that body, as they were only quiet from the want of power to work mischief; but if they were once allowed to get ahead, it would be no uncommon sight to see their enemies, or those opposed to them, hanging to the branches of the trees on the road-side as thick as acorns on the oak.

This interesting and peace-inspiring little book I laid before his Excellency at the same time as the works from the Catholic press, requesting that at his leisure he would have the kindness to peruse them.

On the 3d of July, 1844, having again occasion to call upon the Governor on matters of business, he informed me that he had carefully read over the Catholic works previously complained of, and that he was happy to say he had found nothing in them that could be objected to. The Governor also informed me that he had given the other tract to Mrs. Fitzßoy, who had laid it before the committee of ladies, and he had been requested to state that they had not been at all aware that it contained the passages I had pointed out, or they would never have issued it, which they had only done on the faith of the author's name, and moreover that they would take immediate measures for calling in any copies that might still be in circulation. I refrain, Mr. Editor, from making any comments on the above, as I leave it to your readers to decide which class of works are most likely to have " a direct tendency to cause a bad feeling towards the English generally;" being proud to consider that though I am a Catholic, 1 am still an Englishman ; and I should be sorry to be- , long to any religion whose doctrines would allow its professors to endeavour to excite bad feelings against my countrymen, be they of what persuasion they may. I have the honour to remain, sir, Your most obedient servant, I Charles Clifford. Wellington, Nov. 12, 1845.