BANQUET TO THE FIFTY-EIGHTH.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 95, 27 November 1858, Page 2

BANQUET TO THE FIFTY-EIGHTH.

The Soldiers' Banquet of yesterday afternoon was, | what it was intended to be, a graceful proof of the I appieciation by the citizens of Auckland of the worth, , steadiness, and respectability of the men of a regiment, .* which, in these qualities, has, we believe, no superior" . in Her Majesty's service. Wherever they go, they will carry the good wishes of Auckland with them. The Military profession has risen ot late years in • public estimation, and deservedly so. The thrilling . incidents of the Crime.tn war, the awful scenes that, occurred during the Indian mutiny, the " splendid , names " that have arisen, as the Laureate prophesied*^* in one of his strange poems of five years back, — out -5 of the "crash and collision of mighty powers," — have i served to ennoble a profession, which the coiton „,-' spinners of Manchester would have fain taught the -^ world was obsolete, useless, and only a brilliant and expensive toy for countries to pay for and kings to play with. Never, we believe, was the service co national a one as at present, and in no other country but England is such interest felt by the public in general in military matters. In other countries the army may be all in all, the profession par excellence, but that very fact precludes the independent criticism and the unofficial appreciation of military men which exists in England, and which, though often rash, partial, and imprudent, must still be of value, and should not be lightly spoken of by any man who feels that in becoming a soldier he still remains an Englishman. In war, mischief may arise and has arisen from this openness and freedom of discussion about military matters ; but we must remember that there are evils attached to the most perfect of human institutions, and that the free Toica of the people of England has before now sent forth men to command her fleets and her armies, whose deeds have become the salvation and the glory of their country. The Soldiers' life has often been spoken of as that of an idler, a dandy, a rather useless servant of the public ; and too otten has the red coat been thought, notwithstanding Corporal Trim's admirable speech on the subject, less adapted to cover religion and morality than the reverend black. But if we read the annals of the last few years aright, we think that the great achievements not merely of war and conquest, but of moral bravery, of religious and Christian devotion, and abnegation of self,— achievements, the recitid of which makes us proud of our fellow men - have been for the most part the acts of military and naval men. The records of some scenes during the Indian mutiny are not so much records of massacres as ot martyrdoms ; and of christiin martyrdoms; if willingly to lay dow.. ono'B life for our fellow creatures, is to reduce into practice the great christiun precept- and tins not amidst the hurry and heat of conflict, but under circumstances of cold-blooded horror, such as tho«e wnich surrounded the early martyrs of I hristianity. England may well be proud of her soldiers. We have been rather led awuy from the subject we •ommeneed with, but what we have said will not, we trust, be out of place on this occ-ision. In the bra\ery md devotion of the liritish At'<<j, there bus been no n.-tinction of rank ; all have been equal : (he colonel and the trumpeter 6ide by side, under a withering fire, .-.m neither ot them oiler more or lehs than the s^me -ticrilice to their country— one human life; and the ■\inpathy and good It e'ing shown toward*, them by ■iieir countn, sliould rocognief all Hlike. The oCti» ue leaving us uiter a log service in this culom, iro going to more active scenes of duty, and -will new

in all probability again form auch close and intimate looal ties as they have ia Aueldaad. They may earn for themselves fresh laurels ia war, aud receive from Her Majesty thanks for deads done on fields of yet unknown name, but they will still, we think, remember with pleasure, that there was not one of their number, who did not receive » proof, however slight, of the good wishes thej oarriod away with them, and the kind recollections they left behind in New Zealand.— Southern Cross, November 12.