The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 325, 7 July 1849, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just ami fear not: Let all the ends thoti aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1849.

To our thinking, the most important event of modern Colonial policy, — calculated to cast a ray of future hope, after many hopeless years of Colonial Office despotism, — has been the recent motion of Mr. Baillie, for a Select Committee to inquiie into the grievances of the Crown Colonies of Ceylon and G uiana. Of the Hon. mover's clear and straightforward expositions, — expositions admirably sustained by details and documentary evidence, — and of a portion of the deeply interesting debate that followed, we entered into lengthened review on Tuesday morning. We then intimated an intention to resume the subject, should we succeed in obtaining an unmutilated copy of the report •, — and, as we have since fortunately been enabled to do so, we return to consideiation of a question of the deepest consequence to the Colonial world. The great pains which, (as Lord John j Russell truly, but tartly observes), Mr, Baillie must have taken to render himself completely master of his case, and the frank and firm support which he has experienced, both from the protectionists and the free traders of the house, afford glimpses of an alteied state of affairs, suggestive of much and momentous gratulation to the long trampled dependencies of BriI tish misrule, The energy and intelligence of

the assailants, — the feebleness ami fatuity of the assailed. The inflexible resolution of the one to push investigation, — the hopelessness of the other, by hacknied imposture, to be able longer to avert it. The keenness of the one to expose, — the clumsiness of the other in their desire to cloak — are all but so many intimations that the abominations of a system, the most derogatory to a Nation vaunting a warm attachment to constitutional freedom, have passed their culmen. The gladiatorial bravado with which, when driven from eveiy false position, and forced to concede, the unhappy Under- Secretaiy invites inquiry ; — the fustian heroics, with which, with extreme unction, he claims to paiticipate the obloquy of his chief; — all these, we would fondly hope, are but so many delightful presages that the Downing-street power for evil is passing, and that the dawn of natural and rational liberty is about to break, and to dispel the murky gloom that has so long o'ercast the Colonial horizon. « The Colonial Office,"— said Mr. Hawes, had been accused of tyranny and oppression, and wasteful expenditure; and it was contended that the c Monies should huve control over their own affairs, a"d over the expenditure of their own taxation. But no distinction had heen drawn, and no discrimination used in treating of (he subject. One would have thought, from the opening speeches, that tlrere was not a colony in existence which had a representative government. (Hear, hear.) The lion, mover hid at tacit ed iv generalities; he had confined hii illustraiions to two or three cases; and he had not stated fully and fairly what was the coloniel policy of the country. It would be both impossible and profitless to follow Mr. Hawes through his wastes of denials, especially as the statistics which he proclaims to he facts, are demolished by his opponents as figments. Colonial discontent is, in that hon. gentleman's opinion, no fact, it is but an " invention of the enemy," or a delusion of the designing to disturb the neoterics of Downing Street. In Mr. Hawes's view of the matter, the outrage offered to New South Wales, which has driven her citizens to despair, j -and which has elicited a public pioclamation like the following, may be but a delusion, a mere newspaper advertisement to " excite insurrection." Possibly there may be members on Mr. Baillie's committee of an opposite opinion, and for their information we transmit the resolutions to be proposed at a great open air meeting, at the Circular Quay, Sydney, on Monday, the 1 8th ultimo. These are, — That considering the arbitrary on 1 faithlc-s ma ncr in which this colony ha 3 been treated by the Right Honourable Eail Grey, this Meeting m>st humbly prays Her Majesty to remove that Nobleman from Her Majesty's Council-?. That it is indispensable to the well being of this co. lony, and to the satisfactory conduct of its affairs, that its Governmeut should no longer be administered by the remote, ill-informed, and irresponsible Colonial Office, hut by Ministers chosen from, and responsible to the colonists themselves, in accordance vf ith the principles of the British Constitution. That considering ths discourtesy shown by His Etcelleucy the Governor to the former Meetitig and to its Deputation, this Meeting abstains from appointing a Deputation to wait upon His Excellency wi h the above Resolution? and Address, but ins'ruets the Chairman to transmit them to him, with a written request that His Excellency will be pleapcd to forward them to Her Majesty the Queen for her gracious consideration i These, Mr. Hawes may possibly attempt to stigmatize in some such manner as this, in which he treats of the Cingalese revolt. He could also assort thnt means were taken by individuals to excite to insurrection, and amongst others the editor of a newspaper, who preached in direct opposition to the laws oi the country. He stated thnt unless these ordinances were repealed, the people would not obey the laws. He regretted that hp cou'd trace in some of our colonies the consequences of such bad advice. He regretted to find the hon. member for ' Montrose writing a letter, with all the weight due to j ' his colonial reputation, and telling the coloni ts tha* they were to renew the agitation, and never to ceass unt'l they got a responsible government. j We Colonists, confess a deep and grateful obligation, to the hon. member for Montrose, for the warm sympathy and active zeal he has ever evinced in furtherance of the Colonial weal. We attach far more importance to statements such as his, wearing the impress of truth, and knoivn to be true, than to the onesided generalities dealt out by those Colonial Office gospels, the Blue Books, a study of which Mr. Hawes coaxingly invites as to a means the most authentic and infallible for Colonial information. Can it be possible that the perceptions of the radical reformer have become so dulled by the fag of official subserviency that he should be led to suppose more than a questionable importance attachable to these avowed manufacturers of Colonial engineering "? They may be very excellent Colonial Office rubrics, — " very responsive "to their aim, " most delicate rubrics, and of very liberal conceit," — yet, after all, they are but " springes, to catch woodcocks," - devices from which a grain of intelligence may be screened from out a mass of chaff, to the mystification of Parliament, and the deluding of the people. In one point, Mr. Hawes is sensitively explicit, and that is, in his strenuous opposition to any Official Colonial retrenchment. The noble lord (Grey) was of opinion, and he (Mr. Hawes) was aUo of opiuioii,that it would be the worst policy in the world to cut down the salaries of governors in colonies such at Guiana, where the climate was dangerous and the cost of living enormous, for if they did so, few men of adequate ability would accept the office. He bad shown that the civil list was not what it was lepresented, but some thousands less — he had stated that his noble friend was prepared to consider the ques ion of reduction, and lie contended that the colonists hal nothing oa which to rest their case. They endeavoured to foice the question oi reduction,

and it was bccmisp his noble fripnd was not to be driven from his government, nor led !o desoit his principles by a combination of men I'crc 01 ckewhere, that he was now the object of that bitter assnult of which they bad bad a specimen that cven'ng. And, yet, if the previous exposo of Mr. Hawes, were woith the breath that imparted cuirency to his contradictory statements, retrenchment and economy were everywhere successfully can ied out. All the Colonial Office governors were trumps, whose sole object in life was to study the art of reduction. Would you have the heait, then, whimpers Mr. ll awes to pinch such exemplary pel sons, — to pare down their pickings in distant provinces where life is cheap and its luxuries dear ? Yet this is the sort of twaddle that Pailiament and the Empire have had measured out, and upon which, session after session, "they have gravely deliberated, and that, too, whilst the prayers and petitions of the Colonies and Colonists, outraged by every shade and degree of injury and oppres- \ sion, have been scoined and disrcgaided. Mr. Hawes touches curtly and gingerly the question of Representative Governments. Mark you how deftly a sop is thrown in propitiation of the indignant colonists of Australia :—: — Lord Grey had always felt it his duty to watch the colonies, in order to see when th°y ware fitted to receive representative governments. He might be accused of proneness to make promises, but those promises would speedily be fulfilled. l\otwitlistandm.jnll tlie studied obloquy trat h-id '.een cast on the Colonial office, he would appeal to the house, after hearing the case fully stated, to give their support to the colonial policy of Earl Grey end himself, which was consonant with the general opinion and wishei of the liberal party. He would now cross the globe to our Australian colonies. In a short time he should lay a bill on the table of the house to confer representative institutions on the Australian colonies (Hear, hear.) Why wis this? Because they wrc a British population accustomed to representative government knowing its form?, and habitua ed to its ««a^es ; they know how to wield, as well as how to mo lerate the power wheh rrpresent itive institutions would give them. Th se institutions would be conferred upon them, he hoped, with the consent of the house, in the present session o! parliament. Here we have the Representative promise reiterated, but not a hint vouchsafed of the probable quality of the performance. We trust it may be of very different construction from the boon so recently spurned. Hr. Hawes lets slip one little significant hint, showing how greatly Mr. Baillic's motion disconcerts the Downing Street Directory. He exhibits a natural shrinking from an inquiry so essential to colonial redress, so likely to infuse joy into the colonial heart. See how he carps at the spirit of the debate He would not say that the spirit and temper with winch the discussion 4 had been lntioduccd were likely to benefit the colonies. (He r. hear.) He could conceive a calm and judiciaNminded inquiry, so conducted as to afFotd aid a-ul assistance to ihe colonial department, so as rather to give *atis f action than create d'\scon ent in the colonies ; Imt nnlcis ths inquiry wao conducted in a way different from that in which the subject had been in'roducel here, it would lead to no practical good. lie tendered Uie hon. gentleman his services, and nil the aid and as»ibtance he could render. He would again s.iy, he feared no inquiry ; Lord Grey feared no inquiry— (hear, hear); for Jiia patronage had been honestly administered. With regard to Lord Grey's patronage, he defied the hon. gentleman to impeach it. He had introduced into those col niea »nci of distinguished ability ami hi«h talent. Of this there could be no g- eater proof thin the prosperity of New Zealand under difficulties. (Hear, hear.) Peiee had been jvcservail, ti'ada increased, the revenue improved ; the native population were becoming gradually attached to the Europe ms ; and there wus a harmony of action and unity of purpose in that colony which reflected the highest credit on the gentlemen administering the government. The tone of indignant virtue — the air of proud superiority, with which Mr. Hawes assumes the sensitive but suspected (we had almost said convicted) patriot, is only to be equalled by the "dying close" of an oration profuse of soft sawder to his martyred leader. He was pcr r ectly convinced that the more Lord Grey's two and a half years' administiation was inquired into the more would impartial men declare that tbuit ai'm'nistrution bad beia wise, honest, and saga* ciou«. At this moment, when obloquy was surround* ing him. he (Mr. Hawes) wished not to flinch from his ■hare of it , he was perfectly ready to share in that obloquy ; he wished on'y he could share tbe honour of having done half the duty, or discharged half the useful functions of hia lordship. Believing, as he (Mr. Hawes) did, that his lordship's administration and patronage had been honest, and his measures good and wioe, and esteeming it an honour to stand there, not to defend him, but simply to state his case, he confidently left that ctse in the hands of the house. Sir William Molesworth grappled the gist of all colonial complaint at the outset, by stating that the grievances of the colonies could not be redressed by removing this or that colonial governor ; the evils were of deeper 100t — it was The System of which the colonists complained. Illustrating a part of that system, by an example furnished from Ceylon, Sir William pithily remarks — The house might hence see who were benefitted by such colonies as Ceylon, which contained numerous places, with comfortable salaries, for political adventurers, for the poor relations, connexions, and needy dependents of men possessing political power and influence, and for the herd of titled and privileged incapable?. It was these men who administered the affairs of such colonies as Ceylon, while ignorant constituents were taught to believe that these costly poisessions were amongst the brightest jewel* of the British crown. (Hear, hear.) The finances of that colony were now in the mo»t distressed state; the government had been obliged to borrow largely from the banks, and wainow compelled to repudiate a portion of its military payments. Unless tins expend tare were considerably I decreased, the colony would become bankrupt, and j would be an increasing burden to this country. In reference to \ the complicated state of financial affairs at "Ceylon, in which the co-

lonial liabilities weic actually credited as colonial assets (!) Sir William saidHe did not wish to cast blame on any of these pentlemen; but, if five gentlemen of distinguished nbihty and great industry could, after much labour and study, be so utterly ignorant of the practice of the colonies, the fact certainly established the position so frequently Btnted in thnt bonne by thp noble lord, the present Secretary of State for the Colonies, that no man, whatever might be his industry 01 his talents, eonkl .iclminister properly the complicated affairs of all the colonies of Great Britain. Dissecting the manner in which the Colonial Office seeks to exoneiale itself of eveiy colonial wrong, Sir William continues— Lord Torrinßton, re] eating the story winch hnrt so often been told by the hon. gentleman then UmlerSecielavy of Stole for the Colonies, stated that the Winds c/f the na'ivcs had been led astray by one or two turbulent n«i'ato's. Thnt was thcusuil.the stereotyped, official mode of explaining agitation and disturbance. (Hear.) When a government was too W.y to ascertain the causes of discontent, or w,is unwilling to confess the real gioun.'s of it, it was invariably attributed to the nvichinalions of some designing individuals. (Hear, hear.) But all history proved that no agitation could produca discontent unless there were some distinct caircs for it. If such names existed they gave birth to the agitator, who placed himself at the head of the movement, which he was lgnorantly supposed to have created. The sarcastic observations of Mr. Adderley are so pointed, so poignant, and so true, especially with reference to Earl Grey, that we need but quote them to demonstrate that the cause of the colonies is no longer one of forlorn hope : — Mr. Adderley rrgrctled that this groat quci'ion should have been met as it had been on the one hand by the tricky amendment of the hon. gentleman opposite, and on thp other by the speech of the hon. Under Secretary, which was a mere oration of personal tiefence. The amendment had evidently been drawn up under an erroneous pieconciplion of what the motion was to be, hut hnd still been persevered in after the real nature of the motion h.id manifested itself. It Was by no moans unsatisfactory, however, to have the amendment before the house; .for, fully as much as the motion, it was a censure upon the governmental eys'om, proclaiming ai it did, in so many words that the difficulties under which the colonies now suffered were prcc'scly the result of the governmental policy. The amendment, in fact, was a complete admission of the case ngainot the Colonial office He did not perceive that this motion was in reality an attack upon individuals 5 as to Eail Gr. y, bo fir fiom proposing a vote of a nsure upon him, he would readily give him a vote of thanks, as to n man who seemed to have b en raised up by Piovidenee for the express purpose of dawning the Fystem with which he was connected — (laughter) — as the mun who, by the peculiarities of Iris character, had nised up md oggravatcd moro and move the difficulties which must inevitably piove the destruction of that sy-tjra. What was wanted here was inquity — scinching inquiry. CYnsuic up n the govcrnnvn' would follow ps a matter of course. The hon, member foi Stoke had expressed hims If unable to pirceive the connexion between G» ann, Ceylon, and Mauritius : the simple connexion w.ib this — tint they were three enses which, under greatly diffirmg circumstances, exhibit' d in stmng liplit the mischievous char cler of our present colonial poluyFor himpclf, attached to no piny, l«o would q ye his cnpporl c\cn to the impul-ivc section b-low the pangv.tiy upon this qucsti' n, did he goc in them sufficient w'ahty effectually to .wail the picscat monstrous sys fern of colonial adni.nis'ra'ioi. Taking (.said Mr. F. Scott) the whole of the ctrrumstances which had been brought to light in consideration, he could come to no o.her conclusion than that th« proceedings of Loid Torringt n and his legislative council had given an apt illustration of Kail Grey's own description of colonial government— namely, that it was a " bold, irrcspon'ible despotism ;" n»d most reitainly thi3 was not the way t> attach British &übjec's ri-sident in ft distant colony to the djminion of ibe mother country. If there could at any moment have been a doubt of the determination of the House to sift the question thoroughly, we think the tone of decision adopted by the several speakers, each lending and receiving strength from the other, must have speedily dissipated such a delusion. In general, colonial questions have served but to count out the House. In this, on the contrary, almost every speaker of note had something to say, and almost all of them in denunciation of The System. The opportunity was much too favourable an one for the gifted author of " Coningsby," and accoidingly we find him dealing a vigoioub and a " swashing blow" to the reeling Whigs : — Mr. Disraeli wished the house, before it went to n division, clearly to understand the position in which his hon. fiicnd, the member for Inverness, was placed by the observations of the noble lord (Russi 11) who had just sat down. The motion before the house was Mmply one praying for a select committee to inquire into the grievances ot the crown colonies, and was certainly the inicntion of his hon. fiiend to have induced the house to consent to a committee to inquire into the administration of crown colonies. But nothing conld be fuithtir fiom his hon. friend's intention?, than that cither commercial or fiscal lvlations should be touched upon. Ho \ ever, after his hon. friend's notice had been placed on paper, an amendment made its appearance, which had very murh surprised him (Mr Disraeli), and no doubt many of hii hon. friends around him. His hon. friend had ron fined himself sliictly to the merits of his case ; nnd when the hon. member for Moke followed him, with what in strategy was called a diversion, all that could be said was, thai, his diversion was by no means diverting. ( A laugh ) After all that had been said, and said so ably, he would not trespass upon the attention of the house ; but ho would vindicate the laaguage of the motion of his hon. friend, and be would not desire to see it altered. (Hear, hear.) It was composed of good English, and it conveyed in parliamentary phrase the intention of the opposition. He (Mr. Disraeli) could not account, by any possible perversion of mind, for the extraordinaiy hallucination which had induced the hon. membrr for Stoke to plucc his amendment on the books. He should vote against the amendment, because he wanted to obtain an inquiry into the administration and government of the colonial dependencies, and also because he wished to maintain the character of the House ol Commons fur ttraightlorward conduct and common sense, and did not desne it to go, forth to fche public that the patty to which he be'ongedj could he diverted from their purpose by a ni.nmuvrcj which had not the merit of dexterity . \

He thought the hou^c was much indebted to the hon. member far Inverness for hnving brought the motion forward, not with a malignant asperity, but with n singular ability, and he (sincerely hoped that all parties in the house, including those hon. gentlemen who entertained free-trade opinions, would give it their cordial support. (Applause.) Mr. Labouchere, who evidently participated and sympathised with Mr. Hawes in the dread of the encouragement this dchate would aflbid to colonial hope observed — The motion a* it stood upon the paper necessarily implied grievances, and if it went our to the colonits, that the house had appointed a committee to inquiie into the grievancei complained of by the colonies, it might be attended with disadvantage. The right hon. baronet, the member for Tamworth, bad stated his objections to »ome parts of the conduct ofLird Torrington, and he had particulnily adveited to |the indignity offered to a pretender, a Cingalese prince ns he styled himself. But the necount given of that afFdir at the Colonial office differed in some respects from thnt the hon. baronet hud related. Mr. B. Osborne protested against the ques'ion of free trade being introduced, to hoodwink the house on this occasion, and trusted that independent membrrs would not bo taken in by so clumsy a manoeuvre, but that they would give their votes for a full and searching imjuiiy into the whole s)Stera of colonial government, which had for so many yeara sat like an incubus on the energies of the colonies. Finding that the sentiments of the TTousc were entiiely with Mr. ]3ailie, Mr. Ricardo professed his willingness to withdraw his amendment. Whereupon Mr. Baillie would alter his motion so that it should stand thus: — That n select committee be appointed to inquire into the grievances complained of by the Crown colonies of C«ylon and British Guiana, in com nexion with the administration and government of those dependencies, and to report then opinion whether any measure can be adopted for the redress of nny grievance of which there may be shown just reason for complaint. Mr. Hume objected that that would he leaving out the most important pomt — (" hear,'' nnd laugln<i) — and suggested that the addition of the words, " and whether any measure can be adopted for the better administration and goYi-rumeut of those dependencies for the future." Mr. Baillie consented to th'n nrtdilion, nnd Mr. Rienrdo's amendment having been withdrawn, the oiiginal motion, as altered, was put, and cairicd amidst considerable cheering. In the running commentruy which our limited means permit, we have presented most of the salient points adduced in this great question of Colonial Reform. Looking at it, in all il3 hearings, and remembering that a similar debate, with similar results, had taken place, almost simultaneous 1 y, in the House of Peeis, are we over sanguine in anticipating a speedy and effectual measure of Colonial, relief? i

Legislative Council. —The Council, ivc are informed, is about to be convoked in the early pait of the ensuing month. The Members nominated are Messrs. Merriman, and Baistow, Col. Hulmc, Major Matson, and Captain Kenny. Mr. Kennedy some time since resigned Ins seat. St. John's College. —On Thursday last, his Lordship the Bishop of New Zealand cnteitained a large party at v t. John's, upon occasion of the opening of the TTall, which we are given to understand is by far the most magnificent apartment in the Colony. His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief and Lady Grey, with upwards of a hundred guests, partook of his Lordship's hospitality, in the shape of an excellent dinner, which was enlivened by various musical performances of the collegians.

Agricultural & Horticultural Society. — This Society we are happy to perceive, is in a healthy condition. Its Members have established that excellent English practice a Monthly Dinner, which takes place This Day at the Royal Masonic Hotel, at 2 o'clock.

Coroner's Inquest.—An inquest was convened at the Royal Hotel, Howick, on the 2Gth ult., by Captain McDonald, the Coroner of the district, to inqure into trie cause of the decease of a pensioner, named John Fagan, who expired suddenly at that hotel the previous day. The Jury returned a Verdict—Died of Apoplexy,—not occasioned by drunkenness.