ENGLISH EXTRACTS. TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. {From the British Banner.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 330, 19 July 1849, Page 2 (Supplement)

ENGLISH EXTRACTS. TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. {From the British Banner.)

Throughout tho wb ole of our coloniei there is one deep and lingering murmur at the manner in which they arc managed. The wrong* perpetrated upon B ritisb colonists are a« varied as the climes in which, they dwell ; but there is one, at least, which ii common to a number of tliem— taxation without representation. This fact seriously, because painfully, forces itself upon their observation ; and, accordingly, they hesitate not to write, speak, and act boldly* in order to obtain their inherent right— Repiesentative Legislatures. At the present moment no less than six ar« agitating the subject,— the Cape, Natal, South Australia, Ceylon, Trinidad, and Guiana,— -all these units in one loud and earnest demand that the iniquitous system which now obtains, on this point, may be at once and for ever abolished. A nrit place U due in this movement to the Cape of Good Hope. Two journals, both independent, spirited, and well supported,— the Cape Tliwn Mail and the Zuid AJvikaan—axt open to the discuislon of this subject, and are themselves discussing it with talent and candour. The inhabitants of this colony are heartily sit k— and that not without good reason— of Caffreand Boer wars ; they have hud the presurop ion, an, to think and affirm, that, were matters in the bands of the people, instead of being entrusted to one whose deligUt is in the " tented field," in the din of arm*, and in the meek submission of penitent "children," and whose name and fame derive their dignity chiefly from successful warfare— these calamities would be of far less frequent occurrence, if not wholly prevented. Since 1831 has this colony agitated, ever and anon f for various reforms, and in particular for the one now under consideration, but, as yet, unsuccessfully. The latest advicet represent Hi« Excellency at Graham's Town, where he was memorialised, in accordance with an unequivocal expression of public opinion, at a meeting of the inhabitants on the previous meeting, for a, Government for that province, wholly separate and distinct from that of Cape Town; This they ask, and why not they as well as Natal? But tbeie is one other reason of a very substantial character— it is an eitablished fact, that the average taxation of a colony with a representative legiilature is 11s. 4d. per head, while without it the amount is increased to £l 14s. Is it in Juuga.]} fltViure to l>e jtttis.fie.4 uuder puuU a state of

things, or very long to etiJurc it? Sir Harry, when on the frontier, received memorials to the effect, that they would like to see Her Majesty's representative hero somewhat more ftequently, und suggesting the propriety of separate government. Hia Excellency after the manner of military men, disposes of matters somewhat summarily. To the inhabitants of the frontier he says, he can soon get there ; and if aught, at any tima, be amiss, they will soon find him on the Bpot, as it is only some ten or twelve days' march frona Cape Town ; but this, to them, is unsatisfactory. To the men of Graham's Town he unhesitatingly avows his entire satisfaction with their present position. He thinks they will do very well, and soothes them will) the aisurunce, that he prefers the whole of the power in his own hands; in proof of which, lie appeals to the fact of his declining the assistance of the Lieutenant Governor and the Officer- General of the Forces,— both of which, he says, were offered him by Earl Grey. With reference to a Representative Legisla-.ure fctCape Town, he announces that he has already forwarded documents to Earl Grey for his sanction, which, he doubts not, will meet their approval; but, with His Excellency's past conduct, and the foregoinz facts before them, the colonists seem to doubt. Nor is this without cause ; for, it is only reisonab'e to suppose that, had this project been 10 very popular as Sir Harry would have them believe, he would, previous to its transmission, at least, hare made some communication as to its principal cont nts. They have a right to be [consulted, and the neglect of this has excited much dissatisfaction. The Cape Town Mail very justly snys : " Mr Hawes's intention could hanlly have been, that Sir Harry Smith and his official advisers were to pre« pare a Constitution for the people of the Cape, to send it home fur approval, and, if approved in Downing* Street, we — the people of the Cspe — were to accept this result of the political deliberations of the Hero of AHwal, as precisely that form the Government which would best meet our wishes and our wants." We think so too. It is only another proof that Sir Harry possesses no inconsiderable share of confidence in his political abilities,— a confidence rather stonger, we presume, than that which ha obtains among ihe colo□lbtS. In Natal, too, (his subject has been discussed. Recent ailvices state, that the inhabitants were energetically exerting themselves to tecure a full measure of their political rights ; a Legislative Council, indeed, had already been conceded to them, but they would not rest satisfied with it. They had held a meeting, at which it was proposed to petition the Queen, praying thut Her Majesty will "ouler such a revision of the Letters Patent, as will make ample provision for a proper and constitu.ional representation of the people." This is as it should be. We hope they will cot rest till they obtain the full measure of their rights. Guiana has also taken the matter up. The subject has been amply and candidly discussed i and gentral opinion has p>onounced in favour of it. By a large and influential portion of the community it is most ardently desired. Tl.e Guiana -Standard says :— " We all see that a Representative form of Government is the only safeguard against Downing-slreet domination and Colonial misrule." We say nothing of the need of reform in this colony. We have already detailed enough of its abases, and now await the arrival of the new Governor. He cannot easily make things worse ; and he will find some difficulty, now matters have proceeded so far, in effecting any considerable improvement. Trinidad, too, has broached 'his topic in an earnest memorial, forwaided by a large body of respectable and influential inhabitants of that colony, to her most gracious Majesty the Que. n- After se'ting forth their loyalty and devotion to her Mfljesty, they tay, — " Your petitoners humbly, but earn stly, pray for Represents tive Government — for a Local L gislative Assembly, elected by the ppople,and responsible to your Muj 'sty ami their Cons'ituents, for the ft cal and other legislative measures which they muy adopt." They conclude by expressing their deep seme of the injustice done them by the pretent locul authorities, in expressing doubti as to the fitness of the people for such a right. It is to be hoped thnt they may leave no coiisti'utional means unttied for the accomplishment of their object. In South Australia, 100, the colonists have not been idle; th-y «re stoutly resisting encroachments on their privileges, and urgently demunding their right of represintation. In Ceylon, also, the subject has been much agit. t d j and, but for the recent disturbances, more regularly organised measures would, by this time, doubtie i s have been adopted. And now let any one take an impartial survey of that portion of our colonial possessions just passed under review. Is not their position, in rc-pect of government, a disgrace to this free and intelligent nation 1 Have they not, all and sundry, abundant reason toagiUta for reform ? Look at the Cape— a specimen of colonial absolutism ; and what a state of things meets the view ! A governor granting to his church — the church of the minoiity— sums out of all proportion to its numerical or other importance ; a Bishop of this church receiving, in addition to a handsome income, Jfc'3oo per annum for travelling expenses; and, a« one portion of such travel, rambling about with the Governor on his expeditions, in order to assist him. in his favourite pin suit,— addressing, in Ms paternal manner, his refractory Caffre " children." Here, too, is a Governor transmitting his ideas of what is suited to the wants of the colonists, in the shape of a constitution, to the Home Authorities, without a word of consultation with those alone interested, — those who, with fheir children and their children's children, are, for better or for woise, to live under it. And, lastly, he is seen lefu&iuga righr, unanimously demanded by a populous p ovtnce under hit charge, because, forsooth, he thinks it would not be well for them ! With respect to Trinidad, we need here only add one fact to those already slated in this Journal :— The existing Council of Government, so called, is composed of twelve persons, — six officials and s x non-officials. The officialf, of course, will be the last to find fault with them«elvei; while the six non-officials are not very remarkable for intelligence, and have all been «lave-hohlers. Of the fitness of such a junta to legislate for a whole colony we say nothing. The condition of Sou'h Australia, also, calls for no. tice. It would appenr, from documents and statistics published, that the taxation amounts to an average of j £2 per head per annum. The revenue of 18 17, ex- j elusive of £36,336 from the sule of 35,0 n 0 acres of Government lands, was £67,027. The total ex enditure was £58,979. of which £15,646 went to Public Works, and £22,262 to the Civil EsUb'ishment— a sum, for so sma'l a colonj , altogether monstrous and intolerab'e. Surely reform is wanted heie. The state of affairs at Ceylon is well known to the majoniy of our reader?. Lord Torrington having now we hope, finished his expeiiments upon the poor Cm paldse, — after driving them, by misrule, into rebellion, and then shooting some forty of the most troublesome, i '—•alii at length deign to adopt measures to prevent the utter ruin of that fine and fruitful country—to keep a large portion of the inhabitants from dying fur r«ck of bread. It cannot be denied, that man; now

under liis paternal protection, who formerly enjoyed abundance, after these few years of subjection to his experiments in the art of governing, nre now leaving, or have already left the colony in the most pitiful, po-verty-stricken condition— unable even to take this step unassisted by eleemosynary aid ! How long shall this itate of things continue,— how long shall our Colonies be thus sacrificed to avarice, injustice, and aggression ? In glancing at this de* grading picture, the hearts of the true Englishmen sicken at the sight 1 I