A LUCKY EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 264, 16 September 1864, Page 4

A LUCKY EDITOR.

('From tile si ltd California.) For an editor to receive a testimonial of ,1 hundred thousand dollars for doing his duty like a man, is something unheard of in the annals of journalism. Yet such a case h:>s just happened in India. The lucky man is Mr. Robeit Knight, a gentleman who has fpVd the cilice of principal editor of the Timr.s r,f India, (an Knplish da :, v jeiuinal publ'fhed at Bombay), for tlic lust seven years. On Jlr. K.'s announcing his intention to return to Knglar.d'for the hcnifit of his health, his friends ill Bombay called a pub--1:c meet'ng, vhkh was attended hy the principle inhabitants, both native and foreign, and a lakh of i U . pees subscribed on the spot. Since then the last named iui.d has 11 tn inm aud 1o nix ut d< uhle that sum, and tl < pi cm i:latie>n took place last month, on the eve of Sir. Knight's departure, at the residence of frr Janitetjre .lecjcchluy, Ihe son of the well k io-b.i Taisee l'aronet. Accompanying the testimonial -was a vciy excellent addiess, in which the Mibsci.'hers most coidiajlv thanked j\lr. K. for the seivice he had iindued the entile ct rrnumity, :ir.<l in his reply he made Ihe fcllon injy rcmaiks, which many a pub i: e writer r.t the piesent crisis may lay close" to heait, and although Ihev weie uttered seh iy to India, they may with equal pr ipricty be applied to the United States: —

" Oho tnsli of a journalist is, r.o dcul t a pcculiaily difficult one, in 11 community consisting of so many elements difi'ering frc-m, if not antagonistic to each other, in their nationality, civilization and relision. Hut one course, 1 believe, can possibly be successful : >i its execution. The editor must accustom himself steadily to view every public question in its bearing upon the whole community, lie cannot constitute himself the organ or the representative of any section whatever, without becoming the mere minister to its prejudices. At iea.-t such vculd sum to be the case in India.

" 31 is admit'rd now bv nil, that for Iho loyal ac-quiefc-nco ol' all chases in ourrule, our legislation must sU'adiastly ignoie a l ' class pioicrences, ar.d thut in religion the fstato must stand air of l'run all interference with its subjects. So, I Mien; in journalism, tlie v riter v.ho wciiM d 1 aw together the diverging i-lcir.ei.ts ot which cur society is made up, ;i:ri bird Hum in rinily and cemrrd, must lfcc above the liaruw spirit of mcie national's m, and, in the Lk j.d tact that we are all subjects of the Fame f-tato, ;:nd tlie fame soveieign, with n (.< I: i:: i;!:;' yof uatioijal tintercsts, strive to fink the difference -which lacc, nianneis and religion tend so powerfullv to c-xcite. * * * * SI y own convio'H 11 cn this subject ought liot to he conccalid ficm vou. I believe that the host qualif.catir 11 tor the Indian statesman, educationist, or editor, is a simple and fnll acquiescence in the' picat truth, that all men arc children of one Father, and are hound to honour one another as hiethorcii. (Cheers.) It is easy to cover this great imlh "with ridicule, hut it lcprcsenU what is eternal, and cannot he destroyed ; arid it is tliccnlv foundation, in my epinion, in which the journalist in India can build a lasting n pulatier, or tan ini'iicnee public opinic 11 to any good end. It cuts up hv tlie roots national selfishness, and natier.al prejudices, and even where these last n:av he invincible, it will prevent active mischief arising from them. In piofortion as this and other in en t doctrines take hold of a mini's mind, they compel him to he a just man, and inch a man ca"ed to arhitiatc between the native and the buiopcan on public questions, shuts his eyes to the difference of race. "With a Christian, nation elcminnnt in India, there is room lor tlie highest display of Christianity and rr.aganimity; and I rejoice to l o aide to echo tlie conviction of the Tiativc gentlcmc 11 who hear me, that, upon the whole, this great is being "worthily luledhy Christian England. Po. gentlemen, I jnay God'it may ever 1 e, arid so 3 am p< 1 suadc d it < vi r will be. ■

"7 lie ociisidoi jition which 1 have striven to irnkc the puidirg piimiple of my -writings, has been tho constant inquiiy, what is .just in this case? Ilaviag made up my mind npen this point, I have not been very anxu us as to tho result ol* my writings. The conscqucnee has been that I have by turns elfc'iidcd almost evoiv class in the country—amount tlum, even my missionary iiiends. Hut 1 leave India with tho assi'ranec —moie valuable i::r than any rational gift you can bestow upc.n nu—that men of all paities in the count] v rccoi/Hizc that this has been the guiding principle of my writings. (Chins.)" Happy man ! jSIOO.OOO haid cash. That's'writing editoiials to seme puipose! , Kohtii UltlTlK.