THE MURDER OF SULLIVAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2905, 21 May 1873, Page 3

THE MURDER OF SULLIVAN.

[from: the " toveutt bay standabd."] We know of 110 duty so fraught with grave responsibility, and the performance of which requires so culm and dispassionate a judgment, as that which is imposed upon the settlers of this island by Sullivan's death at the hand of llauhaus. Disguise it as we may, there can be no doubt in the mind of a»y person conversant with native affairs in New Zealand during the last dozen years, that our troubles in this direction are far from being at an eud; pnd even if they were, it would be a weak argument to advance in support of the continuance of a peace purchased at the price of individual murders. Far be it from our sense of what ought to be done in the circumstances, to advocutn a hasty or illjudged appeal to arms, in a military or fighting aense ; but, that an armed force must, in the interests of justice and humanity, demand the surrender of those atrocious villains no one can deny. Tho necessary sympathy and moral and physical support will be given cheerfully to tho Government by those who have Buffered before, and who rather prefer the certain calamities of what may be a final struggle, to tho insecurity and uncertainty of life under the present humiliating conditions of an unreliable peace. Tho position of the Government at this juncture is not one of an enviublo kind. It can be defined only by a syllabuß containing two separate theses —involving two 'distinct issues, namely: Ist. Are they prepared to assert the prerogative of their dominion, by a recourse to thoao measures which may again devastate the land ? Or, 2nd. Will they, can they, stop Bhort in their administration of retributive justice, at the instanco or cupriee of this thing of a "King," until he chooses to allow tho murderers of our settlers to bo given up, and thereby proclaim that wo are unable to govern the people wo profess to Christianise | and to rule ? It is but a proper view to take of the mattor, to decide that all peaceful means should be used before proclaiming the acceptance of a coercive alternative ; but we fall far short of our duty if we hastily accept the doctrine, that the taking of one man's life had better remain an unavenged sacrifico than that a righteous doom should overtake his murderer, at the possible cost of many others. To say nothing of the effect this stealthy lifetaking will have on the minds of those whom we are inviting to this country, to share it with us.