New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, July 20, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 518, 20 July 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, July 20, 1850.

The Faction appear to be in an agony of rage and disappointment from the castigations they have recently received, if we may judge from the last number of their organ the Independent, which teems with an unusual amount of scurrility and personal abuse. The galled jade winces — each hacknied pen has been pressed into the service ; all the conventional decencies which regulate public discussion, or the conduct of controversies are set at naught, trampled on and violated ; and having no arguments to advance in support of their opinions they attempt to supply their place with low slang and gross personalities just as those, according to Swift " whose teeth are too rotten to bite are best, of all others, qualified to revenge that defect by their breath." Passing over with contempt these anonymous scribblers, we must say a few words on a letter signed " W. Fitzherbert," addressed to the editor of the Spectator, about the authorship of which, since his name is appended to it, we suppose there can be no mistake. We need only observe that, if we had been previously led to form a mean opinion of this gentleman's style, education, and attainments from our recollection of his former exhibitions in public, and from the letter which occasioned our comments, (the general tenor of which so completely coincided with the sentiments he has been in j the usual habit of expressing), this opinion I is fully justified by his present performance ; and if this letter with the four doggrel lines which form its appropriate termination is to be taken as the production of one of the emeriti of Cambridge, of one who has borne the blushing honours of Alma Mater thick upon him, we are warranted in the conclusion at which we had arrived. We have no desire to bandy personalities with Mr. Fitzherbert, but we must correct the mistake under which he labours in supposing we are actuated by any spirit of personal rancour towards him ; we have no desire to drag him or any of his party from their obscurity, nor do we, however much enforced, bestow on them a particular notice, except when they thrust themselves so prominently forward in connection with the public questions agitated in this community as in some degree to compel us to animadvert on themselves as well as on their proceedings. But Mr. Fitzherbert would fain be considered a martyr to the popular cause, and desires to obtain a cheap popularity from the indignities which he would have the public believe are offered to the Champion lof Representative Institutions. " Revile [ me, I like to be reviled," has ever been I the cant of the canting tribe. His party, par excellence, profess to be the friends of liberty, by which they understand, the liberty of doing as they please, and of compelling all those who differ from them to submit to their dictation—that's their liberty. Under the cloak of freedom they would indulge in the unbridled excesses of the .wildest democracy, and establish a despotism at which freemen would indignantly revolt. They and they only — they would have it be believed — are the advocates of Represen-

tative Institutions. It is hardly necessary to remind our readers that, as to the abstract question of Representative Institutions there has never been any serious difference of opinion in this settlement, that we have never been opposed to Representative Institutions. The difference of opinion which exists is as to the proper way of obtaining them, and the proper time of introducing them into this Province. Those who, in a sober and rational spirit desire that these Institutions, when put into operation, shall prove a benefit and means of advancement to the community, have cordially united with the Governor-in- Chief in working them out by such legitimate means and opportunities as present themselves, from the present nominee Council as it is called (the most liberal in its constitution, be it remembered, of any Council of that kind in the Australian colonies) to that to be formed by direct representation. But many who view with disgust and alarm the violent proceedings of these disciples of liberty, who justify all their excesses on the plea of their zeal for Representative Institutions, are well content to wait a little longer for the good time coming, and desire to see a fresh infusion of British blood, a further increase in the European population of the Province, to neutralize and overcome the violentanimosities andparty feeling which divide and distract the settlement, when the promised Institutions may really prove a blessing to the community. But when they look upon the violent proceedings of these soidisant champions of liberty, they are too often tempted to exclaim with her who from having been the advocate of freedom, became the victim of its excesses, " Oh ! Liberty, how many crimes are committed in thy name !"

Our files of Sydney papers by the Queen do not contain English news of later date than was received by previous arrivals. They supply, however, some interesting particulars which will be found in our present number. The Sydney Morning Herald has published a full report of Lord John Russell's speech in the House of Commons on bringing 'in the Australian Colonies Bill; as the speech is full of interest, from the position of the Speaker as Prime Minister and as enunciating the colonial policy of the Government, we shall reprint it without abridgment.

The Lady Clarke and Torrington were both advertized for Wellington direct, the former vessel was expected to sail very shortly after the Queen.

The Woodbridge (supposed to have been the Constantinople) chartered by "Mr. Deans to convey cattle to his station at Port Cooper, put into port on Thursday. She sails for Port Cooper this morning.