WELLINGTON POLITICS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1289, 9 December 1857, Page 4

WELLINGTON POLITICS.

[From the New Zealander, November 21.] The Acadian schooner, (Captain Robbins,) brings us news for the full extent of which we were not prepared, although the accounts we had previously received and published of the conduct of tbe “Political Prophets" of Wellington at the recent Superintendency election, had brought to our recollection both the old Neapolitan adage, *' It is always good to be mannerly,” and the old English proverb, “ Pride goes before a fall." By this time Dr. Featherston—or “ Feather-my-nest,” as a humorous opponent has paraphrased the name—has doubtless mediated long and deeply on tbe sound philosophy of two other old sayings, “ Wise is tbe man that ruleth bis household well, but wiser he that can rule bis own tongue,” for “ A command of gall cannot be obeyed like one of sugar.” For four years Dr. Featherston and Messrs. Fox and Fnzberbert have hel J almost undisputed sway in the Province of Wellington. Their word was law. The flippant tongue of Mr, Fox and the pedantic verbosity of Mr. Fitzherbert had, it is true, often excited a smile or a feeling of vexation, when contrasted with their administrative incapacity, but the personal popularity of Dr. Featherston sufficed to atone lor the failings and excesses of his ministers. Everybody, said “ It would be worse than midsummermadness for any one to think of opposing Featherston.” And until the other day it seemed as if it really were a fact, that “ what Everybody says must be true.” Witbin tbe other day, however, “ the little cloud no bigger than a man’s hand," arose in tbe East, threatening the dominion of the Triumvirate of “tbe Beach.” It spread rapidly from Port Napier to Port Nicholson ; and though Dr. Feathers on beat Dr. Welch—a comparative stranger —by two to one, he even then polled a minority of the electors. Io fact, the total of the majority was so small as to show that had Mr. St. Hill come forward, he would have run Dr. Featherston very, very bard,

if not have beaten him. To all intents and purposes. Dr. Featherston received a sound

political thrashing—a defeat prophetical of the still greater one we have (o notice below, and for which he has to thank his own indiscretion quite as much as the pertness and self-sufficiency and election-dodgery of Mesers. Fox and Fitz herbert.

! From the Wellington papers of the 4th instant, we learn that the result of the poll for Superintendent was formally declared on Monday the 2nd, when it appeared that the total number of electors who polled for Dr. Featherston was only 830 out of, and less than 1800 who could have voted if they had chosen to do so, or felt that they could do so conscientiously. Anti even of those 830 votes, nearly every vote recorded for Dr. Featherston in the Ahuriri District, v/as so recorded, not that the electors of the North-East of the Province had in any way given up their views as to tbe importance of Local Self-government, or become any more enamoured uf the legislation of “ the three F.’s,’’ but that the language made use ol by Dr. Welch and Mr. Jerningham Wakefield on the Squatting question had made them fear to try the experiment of exchanging King Log for King Stork. The following was the recommendation of the Hawke's Bay Herald, to the Ahuririans on this head, “ By all means vote for Dr. Featherston, but—let the motive for so doing be fully understood.” This was the “ voting for him to a man” to which tbe Superintendent referred as consoling him for the defeat he admitted he had received in tbe vaunted “ Empire City ” (I !) where he and bis confreres had so long reigned supreme. His re-election as Superintendent was the last of Dr. Featherston’s triumphs—if triumph it may be called. The Wakefield, or ProvincialReform party immediately look more active steps to contest the elections for the Provincial Council; and although the Fkather-my-nest party not lung since could crow down men like Messrs. Ludlam, V. Smith, F. D. Bell, and others who did not belong to their peculiar Know-nothing faction, they met with an ominous hint to ** give place to better men,” when Messrs. Hunter and Stokes, and other staid politicians coalesced with the active Provincial Reformers, and called upon the electors of Wellington to vote for the “ entire ticket ”of tbe twelve Radical Reform Candidates.

In this exigency, Dr. Featherston’s good genius seems to have deserted him. He bad before suffered bis “evil genius,” Mr. Fitzherbert, to persuade him to refuse to meet tbe elec tors; and be bad before tacitly sanctioned the issue, by that same “evil genius,” of a declaration, since said to be false, as to the demand for a poll. He now, in returning thanks for bis reelection, suffered his irritation, under present and prospective defeat, to manifest itself in the following language with respect to the Reform Candidates for tbe Town :—

You know that I am bound by law to take my advisers from the Provincial Council; you are also aware, gentlemen, that there are at present large sums of money in the Provincial chest. I say that the majority of persons put forward to oppose me are utterly untrustworthy—that they are notorious gamblers—the plunderers of widows and orphans (loud and repeated cries of “shame, shame,” “ name, name.”) I must and will not call to my Executive Council men who are utterly unworthy of my confidence.

Iu vain was the speaker—for whom individually even hit opponents have hitherto felt such respect—called upon for an explanation. He dealt out the sweeping insinuation—he did not say against whom he levelled such accusations, — whether Mr. E. J. akefield or Mr. Hunter, or Mr, Allen, or Mr. Varnham, or Mr. Carpenter, or Mr. Barry, or Mr. Toomath, or Mr. Warburton, or Mr. King, or Mr, M’Laggan, or Mr. Bowler, or Mr, Stokes : all, as we learn from parties well acquainted with Wellington, quite as well qualified to conduct the business of the Province as those who have hitherto assumed to themselves the credit of being the only persons fitted to act as Provincial or Colonial legislators. ” In the Sea of Malice, Envy frequently gets out of her depth, and whilst she is expecting to see another drowned, she is either drowned herself, or is dashed against a rock.” So says Giambattista Basile: sod ao we find that the election of members of the Provincial Council for the town of Wellington took place on the sth instant, with the following extraordinary results :—

Reform Candidate!. Hunter 352 Bowler 331 Varnham 325 Wakefield 322 Barry 303 Toomath 301 King . 207 Allen 29fi Carpenter 295 Stokes 291 McLaggan. 281 Warburton 2G7

“ Three F’s ” and other Candidates. Clifford 223 Spinks 204 Taylor 195 Fox 180 Wallace 166 Woodward 157 May 153 Smith 150 Plimmer .... 145 Byon 127 Fawcett 124 Holdsworth 117 Johnson 55 Fitzgerald 9

Such an event as a “ticket" or Hat of twelve eandidat s on one side being carried entire, is, we believe, without precedent in the history ol elections. The fact may be taken as a conclusive verdict on tbe part of the people of Wellington in reference to tbe wholesale indictment preferred by Dr. Featherston, and echoed by the Independent, against the twelve settlers who dared to oppose his policy. lie avers that the majority of those twelve are gambler, and thieves (!) —he takes a solemn pledge not to call any of them to his Executive even should they be elected. The people of Wellington return the whole twelve in spite of the unproven charge and the unconstitutional threat. And not only has the lowest on tbe list of the Reform Twelve a majority of 44 over the highest (Mr. Clifford) of “the three F.'s" nominees; but we find that Messrs. Fox, Woodward, and Holdsworth go lower down in tbe list—while Mr. James Smith, who effected the last Wellington Loan and made such flaming speeches in Liverpool, was 112 below tbe lowest of the Reform Twelve. For such facts as these there must be -nor? than one cause ; and chief among these causes it would appear are the excessive arrogance with which Messrs. Featherston, Fox, and Fitzherbert, and their hangers-on, have treated all who have in any way opposed their Provincial or Colonial policy—and the various threats and other species of intimidation they have resorted to with a view to secure a bold of office. Thus Mr. Fitzherbert hinted at “a dead-lock” and stoppage of public works if he and his tail were oot returned—Dr. Featherston talked in the same strain, prophesied tbe bankruptcy of the Province if lie were not obeyed, and libelled his opponents as we have before shown. It came out, too, that the F-atherston Government had sent borne instructions to their agents to prevent Irish etnigran s from sharing iu the Immigration

Loan-fund ; and when this fact was published, they resorted to the very transparent and childish ar'ifice of republishing opinions of Mr. 'Gibbon Wakefield published some twenty years ago, to prove that Mr, Jerningham Wakefield must be also hostile to Irish immigrants. The Irish voters showed their appreciation of this species of defence of the Provincial Government by following Mr. Wakefi’ld to the hostings in a large body, each voter wearing th » national colour blent with white, to mark the union of the different nationalities. So that here, again, “ the three Fs’ learnt to their cost that “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” The result of the elections for the Hott—for which Mr. Fitzherbert was a candidate, knowing be had no chance in the Town of Wellington —we have not learnt. Even should he be returned, he will have but little power in such a hostile Council composed of so many men as able as himself, and in which he will be destitute of the official support he has hitherto been able to command.

Under these circumstances, what will Dr. Featherston and his co-Triumvirs do ? They chuckled rarely at the late Dead-lock in Auckland—they talked largely of adherence to Constitutional principles. How will they themselves act in the dead lock they have brought upon themselves by their own arrogance and reckless legislation ? We are curious to see. There is one feature in connexion with this and the late contest in the Province of Wellington we must notice in justice to our own. It is the very spicy and personal tone of the discussions on the platform, of the articles in the press (tn the Independent especially), and of the elec-tion-squibs on both sides. Our friends in Wellington and tbe other Provinces have often been merry at the expense of Auckland politics and politicians, and at “ the incessant personalities ’’ of the opposing papers. Doubtless we have had enough of such things on both sides ; but we have never come up to wholesale charges of fraud, gambling, and theft against political opponents —charges echoed by a direct accusation uf perjury against five individuals whose names cannot be mistaken. Others of the hand-bills are of a more legitimate character. One asks a question, “ Why is Dr. Featherston so sheepish ?" which is answered by statements showing that be occupies “ 28,000 acres, or 44 square miles, of the public laud, at a yearly rental of £29 3s. 4d., and has only paid 1| year’s rent up to June, 1857.” If this be true, one cannot wonder that Dr. Featherston disapproves of “ such personal questions” being put to him on the platform, or that he and his colleagues have made such desperate efforts to retain tbe Government in their hands. Nor can we wonder that the feeling should now generally pervade the Province, that it would be better to encourage a healthy tide of self-paid immigration by resorting to tbe system of selling land on credit, in proportion to passage money—rather than raising large loans on the Provincial lands io import labourers for the large run-holders, and to work unwillingly for the Government for lower wages than were promised to them before leaving home.