Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1891.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5083, 19 September 1891, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1891.

If we may believe one-half the Tory Press says, the Government and their supporters should, in durance vile, be paying the penalty of the most consummate wickedness, or be immured in the nearest lunatic asylum. The latest subject of attack is that of the selection of a Chairman of Committees. It is held that the Government in this matter have broken every injunction in the decalogue. They are weak, whilst they exercise a brutal strength. They are stubborn, yet they pander to the weaknesses of political human nature. They lead with an inhuman disregard for the feelings- of others, yet they permit themselves to be led. But the political canaille, at the back of the Government—what shall be said of them ? What shall be said of the bedrabbled fringe of society that hangs on to the skirts of the Government ? How about these political street arabs, who, like a Catherine wheel, bowl along after the State coach, and doff their hats to the occupants to earn a penny ? What a desperately vulgar lot to contaminate the sweet-smelling savors of a genteel Opposition. Now, they never hung on to Sir Harry's skirts. They never wanted the Chairmanship of Committees. They never wanted any honorarium. They never wanted anything except a little bit of land somewhere or another, or roads north of Auckland; or a bridge, such as the overway bridge in Dunedin Sir Harry's donation from the colony's coffers towards a Fishy propitiation. Ah ! Well; perhaps presents of roads and bridges and land may be capable of a more dignified distribution than the small, mean things for which the common herd clamor; but they cost the country an infinitely greater sacrifice ; and, perhaps the people may be pardoned if they overlook the peccadilloes of the poor Parliamentarian, for the sake of avoiding the consequences of the insatiable greed of the noble aristocrat. They may be pardoned if they decide that it is better to pay fairly an honest man, so that they may know how much he is getting, than to pay a dishonest man nothing and not know how much he may obtain by way of perquisites.