DEMOCRACY IN AUSTRALIA. (From the Spectator, January 25.)

Otago Daily Times, Issue 112, 26 March 1862, Page 6

DEMOCRACY IN AUSTRALIA. (From the Spectator, January 25.)

An explosion of gas always induces a few score-of householders to make themselves miserable by taking to caudles, and we do not, therefore, wonder at the reaction against democracy produced by the Amwican civil war. It is, however, going a little too far. The secret enemies of liberalism are employing it to attack the principles as well as the excesses of popular government, talking of restricted suffrage as if-it were a moral law, and- condemning popular passion as if they wished to destroy instead of restraining the power of popular opinion. We are told that the populace always elect feeble men, aa if Loui> Napoleon had been chosen by an aristocracy, and ordered to look at the American want of respect-for free nationalities ; as if Uastlereagh had not been a. Tory, or the authors of the pact of Vienna had been elected by universal suffrage. Now, we are bidden to ivj-istall Reform Bills, because decent Americans woui-l'-iike to restrict the suffrage, and then we are ordered to Cancel Australian freedom because, the Australians Hi the crisis of a great question—-no less a one than their right to live on the soil they own—have dismissed oue or two Ministries. We may safely leave the cause of English reform to the recoil which is sure to follow all tlite wholesale'denunciation,* but Knglishmen only know Australian polities through the eolunins of tho very clever and exceedingly prejudiced correspondent of the Times; It inav'be worth while, therefore, to point out that although the Legislatures of Australia commit many blunders, still, if the indictment-is to be made general, there is. a large set off to be reckoned on the credit side."

At iirst ivo may remark, that although Mrs Mothereountry ought, thnmgJi her ag-ent, the Gover- / nor, to exercise in each colouy a distinctly restrainiug ;ind Conservative influence, any plan for the general resumption of the power ot self-government, is simply a matter of rather tedious political speculation. England lias not the least, intention of blockading Australian ports, because her own next Reform Bill lias been anticipated by a few years, and a few lucky mechanics - have been elected to se.its in unpaid Legislatures, ami short of that, the power to resume "self-government does not exist. The local Governments with all their faults, have secured the attachment of the people— that most conservative of results—and must work but thoir own problem without any intervention of the Dcus et miiehinii iii the struggle. The Colonial Office may keep a, tighter hand, on their Governors— and we sincerely wish they would ; may abolish the upper Houses which only deprive the Chamber which, is the real depository of power, ofiks most conservative element; and may, of conr.se, employ as well as retain the constitutional power of veto. But there is only one event which woui.l justify, the suspension of the power of self-government, and that one is believed in Australia itself to be impossible. The best Australians declare that the idea of repudiation, so sedulously ascribed to thsm, hits never been entertained, and 'challenge their calumniators to produce one speech having that tendency, one pledge to give a vote in thiit direction, one morsel of testimony that any intiuentitil politician, no matter how radical, has ever ex* pressed a wish for so disgraceful a course. We quite admit that a repudiating colony is an evil England could not patiently endure, but the fact that a Marylebjne vestry is vulgar and capricious, and given to jobs, is no proof that it will not. pay its contractors, or tlmt it ought to be at once punished without trial • for fraudulent bankruptcy, Jvor is ft one whit more proven that mechanics and small shopkeepers, even if they did form a, majority of tlie Legislature of Victoria, would repudiate Lheir just debts. On the control"}*, they are a great deal more likely to despise tl o Higher moralities, and take credit to themselves for the possession of all praclic.il virtue, because they pay their little bills. The Legislature of Alississipi, the most impudent of repudiating bodies, was not composed of mechanics by auy means, but of the chosen chivalry of the State, great planters, strong advocates for the right of every man to his property, especially when property happens to have a soul in it. The only act of open repudiation of a public debt which ever occurred in England was ordered by a Kinp, diaries 11.. and supported by a Cabinet which contained blood as pure as the Howards. The fact is, the Legislature of Victoria. Ims some working men cud small shopkeepers, and rather more, perhapsl, tiisui it-» fair proportion, but it has also, men of undoubted wealth and respectability. Three members of the new Cabinet, Messrs. O'Shanassy, Haines, and Nicholson, have filled the oliice of Premier, anu m.iy claim a social grade at least as high as that of tho doctor who, a hundral years ago, was tiie hope of tlie English Tories, and the "son of a working weaver,'" as he called himself wiio is to-day, and will be a hundred years hence, the regretted chitf of the entire nation. But these Ministries nre changed so often'! Of course they are changed r.s Ministers are in England whenever a great question approaches settlement, and the numbers on either side become almost equal. But the last Miuisiiy of Victoria, Mr. Ueales's, lasted twelve months, the usual lifetime of a Tory Ministry in England,- ard there have been but four Ministries since the concession of self-government. -In New South Wales the, present Ministry have been in power, with oi.e interval of four months, since 1557, a long term f. r a British Ministry, and all partiss in all the colonies seem -anxious to retain as many old men as a most shifting society will allow, and so keep up the traditions of oiiice and personal responsibility. Then the objector..; forget, altogether to regard the positive side of this self-government question. They tell us the number of changes, and descant on the pedigree ■ .of individual "ministers, but thr-y never mention that the despised Legislatures have established n system of municipal government throughout tlie interior, created districts'courts, which work as easily as the county courts of England, taxed their electors for n hroad system of national education, connected all the great cities by the electric telegraph, and succeeded in laying the foundation of a conseivative society, by enabling small capitalists to invest in the purchase of public lands. This is a fair shine of measures for bodies -which have only endured six years, aud which have had to struggle with all the difficulties of an unorganised Executive, and repeated . constitutional change. That they have gone too far in the way of the suffrage is undoubtedly true, aud true also that an Knglish tradition has made the local Radicals anxious for the most stupid of demoratic decrees, the payment" of members; but these evils are 1 Tiot to be cured by resuming the constitutions. The colonial olive can veto these bills if it likes even now, and for the rest the scene which we witness to-day in Canada, is not precisely tlie oue which should ninke us despair of tlie consequence*) of self-government to the imperial relations ol'any English colony-

TIJK SI,AVE-OW»BR 4ND THE ACTOR.—Some time ago, when the celebrated Snndford's Philadel; phinn Nigger Opera Troupe was at Richmond (Va.), the city wiis full of strangers from the country. Conspicuous among these wiis Mi: Charles Loxlev, n rich (obaceo planter from a central S,tate, :i sensible but dodged man, who had recently lost many slaves! " Loxley was seen uijder much' excitement, jn the.aot ' of rising, with (in earnest look towards the stngo. On being naked what \vas the lnattur, L. replied," 'That fellow with the tambourine is my Josh.' His friend thought he was mistaken, and tried to convince him of his error—but no, nothing would do; he was ctertain the nigger was his Josh, and have him he would iiefore iie slept. The most his friend could do was to. prevail upon him to allow the performance to go on till its closl1. Just before the termination, however, Loxley went out, and returned with a warrant, and proper officei-s to execute it, and when the curtain fell the posse rushed upon the stage, seized Sandford, and befoie he had time to wasli oif the burnt cork, had him psoperly handcuffed and secured. Sandford did not show the least alarm, confident that he could soon wnsli out the dark insinuation that he was my Josh.' "When Loxley called, him ' Josh/ Snndforiij for his own reason, always answered ' massn,' and the peculiar way of doing which made L. more sure that he had found his ' boy.' After Sandford had asked permission to biing Ins ' other clothes' in a bundle, they went to the aMennan's office, where Mr. Charles Loxk-y made a solemn oath that the man was his slave' Josh.'. He knew him from his general appearance, and he knew him by his voice. "Upon such positive evidence, and considering the respectable character of the claimant, the alderman had but one course, and poor Sandford was handed over to 'durance vile.' Of course tlio^e acquainted with tlie^-e----uowneil performer richly enjoyed cadi turn the farce took, and were on tiptoe awaiting1 the denouement, and of course they followed* him as lie demurely walked hamlcn#ed, nside to his master, to tltc hotel. Arriving there,'Sandiurd said, • Charles, plpa-js let me ivasli tie dust'plit of liiy eyes, arid take" oif ueSe good dose.' Loxley ngrcetl to this, but would not permit him to go out of his sight. ' Water, was proi cured, and Sandford had scarcely commenced his nblutions;, ere the byestanders raised such a shout "'pt laughter at Lesley's expense, as was never hearil before in the • Old Dominion.' Sandford was niointtiorpbosed'inan instant. His colour,'voice,"jmitj ' nnd demeahpuiv were all changed in 'a tw«ik!e, find ' from an old greasy negro, 112 enme out n finished genloman, as every one knows him to be." V -