ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 399, 23 July 1859, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Otago "Witness.

Dunedin, JBth July 18J9. Sir — In a document headed " His Honor's Address at Invercargill," that appeared in your paper last week, there is the following passage: — "Besides the bustling demociat, theie are others whose position should enable thorn to elaborate factp for the general use, and who, in the face of anticipated elections, may ciiculat* something else than fae.ts. Such parties must needs be scanned, and never trusted; -by an'elector. As an instance of *hat I mean, I will lead you a deliverance; with the aui thor's name appended, from tUe 'Witness' of 14 th ult; " and then ITis Honor proceeds to quote and rndke an irrelevant comment on my recent letter t to you in correction of a mist^ternent of the annual appropriations and .expenditure for school--. "When I say that-I felt confounded on reading the words 1 haye quoted, I inadequately express the impression they made 'on me. • I asked myself if it be possible that Hia Honor could have so spoken of one who has so long held office under him, who has acted as his depute, and whom he allows still to hold office, though he can dismiss him.at his plc'asure ; and that he should so speak of him" behind his back, without premonition, aud<in a distant.part of the province. I co.nfe.ss I felt indignant at.the thought that such, might he the case;, but the feeling was momentary ;. for, on the supposition that the words attributed to His Honor were uttered, I doubted, and still doubt, if he meant by them lo make the seiious charge they convey. If lie did, I have the solace which he cannot take from me, th,at the reproach is unmerited ;x; x and that from my heart I can and do forgive him. ,. Our-ofiicial connectiou has lasted for upwaids of eleven years. So long ago I became his successor in the business of cpnducting the .colonising of 1 this province. During the series of years I was so engaged, wo corresponded constantly, arid there was between 'us an tminterrupted harmony ; which may be snit\ to have characteiised also our closer official intercourse ; for, if it have been of late less perfect, there have been only those occasional differences of opinion which sesm to be inevitable when men of independent minds come to form their judgment on questions of importance. Upon these considerations I am resolved for my part, now that our official relationship is drawing to a close, not to terminate it by a personal quarrel, notwithstanding the seeming rancour of the remarks I complain of. If they were the effusion of, a passing feeling, in consequence of our opposition of opinions on the education question, I would have His Honor to consider that an amicable variety of sentiment, conducted with mutual good-will, has no sort of resemblance to discord ; and that a forced and r fictitious agreenient on so important a question" would be unbecoming either of us. If, however, he mean hy his reference to elections to attribute another motive to me, and to insinuate, auglit touching the Superintendency, to show what -has been, and continues to be, my sentiment in that matter, and towards himself, I need on]y-repeat what I have seveial times said in private, that it is an office not to be sought by intrigue, cabal, or solicitation, and not to be refused if offered on the- spontaneous suffrages of the electors : and when His Honor did retire, I desired no less for him than that he should descend with dignity (not fall) from the pedestal of power, <vnid the prayers for h ; s happiness through a lengthened green old age, of every member of the community.

I remain, &c, J. M'Gr.ASiiAH.