PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 10 July 1890, Page 39

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

The Alabama Arbitration.

! An "Old Boy," Bigning himself J. P., writes that I am in error when I state that the Amerioan Government did not offer to return the surplus after it had paid all claims against the privateers. He writes : "As a matter of faot, it did offer to do so, but the English Government would have none of it." I thank him for his correction, but I Bhould like to have some official or publio authority for the assertion, for I have several histories, not one of whioh acknowledges that the offer was made, and I have, further, seen oomments in American papers on the aotion of the country in retaining the surplus. This, of course, is not oonolußive proof that no Buoh offer was made, and it iB possible that the'omission of all reference to it in the histories may be only one of the many instances that go to show that our histories are not so impartial as they might be. I thank J, P. for his kindly compliment, and hope my " Chats" will continue to be interesting to him,

Major Panitza,

Several telegrams last week referred to Major Panitza and Prince Ferdinand, whom the major has just been shot for plotting to assassinate. From the Australian papers it appears that the major originated a plot as far back as 1887 to murder Ferdinand and place some one on the throne favourable to Russia. His chief accomplice died, however, just before the plot was fully developed. Last autumn — corresponding to our spring— a freßh plot was hatched in Sofia, while Ferdinand was at Philippolis. The guard of honour to be drawn up at the Sofia railway station on the Prince's return was to bo composed of men whom Panitza could trust, and a couple of squadrons of cavalry were to have been held in readiness to scour the streets if the residents made any demonstration in favour of the Prinoe. But Ferdinand and his Ministers returned unexpectedly, and bo he and they escaped arrest and possible assassination. It is now known that Panitza carried on a oypher correspondence with several Bulgarian officers, a number of civilians, a Russian officer, and the Russian Minister at Buobarest ; that he had plenty of Russian gold to help him in bis designs ; and that the Russian general Damontovitch, had the plot succeeded, would have entered Bulgaria and assumed the position of High Commissioner. But the plot failed, much to the major's disgußt. Having gone so far he got desperate, and a few days after, armed with a brace of pistols, forced others to join afresh conspiracy, at the same time promising the Czar's special favour to all offioers who would asssist him. It was intended this time to kidnap the Prince returning from a ball ; but someone must have divulged the secret, for Panitza and all the offioera concerned were suddenly and quietly arrested before the ball took place. In May last all involved in the plot were tried. The major was sentenced to death and the rest to various terms of imprisonment, The court martial afterwards recommended that the death sentence should be changed to imprisonment for 15 years, but the Government evidently thought Panitza too dangerous to be allowed to live.

The Fourth of July.

Laßt Friday was the fourth of July, the 114 th anniversary of the foundation of the United States. Do you know what led to the separation, and who was the main instrument in bringing it about ? It is worth your while to notice that the Seven Years' war (1756- 1763) was the most successful war that England ever entered into, and that Washington was a firm supporter of the English in that war; while the following war— the quarrel with the American colonists —whioh culminated in the Declaration of Independence, was the most disastrous England has ever been engaged in, and that Washington was then as hotly opposed to the English Government as he bad been before favourable to it. What made Washington withdraw his allegianoe from George 111 ? There had been an amount of discontent against English rule for a considerable time. The Americans had been governed mainly by English laws though they.: had no representatives in the English Parliament. Though the colonists bad not to pay taxes to the English Government, they were not allowed

1. To manufacture anything that would interfere with the manufactures of England.

2. To import any but English goods, and these were to be brought in English shlpß. 3. To send their productions to any country but England.

These restrictions of course limited Amorioan trade and the prosperity of the colonies. But though the colonists were nettled they were in no mood to rebel. In 1765, however, the English Government passed the Stamp Act, which required that " all instruments in writing were to be executed on stamped paper to be purchased from the agents of the British Government." The English with good reason said that as they had spent money in protecting the oolonißts from Frenoh invasions they were perfectly justified in asking them to pay a share of the expense incurred ; the Americans, with equally good reason, said they had spent large sums in protecting themselves from Indians without getting the assistance of the Mother Oountry ; that they had lost 30,000 men in the Seven YearB 1 war ; that their trade was restrioted by English lawn, and that they objeoted to being taxed when they were not represented in the English Parliament. But George 111, who was ambitious and obstinate, and just as tyrannioal as the first two Georges had been subservient, would not listen to the colonists' objections, and ordered the enforcement of the Stamp Act on the date previously fixed upon, November 1, 1765. " That day was observed throughout the colonies as a day of fasting and prayer. The day was ushered in by the tolling of bells, as if the funeral ceremonies of the King himself were to be performed ; Bbips displayed their colours at half-mast ; business was suspended, and balls and churches were opened for prayer and addresses. In Boston a solemn procession bore along the streets effigies of the men who were the promoters of the act, burying them with appropriate ceremonies. In New York a Bimilar procession carried the printed act itself upon a pole, surmounted by a death's head, with a scroll bearing the inscription. ' The folly of England and the ruin of America.' Lieutenant Governor Golden fearing violence, fled to the fort, and surrounded it with marines from a Bhip of war. The mob broke into his stable, drew out his chariot, put his effigy into it, paraded it through the streets to the Commons, and there hung it on a gallows. In the evening it was taken down, put again into the ohariot, with the devil for a companion, and escorted to the Bowling Green, where the whole pageant, ohariot and all, were burnt under the gunß of the fort," Similar demonstrations were made throughout the colonies.

In consequence of the outburst of anger the Stamp Aot was repealed, and a tax ordered to be levied on tea, paper, glass, and a few other articles imported by the colonists. But they objected to be taxed in any way, and an association was formed by the leading oitizens and

merchants, who pledged themselves "neither to import nor use any goods, merchandise, or manufactures taxed by Parliament to raise a revenue in America." Thia caused a falling off in trade, and the English merchants appealed to Parliament to abolish the taxes that were doing them such an injury. The Government gave in, and repealed the taxes on all articles except tea, the tax on which was retained "to show the colonies that England claimed the right of tax? tion,"

A fleet of vessels loaded with the cheapest tea the Amerioans ever had— for the English warehouses were full of it — was sent out, and about the same time 7000 troops to enforce the tax at the bayonet's point. Lord Fairfax called upon Washington to see what the colonists intended doing. As soon as he entered Washington's house, the American patriot said : " A letter from my agent announces that several vessels with cargoes of gunpowder tea are about to sail to this country. Parliament is determined to tax our tea ?"

'•Why do you oall it gunpowder tea ?" inquired Fairfax. "Why, I am afraid, my lord, it will prove inflammable, and produce an explosion that will shake both countries," was the reply. He spoke truly. You know how the tea was thrown overboard, and that shortly affar the first shot was fired at Lexington Green, the signal for the rebellion that lost to England a population that now tots up considerably over 50,000,000, and a oountry larger than Australia and New Zealand put together,