Local Aelus.

Colonist, Issue 7, 13 November 1857, Page 2

Local News

WAIMEA WEST. PUBLIC DINNER TO E. EBAN, ESQ., M.P.C. The supporters and friends of the above gentleman (lately returned to the Provincial Council' as the representative for Waimea West) entertained him at dinner, on Wednesday evening last, at the Waimea Hotel. The dinner was provided by Mr. John Palmer. The table was abundantly spread by the obliging, host, several delicacies of the season being: provided. There were about fifty gentlemen in the room, amongst whom we noticed Joseph Simmons, Esq., M.P.C, Messrs. White, sen., William White, John Kerr, jun., M. Lightband, Goodman, Thorburn, and Thomas. The chair was occupied by Mr. Thomas; supported on the right by the guest of the evening. Mr. Thorburn occupied the vice-chair. After the cloth was removed, The Chairman said, he supposed they were all loyal subjects to their Sovereign, and proposed the health of The Queen, which was drunk with the usual honors. The Chairman next proposed the health of the 'Prince Consort and the Royal Family.' The Chairman now gave the toast of the evening— 'The health of the Representative of Waimea West.' The toast was drunk with three times three and! honors. Mr. Eban, on rising, said—l heartily thank you for this renewed expression of your confidence. To utter all my gratitude is an impossibility; but the memory of your kindness will be ever written in light. Your judicious, firm, unselfish, and incorruptible suffrages have, as you promised me in your unexpected requisition, secured my triumphant election. Without permitting me to be degraded by seeking personally a single vote, without any mean solicitation—by means of truth, fairness, candor, and honorable principle only, and these in the quietest operation, you signally foiled, a strong and artful combination. The most practised talent and paraded wealth of the district fell before your manly and honest unity. Working men of Waimea West, your conduct teaches ostentatious dictators and would-be aristocrats that united, straightforward, rightminded, sober and self-relying sons of industry, invested with true liberty, when they know their duty to the great public of even a little country, are a body too potent for the straddle of pigmy riders. He who, would use, govern, and direct you in any cause, must have no paltry selfishness in view, must, have capacity wide and vigorous to sufficiently conduct permanent general principles to beneficial undertakings and conclusions. .If he have not this, you will soon unseat him; .indeed, the .very bulk of your interests, belonging as they, do to the. kindred welfare of the multitude, will shake him off whenever you become uneasy under his awkward stride. You have achieved a worthy feat.' You had. to oppose confederated pride and.cun-" nihg v accustomed to dictate from seats of autho-' '■rity, and'the "uppermost"places" of the comma-" nity; but you showed tliem that right was even higher than they,—and before its power, they .were cast down. Yet it was something to defeat a party:, one of whom especially was the fondest, boast of Nelson, and, what is far more, of his| own wonder-" fully self. Out he largely stood, in -''full blown dignity," with all his fullest spread of-gaily plumbus importance, as round a boaster as ever' puffed "a private character that will bear investi- ' gation." Such was his unassuming advertisement! • It was published ingeniously, no doubt; for, by possibility, the ample vaunt might induce some "simple ones" to make a "diggings'" there for the sake of the findings ',' and they might' discover, and then; " investigate,"- a* " private rarity, the' existence of which, probably, was too apocryphal to the supposed owner. Certainly' the actuallyfound curiosity of this "private character". must ;be a great treasure to mankind, at larger but emphatically so to.-Stf Achim himself, inasmuch-as, its novelty would necessarily attract attention and,: divert popular gaze from certain faults of his pubr'. ' lie life and too long swaggering before it. It was" a nice expedient to secure a canny jewel of thissort; for it might be-more valuable at last'than a large landed estate, which can sometimes be-mor* easily acquired" than this pure "private" geitK But you were not to be deluded. "You were not foing after the possibility" of '* a mare's riest;' in" h. Monvo's marvellous "private character that would bear investigation." When the good man ■ is quite sure himself that he possesses' such a blessing; that it is not borrowed with a view, of never; returning .to its first owner; that ,it is indi r genous to the clay of his. courteous, gallant, and gentlemanly nature;. that it is assuredly ddmesti-' , cated with those unadulterated honesties" which keep honorable and • comfortable - fellowship with his complacently-cherished self, in the darkest moments,■ when an unquiet con--science is apt to shoot forked fires; and that,above' " all, he has this said " private character/ not as"' "other men," but rare a"nd luminous,"a meteor' [through the very core or nucleus" of which thet stars do-twinkle,—why then, our worst wish is T —much good may it do him! But,', gentlemen, as ;you did not go, through' bog and briar after thisi ;airy phenomenon in private life, haying happened--" to contemplate.the public course.of this phos-: phoric prodigy gleaming over all kinds of pools and fathomless stagnations to astonish the-admiration' of eyes, unused-to such amazements; —I say, as you really did investigate no "private" fen-light,, but the great doctor's great luminatiori,-- seen of all, and of himself most exultingly,but as you did not like the looks of it, now up, now down, no'w 1 palely streaming a kind of meaning against the common folks, and now "rosy red" with fervours of gentility, you thought'it best either" to leave it alone with its glory or to seek a surer guide. In a •■word, the breath of your displeasure raised such, a gale that the luminoiis vapour vapouring fled with all the glorious .train of a private (character trailing after it! Haply, some undissipated fogs at Nelson arrested it, and there it publicly hangs portentously terrible with its mysterious privacies. Of all the " misfortunes " that can be put into "a provincial advertisement, commend- us to the "misfortune" of a "great light" leading'men' astray from guiding principles and obligations. When a public man's'pique," mortification and resentment, caused by defeat, prompt him'to do and say shabby things of one more successful in. some small particular, arid the people where he is harboured approve, • if it be not tf "jrisfortune" it is a pity ; but when at- his instigation, fall candour, equity, valour, decency,, and goodwill are turned away from one who never injured them or for anything they know, any one else, —that does seem a " misfortune." Aye, "truly it is "a misfortune" to. a place like this'when a Monro is accounted" another' Lucifer on the brow of morning, and vot*ries hail his .beams under which to judge and condemn the innocent. It is perhaps a brave thing to "sit in judgment"ori'the absent,' to be judges by self-appointment, jto hear the evidence of baffled enemies; to-propa'gateall sorts of lies as this, that, and the other^ body's saying, by way of borrowing the verdicts of a party mob, —but it is not:'the' less, a'misfortune for the district or-settlement where .it.. all_ transpires. Viewed in this light I cannot. i).u,t. regard it as » species of calamity when a man has .the .means of enthroning himself over many, minds in Injustice, and arrogating to some extent the functions of the Supreme Judge; arid all forseoth- because -his " private character," as he says, "wuT'bear investigation." When you hear one who claims to be, a senator, a justice, and much more-bestde,''talking in this way,—never "pointing out rules'of action, primary measures, master sketches of duty'or privilege, or arguments of commanding force, but fixing all his cleverness ort puny tactics of this kind, you at once, see a lit tie ; soul, and a people clinging to him in similar tinyiicss. In want of a noble cause or high objects he must be >vho grovels in this way. Voluntarily to .prate'about his own private character as a means of keeping another man out of a public situation, ia either'to call the public fools, or himself of .that generation. Such a person, at the very best, must-be ih.the doubtful plight of some charmer who modestly protests that her virtue " will bear examination."

■z^j^ ■■■ ■ ■ • -gy- ...•'. — Safely may you believe, without rigid inquiry, that tKe one is as sacred and blooming as the other! Leave them I>oth to their " private" excellence. Well, gentlemen, what was the upshot of the entire *' private " concern ? Only this: it would not do for the Waimea West. You found the men of " private character " private with a vengeance. Dissatisfied with a genius that only represented himself, his Bearcroft, or his party, you sent him off to those whom such a councillor might please. But he soon returned full of pri-vate-character monomania. Now, however, lie appears shielded by a kind of keeper for the time being. Full of the inspiration of his subject, he now wants to investigate another man's " private " affairs. His zeal would have clone credit to a strait-waistcoat. But it was of no avail. Well; he brings forward liis man. Not quite as matchless as himself, yet with " a powerful mind," and lots of " private " recommendations to^ help out any intellectual blemish, and senatorial defect. Far be it.from me to indulge in personalities. On public grounds only do I condescend to attack any man, I ought to say presume to touch the hero introduced, to fight for the redoubtable Doctor, to cover his inglorious flight from the contest at home, where, of course, all his private value was1 marked with the " guinea stamp," whatever was the metal's property. The deputy of your rejected one advances, under special recommendations, as one knowing in horseflesh, farming implements, &c. What refreshing promise for a lawmaker! Be thankful for what you can get. So forth conies Dr. Monro's substitute, " possessing high qualifications for the duty of a representative." Well, if he does, the man must be a much finer fellow than his political master or patron. For why? Because he comes from a most unlikely school. Ecce homo ! See a man, the proficient son of an older gamekeeper and huntsman, himself profound in dogs and horses, boscage and borrow, foxing and poaching, jockies, racing and betting, with all agricultural improvements to boot! Forth he comes, not like his introducer at the hustings, who, I believe, does not profess to have mastered his letters, but who was master enough to turn from his house and land men who dared to vote as they thought best; nor does he come as his gifted seconder, who has mastered many things, but has yet to learn political prudence and the philosophy of ruling men by the suasion of practical wisdom, and the majesty of reason; but our lesser Colonial Derby comes out duly certified, as having "a powerful mind," capable of " mastering " any subject that he may be pleased to handle. Now it may be so. We shall not be so heterodox as to gainsay. Therefore, electors of Waimea West, a rare opportunity for promoting legislative ability must have been yours. But no; you were not satisfied. A statesman educated in the sublimities of the kennel and the stables, and the Turf Club also, initiated in all gambling ai#cana, must know how to legislate for men, whose breed is not studied as is that of some four-footed princes, of the true pedigree of Solomon! Hush !It will not do. The stout matchless horse Harry, with his " immense power of muscle," is distanced in theelectoral race, and, as to winning, is " nowhere." Well, he is naturally a passable fellow, and by improved training, may probably win some day. But he must be cured of the hereditary and dangerous vice of kicking. So to reduce and cool his "temperament we employ two or three legal grooms to treat him on the best sweating system, as approved by law. At the same time we shall cause to be broken in for the wool dray, one aged entire, very, vicious in the mouth, and other three or four of inferior breed, whose pedigrees cannot be found in the " Stud Book," on account of their utter want of blood and of good pom s and qualities. But a truce to such trifles! I dismiss these frivolities with the remark, that with the regard to any little matters affecting myself personally, I shall, if all be well, soon set the public right, if it should be pleased to read what I shall publish in honest vindication of the integrity of my character during the last thirteen years, or since I have had the happiness of living here. Beyond that, the Law must and shall defend me and mine from the foul and abominable treatment to which we have been subjected by a pack of low, contemptible scandle-mongers, whom I should pity if their baseness did not make me spurn them with a loathing too great for my scorn to express. Gem tlemen, I shall go to the Council to do my duty heartily and faithfully. There I shall owe no special respect to anything but sound reason. I shall bow to no majesty but that which I esteem to be right. The cause of our whole people is my strength and armonr; and I have a calm sort of confidence that he will be more than I have seen either there or elsewhere who will be able to wrest it liom me. My guiding principle will ever be, the utmost practical good with as little delay as possible; and, in order to this, I shall strenuously support all measures, in any manner fairly promising success, that offer to the bulk of tho population wise and safe means for directly and effectually doing their own work, either in general and thorough education, the formation of roads, the exploration of the island, the development of mineral wealth, the reform of abuses, the condensation and simplification of our ordinances, or any other approved mode of ensuring the increase, stability and happiness of all classes blended in one common welfare. In conclusion, Gentlemen, I request to thank you for your patient attention, and for the honor done me this evening. May I be permitted to give you as a toast —' The Superintendent, and the enlightenedjand free workingmen of the Nelson settlement.' The Chairman next proposed the health of the Thirty-four—the staunch supporters who came forward to bring in our Representative. Song. Mr. Eban proposed the Colonist newspaper and reporter, prosperity to the Colonist, which was drunk with acclamation. Mr. G. Taylor remarked—after the eloquent speeches they had heard that evening, the few remarks lie could make would appear very diminutive, and cast into the shade by the great towers of strength already exhibited. As they so handsomely drank success to the Colonist, coupled with the proprietor's name and his own, he would express his sentiments in a few words with respect to the new publication. A newspaper was wanted in order that both sides of public questions should bei known, and that the wants and grievances of the settlers should be pointed out. Mr. Taylor then proposed the liberty of the press. Mr. Goodman as one of the committee begged to state that in town the public had subscribed handsomely towards the establiehment of the paper, and recommended the country districts to emulate their example by subscription or otherwise. The reporter being, in the room he considered the time present most suitable for handing in their names, and concluded by recommending them to take in the paper if they wished it success. •• Mr. Eban, in support of what had fallen from the last speaker, said the Colonist's great object is yours and mine, our common object indeed; he hoped the statement made would be responded to as it ought to be, and as some of the gentlemen had given in their names as subscribers to the paper to him (Mr. Eban) he would recommend them to hand in their names to Mr. Taylor, who is now present. Several gentlemen came forward with their names and quarter's subscriptions to the Colonist. The health of the host, Mr. John Palmer, was next proposed by the Chairman, who said there was no person in the Province who had done more for the settlement than Mr. John Palmer. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer's health were then drunk. The Chairman of the meeting (Mr. Thomas) was next proposed. Mr. Thomas briefly replied. Joseph Simmons, Esq., M.P.C., fctf Waimea West, being proposed by the Chairman and drank to with honors. .".... Mr. Simmons observed that he had to return thanks for the very handsome manner in which the meeting had done him honor in connection with his name. The electors of Waimea West had proved themselves second to none in their conduct. The health of the Vice-Chairman (Mr. George Thorbum) was given by the Chairman, and supported by Mr. Eban in a short address. Mr. Thorburn thanked the gentlemen present in few words, to the company's gratification. Several songa were sung during the evening with much spirit and sentiment. The meeting iisatnai. about 12 o'clock.