THE HUTT ELECTION.

Colonist, Issue 9, 20 November 1857, Page 2

THE HUTT ELECTION.

(From'tke Wellington Independent, November 11.) The so called Radical Reformers have gained anotheir Victory. The Featherston party have sustained another defeat. The Hutt, which gave a majority in Dr.^Featherston's favor at the polling for the Supermtendency, has rejected his principal adviser, Mr. Fitzherbert, .the Provincial Secretary. The return, of five candidates, opposed . to the present Government, has. been accomplished as triumphantly, in the Hutt, as was that of the twelve for the city. No one, however, who was a spectator of the proceedings of last Monday, could doubt the means by which this result has been accomplished. The tactics of the radicals would have swamped any party who rested their claims solely on the merits of their cause. The Featherston party have ehoseh to rest their claim's on the past policy of their chief, and so far, at any rate, have jefused to follow in the wake of their opponents, by resorting to those practices which ara alike dishonorable to those who use them and to those who are misled by them. . In the late elections, the niggardly hand of the government party has been strongly contrasted with the profuse expenditure of the opposition. Placards, committee rooms, and carriages, have comprised the tactics of the one, while open houses, class prejudices, bullying, cajolery and intimidation of every kind have distinguished the other. We have already acknowledged that the party, whose "cause we espouse, have suffered asignal defeat, but we do not intend to whine under it. We shall hear our defeat manfully. Every dog has' his "day, and w& may perhaps have had ours, we are however quite certain that Mr. Wakefield will very speedily have had his, and that those whom he has deluded now, will ere long learn how little confidence is to be reposed in one, who, having no fixed principles to guide him, adapts himself to the expedient of the hour, to anything and everything which for the moment may serve his-purpose of obtaining political power. - ■ We pointed out the other day the opinions of Mr. Wakefield's father on the Irish' Emigration. Mr. Wakefield tried to wriggle out of it, but with a grace so shallow, that at any other time than one of such strong excitement, he would have been universally convicted as a political weathercock. We shall take care that his real sentiments on Irish Emigration shall be thoroughly kept before the public, and bye and bye when the excitement is over, when men judge more calmly than they do now, we shall see .whether the tables can be turned or not. We have now before us another specimen of how accommodating Mr. Jerrungham Wakefield can be in his political principles, how little -to be depended on, are his present popular sympathies., Some few years ago, a plan was submitted by Mr. G. Wakefield, for the consideration" of the Secretary for the Colonies, to form Municipalities and Councils for the Government of New Zealand. Certain New Zealand colonists then residents in London, (of which Mr. E. J. Wakefield was one) urged upon Mr. Hawes, the under Secretary, that they should be allowed to advise the Colonial Office in the matter. They, did^-po: among other matters on which they offered jtjijieir advice, was on the qualification of voters and candidates. Who among those that have heard Mr.. Wakefield's recently expressed affection for his brother electors of the humbler class, would ever have supposed that he had, a few years before, been the advocate of fixing a: high qualification for voters, because he considered 'it would be very dangerous to extend the francluse too much by making the qualification too low,'and because if a high qualificEtion were not adopted, the voters would include ' a class comparatively ignorant, careless of their reputation, and easily swayed by mere mob oratory and dishonorable artifice.' .How glibly tho gentleman who dates his letter from the fashionable Jermyn-street, can talk of mob oratory, and affect a horror of the means whichwouldbeusedtosway the votes of the working classes. How readily the same gentleman can hob and nole in New Zealand, Vith these very individuals and persuade them, by the mob oratory he pretended to despise, that he always had a-regard for them, and haj been all.his days studying how he can benefit . them. In his proposals for the establishment of tho Legislative Councils of the colony, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Jerningham, not Mr. Gibbon Wakefield, shows how cordially he respects merit, how heartily he detests a property qualification. What will his friends at the Lyceum think, of all his honied' words and soft speeches, when they read the proposal that none should be eligible for the Legislative Councils unless he had property of the clear value of three thousand pounds to commence with and six thousand pounds afterwards ? ■ What will the'small freeholder think of Mr. Wakefield's advocacy when he finds that every member of these tipper Houses ought to have invested in land to the value of one and two thousand' pounds respectively? * We should desire, above all,' says Mr. E. Jerningham Wakefield, .'that the Legislative Councils -. be composed of persons having a very important stake in the country. At the beginning, indeed, it may be expedient to allow the Governor perfect carte blanche in the selection of legislative councillors; because the late troubles of the colony have left many persons fitted for so high a station with.comparatively little property. We should not therefore, be sorry to leave this discretion entirely with the Governor for at least three years. But during the succeeding three years, no one should be eligible to the Legislative Council, who had not resided at least two years in the colony, and who did not possess property to the clear valut o/i!3000 sterling, of which at least £1000 should be in real property, in the province to whose legislative council he might be nominated. After these six years no one should be eligible who had not resided at least five years in the colony, -and who did not possess property to the clear value' of £6000 sterling, of which £2000 irotuf be in real property in : the province.' ■ " ■' Mr, Wakefield will probably tell us that he has. changed his opinions since he wrote the foregoing. Very likely he has, and according to the company he keeps in the future will: hia views undergo modification. But what faith can ultimately Of put in such a weathercock as this? ■ ■ -'