Correspondence.

Colonist, Issue 77, 16 July 1858, Page 3

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Colonist.

Sir, —In your issue of the 29th ultimo you published an extract from the Californian Chronicle, which gives your readers to understand that "French missionaries for several years had been the instruments used by the French Government to colonise the islands of the Pacific ;" and in the same -extract, upon mentioning missionaries who were generally Protestants, it is stated that they had been the first to attempt to " Christianise "the heathen in those islands. This mode of narrative, by which it represents French missionaries used as instruments for "colonising," and Protestant missionaries as " Christianising," seems to me to be dictated by rather unfair and prejudiced feelings. In the case of any such distinction, I think the reverse would have been more obvious to the position of both parties; for it is well known that the French Government has no spiritual power in the Catholic Church, and is therefore unable to send missionaries to any part of the world ; but, on the contrary, Protestant missionaries generally having their spiritual head connected with their Government, they may be sent by it as instruments of colonisation. In the abovementioned Chronicle it is also stated that "in some instances the chiefs shipped the Catholic missionaries out of the country." I expected to see such statements contradicted before this, but as others remained silent, permit me to forward to you, for the information of your readers, tlie substance of the narrative made to the Catholic Bishop of New Zealand by the commodore of the French ship Venus, at bis return from the very island of Tahiti, which is brought forward as an illustration of the assertion, and to which he had been sent by the French Government. The narrative was as follows:—

" Two French missionaries had been sent by the Pope" (as those missionaries who have been sent for two or.three hundred years to Tungkin, Cochin China, &c.,„by the Pope, not by the French Government) "to evangelise the natives of Tahiti. Their arrival in the island had been welcome, and favorably received by the Queen of that island, Pomare, to whom they had offered presents, as a token of the good feelings which had brought them into her island. But different were those manifested by certain parties stationed in that island. One of them was deputed to Queen Pomare to induce her to turn those French missionaries out of the island. "Behold these two strangers who came into your island," did he say to the Queen; "beware of them; they are wicked men and land robbers, and it is with the intention of taking possession of your island here that they are come.' To which the Queen replied, " But I have not yet remarked anything wicked in them; they did not steal, quarrel, or do anything wrong that I know of: on tbe contrary, they came to see me, and kindly offer me presents," "Here is the snare,"replied the de-

pnty, "itis in order to deceive you the easier: I advise you to turn them out, for you shall see before long the harm they will do to you/ "But how," said the Queen," "shall I turn them out of my Island, since I allow other strangers to live in it. I have no more reason to turn them out than I have to turn you and others out of it.' Upon which tlie deputy replied, "If you do not do what I tell you I will write to the Queen of England, who will send her vessels to turn them out and take your island." Queen Pomare said, " But if I send them out have I not to fear that their nation will send their vessels to vindicate this insult ?" " Their nation !it is a small nation; they have got only small native canoes." Pressed by such instances the Queen, though reluctantly, consented to have them turned out, and so they were ; and when the French missionaries declared that they bad received no orders from their legitimate superior, and would not walk a step tothat effect, they were literally forced out, carried into the boat, and shipped away. The news had no sooner reached France than the French King sent tho Venus to get satisfaction of that insult. The French colors being displayed before Tahiti, the Commodore wrote the foliowins* orders to the Queen: "Queen Pomare,—the King of France has hoard with regret what took place in your island a few months ago, you refused to receive in it men of his nation, 'whilst you receive men of others; bad you sent your men into bis nation, they would have been welcome and protected. But as you have acted with such different proceedings, I have to inform }'ou from him that because you have turned out of your island two French subjects, you will have, within these two days, Ist, to pay me the sum of 2000 dollars as a reparation ofthe insult done to the French nation. 2nd, you will have to fire 21 guns in honor of the French colors, to satisfy for that infamy thrown upon his nation; and 3rd, as you have refused protection to his subjects, you shall now write to him a letter by which you will apologise, promising for tbe future to protect all his subjects coming on your shores, as he himself.would protect yours who would go to live amongst his people; otherwise I am going to make an attack upon your island and take it for his possession." The Queen having received these orders, sent for the deputy before referred to, and said, " You recollect my objecting to turn out two French subjects who had come into my island, and that you insisted upon them being sent away ? Now, look there, do you see that French canoe ? You have been the cause of this mistake, you shall pay for it; you must before two days find for me 2000 dollars that I have to pay to the Commodore of this French ship." The deputy therefore had to go round the island collecting that sum, which he brought to the Queen, and which was delivered to the Commodore of the Venus. Then 21 guns were fired in honor of the French colors, and a letter was written by the Queen according to request.

_ Things then went on quietly; but after sometime, a French flag having been seen floating over the house of a Frenchman living on the island, as it is often the case among us for a private amusement, some natives, actuated by the feelings of retaliation, or spite, went to the Frenchman's house, which they plundered and devastated. Shortly afterwards, another ship, sent by the French Government, appeared before Tahiti, in order to punish the unjust proceedings. The French Commodore sends a letter to the Queen, inquiring for tbe reason of such demonstrations. The Queen answers that it is not her doings, that she has no control over some of her subjects, who shew a very turbulent character. The Commodore intimates that if any such occurrence takes place again, he will come and make an example ; she should take proper means to prevent such evils. The Queen, then willing to take some measure to that effect, calls a meeting of the head chiefs, and proposes that a Frenchman should be appointed to energetically settlo those turbulent spirits, which proposal is agreed to. Consequently, a Frenchman, acting as a protector, was established in tlie Island, to see that the French subjects would find protection in it. The Queen was made to understand that the French subjects must be, as well as other white men, at liberty to speak publicly, and that the priests, who speak to the people, compel nobody to embrace their religion. Let those who like to listen to them, do so; and let those who do not like to listen, keep away from them.

In addition to the above, I would inform your readers of what took place in New Zealand at the arrival of the French missionaries; how natives were guarded against their receiving them, and after their arrival, how they were advised to despatch them, not only from the island, but also from this world, principally in two most signalised instances, but which I refrain to explain. I am, &c, HEAR BOTH SIDES. Nelson, July 15,1858.

[We wish that in our columns every public question should be fairly discussed. We have the highest respect for real honesty of purpose, and therefore print entire our correspondent's communication, but wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not identify ourselves with the opinions expressed in that portion of our journal devoted to correspondence.—Ed. Colonist.']