IHE TESTIMONIAL FUND TO MR J. C. BROWN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1183, 26 September 1885, Page 3

IHE TESTIMONIAL FUND TO MR J. C. BROWN.

(Totlie Editor.) SlB, — Some men «ro born to greatness ond others have greatness thrust, upon them ; by no act or merit of their own have they become great. Fortuitous circumstances from early liTe bave attended thorn. They caught tho tide of public opinion at early flood and have been carried onward in prosperity. Their merits have been scanned by admiring crowds, and their characters have been assailed by baffled, malevolent opponents. They have passed unscathed through the fires o( public criticism, notwithstanding their failings, and come fortb^beautified and, might I say, almost deified. And yi-t no high place can we allot them in the Temple of Fame, either as literary men or as statesmen. It is men of this stamp that we delight to honor, and twine around their brows the golden wreath of Fame — a wreath formed from the silver shillings or golden guineas of those who are beneath the notice of the great, men. Yes, pinch your hungry children so that you may bo able to contribute your mite to this wreath for honor's brow. Yes, let your children go bootless and c latless so that your name may be honored by appearing on a subscription list in aid of a testimonial fund for the man you delight to honor, but whose fame and whose claims on your gratitude rest on no more than ordinary steadiness and sagacity, qualities possessed by the majority of men. Now,Sir,if Mr Brown during tho pust twenty years had given his services gratuitously, and if he were a poor man, I could have understood the burst of eloquent gratitude which swelled the breasts of the promoters of tlrs fund, and as tho eloquent words of paise swelled from their lips and animated their sympathetic listonors I could have endorsed overy word — bncl there been no " if»." The country pays its legislators a fair salary, and combined with the honor thnt should be enough to satisfy the most craving ambition of moderate meD. If men Are not content with the honor and the honorarium why do they seek re-election time after time ? Possibly no sordid motives animate their hearts ; no, that cannot be ; our public men are beyond suspicion, and h»ve not an "itching pulm" for their honoraria and »he little perquisites attached to their position. Strange, nay, "it is passing strange," that though lor fully twenty years Mr J. C. Brown has represented tho Tuapeka district in the Parliament of New Zealand it is only n«w ihe merits of that gentleman are being discovered. The discovery of the true metal has, by some unknown means, been brought to light by a few admirers, who are desirous of sweepinsr the district for ti golden wreath to decoral.e the brow of honest worth. The result of a plethora of praise will re act on the promotovs and flatterers ; and he who is praised and still further to be praised will bo depreciated below hi» real worth. I have said a reaction will set in ; for when a man reachos the highest pinnacle of famr he begins to fall. I say, Sir, it is a sham* that the struggling farmer and hard-working digger should be asked to contribute to such a fund, especially when there are so many calls on their generosity in aid of tho poor and sick. No doubt the digger's shirt is still generosity's badge, and beneath it there bents a heart in sympathy with all that is true Bnd honsst. Tbe hand that holds the plough ia open to relieve the suffering poor and to help necossit y when it calls. There is no necessity for this fund ; the man for whom it is asked is above want. He has reached (and has long maintained the position) the highest place of honor in fact, this district could not confer a higher honor on him than it has alrendy dove. I will not obtrude my opinions further on your valuable space at present, but will conclude by stating that the district will respoet themselves aud show their appreciation of Mr Brown by not contributing to this fund.— I am, &c., Stability.