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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 504, 15 May 1869, Page 2

During the paat few months we have received a number of letters from miners and others, complaining of the manner in which they consider themselves to have been treated in the Warden's or Magistrate's office at Westport. We have published only three of these, because they came from respectable men who appended their names to their statements, and who, for reasons of their own, preferred to make public the matters of their complaint rather than to bring them under the notice of the Chief of the Department. The other letters we declined to insert because the writers were either outrageously violent in their language, or neglected to authenticate their letters by communicating to us their names and addresses. Any intemperance of language in the letters which were published we chose to consider perfectly excusable. Out of the whole of the letters, the matters referred to in those which were published were, perhaps, the most trifling—so trifling as to provoke, probably, among those who were not directly interested, more laughter than serious comment. The complaints were certainly not of a very grave character. They chiefly referred to matters of mannerism or etiquette. It seemed to be insinuated that, in the manner in which people were

treated in tin Warden's office, there was imported an indefinite something which the French would probably call hcMteur. In fact, the beginning, if not the end, of the causes of complaint has been that, on entering the public office attached to the Warden's department, men are "ordered" to "take off their hats," that this is done in a manner which, however adaptable to the condition of criminals or convicts, grates upon the feelings of ordinary men, and, moreover, that it is done accompanied by the threatened penalty of imprisonment. This is the gist of the statements. How far they may be correct we cannot exactly say. No doubt, the officials have something, or, it may be, a great deal, to say on other side j but it is a part, and for them, an unfortunate part, of "the system," that they shall not enter on a newspaper correspondence on such a subject. Even if they did, it still remains partly a question of mannerism or of an " indefinite something;" but it partly remains also a question of "system," and for that the officials cannotj be made responsible. It may be an inheritance to the Coast of quarter-deck experience, though we do not believe it is, or it may be the of an honest desire to maintain peace and good order. But, however correct or incorrect the letters may be, we know that they are thus far truthful—they are " straws showing how the wind blows " they represent a general public feeling. It is a feeling, not only among miners, but among merchants in town, that if there is any expedient by which they could avoid going to the Warden's office, they would gladly avail themselves of it. People do not care, in mature years, to be "taught manners" at every corner they turn, or to find their applications for business licenses made the occasion for imparting to them some of the lessons of the dancing-school. They art accustomed to do business in her Majesty's Custom-house, or in Banks, or in other public offices, in one costume; and if, on turning a corner and finding themselves in a public passage or a right-of-way dignified with the name of an office, they encounter another code of manners, it is reasonable to think that they may make mistakes, and feel very uncomfortable in being brusquely informed of the same. This may especially be the case if their experience everywhere else has been exactly contrary to the " orders" which they receive. Everyone may be expected to know the rules of a court, and of the respect due to the Majesty of the Law as represented in public court, and any indication of disrespect should be severely punished; but some allowance should be made for inattention to what may be—is said to be— quite unusual and exceptional. We take the liberty of considering that it is not even the criterion of "a gentleman " whether a man covci-s or uncovers at the counter of a public office. Much allowance should also be made for unfortunate officials who, in maintaining a "system," have to add to their already sufficiently arduous duties the duties of a dancing-master, aud to undergo the infliction of imparting to the ignorant their own or others' ideas of etiquette. We have referred at this length to an apparently trivial subject because of public feeling, which sometimes will exhaust itself on trifles, but especially because of the injustice that may be done to good and faithful public servants. It is with very great reluctance that we publish letters irritating to officials, who are comparatively defenceless, and in connection with whose position much has to be considered. It is with especial reluctance that we do so in the case of gentlemea who are doing their best to discharge their duties, and who have, at least, no intention of doing an injustice to the "meanest subject." It is one of those drawbacks to those imaginary pleasures of people connected with the Press, that they have occasionally to become the medium of irritating and annoying their personal friends, or those who, in official positions, they may have every reason to respect or admire. In the letters which have appeared, we are sure that the public will discriminate as to what may be justified or may not be justified, even though there may be a misstatement or an exaggeration of the facts, and that no injustice will be done by attributing to personal characteristics what has—with or without reason—been the result of a rule. We take it for granted also that neither the gentlemen referred to, nor the public, will identify the opinions of the paper with any letters which may appear, further than may, in other columns, be expressed. Notwithstanding the feelings of the hypercritical and the falsely delicate, we contend that if publicity is not to be given to communications on even such apparently insignificent subjects as the relations of the people and public servants, or the limits of the laws of Courts of Justice, the paper which does not give such publicity had better, and at once, cease to be published.