THE "Wellington Independent." Saturday, November 17, 1849.

Wellington Independent, Volume V, Issue 428, 17 November 1849, Page 2

THE "Wellington Independent." Saturday, November 17, 1849.

During the early part of the Agitation on the subject of Self-Government which has now been going on for more than a year and will probably have to be continued for a year longer, when Lord Grey it is said has promised " that the wishes of the Colonists shall be gratified," we were a good deal surprised at .the extreme meagreness of the Columns of the Wellington Spectator, the avowed organ of Sir George Grey his puppets and officials. Not that we expected.Mr. Robert Stokes the supposed proprietor and actual Editor of that paper to come very vigorously to the.rescue of the cause he had espoused. From the ex-assistant surveyor of the New Zealand Company, who took up the profession of Fiditor without undergoing the necessary preliminary of getting :himself educated, nothing more than the most feeble defence was to be expected, on a great question like that of Representative Government. Out of nothing, nothing comes. But we certainly did expect that some of Sir George Grey's other tools who could write would have contributed to the Spectator's columns, more particularly as-some of-them had been rather distinguished in connexion with the local press, and in the production of political documents ou the.popular..side, before Sir George Grey "speared his flounder." The mystery is however unravelled. It now appears that the gentlemen were better employed than in contributing locally to the support of the cause of despotism. It turns out that such of the Nominees as could write and had any respectable acquaintances at home, and some of the officials thinking no doubt that it was necessary to So something to_ earn the salaries Sir George had bestowed upon them, were engaged in correspon-. ding with parties in England.—endeavouring by ingenious defences of Sir George and his policy to delude influential persons there aud secure their support. There is "unmistakeable evidence of this in mo.c thun one fact which has transpired since -the arrival of the Kelso's mail reporting the effect of the contents of the Cornelia's, but the most marked instance of it and that which it is our present intention -to notice is to be found in the letter of Mr. Wakefield, to a Director of the New Zealand Company, which we lately published. " I have" says the former gentleman "letters from' New Zealand which contain the Governor's apology for withholding Representative Government from the Southern Settlements. The'letters aresoconfidtotial as respects the Writers, that I must not shew them or mention names, but you may rest assured that the apology is Governor Grey's own and that it comes as directly and intentionally from him to me as if he had written'to me himself.'

Now what do our readers think of this ? It appears that there are certain parties in the 5 Colony, mutually "intimate with Mr. Wakefield and Sir George Grey, whom the latter (not venturing to lay himself open by writing personally.to the former though we believe they are old acquaintances) makes use of as tools to plead his cause, and to endeavour to gain over the author of Systematic Colonization, perhaps at this moment the highest authority with the English public on Colonial matters. Is it not all very dirty mean contemptible and underhand ? They dare not put forward their .ingenious but miserable defence of Sir George's policy in the Colony; they know that here it would be exposed at once; they put forward something quite different—but they labour day and night in writing to influential parties at home with all sorts of subtle sophistical and dishonest explanations and defences of their master's despotic conduct. The Colonists however will no doubt be able to form a very good guess who these writers aro "whose letters are so confidential as regards names" and the part they have played Will not be forgotten .yhen, by open honest and'above board agitation, we ImvoW-j ! /'

crtred the control of public affairs and tho privileges of self-government, i ;_;.i^T' And what a contemptible, unmanly and dishonest defence M= is- that^s ir George and tliey havo worthy of the means adopted to give it effect. At the very same time that he was reporting in the strongest ihahner in the two long despatches of November and February last, ~ against. self-government being granted to the southern settlements, he was "privately urging the home authorities to give^it-^tnknig;every means to secure it short of officially asking for it, insisting that he has done all he could to induce the Home Government to take the right step." What a damning defence! To be candid we don't believe a'wbrd of it. Not that we do not think Sir George capable of resorting to such a practice as his apologists assert he did—it is exactly in accordance with his diplomatic turn of mind—but we do not believe that he would by private urgency risk the introduction of self-go-vernment, which publiclyi officially, and we are confident from the bottom of his heart, he is opposed to. He may, however, have put such a defence into the mouths of his apologists to be urged on Mr. Wakefield and others, or they in their indiscrete zeal may have gone beyond their instructions, and invented or. added to what he told them. ~ But what a cause it must be which has no better defence —no more skilful defenders I Was it by such arguments that Lord Metcalf used to defend his great measures, when he gave liberty of the press to India, or responsi ble government to Canada ? Was it by such tortuous courses that he obtained for the people under his rule those inestimable boons ? Did his candid and bold mind ever stoop to urge privately on the Home Government those measures which in his official despatches he condemned ?. Was he so indiscriminating as to select defenders of his policy who could devise no better defence ? But we wrong the memory of that great man, to draw any parallell between him and the political adventurer, the chief act of whose government has heen to resist the introduction of free institutions into this colony, and to act as a crutch to the feeble and tottering spirit of despotism now grown Grey throughout the world. Mr. Wakefield, fortunately for us, is too old a colonial a bird to be caught with such chaff. He saw through the sophistry at once. "This," says he, "is Sir George's own case and. it is not very creditable to him ; it shows him sacrificing conviction and high duty to selfish personal consideratit ns." Wefcuspcct by this time Sir George and his supporters have found out their mistake—that theyregret having tried 'to throw dust.in the eyes of one who could:see so far through a milestone. It was foolish of them to attempt it. Mr. Wakefield, as they might have known, has .got -a clear and full impression on the- subject of gel_%overn_Kent; it is.a principle with him, deep rooted, essential and fundamental-—a touch stone by which he can test the tendency of any specious proposal--*-and by which he has probed and discovered the dishonesty of Sir George and -his pitiful defenders: He has now formed his own opinion of the model- governor. •' His adroitness," says he "is trickery—his changes of mind; timidity—his failures, blundering." Honesty after all is'the best policy.

In a late number we took occasion to offer a challenge to the Spectator and the Government faction, to make some public demonstration of their numbers and importance, and we twitted them with their having hitherto not ventured to offer any open opposition to the friends of self government, whom they profess to contemn, either by attending their public meetings or by petitions to Parliament in support of Sir George Grey's Nominee Council. We understand that the challange has been taken up, that an association has been formed to resist the introduction of Free Institutions—that a hole-and-corner meeting of its members has taken place, and that a petition to' Parliament is now being hawked about for'signature as the consequence. By the kindness of a member of the new.association, who thinks it well to havtii two strings.-to his bow, we are enabled to ;lay before our readers a brief report of. the proceedings at the meeting, as well as a copy of the ; petition. The meeting was held at the long-room of the Cap and ' Bells, public-- house, and haying been convened by circular, consisted entirely of the Nominees and Officials, and a few- relations of the two classses. On the motion of Mr. Nominee ■M—re, Mr. Nominee was called to the Chair. ~ *. , .... — ~

On opening, the business of the meet | mg, the Chairman observed, that the position in which they had placed him, was one to which he considered himself fully entitled—partly because of his great experience which he believed ,was equal to that of all tho rest' of them put together and partly because of his having been repeatedly chairman of' meet-1 ings called' to advocate' self-government! he knew, the devices-of the adversary and so on the whole he" considered he was.where he should be His modesty allowed him to say this much, he hoped he.was not. required to say more in justi-l ftptioi, of thoir choice. ' They had been I

called together for the purpose of laying the keel of an association which might oppose the introduction of Free Institutions, and combat the progress of those opinions whicli the Settler's Cons titutonal Association disseminated. He should be happy to hear .vhatany gentleman had to say, and would endeavour to see fair between them.

Mr. Nominee M—re then came forward and. said, it was with much diffidence ho" ventured to obtrude ;i his opinions, but what he wished was to have, a principle to go upon, and in the present case thero was no doubt mischief was done. He' trembled for the publio wellfare—they had all seen the effects of revolutionary movement in France, and if self-government prevailed where would, the end be ? Sir George Grey had done him the honour to ask hirii to sit ih'hfs Council,and he hoped the advice he-had given would not be without effect. It was for them to consider what should be done, but the principle -was clear; he therefore begged to move that an association be formed to be called " The Bone Knife Association/ which should pledge, itself to resist the introduction of selfgovernment till the people had been ficiently instructed in the art of legislation. ' . '*-;.■"■'''■ '! " H . ■'■:." ,' Mr. Nominee L—l—m seconded the; motion. He thought there was no occasion for self-government—Sir George Grey and his Nominees and Officials were* quite enough. He had reada statement in the New Zealand Journal to the effect that " the Nominees were the least intel-i ligent members of the community, and that if Sir George Grey had advertized for such characters he could not have got any better fitted to answer the description." He didn't see why any intelligence was required—they could all do as they' were, told—it didn't require much sense for that, and Sir George would take care to'let them know what he'wanted. He was no fool himself, at least he didn't consider he was, he thought he should make quite as good a legislator as the best of them. They could all learn which side to vote on -their bread had a buttered side and an unbuttered, and it was odd if they hadn't the sense to know which' was which. ' So the New Zealand Journal might talk as it liked he should stick to his seat, and he begged to second the motion. : The motion was then put and carried unanimously. •Mr. Nominee H——r then arose to address the meeting, but he spoke in so low a tone that our reporter was unable to catch what he said. He was understood, however," to move the adoption "of a petition which he read to the meeting in the same inaudible maimer; the substance of which, as far as our reported I heard it, was. against self governmeiit, and objected to its introduction on several moral, religious, and political grounds, particularly- die effect it -might have on the natives, and other matters to the same_ effect. He was seconded by Mr. Nominee B-n—t-ne. . ■

Mr. R——t St s opposed the petition. He said it was no use addressing any arguments of that sort to the British public, or the House of Commons. They might be very good arguments, but those they were /addressed to cared nothing about the matter. The movement ought to be a Memorial to the Colonial Office, not a petition to the House of Commons. The Colonial Office could do as it liked, and they might laugh at .the House of Commons if they had the other on their side. He was afraid, however, that there was treason in the camp. He had read in a low and scurrilous paper published in this place, which he was ashamed to call his cotemporary, a letter from a party iii JEnglarid, in which it was stated that Sir George Grey had written privately to the authorities at home recommending self-government, while in his official despatches he had protested against it. Now as he ; sfiw a gentleman in thut room-who was supposed to enjoy the private confidence of Sir George, ho desired to ask him what foundation there might bo for the report.

1 Mr. Au—t—r Th—s, in reply, said' that they need not be afraid of >Sir George Grey playing the traitor in the cause of self-government—he was far too fond of governing by himself to dream of it. But they must be aware that every high official has-t*vo interests to serve—that it is ofien necessary to keep up the appearance of being favourable ton measure' while in reality he is cordially opposed to it. If he confined himself to official opposition, it would be set aside and ho also, by the Home authorities; but by writing privately in favoilr of self-govern-ment, ho led them to beliove , that .his official recommendations' against did Violence to his own wishes,' and that therefore he must havo very strong reasons for them. They might rest assured that the official recommendations would "be carried out, the Home Government* cjare riot take the responsibility of acting in opposition to them, while the privato pretences to liberal would enable the Governor, to. do as ho liked .with • the whigs who are in power at home. I. ut they need have no fear of Sir George's ' honesty—he was the last, man to„wish to see Representative Institutions,in _New , Zealand,,;and-.,thoy-might -be 'sura --ha

wnuld do nothing* to "endiuigei their introduction.' (Cheers.) ." ' ] \ ' ' *, -Mr. St—s said he' was satisfied with the explanation, but he was still of opinion that'they'.should address the Queen through the Colonial Office, and should urge buch reasons as -it was well known w-nild have weight in that quarter. He then road to the meeting the Memorial, of which we have printed a copy belowi and moved its adoption as an amendment to the resolution of Mr. Nominee H—r - Mr. D—tt,Mr. W—d, and Mr. P—re all rose together to second the amendment,'but us they all spoke at once, our reporter could only gather that they cordially concurred in the sentiments of the Memorial, and made no doubt that great weight yrould be. given to the arguments it contained. . Theyeongratulated Mr. S. on the felicity of the position he had assumed in it-i-ohe which wasmore likely than any other ,to have weight at the Colonial Office, ' Mr. D—tt pledged him 7 'self, that,'if c.arried,it should not find its way into.-the dead, petition pigeon hole in his office, to which documents addressed to_the Home Government, of ~"fhich the local disapproves, are usually" consigned : - .It should go home" direct by 't^^fii^t^^il;^,_;,;,;_,,;. V [.\[ _.f " ».i;The ; amendment was put, and carried unanimously, Mr. Nominee H-~r, ap-parently-bewildered, voting for it without withdrawing his own resolution, . The original wa,s : then put, when Mr. Nominee H—r voted for it alone, amidst shouts of laughter, and the amendment was declared duly carried. .. Mr, St—s then rose and said, that the principal business for which they had been convened having been disposed of, he wished to trespass on their indulgence fpr a few moments, by calling their attention to a matter which concerned himself and them. - He had now been the advocate of the Nominee cause for above 12 months; he had by that cause lost subscribers, popularity, and other things he valued, and all the time he begged to remind them he had never seen the colour of their money. The author of a low and scurrilous squib—the Chaldee Manuscript —an anonymous libeller—had it was true insinuated that he had sold himself—that after an interview with Sir George Grey a 1 "noise like unto the chink of gold was heard within his garment." He did not know what could have led to such a report—perhaps in striking his pensive brow on the occasion alluded to, the native brass might have resounded—but he begged to assure them, that of Sir George Grey's money or theirs, he hail never touched a farthing.. "The. labourer is worthy of his hire," said the speaker, drawing a sanctimonious face,.". and I shall send, round this hat " (a shocking bad one it was:)"" *During the latter part of this address, Mr. S. was nearly inaudible, owing to a general rush towards the, d.opr, and on-our reporter looking round, be saw the last coat tail vanishing into the street. He dropped the value of a noggin of spiritsinto the proffered hat, and followed the rest of the party. Memorial to the Queen above mentioned— To Her most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. * The- humble Memorial of the under-, signed inhabitants of Wellington, in New Zealand., ■■ . - Sheweth,, , . .That your Memorialists are in the actual enjoyrtient, or in hopeful expectation, of divers appointments under the Local Government of New Zealand, or are the near friends and relatives of persons so situated. ; That your Memorialists have heard with dismay and consternation a proposition (said to have originated with her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State) to introduce into this Colony Representative Institutions aud the practice of self-government. • That one of the consequences of such a system would necessarily be to place at the disposal of the colonists (too generally disaffected towards the Government of the Colony) those funds and revenues fr6m which your Memorialists receive, or hope to receive, the salaries onjoyed by themselves and relatives. That it is extremely probable that the disaffected colonists aforesaid would divert the .said funds and revenues from their .present, beneficial application in maintaining your petitioners and their relatives to other objects, in which your petitioners can see no utility, such as roads, bridges, schools, &c, whereby your Memorialists would be compelled to resort to practices altogether foreign to their habits and inclinations, such as endeavouring to earn tlieir livelihood by the ordinary method of industry, and would loose that position .in' society, and that superiority,over their fellow colonists to which their present official status entitles them. That-your Memorialists conceive such a result would be a heavy blow aud a sore discouragement'to all parties 5 interested in supporting the patronage of the Home Government in the Colonies. ■ That'your Memorialists aro and always havo been (while in the pay of the Local Government or having reasonable hope of being so) unscrupulous supporters of that Government, and that some of your petitioners' forspok a position'of rpplitioal

independenceaiid.distinction as leaders of thopopuiar cause, to enter on' the duties of tho offibes'they now hold and jenjoy. ThatybuVMemorialists are prepared to continue to support the Local Government in the same pnscrupulous ■nianner-without refprence to the effect of its acts on the prosperity of the colony-so long a? theirpay and .expectations continue.. •'■• '.'.< "'■■;'..'■:■. '.-'.',

That should the; gift of self-govern-ment; he bestowed : upon' the colonists. your .Memorialists have nothing to hope at their hands.-•

That your Memorialists therefore pray that .your Majesty, wi.ll be pleased to continue in office . his Excellency ;Sir George Grey, X.C.8., the present Governbr-in-Chief of New Zealand who is known tc. be heartily opposedto selfgovernment; and thatjour Majesty will :give your consent to no Bill for bestowing such institutions as aforesaid on the Cojpny. And your Memorialists will ever pray, &c.