THE "Wellington Independent." Wednesday, December 12, 1849.

Wellington Independent, Volume V, Issue 435, 12 December 1849, Page 2

THE "Wellington Independent." Wednesday, December 12, 1849.

Perhaps no political organization ever had .more be satVefied .with, the sympathy* with' , wblch" its Qjtertioiis'Uave

been reciprocated in a short time, than that which a year ago was formed in this colony to promote the cause of Self-Go-vernment It is not twelve months since the formation of the Settlers' Constitutional Association, the first meeting of which took place on the 19th of December last year. Before the report of its formation reached home—before the friends of the colonies in England were made aware of our efforts here, they on their side had commenced organizing themselves. Mr. Wakefield was the first to \mdertake our cause; by his letters addressed to us here, he urged us to gird ourselves for the strife, and by his masterly book he enlightened the public on the question. To the first sound of our voices Sir Wm. Molesworth, Mr. Gladstone, and other distinguished members of the House of Commons responded, and we have now the satisfaction of' laying before our readers the report of a banquet, held at Blackwall, which was attended by a large number of politicians distinguished for their advocacy of Colonial reform, and who have combined together for the express purpose of promoting the introduction of Self-Govemment into the Colonies, by forcing the subject on the attention of Parliament, the Country, and her Majesty's Ministers. . Among the company it will'be seen, was an Ex Colonial Minister, (Lord Monteagle) an Ex Assistant Secretary for the Colonies, (Lord Lyttleton,) various distinguished members of both Houses including Mr. Cobden, and others of equal note though not possessed of seats in either House, including Mr. E. G. Wakefield. It would be difficult in the speeches delivered on the occasion, to discover the smallest particle of sympathy with such forms of government as that which Sir George Grey has bestowed on New Zealand. . On the contrary " Representative Institutions for the Colonies," it will be seen formed the principal toast of the night, while the leading speakers, including the Ex Secretary, and the Ex Under Secretary for the Colonies, expressed their conviction of the necessity of the Colonial Office abandoning all interference great or small, with the internal affairs of the colonies. Considering that these sentiments fell from the lips of a moderate Whig like Lord Monteagle, and an enlightened Conservative like Lord Lyttleton, it is difficult to understand among what section of politicians opposition to Colonial Self Government is likely to be found. We believe it is confined to the small knot of officials who pull the strings in Downing Street, and to their narrow minded deputy Sir George Grey, X, C.B. Under, these circumstances, we thiuk we begia. to " see.the straw moving."

We fully expect that our enlightened friend Mr. Solomon Wiseman of the Spectator, who sees so far through a millstone, will at once discover our presence at the Blackwall dinuer. Fitting M. Reac's spectacles to his nose; he will detect under some Secret disguise the abhorredform of " the prophet of Socialism." In the dashes and semicolons of the various speeches, he will detect our peculiar style, so offensive to his nice taste. Nay he will inform his readers which of our numerous Editors wrote this paragraph and which that; to which of them Lord Monteagle was indebted, to which Sir Wm. Molesworth. Remember the remarkable coincidence of the event with our movements. The Cornelia reached home on the 22nd June, carrying the report of our Banquet—the Blackwall festival occurred on the 19th of July; just time for Lovegrove to get the dinner ready, and the speakers to get by heart what we had prepared for their delivery. M. Reac will have no doubt that the Queen and Prince Albert started for Ireland to be out of the way of our thunder. He will see it all—the connexion is too clear to admit of a doubt. It was nothih" more than a shallow device of the faction. Happy the community which has a ' Reac' keen sighted to detect, and eloquent to expose such proceedings.