THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1599, 12 July 1861, Page 5

THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.

It will br/ recollected that when Mr. Weld proposed his three resolutions to the HouF/e*~the passing of which would •have sa-ddled the responsibility of the war on. the Colony, — the House amended them 7>y simply affirming its desire to ■> support the imperial Government in the measures it might find necessary to take for the support of Imperial interests*—declaring in fact, that a war would be an Imperial war, not a settlers war ; .but that as settlers they felt bound to Jielp on the settlement of the Imperial question (the supremacy of the Queen), as far as the limited resources of the Colony would allow. The Ministry were glad to accept this amended view of the Opposition ; — they have a peculiar •aptitude just now, as will be presently seen, for accepting the views of those opposed to them — -but not so the Governor*. Without consulting his Ministry — •a point about which we do not intend to .v-sn-y any thing to day — his Excellency ...sent down to the House, on the 25th ,-., June, his Message, No. 2. • ': ' Thomas Gobe Bbowne, Governor. [J The Governor, as the Representative of the _ .Imperial Government, feels tbat an occasion has arisen when it is proper for him to com- ,. municate with the Legislature independently 1, of his Responsible Advisers. On the 1 9th instant the House of Representatives passed Resolutions declaring-.— " Ist. That the establishment withia these '• Islands of a Sovereign Authority, independent * ' * *" of the British Crown is incompatible with the "security of tbe Colonists, tbe civilization of *" the Natives, and the welfare of both races." ■ " 2nd. That if unhappily negotiation should "'fail, this House, relying on the best practi- *" cable provision being made for tbe protection . *' of life and property, is of opinion that it is the -„ **' duty of the Colony to second the measures „ *" taken by the Imperial Government for the " assertion of Her Majesty's sovereignty and *' securing a lasting peace." ' Some uncertainty appears to exist as to the teal meaning of these Resolutions, and the 'Governor trusts that the House will agree with ■him tbat a distinct understanding on the sub- ' j eet referred to is essential to the interests of both the Imperial and the Colonial Govern- . anents.

-if ■ He is most anxious that a lasting peace ■ji -should he scoured by negotiation rather tbau by force of firms, apd Le desires that- negotiations .*., .should be continued as long as he feels there is *.>* seasonable hope of a favourable issue.

He wishes the House however to observ 6 that a portion of the Troops now in the Colony have been sent to meet an emergency and not to act as a Garrison, a service for which he is not prepared to retain them for an indefinite period. The question of Colonial assistance, as regards 'both men and money, ought also to he more clearly defined than it has yet been. Her Majesty's Imperial Government expects fiom the Colony a full ar.d cordial oo operation, i both in men and money,, md unless he is assured of its continuance, the Governor is not prepared to instruct Lieutenant-General Came ron to employ the Imperial Forces. It is there fore necessary that the Governor should be informed whether the Colony is leady and willing to give that heaity assistance which the Imperial Government expects. Tue Governor is aware that the Colony has not the means of meeting the outlay which may be required for organising aud maintaining the Colonial Forces in an effective state, and he is prepared to sanction the issue from the Commissariat Chest of the mmey required for the purpose, but lie can ouly do so upon the con ditions prescribed by the Secretary of State in his Despatch No. 13, of 26th January, 1861. Government House, Auckland, 25th Juue, 1861. This message is a most remarkable pne. It bears the impress of being written under feelings of irritation, ani is, as angry words very generally are, illogical but unmistakeably plain. Just as young folk when they are sweethearting, only talk about roses and angels and such like ; yet when as husbands and wives they fall out, as we are told they generally do sooner or later, they are not over nice about miacing their words, taking the sharpest thing they can find at their tongues' end— so, all the while the House and his Excellency were discussing the preliminaries of the war that looms in the early future, the most bland iniercoursc was kept up between them ; yet no sooner are Mr. Weld's resolutions passed — no sooner are Governor and Assembly mutually committed to each other — -than down comes this sharp message, inducing an equally positive retort — "The maintenance of H. M. Sovereignty within New Zealand (replies the House) we regard as a matter of Imperial concern" yet as it is vitally necessary to the welfare of the colony, it professes itself ready " willingly and cordially to co-operate with the Imperial Government." The House thus continuing to assert that in the event of hostilities it is not the Queen who is co-operating with, the Colonists in a war of theirs ; but the Colonists who are co-operating with the Queen in a war of hers. In his message the Governor tells us that a lasting peace (the main conditions of which is submission to the Queen's supremacy) can only be brought about by negotiation or force of arms. This is self evident. If, however, negotiation fails, he refuses to use force unless the Colony consents to second him unreservedly. If the King movementis a matter which his Excellency has instructions from the Home Government toput down — as he says in his Waikato " Terms " that he bas-*-*how can he threaten to withdraw General Cameron and his troops. Their leaving will certainly not be conducive to the desired end. Are we to be led to the conclusion that the Queen cares so little about her supremacy that she will not pay the cost of enforcing it — *that she demands from the settlers not only the ruin of their twenty years effort to colonise the Northern Island, the sacrifice of their property and of many of their lives, but that they should also* willingly entail on the Colony's future a pecuniary burden, accumulating at the rate of £100,000 a year ; a burden so hopelessly large as to crush all ordinary efforts to get rid of it. We cannot believe that His Excellency justified in making the Queen's supremacy dependent on any such pledge from the House.

We feel bound to make every possible allowance for His Excellency. He is in a most trying and difficult position. What with orders from Home; the natural impatience of the General ; and the cautious resolutions of the House, he sleeps on no couch of roses. The Governor wants to bring the present state of the Colony to an end. The sooner this is done, the better he will like it. The moment there is quiet again, — the quiet of desolation it may be — his? term of office having expired, his connexion with the colony will, of course, cease — if it does not before. Restraint or dictation by the Assembly naturally frets and chafes him. He would prefer doing his work in ' his own way. We feel for the difficulties of his position ; but we remember, that to the keeping of the Assembly the property and lives of the settlers are entrusted, and they have their duty to do as well as the Governor.

We feel bound to make every possible | allowance for General .Cameron. He is a soldier of mark. He left a lucrative command in Scotland, not by any wish of his own but at the desire of the Home Government. He came out to put down rebellion, not to remainin inactivity. The former course would increase his military reputation-— the pole star of the soldier's life. The latter course is inglorious. He knows full well that any moment Europe may be in a blaze. His abilities would ensure him a post where honor, the honor of a peerage perhaps, might be won. If his immediate services are not required here,, he desires to be off wher e they may be ready to be made available

on some European field. General Cameron's position is one for which we are ready to make every allowance ; but he will pardon us for prefering that his personal considerations, honorable though they may be, should be but as a feather's weight in deciding the question of peace or war. While we feel bound to regard the positions of His Excellency and General Cameron with all the favor which is due to them, we must not forget the many ' thousand interests they have both to secure. In the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom, and we have a right to expect that every pro and con will be most lucidly considered by a House of Representatives, whose individual interests are more closely concerned in the great question of war, than those of either His Excellency or General Cameron can be. To these latter it is individually a matter affecting only higher service or military reward: to the former it is one which involves the welfare or the ruin of many of themselves, accompanied by that of tens of thousands of those with whom they have for many years worked hard and hopefully. To return, however, to the Governor's message, from the House's consideration of which we have been digressing. On the 26th, Mr. Stafford moved the following reply — May it please Your Excellency, —

We, Her Miijesty 's dutiful and loyal subject I',1 ', tie House of Representatives of New Zealand, have taken into our consideration Your Excel lency's Message No. 2, transmitted to this House on the 25th instant.

Participating in Your Excellency's anxiety for the success of the negociations which we understand to be still pending with the Insurgent Natives, we beg to assure* Your Excellency that we do not contemplate the protraction of those negociations beyond the time when Your Excellency shall hare ceased to hope for a favorable issue. The maintenance of Her Majesty's Sovereignty withiu New Zealand, we regard as a matter of Imperial concern, and yet, at the same time, as one iv which the luhabitanis of these Islands have a peculiar and vital interest, since we deem it essential to the firm establishment of Peace, and to the future security of life and property in this part of Her Majesty's dominions. The cost of the necessary measures for the attainment of this! great and must be, to us, at the present juncture, a secondary consideration. To the extent i of the limited resources of tbe Colony, this House (so far as in it lies) botb as regards men and money is willing fully and cordially to cooperate with the Imperial Government. And in order more clearly to definef as your Excellency invites us to do, the extent of assistance which tbe Colony is prepared to afford, this House declares its assent to the organisation and maintenance of such part of the Colonial Forces as may be necessary for the defence of the several settlements, and will approve of tbe acceptance by the Colonial Government of Advances from the Commissariat Chest for defraying the expenditure, upon the conditions prescribed by the Secretary of State in^tbe Despatch (No. 13, 26tb January, 1861) referred to by your Excelleucy. I

The speech in which Mr. Stafford _ moved the above reply, was in the words i of the New Zealander * ranting and fu- 1 * rious than which we have never heard ' * one in worse taste, or insolent, pronoun- * * eed in a deliberative assembly, or ad- < * dressed by a gentleman to his equals ;' branding all those who calling the war only . an Imperial war, desired to see it brought { to an end by the means of Imperial reresources as "cowards, slaves, and < knaves." The Register says — ' The < * braggadocio tone, temper and character \ 4of the premier's (Mr. Stafford's) speech, j * was such as might be expected from a , 'man struggling in an unjust cause. ■ * Mr. Stafford may be a perfect Hector ■ { for aught we know to the contrary ; but * although * not an entire Irishman ' he * should not take it for granted that all * are * cowards, slaves, and knaves,' who ' * are not of like hybrid race as himself. ' His harangue was in every way worthy * of one who can so dexterously jump Jim ' Crow, at an extremity, and shuffle out * of a fix by adopting the amendments of * a Firth or by forstalling those of a Saun- ' ders.' This speech produced a spirited reply from Mr. Williamson, who showed that during the whole session every care had been taken to foster the belief that it was an Imperial and not a settlers war ; that the granting certain returns of expeiiditure moved vfof by Mr. Fox had been at first opposed on the ground of the war being an Imperial one ; and that the resolution which had been carried as an amendment to the second l and third of those proposed by Mr. Weld was grounded oh the * basis that it ' was entirely an Imperial question, and 'one that should not be thrown, as 4 Ministers seemed to throw it, on the * colony ' After several members had spoken, the motion made by Mr. Fox to postpone the consideration of the reply for a couple of days was agreed to. The Opposition then met to consider the course to be taken, and feeling that the present crisis demanded the laying aside of all party action, agreed to adopt the reply moved by the Colonial Secretary with the important qualifications and additions noted in italics below — MaY IX PLEASE YoUB EXOELLENCY, — We, Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects-, tbe Houss of Representatives of New Zealand, .hs.y,e taken into our consideration Your Excellency's Message, No. 2, transmitted to this House on the 25th instant. Participating in Your Excellency's anxiety for the success of the negociations which we understand to he still pendiDg witli the in_m— i gent Natives, we beg to assure Your Excellency

that we do not contemplate the protraction of lh »se negociations beyond the time when YouExcellency shall have ceased to hope for a favorable issue. The maii.te b. oe of Her Majesty's Sovereignty within New Zealand we reuurd as a matter of Imperial concern, and yet, at the same time, as ono in wbich the in habitants of these Islands hay i a peculiar and vital interest, since we deem it essential to the firm establishment of Peace, and to the fulurf I security of Life and Property in this p art of Her Majesty's dominions. Tlie m-re pecuniary' cost of the necessary measures for the attain ment of this great end must be [to «.v], at th* pie-sent jin dure, a secondary consideration This House, (so far as the present Militia lam allows, and the resources of the Colony will permit), both as regards Men and Money, i.Willing fully and cordially to co-opeiate w-H'. the Imperial Government. And in order mort clearly to define, as Your Excellency invite^ us io do, the extent of assistance which the Colon*, is prepared to afford, this House dec ares its assent to the organisation and maintenance o! such part of the Colonial Forces as may be< necessary for the defence of the several Settle • ments, and will approve »f the acceptance by the Colonial Government of Advances from the Commissariat Chest fur defraying the expen diture, upon the conditions prescribed by the Secretary of State, in the Despatch (So. 13, 26th January, 1861) referred to by Your Excellency.

A I the same time, this House is opinion that the employment nf ihe Colonists as a Militia Borce, besides interrupting the industrial pur suits of the Colony, and thereby greatly diminishing its natural resources, will be far more costly 'han the employment of a larger number of Her Majesty's troops, if those troops could be procured. What happened on Friday when the debate was resumed, the following from the New Zealander concisely informs us.

Yesterday, the Strangers' Gallery was filled to overflowing, and all the available space in the House itself pretty closely occupied. The quidnuncs anticipated a crisis at the least ou tbe occasion, and the public appeared to bave expected a scene. They were rewarded by a spaech of real eloquence from Mr. Richmond, and they also witnessed the performance by j the Hon. Colonial Secretary, of a remarkably smart political trick- It had come to the knowledge of that gentleman that an amendment to the reply was to have been proposed. The moving of the amendment was entrusted to Mr. Saunders, the member for Waimea, by whom the paper was shewn, and a printed copy given to the Colonial Secretary. It was quite clear that the amendment must be carried, and, by way of avoiding a second defeat on the war qttestion, Mr. Stafford seems happily to have been inspired with the idea of substituting the amendment of the independant members, for tbe reply which be himself had moved on the Wednesday previous ; and this was effected cleverly, aud in strict accordance with the rulei of the House. It appears that the original reply had been mo>ed by Mr. Stafford, and seconded, but had not been handed up to the Chairman, nor bad the question been put on it; it was not technically before tbe Committee ; thus when this motion was called for, the amended reply (with a trifling verbal alteration) of the independent members was that which was produced by tbe Minister, and read by tbe Chairman, greatly as it appeared, to the sur ; prise of the hou. member for Waimsa, and as we think, also of gentlemen on both sides of House.

. _It has been declared once and again by the Opposition that there was no desire on their side to deal with this war question in a party spirit. Ministers, however, insist upon making it a party question. They were beaten in a party sense, upon their own resolutions a few days since, and they yesterday escaped au adverse vote only by a dodge upon the success of which we deeply regret that we should be obliged to congratulate them.

Mr. Fox in explaining the object for which the amendment was proposed, said—

The address as originally proposed by the Colonial Secretary placed at the disposal of the Governor the persons of the colonists for military purposes without reserve or limitation. The Ministers proposed to promise all His Excellency asked. The opposition knew well whatthat meant : it meant the power of " mobilizing" the militia ; of turning it into a morally aggressive force, instead of a mere force of defence for the homesteads of the colonists. Reports were rife that it was intended to take into tbe field for every 500 troops 200 militia men, who would have to do all the dirty work of the army, and bear all the hardships of the campaign. Ministers might deny this and declare tbey had no intention to alter the existing lan ; but if the House had adopted their address #s originally drawn up, with tbe words promisiug support in men "as far as iv us lies" instead of as " far as the present law will permit,'" what was there to prevwit His Excellency Jagain sending doWn a message /.without consulting his advisers, de. daring that tbe emergency was an Imperial one and requiring us to repeal the 30 mile restriction clauses? This he was confident was His Excellency's intention in the message he had addressed to this House, though his responsible Ministers might not be consulted ; and tbe bon. member for Parnell was therefore quite '.-.**. * ■-•' ~r> '-• •*. «*»{« l #l-.«* « <-»nf nmendmpnt had

saved tbe liberties of tbe Colony.'' while Mr. Saunders showed that the cost to the colony of 800 militiamen with 20 officers (paying the men at 5s a day) was greater than that they were to pay, under, the Secretary of State's despatch referred to in his Excellency's message, for the use of 5000 troops officers and all.

_?he country is now pledged, and the Governor is also pledged to war if negotiation fail. We await with anxiety the result of Me. Fox's motion of want of confidence which was introduced on the 3rd instant. Ministers desired time for the arrival of Mr. Atkinson from Taranaki, for which newly elected member they had sent the gunboat Carolines They proposed tbe adjournment of the debate, but the House decided by 27 to 10 that it be continued. It would close on Thursday or Friday in last week, and the result will no doubt reach us in time to publish a postscript* If that result be against Ministers, we may yet i hope that war may be averted. , We trust the the Stafford Ministry have been defeated • though when we know for a fact that the utmost influence

of Government House is brought to bear j sons. No. 758, duly celeurated u« iWui of n , i ° i ,i St. John, at their L.jdge rooms the Crown and On members, we may be excused the Aachor Tavern . ou t he2Uii ult., W. m/L-uii-c Ollfession that* out hopes are well nigh ben in the chair. The Lodge was oponed at oufcweio-hed by our fears. What Opposi- 8 pjn., fof the despatch of Masonic business, tion can contend against such influence ' which being concluded, the brethren adjourned „ , „ , .?. . v n ir; r ii, 0 .„ a _ to an excellent supper pronned by Brother as that which manitests itself m the way Lij 0 tl)e » doth bfl .^ (lrawn> it did when a southern member recently a ,„| t he tryastsof the &ueen, Prince Consort arrived at Aucklaud-^ene of the Minis** and the Royal Family, tbe three Grand Mastry riding OUt tO conduct him, Wife, *e« the Governor, Army nnd Nary the Wor«iT:u i *.*%i.- ~w-n--! *.(("** shipfu Master an.t the Ladies, were drank and children, and nurse to the shelter of Go- t J pQQded Myml exceileiu ' SoJ)gs vvere gllllff vernment House. Opposition member : w bich together with a band, contributed greatly as he was, of Course he now votes fa? tn the harmony of the evening. At nigh 12 Government. " Auld Lang Syne," by the Brethren gave the signal fur departure which terminated the nineteenth celebration of St. John by this Lodge.