The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-22 00:00:00

of passing events to decide, however, whether ML
BRIGHT would be glad to see the day arrive when
he could no longer make Reform the text of his
orations. If OTHELLo's occupation. !would not be

gone, it would be clear of the excitement that gives
it zest, and the indignation that lends it life and
energy. There is one thing worthy of notice in
Mr. BRIGHT'S recent diatribes upon the Tory party

generally, and that is he is not a fair historian.
He narrates with great minuteness of detail
everything that may tend to the disadvantage of
the party he runs down so unscrupulously, but he
carefully omits anything that might perchance be
twisted into their favour. We find no tribute paid
to the energy with which the DERBY Government
fulfilled the promise of their predecessors, and laid
a Reform Bill on the table of the House. Now this
is not fair, neither is it honest; and the man who
sets up for a judge should not fail so egregiously
in the first requisites for that office. But Mr.
BRIGHT cares nothing for such trifles as consistency,
and when he has taken up his brief he deals damna-
tion round the land to all whom he deems it advis-

able to attack.
Nothing would have been easier for the Conser-
vatives than to have excused themselves from the
task of bringing in a measure of the kind. The
pledge was not theirs to settle the vexed question,

and they might have saved themselves the anxiety
and the toil of the task. They did differently, how-
ever ; and it is to the lasting disgrace of Mr. BRIGHT
that a mean spirit of jealousy, and a contemptible
desire to thrust himself before the public, induced him
to sacrifice the substance of Reform for its shadow.
He raised up an opposition to the Government

in the country, and then joined with Lord RusSELL
and others in ousting their opponents, and crowned
all by doing nothing themselves. Another thing
very inconsistent in the conduct of the hon. member
is that he objects to a lateral extension of the
franchise—no one must be free except after his
fashion. He is the political Procrustes, and woe to
the recusant Tory or the impartial Liberal who go
beyond or fall short of his standard. Less violence
and more conformity would suit better with our no-
tions of a statesman who would remodel a consti-
tution, and a politician who would have old things
pass away and all things become new.
Mr. FITZGERALD, however, shows his discern-
ment in pointing out the worst feature in Mr.
BRIGHT'S last discourse, and in denouncing its
mischievous tendency. Mr. BRIGHT attempted
to disarm criticism by saying, " I shall be told I
am advocating communist opinions ; I am doing
nothing of the sort." But, as Mr. FITZGERALD
observes, how does the hon. member for Birmingham
go on in his speech ? He is addressing thousands
of the working men of Birmingham, and he ex-
claims to them " I ask you to look at those who
are the governing class of this country—look at
their wealth, look at their luxury, their osten-
tation, and look at their weariness, which
is the weariness of satiety." Now,' as Mr.
FITZGERALD says, the middle classes are really
the governing classes of this country. It is with
rich farmers, shopkeepers, merchants, and trades-
men, that the " real power of the country rests,"
and not with Mr. BRIGHT'S hated aristocracy. We
fully accord with the emphatic remark here met
with concerning this desire of Mr. BRIGHT'S, in
setting apart the interests of the rich
and the working-classes, and telling the
latter that these alone are their enemies. " Now,
in making such a statement he does that which
is a disgrace to any public man, he does that
which is calculated to raise up bitter and angry
feelings between class and class." Most telling
also is the home truth conveyed to Mr.
BRIGHT in the reminder given to him of the report
made by the Royal Commission respecting the state
of the children in the North. There are there children,
ten years of age, who have never heard of a SAVIOUR,
and who are so ignorant of common affairs as not
to know the days of the week. The most benighted
agricultural district that ever did duty as a scarecrow
in Mr. BRIGHT'S flaming speeches can hardly equal
this fearful state. Again, Mr. FITZGERALD reminded
his hearers that Mr. BRIGHT was the most persistent
opponent of those laws by which the labour of
women and children was limited, and that the coun-
try gentlemen of England were mainly instrumental
in passing them despite the fierce opposition of the
manufacturing interest. It must be admitted that
these are stubborn things in the shape of facts for
Mr. BRIGHT to dwell upon, and at all events for
some of his apt disciples to ponder on. Mr. FITZ-
GERALD has succeeded admirably in his task, and bas
come forward very opportunely at this critical jinn-
' tare to expose the glaring inconsistencies and ex-
travagant assertions of one who possesses so much
1 influence over a certain class as to render it import-
,a,iit that his abuse of his power should be made clear
to all who peruse or listen to his speeches.

The state 'of affairs in New Zealand continues
to be most unsatisfactory. The attempts to con-
ciliate the natives have altogether failed, and several
valuable lives have been lost through misplaced con-
fidence in their treacherous promises. A little
time since we had more encouraging accounts, and
the Governor's proclamation of September, declaring
the West coast war to be at an end and granting a
general amnesty, has entirely failed in producing
the effect desired. Whether the natives regarded
it as evidence that the English were afraid to punish
them, or whether they put as little faith in it as
their own pacific professions deserve, is uncertain,
but in either case they have treated it with con-
tempt, and, what is more, have murdered the agents
who were employed in its circulation. One of these
murders was especially indicative of the savage
I temper of the tribes, since the victim was a native
1 policeman whom General WADDY despatched to
the Waitorara tribe, to which he himself belonged,
with the intelligence of the peace proclamation.
With the treacherous cunning belonging to them
the natives professed themselves anxious for copies
' of the amnesty, and the unfortunate policeman,

KERETI by name, came back to the redoubts to re-
port progress, and set off in triumph the next day
with a good supply of copies. Scarcely was he out of
sight, however, when the report of firearms was
heard, and swpicion being at once excited a party
was sent out to look for him, when he was disco-
vered stripped and mortally wounded. Another
native messenger proceeding to another quarter
with the proclamation narrowly escaped with his
life ; but, fortunately for him, two of the principal
chiefs opposed violence, and sent him back un-

hurt.
These two cases, one would have supposed, gave
sufficient evidence that the proclamation had en-
tirely failed in conciliating the hostile natives, but
independent observers are often surprised to see
the ready confidence which Europeans repose in these

deceitful aborigines. They have, no doubt, virtues
and merits of their own, some of them, perhaps, to
a degree rare among more civilised peoples, but to
trust to their word is a grievous mistake, and one
which has before now cost many valuable lives.
They do not scruple to resort to the most trea-
cherous devices to get their intended victims
into their power. Mr. BROUGHTON, interpreter to
the forces, has unhappily fallen a victim -to this mis-
placed confidence ; but it is very remarkable
that he should have done so after the murder of