Polynesian., 1844-11-23

to which ~allusion is made, can examine c,r
themselves. They will find them as he did
after expressing a doubt to that effect. in all
their prominence. Does the Friend no.
licve that we edit a paper which evil state
what we please"-''will attack whose char
acter we please"-"will tell what untruths
we please ?'-lt endeavors to circulate that
opinion at all events, and on the ground that
articles of violent personal nature. attacking
the government, giving the lie to its courts.
Sc, (of which the one in review is a notable
instance) would be refused admittancc II
would be a most remarkable feature in y cov-
eminent organ if it should open its columns
to the unreasonable abuse of its adversaries:
lift would lend its aid to undermine its own
power and reputation. Opponents who have
shown so little regard for their own may ex-
pect this, but the world will not. In cases Of
legal hardship the tribunals of the country
are to be resorted to and not the press
Moreover in the instance of Mr.. Brown. nc.
ter the publication of the Literary Notice, he
was most distinctly told upon his W enqui-
ry, that a reply would be admitted if he so
desired
Was Mr.. Brown ignorant of the intended
publication in the Friend ? Of keeping it
back from circulation until after the War
rem sailed An attempt is made to circu-
late the impression that the Polynesian is not
free to communications. In reply, we refer
to our columns. Of all that nave been sent
us, we have declined but one, and that on
grounds altogether foreign to it's real merits.
But, hereafter, as the Friend has boldly
thrown down the gauntlet and entered the
field of political warfare, we doubt not, iudg-
ing from the present instance, that the party
who desires it, will never be at a loss for the
publication Of the most ~virulent and person.
al philippe. We are sorry to see a minis
ter of the Gospel in such a position. 1t may
gain him a temporary popularity with a few,
but it must infallibly defeat to a great extent
the purposes for which he was sent. What
ever may be the effect Of the present excited
feelings of the community, few in the cool
ness of sober second thought, will Justify him
in accusing the Secretary of State and At
torney General, with uttering a "palpable,
Infamous untruth, of endeavoring to under
mine the legal tribunals of the country, of
putting fictitious speeches into the mouths of
His Majesty's officers, of v~ilifying the gov
eminent organ, of charging its editor with
a personal attack upon Mr.. Brown and
"making mis-statcmcnts." If "charity" pre-
vents the Friend from pointing them out, what
motive induces it to make statements iniuri-
Gus to others and fail in proving them? We
call upon the Friend, if its editor values it's
reputation for integrity, either to make good
those charges, or to give them their rcluta-
ton as publicly as he has proclaimed them.
TheFriend need not become ''thc apologist
of Mr.. Brown" it has enough to answer for
itself. We have but this allowance to make
Tor its editor; that he was possibly not aware
ofthe responsibility that rested upon him by
the publication ofthe article or the refusal
to give the authors name.
In concluding our remarks, we will OBJ
serve that the cavils which have been raised in
regard to the unconstitutionality of the courts
lately established on this island, will, here
after, be shown to be entirely unwarranted
They are now in course of investigation al
diplomatic request. The present denomina-
tons of Probate, Admiralty, Chancery, Sc,
are not now new courts or new powers that