The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-20

when good government and social progress have
a,ain rendered it safe and able every old colo
mist, whore departure We now deplore VIII inevitably
be found returning among US.
Under any circumstances, however. faithful thou
sands viii remain 70 lead and to guide the new ar
rivss not only IN the paths Of industry, but in the
glorious career of free institutions and legislative In
dependence An answering contest for which by
the people Of Australia is now most assuredly at
hand.
In the deyelopement of an Australian political
spirit, we are quite aware that one great drs wbaok
is the ignorance of colonial institutions, aud Of the
just rights of colonists, which prevails among all
new corners. We know that i is too much the prac
tce Of the colonial press to take for granted the pos
session Of q large amount OF political knowledge by
it's readers and in too many instances, in conse-
quence, their arguments, and statements. aud ANU
sions are not understood and they fall frutoss 10
the ground. This drawback and barrier it will be
duty to endeavor TO remove by familiar and sys
tematic expositions Of the principles and history OF
colonial policy.
Our last hope Is in the government-not, We con-
fess as it has been hitherto admnsserei but as we
trust TO see it applied BY the succe to Mr.. La
Trobe more glorious field was never opened toa
really just, intelligent, and energetic Governor In
an old country like England. where the whole frame
work of government il SO well defined and regulated,
it matters little comparatively who is the head.
Whether the supreme ruler be king or queen-whe-
ther the minister be liberal coDservatvethe great
sh of state proceeds in her majestic career in regu
!
such as this The Governor has everything in his
hands, The Legislature Tin our ease hitherto
packed body of his own creation) can indeed make
laws and they may be dictated by the inspiration Of
perfect wisdom but 1t is the duty OF the Governor
to select the instruments by whom the laws are oar
red into effect; aud If be chooses worthless and in
competent men, and leaves them to act unre-
strained not only the intentions OF the Legislature
tees of the most opposite nature are enforced and
every possible iDiquty oppression, and disaster pre-
vail Again the Queen, as lady OF our manor, may,
out of regard for the interests Of her subjects make
orders for its beneficial occupation and settlement in
which orders the rights Of every class may be care
fully guarded and every possible contingency provid
ed for; and yet by gross imbeclity low favOritsm,
and disregard of every principle OF justice and Of the
ruin, body and soul of Thousands the most vitality
important portions of the order may be allowed to
remain dead letter, and the others enforced In q
way the most preudicia possible to the general in
terests 1t is very remarkable that in the recent sd
dresses by candidates for seats in Council both the
squatters and anti squatters representatives of the
privileged few and Of the pluAdered many, alege
that to the letter this has been done by Lieutenant
Governor La Trote 1t will be the duty of his sue.
cessor to remedy all these short comngs, ill these
failures, all these wrongs. He may appoint men
OF capacity and Of honesty around him he
may remodel the various departments, and
introduce efficiency and juttice where the gross
may prosecute public works; clear out roads and
streets of robbers, create feeling Of security, and
enable timid women and feeble children along with
their vigorous husbands and fathers, to settle in the
country. In word, he may do more than the
strength Of 900 men to advance the peaceful and
fruitful settlement of this splendid territory. Which,
he comes if he has the reputation Of an honest man,
he will be well received ard if ne does his duty,
man can picture more glorious or more delightful
career than will be his.
He will not come an hour too soon; for even now,
while these lines are being prepared, there are tHe,
to resolution no longer to pay tbs monthly license
fee Of thirty shaAings;. and having hitherto been
neglected and provoked by the government, although
velded to then they assumed a posture of defiance,
extreme deputaton has lately waited upon the
Lieutenant Governor, which being met in q more
than usually iDjudicious manner, even for Mr.. La
Trobe has led to great speraton on the part Of
the miners.
Letters fir: m Bensigo, just received report very
large armed meeting, at which resolutions were
passed to the effect that ten shiliDgs license fee
should be rendered to the commissioners on the 9th
be refused, the party should give themselves into
custody; that licenses at all shall be taken Out,
ard that every tent on the gold fields should an.
nounce the fact in large letters. The Lieutenant
Governor distinctly told the delegates that he was
prepared to carry out the law; and as these resolu
tens tantamount to determination to resist it,
a collision is quite probabe-unless, indeed, the
counstls of the more calm and moderate amongst
community he thereby induced to leave the question
Of the license fee to he decided by the Legislature
body Ia which the digger is not represented, and to
which therefore ne looks with no hope.
For months past we have constantly reiterated the
fact that two antagoni.tic forces were gradually
a, preaching each osher in this colony the contact
OF which must produce disturbance-the strong
popular tendencies on the one side, and the utterly
irresponsible nature OF the government on the other.
That time is coming nearer and nearer. How far
the present advisers Of his Excellency may prove
the mselves inhuea With the liberal principles Of the
present ministry, and of the coming constitution,
and bow far any such manifestations upon their
part may act in soothing the angry feelings Of
class which, although wrong In their present step,
have many grievances to complain OF, 1t is impossi-
BILE to forete. We hope for the BEST but we have
been so long accustomed to stolid Indifference on
the one hard, and we know 80 well the irritating
effects which it has produced upon the other, that
we look forward with some anxiety for the event. Of
the next few weeks
IL refer to the subject Of the new constitution
for these colonies, cannot close remarks with
out directing attention TO the fatal mistakes which
will be made in England, if reliance be placed upon
the decisions of the local legislatures as in any way
representing the opinions OF the people.
10 our own case several circumstances have com.
bined to produce this unfortunate result The elec-
tora act Tor Victoria WAS framed by the Legislative
Council OF New South Wales a body comparatively
Ignorant OF the circumstances, the wants, aud the
iDteress Ct the province; body, too in which the
and which, therefore, did not hesitate greatly to favor
that particular class. In consequence of this feeling
the elest0ral Districts ofVictora arranged more
with the view o. representing property in sheep aud
cattle, than men. In towns, again, the privileges
conferred by the act have been rendered to a great
extent abortive, by a clause requiring six months
occupation of the particular premises which confer
the franchise. The consequence Of this u.s. that the
citizen wto by successful industry in these golden
times has risen from howell to the possession OF .
respectable residence has been disranchised while
the druken so who could not rise from the bowel state
has been enabled to vote at elections The recent
Development of extraordinary wealth has caused
an unusual migration Of the population of the
kind We have described, and the result has been
the Acknowledgement Of all the best classes Of
the various constituencies. The ridiculous dispro-
portion Of electors to the population will be under
stO' by our English readers when we inform them
that at late election of sixteen members Of Com
Gil, by all the chief electoral districts of the pro-
vince nearly the whole OF which contested out
of ESQ 000 inhabitants, only $500 recorded their
votes; 50 that the Legislative Council really repre-.
'ents ii than one Der cent Of the population.
vl IA