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

the market and the fine field which there is for az
ricu)tural and Horticultural pursuits. will induce
many Of this class to betake themselves to occupa.
tons which viii afford them far more certain ana
profitable subsistence than small storekeeping In the
oty. Besides, the experience acquired by jour
ney to the dggings, and even short stay there dls
sipates the 100 general repugnince TO NE IN the
bush; and men soon find that the health, freedom,
and independence attending on that mode OF lie,
reL der it vastly preferable to the struggling existence
Of the crowded, unhealthy, and keenly competing
city And the period has fully arrived when TIE CO
loDy offers sure and wide field for tina. class o. emil,
grants who fitted for every description OF rural
pursuits, and who have not acquired that pnysicai
entrvation which city life so frequently Induces.
| To this We may add that the prospect for females
of every class is decidedly improving: The undxed
habits of the population, and the absence OF the
means Of domestic comfort, have hitherto tended to
prevent men from thinking of undertaking new
responsibilities; but these THU g are also passing
away. ana with more st sble condition OF society,
and the increase Of domestic appliances, will natural
y come the desire for domestic comfort and for the
amenities of social lfe The prospect before eligible
reyerence) we believe sometimes TO occupy their
thoughts may be inferred from the single fact that
in this the richest colony in the world, the males
outnumber the females 70 the enormous extent Of
dies husband to be chosen from amongst DESC
late surplus Of ffty.seven thousand!
OUR POLITICAL CONDITION.
II is q remarkable fact that while the inhabitants
of the peighboriDg colonies are holding public meet
ings in their various districts, and are eagerly and
ton proposed for their acceptance by the British
government, the people Of this colony have not yet
| publicly paid much attention to the subject From
anything that has publicly TRANSFERRED it might al
most be supposed that the colonists did not regard
with any great degree Of interest tae boon proposed
| to be conferred upon them; or that not one in q
thousand had formed an opinion on the details.
same time not unnatural and the wiser plan is, not
% shut our Eyes TO it, but to investigate its causes
for in this way only can We arrive at and discover
| the true remedy.
classes the old ooonists and the population thrown
in among them in consequence of the gold dis
coveries. very large proportion OF the old colon
used by one of them, become =" dsgustingy nch"-
in many instances from no merit or skill or exer-
ton OF their own but simply BY the rise in the value
OF property. Others, who were jogging. through
shop, station have suddenly become engr0ssed in
the hirl of an enormously lucrative business. Bus
both OF these classes are unsettled. TO the former
the colony has become disagreeable, on account Of
the crowds Of strangers the breaking up of old So
cia habits the vast increase in expenses the recent
very great insecurity of life and property, and the
multudes Of other dis gresables caused by the in
undation Of wealth and people.
The same feeling pervades the families Of men
in business, and the latter only endure the discom
forts Of transition state for the sake of making
fortune, sufficient to enable them to enjoy themselves
in their native or some more propitiOus land.
Then as regards the new corners, for we cannOs yet
call them colonists believe that large proper
ton come here with the intention, after making
fortune, to return to their native village or town.
This has been already proved by the proceedings OF
the people from the neighboriDg colonies, who, like
locusts, have come and fed upon land rather,
like bees, have arrived gathered their spoil and
ried it away. Can we doubt that the same feeling
pervades the German the Frenchm an, the American,
the Canadian, the Italian, the Chinaman, aye, and
the Englishman almost as much as any? These men
come straDgers,-tbey have no colonizlng spirit,
they take no interest in our form Of government, or
colonial politics; months elspse before they
prehend the nature OF cur constitution, or the char
acter Of our men in power, and months more before
they can understand their mode of aston. AS to
feeling interest in anything beyond what concerns
them Individually, it is hopeless to expect it.
Theresult of all this is, that with large proportion
of both old col0nists and new corners, there Is
painful apathy and indifference to everything except
what relates to their immediate interests Speak
to these men upon questions which for years hence
must determine TIE liberty or the bondage the pros
perry the adversely Of this country, they cannot
feel the se htest interest; but speak OF wharves
rates Of lis hterage, or heavy rents or bgo iceose-
fees their eye kindes their opens, and they
a animation The immediate grievance biulks
their purposes but by the time great political mea.
sure is achieved they expect TO DO enjoying them
selves at the an'ipodes-
We hold il therefore to be fact, and perfectly
natural fact that in the first years of golden era,
Ire populau0n OF t0ls country TOO uDSetucd ana
too migratory ia their disposition exhibit any large
degree OF patriotic or political fesng; that conse-
querty the legitimate political action Of the people
IS paIaysed, and there is great danger that faith
less government, al ambitions faction, may seize
the opportunity and encroach upon the liberties
and rights Of the people, in order to gain undue
power, or to ma1tain unjust and preudicial mono.
poles.
most striking illustration of this is given in the
report of a select committee OF the LIE gslature Of
New South Wales, appointed to consider the new
constitution, which committee, after pr0tracted
discussion, actually proposed the establishment Of an
hereditary peersge for that colony. The shout Of de-
nsive laughter with which the idea of Botany Bay
Peerage" has been universally received has now we
believe, induced these ambitious gentlemen to re-
nouDce their scheme; but its production affords
fine example or the shape which selfish plots of
small ninorities amongst US are likely to take, to
coDore power and position for themselves out Of the
too prevalent apathy around.
As for that notable scheme il il ever should take
more tangible form, we can do nothing better than
cohsign il to the OF the arstocracy of England
Whose virtues real OF imaginary, the colonial nobi
lily are to emulate II brought to its most improba-
BILE fruitoD, it will strike even English lord worship
ers as rather rfclictous feature in the scheme that
its obvious result considering the origin OF New
South Wales, will be that every third man amongst
Their colonial lords will probably have to trace his
pedig,ee to a burglar grandfather.
Such 1t present is The anomalous and critical posi-
ton Of this young nation. We have given the only
expa1 alton that can be given for the porable pc
people Of England should know this fact But un-
favorable as position is shall at the same time
say that in the least degree despair of the future
prospects Of our commonwealth? We say emphat-
cally, no On the contrary, we have the strongest
hope, nay, the certainty, Of coming regeneration
apd we shall here briefly state few Of the grounds
OF our faith The first is, that, independent Of the
are boundless and magnificent If we had nothing
else but gold. even now the tide of population out
wards would be as strong that inwards for very
large proportion Of the gold seekers altogether
untitled for such life and those best fitted for
il are frequently unsuccessful in their search. But
an intending golddigger cannot pass through
this country in any direction, without becoming
aware that, prodiga as nature has been in pre-
cious metals and valuable ores, she has been
equally bountifu in all the permanent resources
which have most surely contributed 10 the wealth Of
tire Oldest aud richest countries in the northern hem
sphere. Numbers, therefore, who came t, us to
gather ard take away gold, have determined TO re-
main, and TO use their newly acquired wealth as