Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-02-25
THE POLICY OF coNFIsCATIoN.

While We have our questions relating to the con-
stitutonality and expediency of confscation acts,
as means of suppressing rebellion, it is curious
to observe that similar questions are raised in
England to the policy Of such acts in the petty
war now waged by the British Government against
the rebeous Maories of New Zealand, colonial
dependency of the British Empire That war has
excited considerable interest among the philan-
thropists in Great Britain, who, we are informed,
had generally hoped that the contest which recently
took place in the province of Taranaki would have
been the last of those painful collisions which have
proved as nimcal to the best interests of the
colony as they have been disastrous to the native
race.
A large number of highly respectable and dis
tinguished men in Great Britain, among whom we
recognise the names of many conspicuous in every
walk of life for their public distinction or private
virtues, have recently united in address to his
Excellency, Sir GEORGE GREY, X. G. b., Governor
of New Zealand, for the purpose of expressing the
" earnest hope that he will avail himself of the
first favorable opportunity which may present itself
of endeavoring to terminate the war by negotiation,
and especially that he will listen to any overtures
of peace which any of the natives who have taken
up arms may make" The signers of the address
then proceed to add:
"This course will, sHre, commend itself to
your of humanity end Christian feeling that
should scarcely to upon your consideration
did feel that your hands might be by
this expression of our opnion-an opinion which be.
eve be shared by the great body Of the British people,
haap In
which in quarters, it has been proposed confs
cate the lands of all conumacous and rebeous natives
As has been truly observed such policy this would
shut tie door to any possible settlement of the difficulty
except by the sword p other words it would lead to the
determination of people who value their property in the
soil than their existence and who despite their
faults, worthy of better fate We Conceive Of
no sureR seaps Of adding fuel to the flames of war Of
extending the OF dsaaection and of making the
natives fight with the madness of despair than policy OF
confscaton. 1t could not fail to produce in New Zealand
the bitter fruits of which it has yielded plentiful
harvest 10 other countries where the strife of has
been perpetuated through successive generations and
that too, with "reminiscences and cruelty which have
made mankind blush for the species We therefore pray
taat in the hour Of victory your Exceency will temper
Justice with mercy and give tn the world another bright
example OF forbesrance and magnsnimy by means
and such only may hope 10 the Maori race
saved from extinction and the dominion OF our beloved
Queen firmly established every portion Of the Islands
Of New Zealand"
The names Of Quincy, Forster, Hewitt, Carnes,
Newman, and many others, affixed to this prayer
against the confscaton of the property OF the re-
bellious Maories are the names of Englishmen
most favorable to the Federal cause in this country
The London Star, in commenting upon this ad-
dress, says:
The letter which has been addressed to Governor
Grey and signed by many of distinction and public
influence without reference to party s step in the right
direction They have performed sacred, Christian
duty They have addressed the Governor direct spps-
renty because Of the large powers which he weds and
OF the importance OF direct appeal to the responsible
authorities in New Zealand What they ask is strictly
just and reasonable They pray that advantage may be
taken Of the first opportunity for peaceful negotiation
and that the threatened con6scaton Of lands may
not be carried into effect. Conscaton is another word
for of determinations mercess and sanguinary
struggle, in which the British will be victorious 10
the end but victorious only by the sacrifice Of one Of the
nobest aboriginal races which the Almighty has created
and the sacrifice asO Of the best interests of the colony
itself"