, 1868-02-25

AROUND THE NECK OF THE CAT ? or,
in other and palmer words, who will call a pub
lie meeting to petition His Majesty the King,
to secure to st. Croix, a simultaneous transfer
with the two sister islands, st. Thomas and ST.
Johns, to the American Government ?-Secre-
tary Rosenstand proposes an earnest delibera-
ton and discussion on the subject.
Baron A. Breton goes q couple of steps
further and proposes an earnest deliberation,
discussion and action, and, that a public meet
ing should be called, to decide, whether a
petition to the King as suggested, should be
drawn up, and how it was to be drawn up, or
whether any other measures would be prefer
able BUT HERE THE MATTER NOW
RESTS as no qualified party Tor patties) has
stepped forward to carry this object through.
AND CONSEQUENTLY TO BELL THE
CAL. Why do not the leading members of
this community, such as planters land mer-
chants) Immediately take action in this matter?
Can it be said of them, that touching their pc
cuniary interests, whether under Danish or I'M
der American rule, they would be equally sat
isfed even although ST. Croix remained under
Danish rule, and St. Thomas and st. Johns m-
der American rule IMPOSSIBLE as every
planter knows full we'll that a serious depreci-
alton in his property from a cause which he
is we'll aware of must be the consequence of
st. Crooks remaining under the present rule and
st. Thomas and st. Johns under q foreign rule.
What then is the cause of this Indifference to
their own interests ? The question is easily
answered EACH ONE is WAITING ON
THE OTHER TO BELL THE CATTLE!
| fear therefore, that the public may have to
wait for a long time yet, ere it witnesses any
action taken in this matter
There are some individuals who do not
allow themselves to have an opinion of their
own, but whO only reflect the sentiments of
Others; WHO, as long as THEY can swim
through the troubled waters do not care who
sink WHO, wAen THEY do not see their own
interests immediately at stake, try to convince
themselves that THEY may struggle through
until the storm passes over, or, MEANWHILE,
SOME ONE ELSE MAY "BELL THE
CAT' FOR THEM WHOSE actions for the
public welfare are never considered, neither
adopted, except when it ministers to their Ovn
selfish purposes and interests.
What the present times require, are not
such kind of characters as above described, but
MEN who will not submit themselves to be
made tools of by others MEN who can form
sound and ~judicious opinions of their own, on
the present important question; and MEN,
who are willing to act upon them, for the bene-
fit OF THE PUBLIC, of which they themselves
III d pdlt' AOl oil tuOSo tu6TeIOT0 VINO nave The
ability and are thus disposed, come forward and
call a public meeting land, as Baron A. Bret
ton has implied) to deliberate, to discuss AND
TO ACT, for the future welfare of this island,
when st. Thomas and st. Johns are transferred
to the American Government OR, should they
not wish to act in this wise, / can make them
acquainted with a gentleman, who il a planter,
who has the requisite abilities, and who is will
ling to sacrifice his time for the benefit of the
public, and if eleven more planters, having also
the requisite abilities would form a company
and call at the office of this paper, their c%uriosi-
ty would be gratiied in knowing who this gentle
man is; when the twelve of them can then
form themselves into Committees, to discuss
the best Ways and Means, to secure the future
prosperity of the island of st. Croix whether
under the present or whether under an Ameri-
can rule.
Your obdt. Servt.
A. NATIVE.