, 1868-06-26

was an act politically precisely equivalent
to those religious orgies which certain
savage tribes celebrate round their ia
vourite idols on festivals of extreme I'M
portance. AS they strip, wound, and
cash themselves with an enthusiasm that
would seem to indicate a physical enjoy
ment in Iacera'ed nerves, If we did not
know how easily pain is sublimed into
pleasure by the ecstacy of certain passions,
so our countrymen in New South Wales
seem to have performed on the 18th March
last "a political orgy Of a like nature, and
with like phenomena OF dellrlous Joy
politically stripping themselves OF their
most cherished guarantees OF liberty, and
then wcunding and gashlng their naked
rights of thought and speech in a frenzy
of excitement which no one can study
without amazement and compassion.
Just consider The provision of the second
clause in the New South Wales Treason
Felony Act,-to which, by the way, we
trust that even the Duke of Buckingham
may be trusted to refuse unhtsitatlngly
the Queens sanction. 1t provides that
any one proposing u peaceful and friendly
separation of these colonies from the Brit
ish Crown,-in other words, proposing
what has already taken place in the lohlan
Islands, ard what has often enough been
discussed and recommended in this coun-
try by eminent politicians with relation
to Canada,-shalI be guilty Of felony, ard
be liable to penal servitude for life, tor
any term not less than SeUen gears. Why,
here is a punishment of The first class, a
pui iShment such as the worst swlndlerS,
the boldeSt burglars, the most hardened
thieves, nay, even murderers dread, de-
nouncPd against an innocent and specu-
latlve opinion, as harmless as the OPINION
apparently held by most Swarms OF bees
that the time arrives when they can do
better with an independent hive and con-
stitution of their own. 1t would be as
SANE to give IA punishment ranging from
seven years penal sprvitude to penal SER
vitude for life for reading The Republic OF
Plato as for this. Then by Clause 9 OF
this insane Act, any person refusing to
join in a loyal toast or demonstration to
Her Majesty shall be deemed guilty OF q
misdeme amour, and may thereupon be
apprehended by anybody with0ut warrant,
and on convection may he imprisoned
with or without hard Iabour for any Pc
Rod under two years. Why, any old
fashioned Quaker in the colony who hon
es'ly believes in the equality of all men,
and the mischievouSness Of Royal duties,
titles, and distinctions, is under this
clause laid open to the malice of all his
private enemies. They have nothing TO
do but to challenge him to join in a toast
to the Qeeen, and on his refusal they may
quickly get him set 10 hard labour for
two years. Since ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS time
a more s%ervile and shameful lava law
more directly tempting men to find wet
inns for it among their acquaintances and
fellow citizens, has scarcely been passed.
Then, by Clause 10, the publisher OF
anything disrespeetful to Her Majesty,
though withOut seditious intention, may be
imprisoned on convictions with or without
hard labour for not less than three years,
so that if the mail which carries back to
Australia what we are now wiring does
not also parry hack aS we truSt IL will,