Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-08-23
A Few Chapters on Australia.
BY REV. JOHN FRASER.
SIDNEY NOTABLES.

SIDNEY NOTABLEs.
Sir John Young, the present Governor
General of Canada, was then the governor
of New South Wales and used to preside
at public dinners with grace and dignity.
His excellency would deliver neat speech
when he took the chair on such occasions.
Some have objected to our chief magistrate
because this is not his forte: as if there
was no difference between the figure head
and pilot of ship. The efficient person
age corresponding both in England and
her colonies to our President is the premi-
er. The premier here, who was self |
made man, commenced life as a mechanic; |
rose to be editor of the liberal paper and |
on assuming the helm of state, accomplish
ed more practical reforms than had been
known in a generation; as for instance,
separation of church and state, system of
common schools, asylum Improvements,
and prison reforms. AS many leading
men rose from humble life as in our own
land. The law officer of the crown has a
convict father-in-law.
Some of them were fine speakers. The
Hon. Robert Lowe, ex-editor of the Lon
don Times, leader of the Adullamites,"
and now prominent member of Glad
stones ministry, had served his apprentice
ship to legislation in Sidney. Dr. Lang is
an historical character / had heard
of him before | ever thought of visiting
the Antipodes. His name was often men,
toned in the London papers twenty years
ago. An active Scotchman, he had made
his mark on the colony as his fellow coun-
trymen, Bishop Strachan and Mackenzie
did on Upper Canada. He made seven
voyages home, wrote books on Australia
established college, organized Presby
terrain assembly, colonized Queensland, was
a member of the legislative assembly, and
has always remained pastor of the Scots
church" "A man of war from his youth"
he was the best abused person in the colo
ny. | met with him on a missionary COM
mittee and he was the mildest hammered
appearing gentleman l ever saw except
Garrison. His weakness was cacOethes
Scribendi. Going out young as the first
| Presbyterian minister, public functionary
gave him home in his house, without
charge, when he was astonished to have
his domestic arrangements critized in the
public papers by his guest. The redoubt-
able doctor obtruded his good offices as
umpire in our national difficulties. Ac-
cording to his own account our national
affairs, as viewed from his stand point,
found an easy and perfect parallel in the
war on the children of Israel. The worthy
doctor in his egotism forgot one slight diff
ference in the parallel cases, that he was
not fitted for the role of prophet His
naivete was refreshing, to detail these cir
cumstances, in a funeral sermon on Pres
ident Lincoln. 1t was merely an anachIo-
nism. He could have been in his proper
place among the Presbyterian clergy OF
CromwelPs time. If he got others into
the papers, he is never out of them him
self His blunders form an inexhaustible
fund of merriment for the Sidney Punch.
NEWSPAPERS.
The "London Times" of New South
Wales, is the Morning Herald The pro-
prietor commenced on it a journeyman
printer. As public man, he is the Sam.
uel Morley" of the colony. 1t brings hin,
from $4,000 to 100000 net profits pei
annum. A clergyman, who distinguished
himself by opposing the transportation
laws is the editor. The proprietor's son, &
promising young man, visited the principal
printing offices of England and Americl
before assuming charge of the paper, bu
was killed by fall from his hAraA 500.
after his return. The Empire" the lib
eral organ took the northern side in the
war, and favored American ideas and in
situations. 1t has appeared lately as g
penny paper, and the Herald is obliged tC
follow its lead in this as in many other re
spects. There are several Weeklies, de
nominational organs and literary periodic
ais. Both Melbourne and Sidney boast
Monthly illustrated News" fully equa
to that recently established in Montreal
Each city also sports a Weekly Punch
t Astounding in local wit and humor, whicl
, shows that they don't live without laugh
ing at the Antipodes. They have som
/, publishing houses. And Australian work
1 of fiction and poetry appear from time t
r time. English writers, like Bulwer Lyt
e ton and VIM Hewitt, vesketched for u
a of life as they found it there: and amusin
? descriptions have appeared from the pc
ofa writer by the nom de plume of "Ol
Q Boomerang"
LECTURES.