, 1872-07-03

lean nature of the task before him, and
which must now be resumed and brought to
a termination by his successor, for whom the
successful issue will have been rendered
considerably easier by the experience
which he may gather from seeing the rocks
on which his predecessor has cot wrecked
on more than one occasion.
The plain and transformations department
of Governor Billie had prepossessed our
whole little community in his favor, as
e%vincing a mind that does not stoop to
trivial matters, as was sal in these columns
at his arrival. We have often, ana also
recently, pointed out some of the many
difficulties which must needs present them
selves to any new Governor who is unac-
quaintcd with our relations, which has also
in former times been made the subject OF
remarks in the "Dagblad," in leading arti-
cies, and in letters from St. Croix, and no
less by our correspondents and in cditori-
as of the Avis before and after our assum-
ing the leading Of it. We can all the more
readily comprehend the difficulties, as IN
our short career as editor OF this pGppr, We
have had abundant opportunity to learn
W NlldC CAlCul t2OLlStIl uIu l't.Sttidl lilItb
est prevail what resistance, ilI-WjII, hatred,
espionage etc. any man is expose to when
he tries In any way to bring about a change
in the present state of things, which will,
of course, more or less effect persons hold
ing higher or lower positions, nay, these
latter times have sufficiently shown that a
similar fate befalls and awaits those mem
bers ofthe Colonial Council, but few in num-
Der, who really aim at reforms, who cndea-
YOUR more and more to efiace the traces and
remove the relics Of u former state o fsocie-
ty, and extravaganza in the different branch
es Of administration, in short, those who
earnestly desire to contribute their possible
to call forth a more natural state of things,
aud one more suited to our timcs,-whcn
they now and again get rid of the oppres-
sion of juridical Subtlety and pronounce
important truths.
1t will be remembered with what Joyful
expectations His Excellency Governor Billie
was greeted at his arrival, how our people
would see in him d liberat0r and IA leader
out of the slough and mire in which we
had been helpIessIy left by previous adj
ministrations, which, although no doubt
HdVluR UnG UcSG lllclLlOllS, udu CT DE lllclI
"mastcrly Inactivity brought us to a COM
plete stand-still, who was, in the language
of our predecessor, to reduce to order that
chaos of maladministration, antiquated
legislation, and other colonial evils which
have found a hot,bcd here after being eiec-
ted from almost all other civilized places.
1t will further be remembered what a pro-
missing impression was made Ivy His Excel
lency's first speech in the Colonial Council,
and the charming promises there made
concerning the regulation of taxation and
reduction of certain taxes, simpIifcation of
and, retrenchments in our administration,
considerable reduction in our military ex-
penditure, the extension to the Colonies of
several laws passed for the Mother country,
the prominent place given to the alI-impor-
tant questions of school-reform, and the or
ganiza ion of labour. How far these pro-
misses and the expectations and hopes built
thereon have been fluff led, and TO what
extent they can be reasonably fulfilled, we
have often in these columns made the sub
iect of our considerations. In our next
we shall attempt a brief recapitulation.