, 1872-10-19

bic to me or not, | would have to let the
matter rest there. | hope now, that nei-
Their Mr.. Stakemann, nor any of his rela-
tives, will take it amiss when | take
the liberty OF examining his public and Off
cIal lie L do it from no offensive DISPOSE
ton towards him, but for the good of the
Island and its Inhabitants, for the good of
the Local and Home Administration, and,
lastly but not least for Mr.. S~takemann's
benefit. He is a goodIy sort of a gen
tleman, a man whose atfable manners and
genial mind, together with his unostenta-
tons bearing, at least in times past, won
for him the esteem and regard of those who
knew him. He is a native Of these Islands,
and after passing, successfully, his examina-
ton as Candidatus iuris, he practiced some
time as lawyer here, and subsequently OBJ
tanned appointment as Judge, Recorder and
PoliCemastcrin Christiansted, in which Office
he continued to act for many years. 1t was
not to be expected that Mr.. Stakemann
with his speculative and experimentatiVe
turn of mind, should have achieved any very
great results in the practical administration
OF those Offices certain it is, people were
not satisfied with his Administration.
He subsequently sought and obtained
appointment as Chief-Judgo in the Royal
W. l.. Upper Court; whether be was
here more successful, | shall leave un-
said the term he served therein was
very short, and several of his judgments
came before the High Court. In April
1869 he was deputed President ofSt. Tho
mas and VicegOyernor of these Islands,
then US ChiefIocaI Authority in st. Croix,
and as such he has been acting ever since
with a few short intervals, and now we
learn Of his expectations to become perma-
nentIy appointed in the latter Office. He
is without q doubt Il talented man, possess
Ing d large fund Of abstract knowledge !;
but, ] DO not think Nh. S|takcmann possesses
the necessary administrative tact, the re-
quisito energy and knowledge of all the
several relations chat must come into con-
sideration in the office as chief Administers
tor of the Government of this Island, and he
will certainly in most cases even be igno-
rant of the ordinary routine of business.
1t is painful to see a representa tive of the
past century sticking himself, as it were, for
ward to combat with times and principles,
whose interests and aims he has never been
able to comprehend and the older he grows
the more painful it becomes to see the anx
ious grasping after power and high station
by man who ought by this time to have
made up his earthly accounts. Mr.. Stake
mann has, remarkably enough, taken up an
exceptional position in almost every respect
and point where any improvement OF libe-
raj change in the old regime was in ques-
ton. He did not like the Burgher Coun-
ellis, much less the Colonial Council, and he
voted against the new Draft Of the Colo
NAL Law, because he believed that this
community did not possess the necessary
qualifications for such an institution. Yet
he has been called to fill the post as Chief
Magistrate Just when we were busy making
a new Colonial Law and other improve
ments in our legislature. 1t is true enough,
that his views have undergone some chan
ges, as he himself says but that is only
owing to his official position now, and
when he gets Royal appointment therein,
he will have free hands to return to his
former views, and those connected with the
Labour-Regulation might, to give one in
stance, furnish reason to regret his appoint,
ment,-But besides all these reasons whick