, 1876-03-04
G. D O N A L..
JAM
From the CLEANER

ruled over Is divided into districts each one
OF which possesses one or more representa-
tives, who are supposed to gather together
the opinions Of the people of those districts,
and represent them fairly in The C4u,ciis
Of the nation. Il they fail t. sly the
electors, by some means or other, they will
lose their seats. In Jamaica the 8ubsti-
tutes for this provision are certain members
appointed by the Government to represent
the Island as a whole. They NAV REPRESENT
what they consider to be the opinions Of
the people, but the people have no means.
provided by the restitution, Of correcting
them II they ore wrong. The steps the
people can take for themselves, in order to
make known their true wishes, are two in
number.
LIST. They can hold mass meetings, make
speeches, and appoint Populations 10 those
IL authority. These however take time to
get up, aud require skilfuI and earnest
leaders, they are seldom r%eSorted to unless
under the pressure OF dire necessity.
2ni. They can write to the newsnaDers.
This resource on the other hand il too
easy OF access People too often rush into
prIn5 without looking their grievances fnII
IN the face the result of which il that
they either cIamorousIy clII for imnossihle
measures OF redress, or reveal the fact that
they have not done their utmost TO relieve
the difficulty them selves. An Edito~ bay-
Ing the COOL OF the country at heart. must
exercise a sound discretion in refusing tb.
publicity OF his columns to c0mpJai,ts
paIpabIy founded on imperfect knowledge
or undlyeSted opinions. Nothing harms
the cause OF an Individual or a community
more than unnecessarily raising the crv
Of wolf, woIt"; while ut the same tinge
false conclusions, pIausibIy dra Hn from
correct premises, are the most dangerous
forms IN which error can be propagated.
we prefer. however, 10 dubious cases.
to err on the side of publishing letters
which perhaps were better unpublished.
rather than TO refuse the ali Of our columns
TO opinions or complaints which nav be
more reasonable than they at first appear.
and to endeavor by the aid of our editorial
columns to expose misleading arguments
to the best OF cur ability. We are the
more constrained to tits course by the
fact, that the public Press is the onlv
remains OF British freedom left TO the
Inhabitants Of jamaica if tapv cannot
complain through the pep rs they must
grin and bear all and everything in 81
leoce. A Brlton's night to grumbie is
sacred, we know; aud there is enough
British feeling in Jamaica to render tie
prlvlirgr, a cherished one here also.
These remarks may seem somewhat invi-
dIous, appearing as they 10 at a time
when We have lately been in receipt Of so
many clever, %weII-written, and soundIy-
argued letters from various correspondents.
We make them, however, ia order to pre-
vent any mistake as to the position W.
take up. We can for SIC that a time il
coming when there will be bing Of
an awakening up from the Iethargy that
has Kept Jamaica quiet for the last few
years, and we desire to be a medium Of
giving publicity to all the various shades
OF opinion that certain proposed measures
will call forth. We believe that a free
trade In opinions has the same eff ct az
q free-trade in merchandise, that is to say
that the opinions, like the trades, brst
suited to the community, will survive and
flourish, while sickly exotics will die a
natural death. At the same time we do
not wish it to be supposed that in publish.
ing various opinions we are in any way
swerving from the stand we have taken,
and IOfopd ~ yno1rFoi1 - - AIo n,bsuA- r