Nuhou, Volume I, Number 7, 18 March 1873 — "THE POLITICAL SITUATION." [ARTICLE]

"THE POLITICAL SITUATION."

Thcre is so miieli īalk an(l discusdon in this cpmmunity abouL " the polilieal situation, M that a stranger woulel be led to suppose that we were in rather a revolutionary eon<lition, under sorac temporary"provisional Government, and endeavoring by agitation and publie meetings to establish some permanent order in the administration of puuTic affairs. The aforesaid stranger certainly must haye thouglit so, if present at our political me.eting . 011 the llth inst., at the Hotel, when certain U cutand dried ' ? resolutions were presented and passed, whieh wei'e to establish a << citizens ? committee n empowered " toinitiateany measure deemed necessary for the good. n And this was propounded and acted upon in the presenee of a Prime Minister representing a Bovereign who luul been called to the Throne by popular acclamation. We would have intiniated very plainly in such a posilion and plaee that we were the proper and only party to initiate measures for the puhlie good, a-nd that there were eourts and a marshal to. sus'tain our initiation and action, and to disperse vrhatever might interfere or eonfiiet witli our administratioii of public attairs. ' Perhaps if there was such an assertion of coniidence in one ? s public position, and of conildence in one's olHeial capacity, there might be less assertion of poliiieal disquiet, and tlie political quidnuncs of this land might be set at rest, and find more profitable occupation llian pol|bicalagitation t But this is nottheease, and public agitation is iargely, if not altogether, owing to the want of eonMenee in the abiliiv of tlie advisers of the King, They do not represent a-ny official experienee that woukl be of value in the administration of the affairs o£ a country, that needs a most skillful'management of its foreign relations. It seems easy to fill an office and receive i(s emolument and honors; but to illl truly the office of adviser to this King a)id country is a position to tr^aman 1 s soul. >le shoukl he not only eapahle, but earnest, faithful, prompt to act, and liokl Buch a man would inspire eoniklenee, even if a depressed market was distressing t-he business community. He woukl not be limited to only one or two remedies for public relief, but wouki be full of resource, suggestion and activify to Jieep the public mindquieted. Our miiiister for Koreign Ailairs, wlio ought to be the minister and chief of the King, does not inspire this coisfidence, His respeetability is UHqucstioned, but he insj>ires uo coniideiice as a leader in puhlie affiurs. And why should he ? What experience has lie had to tit him for his present position ? Eveiy work needs training to do it well. It seems easv to plow, to lay your hand upon a handle and follow a team ; but merely doing that does not make a good plowmau ; so it seems eusy to steer a ship, m> lay your hands upon a tiller or wheei and move to and fro t hui we know what praeticc and conlidence are required to make a good steersman. Buch a one is not made by takiug lessons in nuvigation at seliool; aud so astatesmancannot be made by a lile long attentiou toav-counts« in a banking olliee, But want of experieuee is theleast partof !his minister"s dtsabi!iiy. n h notork)Us that hv doēs not iTprescnt Ihe of the

King. The Bovereign in this instajiee ha-, 1 with a patriotic feeliiig, eonsit!ered liis owh !previbus inexperienee, and. yielded ejLtire' ! deferfenee to the seleetion made by a eonsiituted authority. This selection was not in ■ harnlony with the King 7 s wish. Of course ' we ca!nnot«peak from any of!!cial statement; but in this matter we feel that we represuiit the opinion of all our foreign eommunity. I We muBt be thus weak and divided, solong as want of capaeity is so evident r and of course so long as a publie mimster does not \ represent the confidence, the eordial good will,— nay the friendship of the King. All! results are possible with a man of aetivity, a-nd fullof resources; and almost any may be carried by un able, earnest ncgoiiator. The least apparently praeticable? and yet most desirable of all your scheipes may be earried &fc Wasliington by able iiegotiation. What is done in the past, is in a meastire forgotten. If you tiy r ? you ean interest men in any proposition; and we don't carc how good a seheme you may have,— a bungler or a marplot may spoil it. 80 then after all we want meii-a man to inspire confidence at tlie head of the adof atfairs; and a to battle our eause valiantly, and persuasively ābroad. And then tbere will be small eause. for disquietiiig politieal diseussions.