TOPICS OF THE DAY.
GOVERNMENT BY EVASION.
THE one art in public affairs which is making progress at this day, is the art of governing by evading the duties to be performed. It is probably the legitimate sequel and consummation of that extra- vagant form which bigots of the Free-trade school delight to give their own doctrine—that the best of all government is " let done." ,Shakspere had hit upon that reductio ad absurdum long ago, in his Dogberry and Verges rationale of police administration ; but in our day the -view is gravely applied as the true rationale of govern- ment. As Dogberry's precept in dealing with a noted thief was to let him go, and thank God that you were rid of such a fellow, so the official notion of the whole class of thieves is, that you can but let them go—to the Antipodes—and thank God that England is quit of them. When the Australias complain, Government asks what it can do with its thieves ? You can diminish the number by sound government, says Adderley ; you can con- fine and employ the convicted, says Frederick Hill ; at all events, says Molesworth, you need not place them where they ride rough- shod over a small but scattered community, where they become lords-paramount, the lawgivers of the land, the "fruges consumere nati," enjoyers of old manorial rights—and wrongs, exploded here ; besides, says Van Diemen's Land herself, you promised. No, I didn't, says Grey ; if you look back to my words, although they look like a promise, you will find they only raised hopes—there is no pledge. Moreover, he 'adds, if New South Wales had con- sented to go on bearing the larger share of the mortal burden, it would not have been Poi bad for Van Diemen's Land : however, Swan River is anxious to be convictized, and, if too small now to bear large yearly doses, she likes it, and will gradually absorb much English crime personified. " And," observes some opportune Ministerialist, " there are not forty Members present." The last argument is conclusive ; Molesworth is put hors de combat for the night; and Ministers pursue in placid self-contentment their course of governing by negatives—of administeringby not governing. In the Cape affair they have managed still more triumphantly ; but then, Lord Grey and Mr. Hawes confessedly cut out poor Sir George in this new art; at which they are very great indeed. Lord Grey would not at all think it necessary to apologize, as Sir George Grey did, for nonfulfilment of a promise : an old pledge is precisely the thing which piques Lord Grey to drive against it— his favourite antagonist is Lord Howick. And as for evading anything whatever,—pledge, fact, or self-evident truth,—he can command the ablest assistance in that line. The treatment of the Cape case is his masterpiece. He was urged, both by arguments and the desire of the colonists, to send out a Crown Commission to inquire into those border questions and border wars which Sir Harry Smith has multiplied, it might be surmised, from the gal- lant love of being in hot water. Never was there a more intrepid man than Sir Harry, and he keeps the colony at war to show it ; which is as if some Braidwaod,liere in London, kept up a running fire in our houses to display his courage and skill in saving us. Sir Harry and his opponents send home the most opposite -statements on these points, and his opponents call for inquiry. Ministers ac- quiesce, and the friends of the Cape, in fond delusion, imagine that they have gained something ! At last, a lurking uneasiness prompts a question ; and then it comes out, that the commission has neither the object nor the constitution imagined by those who asked for inquiry. It is "not exactly a commission to inquire," but one to settle border questions : a fair object, if it were possible under the circumstances. But is it possible ? Scarcely. Govern- ment, which appoints the commission, has prejudged the question, in sanctioning Sir Harry Smith's schemes of territorial appropriation, and in attempting to make the colonists bear both the odium and the cost of that appropriation and its defence. Government there- fore is hardly in a position to give proper instructions for a settle- ment, or indeed instructions that can lead to any real settlement. But who are the Commissioners sent out ? No Commissioners at all : they are only "Assistant Commissioners," Sir Harry him- self being appointed Chief Commissioner ! This, then, is the juggle : the Cape colonists complain of Sir Harry Smith, his border embroglios and border wars : they say, At least inquire into this matter : Very well, replies the Government; and then, by way of complying, it sends out two " Assistants " to help Sir Harry ; leaving him, the accused, to be examiner, counsel, judge, and ad- ministrator, in his own case. The Cape colonists have clearly been " done." Meanwhile, Ministers have all but reached Whitsuntide, in a session idle, listless, and short.
If the Cape doubts the work that is still before it, let it look at Ceylon. If the Cape had a Harry Smith, how long did not Ceylon have to endure a Torrington ; if the Cape is entering upon a com- mission of inquiry, how long was Ceylon in that stage, not yet cleared ; if the Cape has its question last week, and its answer, look to Mr. Baillie's motion next Tuesday, and see how he fares ? Meanwhile, Ministers have all but reached Whitsuntide. Their great achievements have all been performed—" next session"; they always have store of frank confession for the past. This plan of hiding that which they do now, in Colonial and Foreign affairs, has the best effect, since it makes all criticism the weaker for being retrospective, putting a year between the facts and the judgment, while it obtains proportionate credit for the future, by putting a year between promise and performance. Ministers manage affairs of statesmanship as the French Ministers manage finance,—always revising the actual /mounts of last year, with full reliance on easy
Mr. Hume's principle, "let bygones be bygones "; and contriving the "prosperous " and speculative accounts for next year ; but not dealing with this year.
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