Nuhou, Volume II, Number 14, 12 September 1873 — THE MINISTRY [ARTICLE]

THE MINISTRY

During. the reccnt mutiny, have their unfitness for govermnent' and tlie responsibilities of puhlie affairs. The\- \vere regarded ■hy the comnierei-i] interest as very safe " •-neih who wouhl l>e eeonomieal, and wouhl not try any new experiments eitl]er in finanee tor dlplomaey. This kind of negafive ehar'\ttev ealled " safe " is excellent in a suhordiuate situation, or amid ptosperous and harmonious eonditions : but wlien all diseordajH and dec]ining as m now, and when_there arises a Muklen deftance of ordei\ a> of late days, then the " safe ** man is at 'iauh, and has neiilier tiie head to exorcise, nor the lieail. tn face the devil oi' disorder, and he is pale, worried, and at liis wits ends till something turns up to relieve the situation. ff something had not turned up that helped to quiet the nnitiny, the l>usiuess of this- town might have suflered dearly for its tl safe " men who thought only of their .nul to keep theii persons safe and dared not l>eard jthe Uon of disloyal(y in Im deu, And yct this the plain duty of anofficerwho represents th< clnef authority of the King • <m'd tlie <rovernment, and who to be ooncērned about the Eoyal Honor *and the peaee of the country. But what if the moial courage of this ofllcer >o (aiK himand cowardice so over-mastets his mnul that he >ees 110 other way out of the difficulty €xcept to acknowledge his incapacity to restore ord<ir, and he /h'<n/;s ///V SoV( rehpi fo O(tU Oft ///>/ * lil thv hih'hOi* to iXst(*r{ //,, - { n*r o/ t/o Think you not f!iat such a one i> a political coward, disloyal io His Majesty< inul a traitor to theeountrv*; » .. *« . and that if he had a spark of any sense of lionoi' he wouhl at onee resign Ihe oflice whieh lie so un\\oithify fills ? , \\ J e (Vel that a deeent ol tnd a fuf! appteciation of ptiblie opinion would at onee prompt t!ie resignāt!o>i of the Min!stry.