WANTED A GOVERNOR.
"WE want to be governed !"—the claim which Carlyle puts into the mouth of mankind at large—has become the practical and ex- press demand of that peculiar section of mankind which dwells in golden Victoria. The inefficiency of the Government has occasioned many satirical sallies amongst the colonists. In the Police Court, a sarcastic advocate rebuked a policeman for applying an opprobri- ous epithet to the prisoner, when the policeman admitted that, on detecting the prisoner, he exclaimed, "what are you at, governor ?" The prisoner's advocate resented the expression as an insult tending to damage the character of the client. In the newspapers there is an advertisement, "Wanted a Governor : apply to the People of Victoria."
It is an obvious answer to the implied complaint, that the cir- cumstances of that particular colony have rendered government extremely difficult. The sudden pouring in of wealth at the low- est class of the social scale, the class of rude labour, superseded the great money test of rank and influence in civilized society, and dissolved" the nexus of man and man," by depreciating all fixed salaries. It became more lucrative for policemen to join the dis- orderly and non-governed than to be the instruments of govern- ment.. A. man who was "only a Government clerk" was of no standing in the colony; and in a community of navigators and
labourers suddenly endowed with wealth, the orstititkOilles best of governcrs must have been sorely tried. , „,,, It would be a bold word to say that Mr. Ds
trobe coutd le ranked amongst the great statesmen of his age. He exerted himself with laudable assiduity : he went about personally to inspeet Mid ex- hort ; he appointed native policemen as a substitute ferlii,t0:1394ns in short, he did his best. 13ut even before the goIcl-diaMeties;ciiiie before Victoria was a colony at all, there were very ReandUktle doubts whether Mr. Superintendent Latrobe was equal to his place. It is little disparagement to a man who is a meritoriouie 'ratline servant if he is declared unable to cope With one of the moot dial-, cult positions in which a statesman ever found himselfa s oi It is most desirable, however, that the colonists '.01/17iliterka should at once be supplied with that commodity of whiot thesjecle. clam the necessity—a governor and a government. Otheil'goods have been imported with so much enterprise, that a very great im.: provement has taken place in the economical relations of the colony. Prices had fallen down, for a time at least, from their monstrous elevation, at the same time that a participation of the profit attending the business of purveying for the gold-diggers had contributed to develop many ancillary trades, to the great advantage of the local economy. There is therefore a favourable turn in Australia, from anarchy to tractability; and now is the time to appoint a clever and energetic Governor. We have seen a report that there is to be a considerable change of Governors in the Australian Colonies; amongst other things, it is said that Sir Henry Young is to take the place of Sir Charles Fitzroy in New South Wales, and that Sir William Denison of Van Diemen's Land is to take the place of Mr. Latrobe. These reports do not appear to be probable. Sir William Denison is an able man ; but his administration in the immediate neighbourhood of Victoria has not been felicitous, and he would come to that colony with a reputation proportionately damaged. It is far more necessary in Victoria than in almost any province of the British empire that the Governor should be a man possessing considerable moral influence, and should also be able to conciliate the affections of the inhabitants. Sir William Denison has been in Van Diemen's Land the obstinate advocate of convictism : but if he was snipe- pular on that account in the island, he would be still more so ivith the best class of people in Victoria, where the worst element in so- ciety consists in the very convicts whom Sir William Denison would have multiplied in Australia. H he had any popularity in Victoria, it might be amongst that base class ; who would perhaps mistake him for their advocate. If, therefore, some de- gree of popularity leavened his unpopularity, the case would only be rendered the worse. On these grounds, we think it improbable that a Ministry which has obtained so much just credit as the present for its intelligent measures in the Colonies, and for-its excellent appointments, can have regarded Sir William Denison as the fittest person to select for the government of Victoria, however .his personal merits may entitle him to a favourable consideration in- other parts. The beau ideal of a Governor for Victoria would be, the best kind of military officer,—a man who is personally strong and active, who combines the power of winning the liking and confidence of the people under him, with habits of resolute command.
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