SEWELL'S TESTAMENTARY NOTES, 1879
[Image of page 117]
SEWELL'S TESTAMENTARY NOTES, 1879
February 24th, 1879--My Sister in law Mary Anne Elwyn 1 writes as follows from my dictation.
Henry Sewell
This and the accompanying Volume containing my Journal from 1852 to 1865--will be transmitted by Mrs Elwyn to the Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand. Believing them to be a valuable record of events connected with the History of New Zealand and especially of the Canterbury Province but at the same time knowing that they contain matter which might give pain to living persons I desire them to remain for a time in the hands of the Bishop of Christchurch for the time being, if he will be kind enough to undertake the charge. I wish them eventually to be deposited in the Library of Christ's College, Canterbury, as a donation from me. The Bishop will judge as to the proper time for making such transfer, in my opinion it should not be earlier than the end of the present Century.
April 5th, 1879.
4 Salisbury Villas [Station Road]
Cambridge.
I have re-read this journal, and though my opinion remains as before--that it contains matter sufficiently important to the Colony of New Zealand, and the Province of Canterbury in particular to make it worth preserving, as an historical record--yet it is so full of personalities (just or unjust) that under no circumstances ought it to be published or laid open for general inspection. I therefore retract the wish expressed by me in a former minute 'That at some future period it should be lodged in the Library of Christ's College.' If the Bishop for the time being will be good enough to take charge of it,
[Image of page 118]
and allow it to be referred to for practical purposes, under careful supervision, that will fulfill the object I have in view.
I desire to add a few words respecting individuals to whom I have referred and to whom I have no doubt done unintentional injustice.
Of Sir George Grey 2 I have had a longer experience, growing out of new circumstances, some features of his character continue to impress me with the absence on his part of straight-forwardness and simplicity of purpose--his mind has evidently been formed in a school of which the political tone is low--but I have learned to estimate very highly, other qualities in him. I do not think he had much power of forecasting the future--and his schemes for the advancement of the Natives were spoiled in great measure by motives of personal ambition and self aggrandisement, but he had a wonderful power of grasping and grappling with the difficulties of any present emergency--he was devoid of personal fear, and did many brave things in the service of the Colony--He was very dangerous to his foes, but thoroughly loyal to his friends--I resented bitterly his treatment of the Canterbury Association which was in my opinion quite unjustifiable--but on the whole I should describe him as a man with very many rare gifts.
Next as to FitzGerald 3 --I write of him now, as a friend to whom I am warmly attached--he was a man of brilliant talent, one of the best speakers I ever listened to, and generally accomplished. It was impossible to know him intimately without forming a high estimate of his personal amiability and generosity of temperament. I think he did the Association and myself much harm--in setting the minds of the Colonists against us at first starting. His ambition was, I think, to be practically the founder of the Colony, using the Association as a means to that end. He exercised great influence over Godley whom he imbued with a spirit of antagonism to the Association, and the great body of the early Colonists readily followed his lead. But when he found that the plan and constitution of the Association, prevented for a time, the transfer of its authority from England to the Colony he rebelled against this obstruction, and not unnaturally, quarrelled with me and Wakefield--who seemed to thwart his objects, though in truth they were the same as our own,
[Image of page 119]
namely to divest the Association of all its powers as rapidly as possible, and to invest the Colonists with them. But this could only be done through the Provincial Councils.
Of Godley 4 I saw nothing in the Colony--nor till after my return to England--I believe him to have been a high-minded English gentleman of the first order--but under the influence of FitzGerald he did the Association and me much harm. I cannot look back on the period of my first arrival in the Colony, when I found that Godley had gone, leaving me single-handed to fight the battle of the Association, without a feeling of dismay. Had I known what I was to go through, nothing would have induced me to undertake the work. I attribute Godley's departure at that time, mainly to the state of his health. As to the action of the Leaders of the Church Party in the Colony I attribute it mainly to FitzGerald's influence. They quarrelled with everything that I had done--I do not say that I did every thing wisely--but I acted with the single motive of securing the interests of the Church--and the result has justified what I did.
For any expression in this journal which is at all of undue harshness or unkindness--or calculated to give pain to individuals or their families I express my regret--but the Journal itself must be kept as it was written, it being the true and veritable reflection of the impressions made upon my own mind at the time. 5 So I commit it to the safe keeping of the Bishop of Christchurch for the time being.
[Image of page 120]
[Page 120 is blank]
