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English (ATL)

Hokianga
Decr. 5, 1873.


My Dear McLean,

I have three unanswered letters from you and a telegram, the letters arrived during my absence in the north which which accounts for their not having been replied to do this time, I answer the telegram first in as few words as I can as I am fairly knocked up having been writing since sunrise and it is now dark.

The whole uproar against Wiremu Katene is I believe a conspiracy got up for the purpose of telling him to resign so that Mitai who I take to be a great scoundrel or else John Moses who is no good to step into his place they envy and hate him above all things for the distinction and respectable position he has obtained (this you know is a failing the Maories are greatly subject to) they and their party have been trying to move heaven and earth against Katene and are now greatly disconcerted to find he has so many friends he has far more friends than enemies amongst the Maories and his friends are of the more respectable class as for the Europeans all those I have spoken to on the subject and those are such as are capable of forming an opinion on the matter think as I do. I have in fact taken his part more than once and I believe that the partisans of the Mitai faction are falling off fast, though no doubt the principals would murder him if they dare if it were merely for having stood out so well against him and for finding so many friends as for the special charges made against him there is no doubt in my mind that they have been merely trumped up for the purpose I have stated. I have seen Katene once since his return and advised him not on any account to allow himself to be bullied into resigning and I think he will not, that ia all I can say on the subject. I sincerely condole with you on the death of your brother, I do not envy the stoic for his real or pretended apathy, our hearts after all are of flesh, and though somewhat too often hardened in the battle of life the flesh will assert its self right humanly at times, and it is good it should do so. Mourn then my Dear McLean in honourable and manly mourning for your brother, and be consoled in time by the thought that there is no reason at all to cause us to believe that a future stare would be worse than this, if a necessity, but rather a strong presumption that is may be better, a contrary opinion would be treason to the power which created us.


I am My Dear McLean, Ever yours truly,
F. E. Maning.

P.S. I shall answer your offer notes soon.