COLONIAL LOYALTY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3859, 29 November 1883, Page 4

COLONIAL LOYALTY.

In an article in the Nineteenth Century on " The Present and Future of the Australasian Colonies," Mr Archibald Forbes makes some remarks on the above subject, from ivhich we extract the following passage :—" AYe all know what men here say, and are free to say, inside Parliament and outside Parliament on tho subject of Ireland. There aro men in Parliament ivho have avowed in their places that they are taking part in a parliamentary warfare, in default of the longed-for ability to engage in quite another kind of warfare. There aro men inside and outside St. Stephen's who avouch that thoy are struggling and plotting for the disruption of the union, and no man maketh them afraid. No speaker could hold this line in Australia with regard to Ireland. Tho Redmond Brothers last year visited that continent on a crusade to raise money for "tho cause," and probably meant to speak in Australia as they had been wont to speak at Homo. But on tho very threshold they were warned _ by enthusiastic partisans of their own stripe that this must not be—that Australia simply would not stand it. So they struck a loiver key, spoke ei-on respectfully of Great Britain, and Avith enthusiastic encomium of Britain's Sovereign — Sovereign as well, thoy took care to emphasise, " of tho bright gem of the say." Thero was droll irony in the anti-climax that their meetings concluded with the National Anthem. But it was in vain that the revolutionary brothers thus " loutcd low." Several of their earlier assemblages, ere they had yet learned tho full lesson of moderation, ivcro scenes of fierce riot, OAving to the sturdy Australian determination to have none of this "seditious gibberish." Tho newspapers never gave them a chance; somo refused their advertisements, and waste-paper basketed their remonstrances ; all declined to give any prominence to their utterances. The universal Press attitude to them was thus tersely expressed:—"This is no field for such people as you; you aro not wanted. Your mission is to make mischief and stir up the race hostilities ivhich the Australian air, tends to lull into dormancy. AYe trust you will bo exceedingly uncomfortable Avhile you stay here ; we shall genially contribute to this end, and so you had better go away.' "