CLAIMS OF THE COLONIES.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 19, 11 October 1845, Page 4

CLAIMS OF THE COLONIES.

(From the Times.) What is England's object in cultivating and extending her colonial empire? Not, surely, that she may have dependents to bully and oppress, but that she may have outports for her redundant population, stations of traffic for her commercial navy, faculties for expanding her greatness and extending her trade. The happiness of her colonial children and her own are reciprocal; she cannot benenfit the one without rel eying the other. If a colony is oppressed, it becomes a drain upon our means at home; if it flourishes, it returns fruit with increase. When we lately noticed the petitiou of the Australian colonies to be placed, as to their corn, on the same footing with Canada, we advocated their cause 6olely on the broad principle of equal justice. At that time there was no document before us except their plain strait-forward petition. On the very day on which we supported its prayer, the House of Commons ordered papers on the subject to be printed ; and these are now before us. We rejoice to find that the view which we took, on general grounds is verified by particular facts. The papers to which we refer consist of despatches from the Australian Governors to Lord Stanley, and some of these enclose memorials from the colonists. In our former remarks we drew a distinction between the always obedient Australian colonies and the once refractory Canadians. We perceive by the papers printed subsequently to our remarks that this difference is glanced at by our more southerly dependents. They say, they are unwilling to draw invidious distinctions (vulgo, comparisons are odious) between themselves and other colonists; but they cannot help observing that they are essentially British in all their feelings and not less loyal than those who remain at home in Britain. This, being trans lated, means thay are sympathizers ; but, as things stand, it is so much the worse for them. Canada, near to the United States, and dissatisfied and rebellious has the duty on her corn reduced. Australia, patient and loyal, and with no dangerous neighbour, has no relief— no indulgence. Lord Stanley here proves himself worthy to have come over to Sir R. Peel. Turbulent Ireland has its endowed Maynuotli ; agitated Canada its boon. If it is desirable to have colonies at all, it is important to have them contented, attached, prosperous. This depends materially on our treatment of them, as integral portions of the empire, not excrescenes. But if they are to be recognised as portions of our own territory, what business have we with commercial restrictions between us ? For the protection of the English farmer the distance, the freight, and the risk are protection enough; all beyond, all preventive taxation, is unnatural, forced, and injurious. If we are to regard our colonies as parts of ourselves, we must necessarily share in their sufferings as well as in their prosperity. If a finger or a foot is sore the whole body will feel it, the system will be impaired. We may not consider this sufficiently, but our Australian children know it and tell us of it ; they complain that whilst they have soil and climate for the ample growth of corn, they are checked by our denial to them of a market; and they urge, that, " if such a market weie allowed, it would enable the settlers there to consume British manufactured goods, their chief article of import, to a much greater extent than they do at present." What we now say for Australia, we last week said for India : we speak, not for this or for that; we speak for a system, and on a question that ought to be regarded as imperial. Canada, Australia, aye, and Ireland too, are parts ot a great whole: it is a most mistaken policy to let them have divided interests ; they ought to be bound together by a community oi benefit and equal treatment, not by patchwork and piecemeal bribes, not by a remission of duty to one at the expense of injustice to another, not by a grant to a college but by equally raised and equally diffused contributions.

Mexico contains 7,000,000 inhabitants, out of whii-h six thousand only can read and write. The formation at Greenwich of a new tidal harbour, which will cover nearly six acres, and give a depth of fourteen feet at low water, ii to be proceeded with immediately. Marshal Soult has issued an order for prohibiting the soldiers at Lille who are freemasons, from attending lodges, and ordering those who are not freemasons to resist every attempt that may be made to induce them to join the society. Modern Refinement. — Calcraftthe hangman (from Newgate) according to the London Journals, sported a pair of white kid Gloves at the execution of Tawell J Slavery. — The Washington papers contain an advertisement of a runaway slave, a girl between sixteen and seventeen years old, white, with straight black hair, and dark eyes, weighing about 110 or 115 pounds, of good countenance, reads the Bible tolerably well, and has pretty good use with her needle. A. reward of 500 dollars is offered for the delivery of the girl, if she is found in any non-slave-holding state, but if found in Virginia, the reward is to be only 60 dollars, and if in Maryland, 75 dollars. Demolition. — A short time since, an invalid g ent for a ph)siclan,and after detaining him some time with a description of his pains, said, " Now, Doctor, you have humbugged me long enough with your good for-nolhing pills and worthless sirups; they do me no service. I wish you would strike the cause of my ailment, if it is in your power to reach it." "It shall be done," s aid the doctor, at 1 the same time lifting his cane and demolishing a decanter of spirits that stood upon the sideboaid !