The Oamaru Mail. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1275, 8 May 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1880.

"Whilst the important subject of Federation for the Colonies has had a large share of public attention, has mightily exercised the minds and pens of public writers, and has afforded an ample field for public speakers, the more important subject of Federation of the British Empire has been treated ■with almost silence. Though the day appears to be very fast approaching when the nations of the Old World will be embroiled in destructive wars, occasioned by the never-ceasing efforts of down-trodden masses to throw off the yoke of their oppressors, and though despotic rulers avert impending revolutions by proclaiming useless wars, and so employ and exhaust, the turbulent and energetic of their people—yetafierce spirit of independence is being aroused, which refuses to be either diverted or thwarted. The people will want to know why they have been like dumb cattle driven; they will want to know if the few have really a divine right to govern ; they will want to know if the people are not to have equal liberties iinrl privileges with the few who rale; they will want to weigh in the balance the people who are ruled in the one scale, and the few who rule in the other; they "will want to know if the masses are not to have a fair share in the government of the land, a fair voice in the expenditure of the revenue, and—as they have to provide the thews and sinews—why have they not a voice in the making and maintaining of war or peace 1 Dazzled by the meritricious glare of military conquests over a divided and badly-ruled nation, the Germans ore quietly submitting themi selves to be firmly bound by chains to a military thraldom, which will eventually leave them mere machines and tools in the hands of their despot rulers. Though, as such, they may be feared by their neighboring nations, will they be prosperous 1 will they be contented'? Already the huge sacrifices made to appease the vanity of their rulers have caused the suffering J people to protest. But how has that I protest been met? Simply with contumely and scom. They have been told plainly that, to keep up the prestige of the nation, greater sacrifices will have to be made; that a larger proportion of the men must be kept an army; and that larger contributions will be exacted to keep this unproductive portion of the nation ever ready to obey the behests of their leaders—ever ready to repel the avengers who now long'for the return pf strength so that they might wrest from their late devastators the ill-gotten plunder exacted from them while lying prostrate and abandoned by the cowardly and mysterious despot, who plunged them into a fearful war merely to conserve the supposed rights of the profligate Queen of Spain, whose despotism had caused her own subjects to revolt and depose her. Though this war was incepted by a military despot, Jus overthrow did not satisfy the vanquisher, but the nation which had no voice in the matter was impoverished and punished solely for his offence. That this cruel treatment of a whole nation has engendered a deep feeling of hatred

is daily more evidenced, ftiul a most fierce desire exiats for revenge. The signs of tlie times prognosticate an impending struggle—on. the one side to punish a cruel vanquisher, on the other to preserve a doubtful military prestige. That Great Britain must be involved in this war is conceded by all the best authorities. Bound as she is by Royal marriage to the one side, she cannot forget that the other nation was her firm oily in a time of dire need, and that between them exists bonds far greater than those created by mere Royal marriages. It thns behoves our ebief men to preparefor the struggle. Noeffort should be spared to husband and combine the resources of the nation, so that when the time of necessity comes, we will be 1 able to talk to our enemies at the gate. ' That our Colonies will be a mill-stone i round the neck of the Mother Country, if she is involved in a Continental war, i is asserted, not only by foreigners, but i also by a section of onr own people, 1 That this should of necessity be so we deny, for India, with her teeming i millions, will undoubtedly prove a < most important auxiliary. The Colonies, too, could in many ways assist the profit if '!• f"j' :'-vt , •••: »«£.'-• - v.. lit... " j. ' r.f'• «!;r.t t\:«- i'>* Kit '••«* UfuC- j iul/k-ei for jiiitisli Parliament io prtfiS nu A,ct 1 permitting each Colony, when of & £

certain population, to send a representative into the House of and that smaller settlements should be! grouped into electorates; for the same purpose. The details of such a scheme are within the mental grasp; of any intelligent man, and, as the object in view is of vital importance, we submit that prompt action should be taken. When fin's grand result is attained—foxit must be—the filial affection which at present exists on the part of the Colch nies to the Mother. State, will not only be intensified, but will be utilised, and instead of- the Colonies proving millstones, they will prove bucklers.