COLONIAL LOYALTY.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 73, 22 February 1879, Page 3

COLONIAL LOYALTY.

Kir Michael Hiok-Beacfc; MP., the Secretary of States for tint Colonies, distributed the prime at th« Chipping Nortou and Moroton-in-the-Marsh Agricultural Hhow an September 24, and in the Commons he alluded at some length to the loyalty of the colonies, remarking : —;

" Colonial matters have been rarely dis- , cussed ill Parliament none the leas retain* a keen nnJ vivid interest in these affairs; luul I am sure of tltls, that there never : was a timu when Parliament or the ' country ought to be more interested hi i the*; affairs than the present. We have j hud plenty of criticism and difference of 'opinion on (he Treaty'of Berlin aud the Convention of (kmstantiuople, and the conduct, of the Government during the whole of the matter, but I do think that there is one result of tho> history of the last IN months in which all parties and nnarlv all Englishmen will agree, and that is in a feeling of satisfaction at the behaviour of the colonies, of England during the crisis. Now, we can all remember the time, not so long ago, when active and eloquent public men in thus country prophesied the early dissolution of the ties between England and her colonies, spike slightingly of their union, and treated the colonists almost as They never had a laijp party" inrßߧr land behind them, but no party, whatever their political opinions, holds this opinion in England now. It used to be said, ' Look at the distance that divides us, the divergence of interests, and the want of representation of tho colonies in Parliament,' adding,' You may depend upon it that as soon as diHiculties encompass this country, and there is a danger of a European war, self-interest will guide the feelings of the colonists, and to guard thcit commerce they will separate from this country.' What has happened? Why, when peril was near those efforts which had been mode—especially in the Dominion of Canada and in Australia—for years past for their own defonce against attack from enemies of the empire were redoubled, and, as I have reason to know, offers of voluntary service, in addition to Jthe home defences, were made to thelmother country, not by tens orhundreds.but in such numbers as would havo ralsod brigades of loyal colonial soldiers. This, I say, was the response of its colonists when the mother country was iii danger; and when the danger passed away, anil peace has been secured, then there poured in upon Her Majesty's Government a series of congratulations from Canada, from Australia/ and New Zealand, from men who felt that the success of Great Britain was their own success and that when they found the English Government had maintained the position of the mother country amongst the nations of the world that was an additional glory for our colonists, oven at the Antipodes though they may be. In all this difficulty never has thero been a whisper of separation from the mother country on the part, so far as I know, of a single colonist. This, I think, is something which at any rate should make us feel that we occupy a position unique among the nations of tho world, that o ir strength is not merely the strength of Great Britain and Ireland, hut the strength of that vast Englishspeaking people which circles round the globe. It may be that difficulties or differences may ariso for a moment between the mother country and her colonies which may throw acloud upon the friendly relations between them; but of this lam quite sure, that there is a feeling in the colonies which will conquer any such difficulties or differences of opinion, aud that is the sentiment of loyalty to our Queen and, the love of the country which they still oall home. They may be far from us, but I have travelled myself (and I have found that the furtheryou go from England tho dearer England is to those who can claim the name of Englishmen, whether their interests and their possessions arc centred in this island or are spread over the most distant parts of tho world. It is easy to say that after all the feeling to which 1 have referred is but a sentiment, and that a sentiment cannot control differences of interest and of distances which undoubtedly placed our Empire in somo respects in a difficult position as compared with the compact dominions of other Powers ; but I will venture to say that those who ridicule sentiment and its influence on public matters aro ignorant or careless of tho history of the world. I know nothing that exercises so great a power over human affah-s, and by these and other efforts, which we shall make to draw our colonies to us, and make them what they desire to be, Englishmen and subjects of the Queen, our connection with them will be over maintained. Nay, but some of them may say, " This is but a narrow view of human affairs—it is the gospel of selfishness; it is the preference for English interests as the first and almost only object tliut you attempt to secure." I answer, in reply, that, old fashioned though the creed may be, I don't believe in your cosmopolitan notions. It has Won by first looking to the interests of England,and by believing thatthiscountry has the first call upon our duty and affections, though anxious at all times to promote the cause of humanity, freedom, and religion throughout the worU I say tliat it is by this belief of Englishmen that 1 heir country should be their first objeot that England and Englishmen have become what they are, and in spite of some men of gen ius, of eloquence, of authority among their countrymen, who would look apparently almost with satisfaction upon the possibility of England's destruction, upon her yielding her proud place among the'nations, perhaps to her kinsfolk in America, perhaps to stranger* in the Russian Empire-—in spite, I say, of men of that class, I believe that too feelings that have always animated Englishmen throughout their' history- will animate them still, and that, united in bonds of sympathy and aSeotit.n, we shall continue to be, as wo have hitherto been, tho first, because the freest, among the nations of the world,"—European Mail.