The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1882. THE COLONIES INSULTED.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1011, 30 September 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1882. THE COLONIES INSULTED.

The London Times is, of course, Sir Oracle, but it can write snobbish rubbish as well as any other paper. This is the way it refers to colonists : “Colonial personages come over here from time to time, to disport themselves in London Society, They usually appear more or less oppressed with the wholly unfounded notion that everybody is looking at them, and when they get a chance to talk at a public dinner they discant, with an amusing air of importance, upon the burning questions of some little community which h. s no foreign relations at all, and no domestic problems except of the simplest character. With charming simplicity they will describe how well they manage tilings, and they will let it be understood that a moderate amount of wisdom would, in their opinion, suffice to organise English affairs on their more perfect models. The truth is that a colonial training is the very worst conceivable, so tar as qualifying a man to meddle with Imperial politics is concerned. The intelligent English schoolboy—not of Lord Macaulay, but of every-day life—has a better comprehension of the complexity of life in an old country like this, than is easily attained by the Prime Minister of a country of sheep runs or railway lots. When our Canadian friends offer suggestions about the Irish difficulty they meddle with a problem which puzzled English statesmen before a lumber raft floated on a Canadian river. Their utter want of cognate experience ought alone to teach them modesty. Were they even competent to judge, their relations to the Mother Country ought to teach them a somewhat more reverent form of loyalty and devotion.”

What an extraordinary amount of snobbishness there is contained in this short extract There is first the insinuation that a colonist is out of place in London society, next there is the insignificance of any colonial question pointed out, then there is the English schoolboy superior in knowledge to the Prime Minister of any colony, then there is the utter want of experience of colonists, and lastly ‘their relations with the Mother Country ought to teach them a more reverent form of loyalty and devotion,’ than to make any suggestion, or entertain an opinion, on Imperial matters. Thackeray’s snobs were nothing to the author of tin’s rubbish. According to him there isawmt of loyalty in making a suggestion on Imperial questions. Wc never knew,

before that a constitutional Government exacted blind loyalty of that kind; we understood that such a form of loyalty was peculiar to tbe dark ages, and paid only to despotic princes. But perhaps the London Times knows better. Now we will give the address of the Canadian Parliament to our readers, and we feel sure they will not find any want of loyalty in it. Here it is : “ Most Gracious Sovereign,— We, your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Senate and Commons of Canada, in Parliament assembled, desire most earnestly, in our own name, and cn behalf of the people whom we represent, to renew the expression of our unswerving loyalty and devotion to your Majesty’s person and Government. “We have observed, may it please your Majesty, with feelings of profound regret and concern the distress and discontent which have prevailed for some time among your Majesty’s subjects in Ireland.

“ We would respectfully represent to your Majesty that your Irish subjects in (he Dominion of Canada are amongst the most loyal, most prosperous, and most contented of your Majesty’s sub-

jects. “We would further respectfully repjosent to your Majesty that tin Dominion of Canada, while offering the greatest advantages and attractions for those of our fellow-subjects who may desire to make their homes among us, does not receive that proportion of emigrants from Ireland which might reasonably be expected, and that is duo, in a great measure, in the case of many of our Irish fellow subjects who have sought foreign homos, to their feelings of estrangement towards the Imperial Government. “ We would further most respectfully represent to your Majesty that, in the in tcrests of this, journal Dominion, and of the entire Empire, it is extremely to be desired that your Majesty may not be deprived in the development of your Majesty’s possessions on this continent of the valuable aid of those of your Majesty’s Irish subjects who may feel disposed to leave then native land to seek moie prosperous homes, “We desire respectfully to suggest to your Majesty that Canada and its inhabitants have prospered exceedingly under a Federal system, allowing to

each province of the Dominion considerable power of self-government, and would venture to express a hope that, if consistent with the integrity and wellbeing of tl\e Empire, and if the rights and status 'of the minority are fully protected and secured, sure means may be found meeting the expressed desire of so many of your Irish subjects in that regard, so that Ireland may become a source of strength to your Majesty’s Empire, and that your Majesty’s Irish subjects at home and abroad may feel the same pride in the greatness of your Majesty’s Empire, the same veneration for the justice of your Majesty’s rule, and the same devotion to, and affection for our common flag as are now felt by all classes of your Majesty’s loyal subjects in this Dominion. “ We would farther express a hope that the time has come when your Majesty’s clemency may, without injury to the interests of the United Kingdom, be extended to those persons who are now imprisoned in Ireland charged with political offences only, and the inestimable blessing of personal liberty restored to them. “ We pray that the blessings of your Majesty’s reign may, for your people’s sake, be long continued. “ D. L. Maci’liehson, Speaker. “ The Senate, Wednesday May 3,1882. “ J. G. B can CHET, Speaker. “ House of Commons, Thursday, April 20, 1882.” There is nothing very disloyal in til's address. In fact it seems to us to exhibit the most intense loyalty, and when England was at war recently Canada offered to send assistance in the shape of men and money to her. The reply, however, was the reverse of courteous. It is as follows : “ Downing-strcct, Juno 12, 1882. “ My Lord —I have received and laid before the Queen the address to her Majesty from the Senate and Mouse of Commons of Canada in Parliament assembled, which was transmitted in your lordship’s despatch of the IGth of May. “ I am commanded by her Majesty to request that you will convey to the Senate and House of Commons her appreciation of the renewed expression of their unswciving loyalty and devotion to her Her Majesty’s person and Government. “Her Majesty will always glally receive the advice of the Parliament of

Canada on all matters relating to the Dominion and the administration of its affairs ; but, with respect to the questions referred to in the address, her Majesty will, in accordance with the constitution of this country, have regard to the advice oftbe Imperial Parliament and Ministers, to whom all matters relating to the affairs of the United Kingdom exclusively appertain.—l have, etc., “ Kimberley. “ The Marquis of Lome.” In plain language this curt note tells the people of Canada to mind their own business ; and judging from the reading of the third clause of the address it was exactly their own business they were minding. They felt, according to the address, that their country was handi capped in the race of colonisation through the prejudice which Irishmen have against settling in any part of the British empire, owing to the unjust manner in which they are being governed in their own country, and they came to the conclusion that it would be wise to make s uch changes as would alter this state of things. Their action was quite justifiable, they were a part of the British Empire, they felt that their own country was being injured by the way the Imperial Government was managing things, and they certainly had a perfect right to say so. The reply of Lord Kimberley is an insult to the whole colony, and we question very much whether there is a colonial statesman who would exhibit worse taste under similar circumstances than this paragon which the London Times extols so much has shown. The only colonies which sent any recommendations on the Irish Question to the Imperial Parliament were Canada and Victoria, and it is worthy of note that these two have shown themselves to be the most loyal of all the colonies. Canada offered to send troops to the assistance ef England in Egypt, and Victoria has gone into ecstasies over the victory gained in Egypt. Both colonies have shown devoted attachment to the Mother Country, and w’e doubt very much whether it is prudent statesmanship to damp the ardour of their devotedness by insulting them in this manner. Bungling statesmanship alienated America from England once ; bungling statesmanship enables America to undersell England in her own market now, and the same cause will lead to a revolution there yet, unless wiser men than her present rulers attain to power.