THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1867. COLONIAL INDEPENDENCE.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 6, 9 February 1867, Page 2

THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1867. COLONIAL INDEPENDENCE.

We clip the following item from a summary of the news received via Panama:— The Legislature of Vancouver’s Island has resolved to place before the Imperial Government two proposals, giving the Imperial Government leave to take its choice. These proposals are a demand for responsible government, and failing that, the alternative of annexation to the United States.

Two subjects of very unequal magnitude are placed on an equal footing, annexation of British territory in North America to the United States and Responsible Government in a colony. Vancouver’s Island is the nursling or pet pf the Colonial Office, to the cost of Eng—j ■ts own disadvantage, for it may be accepted as a maxim that just so much of the affairs of a colony as are under the control of Downing-street must be badly managed—for ignorance and arrogance there controls. And as Vancouver is wholly under Downingstreet, all its Government must be bad. —- If Responsible Government be granted it will not touch the great colonial subject that must soon be dealt with. It is Colonial independence and annexation. The subject was discussed by a contemporary but we are not aware that other papers have approached it. British Columbia we suspect is mainly colonised by American citizens, for there has been no British emigration such as peopled this colony, to its shores. The first part of the paragraph is the shadow of a coming event. Canada bids fair to be very costly to Great Britain and Mr. Lowe was right when he stated in Parliament that England could not defend Canada, in which we have reason for believing there is a strong feeling in favor of union with the States in defiance of appearances. England, with her usual want of foresight rendered obstinate by Mr Lowe’s statement, will doubtless attempt to defend Canada. After the loss of thousands of lives and expenditure of millions of money, she will abandon it ( to be hated unitedly by Canada and the States- The common hatred will lead to union as surely as love would. Let Canada take warning from the conduct of England to New Zealand. We in good faith expended £3,000,000 sterling under a policy sanctioned by the Duke of Newcastle. Mr Cardwell took his place, M&~ set aside the policy, but did not assume r the liability, which is a debt to New Zealand colonists greater than the £800,000,000 are to Great Britain. The press, parliament and people at home have equallj r dealt unjustly with this colony, and let Canada be assured her treatment, if brought into difficulty under English policy will be no better than ours when it suits the mother country to abandon her. Our connexion with England especially in war time can only weaken her, she at such a time would try to defend us with her navy. It would be scattered all over the world, to her great detriment and our injury—for a compact fleet would destroy the isolated vessels and such a fleet could run about as the Alabama did. We should be attacked because we are colonies of England, but were we independent there would be no justification for making war on us, and England could then concentrate her forces in her own defence.