按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
m us； go； we by no means want you to stay： you cost us money yearly； which is scarce； desperate quantities of trouble too： why not go； if you wish it？〃 Such is the humor of the British Statesman； at this time。Men clear for rebellion； 〃annexation〃 as they call it； walk openly abroad in our American Colonies； found newspapers； hold platform palaverings。 From Canada there comes duly by each mail a regular statistic of Annexationism： increasing fast in this quarter； diminishing in that；Majesty's Chief Governor seeming to take it as a perfectly open question； Majesty's Chief Governor in fact seldom appearing on the scene at all； except to receive the impact of a few rotten eggs on occasion； and then duck in again to his private contemplations。 And yet one would think the Majesty's Chief Governor ought to have a kind of interest in the thing？ Public liberty is carried to a great length in some portions of her Majesty's dominions。 But the question； 〃Are we to continue subjects of her Majesty； or start rebelling against her？ So many as are for rebelling； hold up your hands！〃 Here is a public discussion of a very extraordinary nature to be going on under the nose of a Governor of Canada。 How the Governor of Canada； being a British piece of flesh and blood； and not a Canadian lumber…log of mere pine and rosin； can stand it； is not very conceivable at first view。 He does it； seemingly； with the stoicism of a Zeno。 It is a constitutional sight like few。
And yet an instinct deeper than the Gospel of M'Croudy teaches all men that Colonies are worth something to a country！ That if； under the present Colonial Office； they are a vexation to us and themselves； some other Colonial Office can and must be contrived which shall render them a blessing； and that the remedy will be to contrive such a Colonial Office or method of administration； and by no means to cut the Colonies loose。 Colonies are not to be picked off the street every day； not a Colony of them but has been bought dear； well purchased by the toil and blood of those we have the honor to be sons of； and we cannot just afford to cut them away because M'Croudy finds the present management of them cost money。 The present management will indeed require to be cut away；but as for the Colonies； we purpose through Heaven's blessing to retain them a while yet！ Shame on us for unworthy sons of brave fathers if we do not。 Brave fathers； by valiant blood and sweat； purchased for us； from the bounty of Heaven； rich possessions in all zones； and we； wretched imbeciles； cannot do the function of administering them？ And because the accounts do not stand well in the ledger； our remedy is； not to take shame to ourselves； and repent in sackcloth and ashes； and amend our beggarly imbecilities and insincerities in that as in other departments of our business； but to fling the business overboard； and declare the business itself to be bad？ We are a hopeful set of heirs to a big fortune！ It does not suit our Manton gunneries； grouseshootings； mousings in the City； and like spirited young gentlemen we will give it up； and let the attorneys take it？
Is there no value； then； in human things； but what can write itself down in the cash…ledger？ All men know； and even M'Croudy in his inarticulate heart knows； that to men and Nations there are invaluable values which cannot be sold for money at all。 George Robins is great； but he is not onmipotent。 George Robins cannot quite sell Heaven and Earth by auction； excellent though he be at the business。 Nay； if M'Croudy offered his own life for _sale_ in Threadneedle Street； would anybody buy it？ Not I； for one。 〃Nobody bids： pass on to the next lot；〃 answers Robins。 And yet to M'Croudy this unsalable lot is worth all the Universe：nay； I believe； to us also it is worth something； good monitions； as to several things； do lie in this Professor of the dismal science； and considerable sums even of money； not to speak of other benefit； will yet come out of his life and him； for which nobody bids！ Robins has his own field where he reigns triumphant； but to that we will restrict him with iron limits； and neither Colonies nor the lives of Professors； nor other such invaluable objects shall come under his hammer。
Bad state of the ledger will demonstrate that your way of dealing with your Colonies is absurd； and urgently in want of reform； but to demonstrate that the Empire itself must be dismembered to bring the ledger straight？ Oh never。 Something else than the ledger must intervene to do that。 Why does not England repudiate Ireland； and insist on the 〃Repeal；〃 instead of prohibiting it under death…penalties？ Ireland has never been a paying speculation yet； nor is it like soon to be！ Why does not Middlesex repudiate Surrey； and Chelsea Kensington； and each county and each parish； and in the end each individual set up for himself and his cash…box； repudiating the other and his； because their mutual interests have got into an irritating course？ They must change the course； seek till they discover a soothing one； that is the remedy； when limbs of the same body come to irritate one another。 Because the paltry tatter of a garment； reticulated for you out of thrums and listings in Downing Street； ties foot and hand together in an intolerable manner； will you relieve yourself by cutting off the hand or the foot？ You will cut off the paltry tatter of a pretended body…coat； I think； and fling that to the nettles； and imperatively require one that fits your size better。
Miserabler theory than that of money on the ledger being the primary rule for Empires； or for any higher entity than City owls and their mice…catching； cannot well be propounded。 And I would by no means advise Felicissimus； ill at ease on his high…trotting and now justly impatient Sleswicker； to let the poor horse in its desperation go in that direction for a momentary solace。 If by lumber…log Governors； by Godfrey's cordial Constitutions or otherwise； be contrived to cut off the Colonies or any real right the big British Empire has in her Colonies； both he and the British Empire will bitterly repent it one day！ The Sleswicker； relieved in ledger for a moment； will find that it is wounded in heart and honor forever； and the turning of its wild forehoofs upon Felicissimus as he lies in the ditch combed off； is not a thing I like to think of！ Britain； whether it be known to Felicissimus or not； has other tasks appointed her in God's Universe than the making of money； and woe will betide her if she forget those other withal。 Tasks； colonial and domestic； which are of an eternally _divine_ nature； and compared with which all money； and all that is procurable by money； are in strict arithmetic an imponderable quantity； have been assigned this Nation； and they also at last are coming upon her again； clamorous； abstruse； inevitable； much to her bewilderment just now！
This poor Nation； painfully dark about said tasks and the way of doing them； means to keep its Colonies nevertheless； as things which somehow or other must have a value； were it better seen into。 They are portions of the general Earth； where the children of Britain now dwell； where the gods have so far sanctioned their en