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neral Earth; where the children of Britain now dwell; where the gods have so far sanctioned their endeavor; as to say that they have a right to dwell。 England will not readily admit that her own children are worth nothing but to be flung out of doors! England looking on her Colonies can say: 〃Here are lands and seas; spice…lands; corn…lands; timber…lands; overarched by zodiacs and stars; clasped by many…sounding seas; wide spaces of the Maker's building; fit for the cradle yet of mighty Nations and their Sciences and Heroisms。 Fertile continents still inhabited by wild beasts are mine; into which all the distressed populations of Europe might pour themselves; and make at once an Old World and a New World human。 By the eternal fiat of the gods; this must yet one day be; this; by all the Divine Silences that rule this Universe; silent to fools; eloquent and awful to the hearts of the wise; is incessantly at this moment; and at all moments; commanded to begin to be。 Unspeakable deliverance; and new destiny of thousand…fold expanded manfulness for all men; dawns out of the Future here。 To me has fallen the godlike task of initiating all that: of me and of my Colonies; the abstruse Future asks; Are you wise enough for so sublime a destiny? Are you too foolish?〃
That you ask advice of whatever wisdom is to be had in the Colony; and even take note of what _un_wisdom is in it; and record that too as an existing fact; will certainly be very advantageous。 But I suspect the kind of Parliament that will suit a Colony is much of a secret just now! Mr。 Wakefield; a democratic man in all fibres of him; and acquainted with Colonial Socialities as few are; judges that the franchise for your Colonial Parliament should be decidedly select; and advises a high money…qualification; as there is in all Colonies a fluctuating migratory mass; not destitute of money; but very much so of loyalty; permanency; or civic availability; whom it is extremely advantageous not to consult on what you are about attempting for the Colony or Mother Country。 This I can well believe;and also that a 〃high money…qualification;〃 in the present sad state of human affairs; might be some help to you in selecting; though whether even that would quite certainly bring 〃wisdom;〃 the one thing indispensable; is much a question with me。 It might help; it might help! And if by any means you could (which you cannot) exclude the Fourth Estate; and indicate decisively that Wise Advice was the thing wanted here; and Parliamentary Eloquence was not the thing wanted anywhere just now;there might really some light of experience and human foresight; and a truly valuable benefit; be found for you in such assemblies。
And there is one thing; too apt to be forgotten; which it much behooves us to remember: In the Colonies; as everywhere else in this world; the vital point is not who decides; but what is decided on! That measures tending really to the best advantage temporal and spiritual of the Colony be adopted; and strenuously put in execution; there lies the grand interest of every good citizen British and Colonial。 Such measures; whosoever have originated and prescribed them; will gradually be sanctioned by all men and gods; and clamors of every kind in reference to them may safely to a great extent be neglected; as clamorous merely; and sure to be transient。 Colonial Governor; Colonial Parliament; whoever or whatever does an injustice; or resolves on an _un_wisdom; he is the pernicious object; however parliamentary he be!
I have known things done; in this or the other Colony; in the most parliamentary way before now; which carried written on the brow of them sad symptoms of eternal reprobation; not to be mistaken; had you painted an inch thick。 In Montreal; for example; at this moment; standing amid the ruins of the 〃Elgin Marbles〃 (as they call the burnt walls of the Parliament House there); what rational British soul but is forced to institute the mournfulest constitutional reflection? Some years ago the Canadas; probably not without materials for discontent; and blown upon by skilful artists; blazed up into crackling of musketry; open flame of rebellion; a thing smacking of the gallows in all countries that pretend to have any 〃Government。〃 Which flame of rebellion; had there been no loyal population to fling themselves upon it at peril of their life; might have ended we know not how。 It ended speedily; in the good way; Canada got a Godfrey's…cordial Constitution; and for the moment all was varnished into some kind of feasibility again。 A most poor feasibility; momentary; not lasting; nor like to be of profit to Canada! For this year; the Canadian most constitutional Parliament; such a congeries of persons as one can imagine; decides that the aforesaid flame of rebellion shall not only be forgotten as per bargain; but thatthe loyal population; who flung their lives upon it and quenched it in the nick of time; shall pay the rebels their damages! Of this; I believe; on sadly conclusive evidence; there is no doubt whatever。 Such; when you wash off the constitutional pigments; is the Death's…head that discloses itself。 I can only say; if all the Parliaments in the world were to vote that such a thing was just; I should feel painfully constrained to answer; at my peril; 〃No; by the Eternal; never!〃 And I would recommend any British Governor who might come across that Business; there or here; to overhaul it again。 What the meaning of a Governor; if he is not to overhaul and control such things; may be; I cannot conjecture。 A Canadian Lumber…log may as well be made Governor。 _He_ might have some cast…metal hand or shoulder…crank (a thing easily contrivable in Birmingham) for signing his name to Acts of the Colonial Parliament; he would be a 〃native of the country〃 too; with popularity on that score if on no other;he is your man; if you really want a Log Governor!
I perceive therefore that; besides choosing Parliaments never so well; the New Colonial Office will have another thing to do: Contrive to send out a new kind of Governors to the Colonies。 This will be the mainspring of the business; without this the business will not go at all。 An experienced; wise and valiant British man; to represent the Imperial Interest; he; with such a speaking or silent Collective Wisdom as he can gather round him in the Colony; will evidently be the condition of all good between the Mother Country and it。 If you can find such a man; your point is gained; if you cannot; lost。 By him and his Collective Wisdom all manner of _true_ relations; mutual interests and duties such as they do exist in fact between Mother Country and Colony; can be gradually developed into practical methods and results; and all manner of true and noble successes; and veracities in the way of governing; be won。 Choose well your Governor;not from this or that poor section of the Aristocracy; military; naval; or red…tapist; wherever there are born kings of men; you had better seek them out; and breed them to this work。 All sections of the British Population will be open to you: and; on the whole; you must succeed in finding a man _fit_。 And having found him; I would farther recommend you to keep