CO885(1-2) — Page 188

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than to a weak one (which, considering the many examples we have seen of the injustice to which mak ones are compelled to submit, can hardly, I ink, be doubted), then it seems to me that the preservation of the tie which binds together all the different anddistant portions of the British Empire, so that their united strength may be wielded for their common protection and for the maintenance of the rights of all, must be regarded as an object of extreme importance to the interests of the mother country and her dependencies.

But I should regard it as a very abject mode of considering this subject, if it were to be looked at with a view only to the interests of this country, as that word is usually understood. I conceive that the which this country possesses carries with

power it a responsibility of the highest kind, which we are not at liberty to throw off. The authority of the British Crown is at this moment the most powerful instrument under Providence of maintaining peace and order in many extensive regions of the earth, and thereby assists in diffusing amongst many thou- sands, or rather millions of the human race, the blessings of Christianity and civilization. Suppos- ing it were clear (which I am far from admitting) that a reduction of our national expenditure (other- wise impracticable), to the extent of a few hundred thousands a-year, could be effected by withdrawing our authority and protection from our numerous Colonies, should we be justified, for the sake of tuch

a saving, in taking this step, and thus abandoning the duty which seems to have been cast upon us?

It is to be remembered, that if we adopted this policy we must be prepared for very serious conse. quences which would undoubtedly result from it. No Some few only of these I will mention. one acquainted with the actual state of society in the West India Islands, and the feelings which prevail amongst the different classes of their inha- bitants, can doubt that if they were left unaided by us to settle amongst themselves, in whose hands power should be placed, a fearful war of colour must soon break out, and too probably all the germs of improvement which now exist there would be destroyed, and civilization would be thrown back for centuries. In Ceylon a similar result would ollow; its native races are utterly incapable of

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governing themselves, and yet they certainly would not submit to be ruled by the mere handful of Europeans who have settled among them, if they The great

were unsupported by British power. wealth which within the last few years has been created in this island would be destroyed, and the

most hopeless anarchy would take the place of that security which now exists, and under the shadow of which such promising signs of improvement are beginning to appear.

Even at the Cape and in New Zealand, though I have little doubt that the colonists of European descent would be found capable of establishing a Government under which it is probable that they would eventually rise to prosperity, yet I think it could hardly be hoped that this would be effected without a series of contests with the native races, in which these would in the end be destroyed, but not until they had inflicted almost as much misery

as they would suffer.

On the west coast of Africa there is at this mo- ment a far more encouraging prospect than at any previous time; the efforts which have been so long made to improve the Negro race seem to be at length beginning to produce important results, and a great change for the better may now be looked for. But if we are to take up a new policy, and abandon our positions on the African coast, the Slave Trade will again revive in the extensive terri- tory within reach of our settlements, where it has now been extirpated, and has given place to a legiti- mate commerce, which is daily becoming more important.

Would there be nothing to set off against the saving of expense from the abandonment of our Colonies in the destruction of British property which would thus be occasioned, and in the auni- hilation of lucrative branches of our commerce, by allowing anarchy and bloodshed to arrest the peace- ful industry which now creates the means of paying for the British goods consumed daily in larger quantities by the numerous and various populations now emerging from barbarism under our protre- tion?

It is true there are several of our Colonies to which the last observations do not directly apply, C