Part 19 (2/2)
And to-day, when the United States are doing such a gigantic effort, conjointly with the whole British Empire, to save Humanity from German cruel domination, England, to use the very words of the distinguished writer and historian just cited, ”MAY WELL BE PROUDER OF THE VIGOROUS FREEDOM OF HER PROSPEROUS SON THAN OF A HUNDRED PROVINCES SUBJECT TO THE IRON RULE OF BRITISH PRO-CONSULS.”
The possibilities of the material development of the Dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa--without counting India and the lesser colonies--on account of their immense natural resources, are such as to justify very great hopes for their future. The time will come when they will number together a much larger population than the United Kingdom. Will the British Empire, as foreseen by one of the greatest political minds Canada has produced, declared by his chief and worthy opponent the equal to the celebrated William Pitt, then develop into a grand Commonwealth of nations.
If so, as wrote Sir Erskine May, England ”_will reflect, with exultation, that her dominion ceased, not in oppression and bloodshed but in the expansive energies of freedom, and the hereditary capacity of her manly offspring for the privileges of self-government_.”
Several generations will certainly rise and disappear before such an important question, looming far off in the future, is likely to be--if ever--raised requiring a practical solution. But foreseeing such a distant possibility, it is still more our bounden duty to be true to our present and prospective obligations for many years to come, as foreshadowed by the actual course of events shaping themselves in the sense of the consolidation of the Empire which may never be really dissolved even by the separation of her manly _offspring_. Family bonds, strengthened by deep affection, are not broken because the faithful boy, grown up a healthy and strong man, leaves to go under his own blessed roof, taking with him to his last day the cherished recollections of the happy days he has pa.s.sed in the equally blessed parental home.
One of our most ardent desires must be that our successive generations of children be so well trained to the intelligent and patriotic use of Political Liberty, as to acc.u.mulate, in due course of time, an admirable heritage of sound principles of self-government enriched by the honourable examples of our faithful loyalty to the Mother land never grudged to her, but given with overflowing measure, not only as a matter of duty, but also as a reward from grateful subjects for the regard and respect always paid to their const.i.tutional rights and privileges.
If such is ever the natural outcome of our political achievements, the vast Empire reared with such a great success would truly survive separation, being merely transformed into a splendid galaxy of independent States still bound together by the strong ties created by centuries of reciprocal devotedness. It would const.i.tute a real league of nations working in concert and with grandeur for the peace and the prosperity of the whole world.
A MACHIAVELLIAN PROPOSITION.
On reading Mr. Boura.s.sa's pamphlet ent.i.tled:--_Yesterday, To-day, To-morrow_, I discovered what I have qualified a _Machiavellian proposition_. What _Machiavellism_ means is well known. It expresses the views of that most corrupt and contemptible politician and publicist, called MACHIAVEL, born at Florence, in 1649.
At page 140 of the above mentioned pamphlet, Mr. Boura.s.sa wrote:--
”I WILL SPEAK MY MIND OPENLY--_JE VOUS LIVRE TOUTE MA PENSeE_--: IF IN DEFAULT OF INDEPENDENCE, I CLAIM IMPERIAL REPRESENTATION, IT IS BECAUSE IT WOULD WEAKEN THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION OF ENGLAND,--_l'armature de guerre de l'Angleterre_--PRECIPITATE THE DISSOLUTION OF HER EMPIRE, HASTEN THE DAY OF DELIVERANCE, FOR US AND FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.”
Such are the loyal sentiments expressed by the ”Nationalist” leader. He clamours for the Imperial representation of the Colonies, for the solemnly avowed object to use the privilege for the destruction of the Empire. To achieve this end he declares that the military power of England must first be weakened.
No wonder then that he started his ”Nationalist” campaign by fighting with all his might the two successive proposals of contribution to the great military naval fleet of Great Britain.
No wonder that he opposed Canada's intervention in favour of England in the South African war.
No wonder that from the outbreak of the hostilities, in 1914, until the day when he was shut up by the Order-in-Council censuring all disloyal speaking and writing detrimental to the winning of the war, he has tried to move heaven and earth to prevent Canada's partic.i.p.ation in the conflict.
He tells his countrymen that if he has become a convert to Imperial representation--in other words, Imperial Federation--it is because he considers it would be the best way of ruining the Empire and of delivering, not only Canada, but the whole world from British domination.
For fear that the French Canadians, whom he especially wished to influence, would not be very easily caught in the disloyal trap, he tries hard to prevail upon them by the following reasons:--
”_If we are not sufficiently clear-sighted and energetic to work for this salutary object by the most const.i.tutional, the most British, means at our disposal, others, happily, will do it for us._
”_The English-Canadians, the Australians, the New Zealanders persistingly claim representation in the government of the Empire. When the war is over, their claims will be reaffirmed with increased ampleness and energy. The Indians (les Hindous) themselves will do the same. Shall we remain alone to rot stupidly (croupir beatement) in colonial abjection._”
Without the slightest doubt, there are many English-Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Indians, in favour of Colonial Imperial representation. The number is increasing and likely to increase. But Mr. Boura.s.sa is absolutely, I might as well say, absurdly, mistaken, if he really believes that they do so for his own purpose of destroying the British Empire. They want the very reverse: their object is TO CONSOLIDATE THE EMPIRE, not TO DISSOLVE HER. They will not accept as a very flattering compliment Mr. Boura.s.sa's charge that their desire to strengthen the British Commonwealth proves that they prefer to continue _stupidly rotting in colonial abjection_ rather than work for their deliverance from British domination.
But what in the world has brought the ”Nationalist” leader to the conclusion that the surest way to save Canada from the peril of Imperialism was to secure Imperial representation for the treasonable purpose, on entering the fort, to pull down the flag and destroy the whole Empire? To frighten his French Canadian compatriots with terror at the slightest move in favour of an increased Imperialism, he waves before them, with wild gesticulation, any and every extravagant writings he lays his hand on preaching a ridiculous expansion of Imperialist aspirations. He is perhaps the only man in Canada who has read a most absurd work which he pretends to have been written by a General named Lea, and from which, in horror stricken, he summarized a few unbelievable views.
Mr. Boura.s.sa said that General Lea, _gifted with an astonis.h.i.+ng foresight, predicted all that was happening in Europe and in the world.
The General_, again affirms Mr. Boura.s.sa, _has proved in a striking way that if England wishes to maintain her Empire and to continue exercising her domination over the world she must make the sacrifice of her political liberties and of those of her Colonies, abolish the Parliamentary and Representative Governments and resolutely adopt the ironed regime of the Romans of old, of the Germans of the present day_.
Once so brilliantly inspired, General Lea went on in a splendid manner.
He added, says Mr. Boura.s.sa, _that England must transform her Empire into a vast armed camp, must keep in her own hands all the powers of command, must subdue all the non-British races to the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxons united together by the unique thought of dominating the world by brutal force_.
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