THE MOTHER COUNTRY AND HER COLONIES. 413 



religion of the great majority of the population. The participative 

 influence of British subjects of foreign descent, professing the 

 Catholic faith, is evidently distasteful to those who boast of 

 Anglo-Saxon origin. 



On these general observations may be founded our answer to 

 the objections of an imperceptible minority. But there is another 

 point which I am desirous of bringing under the consideration of 

 the British people. As long as protection was granted to these 

 colonies, as long as they were treated as integral parts of the 

 empire, and as such enjoyed certain privileges, so long were 

 there plausible reasons for exercising a controlling power over 

 their acts and local administration, by the Colonial office. But 

 are not the terms of the tacit compact which then existed, com- 

 pletely changed ? As regards commercial advantages, we are not 

 on any better footing than Cuba and Brazil ; for we are treated 

 alike with them in the British markets ; and even the advantages 

 of imperial protection have become very problematic. 



Authority is granted to our Legislative Council to tax British 

 manufactures for revenue purposes, and we are denied the privi- 

 lege of taxing ourselves for the same ends. To the many 

 difficulties against which we are left to struggle, is added that of 

 being administered from Downing- street, by the advice and 

 through the intervention of irresponsible agents. This is cruel 

 injustice ; this is insulting mockery. Determine the form and 

 scope of the government to which our obedience is required 

 but in the name of justice, let us have the management of our 

 own internal affairs. The conditions of the connection between 

 the mother country and the colonies, have been completely changed 

 by the adoption of the free-trade policy ; to use the words of Dr. 

 Davy, " it should not be broken, provided and how necessary 

 is the proviso that the two are beneficial to each other ; that one 

 is not enacting the part of a harsh step-mother, but of a kind and 

 considerate parent ; nor the other the part of burdensome spend- 

 thrifts, but of industrious, dutiful, and loving children ; and it 

 may be added, out of leading strings, self-controlling, and self- 

 supporting, and not in perpetual tutelage." 



I will now sum up by asserting that we are in a transition 

 state : but the evils consequent upon such a condition are, 

 generally, liable to correction, at least within certain limits. 



