340 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



Government was at its highest, declared that " it was the desire 

 that this colony should remain an integral part of the British 

 Empire," and proclaimed " the exclusive right of Her Majesty and 

 of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly to make laws 

 in and for Victoria ". The protest was against British ministers 

 interfering with the domestic affairs of the colony. As the old 

 regime died off and their places were filled by a rapidly increasing 

 proportion of the native-born, the active sense of loyalty naturally 

 waned. It was partly based on early memories, partly on inborn 

 patriotism, and partly on a chivalric regard for a sovereign who had 

 invested her Court with an atmosphere of human interest and social 

 purity hitherto unknown in such quarters. 



The attempt to infuse enthusiasm into the idea of Imperial Fed- 

 eration, strenuously as it was worked, was an undeniable failure. 

 While the Australian Natives' Association was distinctly a valuable 

 aid in bringing about the confederation of the Colonies, it looked 

 coldly upon the larger project. Indeed, owing to the insurmount- 

 able objects which had to be faced when it was contemplated 

 at close quarters, it may be said that it never emerged from the 

 region of speculative discussion. It certainly never took hold of 

 the popular imagination. It is not to be inferred from this that 

 there is any element of disloyalty openly avowed in Australia. 

 Any man bold enough to deliberately advocate a severance of the 

 slender thread that binds the Colonies to the mother-country would 

 find some difficulty in obtaining a hearing. For the community 

 has enough sense to know that the preponderating advantages are on 

 the side of the colonists. Although not swayed by the sense of per- 

 sonal loyalty to the sovereign which animated many of their fathers, 

 the young Australians, in the main, believe in the Empire and are 

 proud of being a part of it. Proud, too, of a sort of joint ownership 

 in the prominent statesmen who have swayed its destinies, and 

 who have of late years been conspicuously complaisant and com- 

 plimentary to Australian aspirations and Australia's public men. 

 So long as this tender consideration is displayed, the few agitators 

 for breaking the bonds are crying in the wilderness, and sentiment 

 will prevail. 



The sending of a contingent of Australian soldiers in 1884 to 



