They Wonder At The Meekness With Which England
Has Endured The Vauntings Of The Northern States, And Are Endued
With No Such Meekness Of Their Own.
They would, I believe, be well
prepared to meet and give an account of any filibusters who might
visit them; and I am not sure that it is wisely done on our part to
show any intention of taking the work out of their hands.
But I am led to this opinion in no degree by a feeling that Great
Britain ought to grudge the cost of the soldiers. If Canada will
be safer with them, in Heaven's name let her have them. It has
been argued in many places, not only with regard to Canada, but as
to all our self-governed colonies, that military service should not
be given at British expense and with British men to any colony
which has its own representative government and which levies its
own taxes. "While Great Britain absolutely held the reins of
government, and did as it pleased with the affairs of its
dependencies," such politicians say, "it was just and right that
she should pay the bill. As long as her government of a colony was
paternal, so long was it right that the mother country should put
herself in the place of a father, and enjoy a father's undoubted
prerogative of putting his hand into his breeches pocket to provide
for all the wants of his child. But when the adult son set up for
himself in business - having received education from the parent, and
having had his apprentice fees duly paid - then that son should
settle his own bills, and look no longer to the paternal pocket."
Such is the law of the world all over, from little birds, whose
young fly away when fledged, upward to men and nations.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 140 of 538
Words from 37133 to 37440
of 143277
