The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-27 00:00:00

THE MASSACRE BY BRIGANDS.

In reply to an Hon. Member,
Mr. OTWAY said the despatches just published had been
received in the Foreign-office cypher, and great difficulty
had been encountered in decyphering them in consequence
of the errors they contained. The greatest care
had been taken in the matter, but he could not
say whether or not the word "or " in Mr. Erskine's
despatch to Earl Clarendon was to be read as it appeared,
" £25,000 or a free pardon," or whether it was a mis-
print.

OUR RELATIONS WITH THE COLONIES.
Mr. TORRENS called the attention of the House to
the political relations subsisting between this country and
the self-governing colonies, and moved for a select com-
mittee to inquire into the political relations and modes of
official intercommunication between the self-go-
verning colonies, and this country, and to re-
port . whether any and what modifications are
desirable, with a view to the maintenance
of a' common nationality cemented by a cordial
understanding. He said it was impossible from
the reports which reached us from all quarters of the
globe to entertain any doubt about the fact that, whether
founded upon sufficient grounds or insufficient grounds,
the belief bad been induced in the public mind
in the colonies, that it _ was the deliberate pur-
pose and the fixed intention of her Majesty's
advisers to sever the connection between this
country and the colonies. It was true her Majesty's
Ministers had explicitly denied that they entertained this
policy, so universally attributed to them by the colonists,
and he for one accepted it in perfect good faith. ' Never-
theless, it was undeniable that the line of action recently
adopted towards these colonies, whatever might have been
its extent, had had the effect which he had described, viz.,
of raising the conviction in the mind of the colonists that
the policy of her Majesty's Ministers was a policy of
severance. It was passing strange, remarked the hole
gentleman, to hear of such testimony coming to them
simultaneously from all parts of the world, from colonies
divided from each other by half the circumference of the
globe, yet all concurring in the same voice, and all saying
that they derived their information from her
Majesty's Ministers themselves ; yet, notwithstanding.
her Majesty's Ministers declared that they had never enter-
tained any such views, and entirely repudiated the policy
which had been attributed to them. He wished to im-
press upon the House and the country the feeling of
cordial and warm loyalty and unity which pervaded the
colonies in their relations with this country until a
recent period, and with that view he quoted from
a work entitled " Vice-Regal ExPeriences," the author of
which was not unknown to Mr. Speaker. The hon. mem-
ber than went on to say that the feeling of attachment to
this country on the part of the colonists had become es-
tranged, but he hoped not hopelessly estranged, by her
Majesty's Ministers. He chiefly attributed this state of
things to the defective character of the departmental
mechanism in reference to our colonial possessions and
remembered that the official. appointed to manage the
affairs oonnected therewith was generally moved just at
the time when he was beeoming acquainted with the
people and the requirements of the countries. He con-
tended that there were grounds for inquiry
11,3 to whether the machinery of the depart-
ment was such as would conduce to the
Permanent unity and well-being of this empire.
He believed that the House had not had brought under
its attention either during the last or present session any
question involving more vital and important interests than
the one which they were now discussing. At some length
he alluded to the generous treatment which New Zealand
had received at the hands of Her Majesty's Ministers in
the case of the Maori war, and contrasted it with
the partiality exhibited towards Canada. It had been
attempted to justify the conduct of the Ministers by de-
claring that they were simply carrying out. the
policy of
their predecessors. Armed assistance had been rendered
to Caeadfioest it was denied to New Zealand under
dire circumstances. The facts did not warrant the justi-
fication which had been put forth on behalf of her
Majesty's Ministers. The policy that had been carried
on in early times with the Maories was certainly any_
thing but what it ought to have been, as no restitution had
ever been demanded of them for the destruction they had
caused. When peace was made, it only lasted until these
Maoris obtained a fresh supply of ammunition from the
American whalers, and then fresh outrages recom-
menced and continued with the utmost obstinacy.
In the year 1863 Sir G. Grey altered this policy, and made
it compulsory for these Maories to make restitution and
compensation, and he thought there could not be two
opinions on the soundness of such a proceeding.. The
policy that now was to be. pursued, he thought, would
be accompanied by the Worst effects, and the restor-
gg tap Lad taken from that Mai% it gala

out would be the signal for fresh outrages, because they
could not understand such an act of leniency, and the end
would be that it would be attributed to weakness.
Then, again, the proposal to recognise the Maori
King would be most offensive to a great num-
ber of superior tribes, who had all along
been faithful in their allegiance to her Majesty, and all
of them would refuse to acknowledge the right of a second
rate chief usurping the power of Royalty. He
regretted to say that it appeared to be the
feeling of the colonists that the policy that was
to be pursued towards them would be more
disastrous than an actual severance of the connection that
bound them to the mother country, and if they perse-
vered in it, he felt it would be the means of breaking
up the colonial empire. He cautioned the Govern-

ment from allowing a fire to go too far,
because, if they did so, it might be that in the
end they would find themselves utterly unable
to check it. An opportunity now presented itself of unit-
ing the colonies to the mother country in the strongest
bonds of unity, and he hoped that such a favourable
moment would not be lost by the Government. He con-
cluded by formally moving for the appointment of a
select committee.

Mr. EASTWICK seconded the motion, and remarked
that, in order to shew sufficient grounds for the appoint-
ment of a select committee to inquire into our political
relations with the self-governing colonies, it was not ne-
cessary, in his opinion, to insist upon any particular
case like New Zealand. He reviewed the past his-
tory of- the colonies in relation to the mother
country, and the policy which the Imperial Parliament
had adopted. He divided the policy of the Government
into four stages, and expressed his fear that the latter
would leave England witheut colonies. He regarded our
colonial possessions as of great importance to the British
Empire. During the last few months there had been
increased attention on the part of the pub-
lic to the subject and if the Government
took a false step, despite all their many services,
they would suffer under great odium. The loss
of the colonies would be a great blow to England. He
asked whether the new policy could be applied to all the
colonies, and equally to those which had a large native
population and those which had comparatively no native
population. He thought that if the colonies were of
value to this country financially, they were infinitely
more so politically and morally, and with respect to
the talk of separation there would have been no
such observations had it not been for the indiscreet
remarks of some of our statesmen.

On the SPEAKER putting the appointment of the com.
mittee to the House,

Viscount BURY moved the previous question. He hoped
that in the discussion that would doubtless take
place the House would confine itself to the motion
of the hon. member for Cambridge, and not go
beyond the four corners of the proposition. He thought
that a great deal had been said about the colonies, but
he believed that some of the most important of them
repudiated the proposal of this country to interfere in
their government. All they required was to be let
alone. He thought the appointment of the committee,
as proposed by the hon member; wonici lead to the worst
possible results.
Sir 0. DILICE seconded the amendment.

Mr. ADDERLEY hardly thought that, however useful the
discussion raised by the motion of the hon. member for a
select committee might prove, its acceptance by the House
would lead to the result which was desired. It could only
raise hopes which would be doomed to disappointment.
The discussion wascontinued by Mr. Disguise and Mr. R.
N. Fowler, in support of the motion.
_ _

Mr. MONSELL denied that the Government bad in any
way treated the colonies with an air of hauteur or superio-
rity. He condemned the proposition for a select committee,
as needlessly raising a question which had far better be left
alone.

Lord SANDON opposed the motion, and Mr. GLADSTONE
Mowed with a few remarks in the same direction.

The House divided, and "the previous question," which
really meant that the motion of Mr. Torreus " be not put,"
was agreed to by 110 to 67 votes.

Leave was given to Mr. STAPLETON to bring in a bill to
enable the owners of settled estates in England and Ireland
to charge such estates, within certain limits, with the ex-
pense of building mansions as residences for themselves. it
was subsequently read a first time.

Mr. DENISON moved for a select-committee to inquire into
the law and its administration relative to compensation for
accidents, as appled to railway companies.
The motion was agreed to.
The House adj urned at half-past one.