Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-29
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
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SOUND SENTIMENTS.

oOUND
One of the most sensible articles that have read for
many day is the following tho colonial system from The
London Times In small compass It contains volume of
truth and sense Had Great Britain praclised on
its valuable SUGGESTIONS she would have saved herself from
the of oceans Of blood and mountains of ueasure
which has stained her good name In her greedy grasp
foreign territory The colonial system is based folly
and weakness II Is drain upon the parent country and is
CALLING yoke upon the colonies which cannot but writhe
under the msgovernment of authority thousands of miles
Off Better would 1t be for Great Britain freely TO surrender
all her coonesfo by liberal commercial treaties she might
attract the trade, for which she has pay
tribute in the expenses of governing their distant
inhabitants. This colonial system, explained by tho
Tmes opens another view into the which threaten
distant crisis In her fortunes With all the subjects for
popular discomfort which them la the face the people
of England will much longer submit such oppressive
taxation for the purpose of carving Lucrative
onal appointments" for the favored butterflies of royal
patronage:
TFrom the London Times, April l2.]
THE COLoNlES.-Sir William MoIeswor.h has shown
speech cearness arrangement and close
Of argument, that what is generally called colonial
question: question between the Colonies and Downing
question between Imperial and local jurisdiction
one between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the
payer The weighty question which he propounds-and
which the debate has been adjourned Ia order answer
what is the equivalent received by the British taxpayer in
exchange for sixteen hundred thousand pounds year
pended The maintenance of troops in those colonies which
neither the receptaces Of convcts nor occupied as mill
tary stations
Our system of taxation is by universal admission rife with
Injustice ntemperance ignorance and hlth and we Justify
these unoward consequences by the plea OF financial
sity-the necessity OF making both ends What then
ask the equivalent for the sixteen hundred thousand
pounds year expended in troops for the and
military colonies? What give we know:-the clerk,
surplus Of his scanty income the difference possibly TO
him. between auence and poverty; the poor washerwomaD
her cup of the INTELLIGENT mechanic his tase for
cheap and sterling literature. These what give w
out what do obtain in return2 No has hitherto a
aempted 10 point the positive good that results from
tanning the troops the argument is confined to the evils
apprehended from their withdrawal. To withdraw
them would be, it is argued, to abandon our domln
ions disnember the empire Is then, our possession OF
the colonies by the sword7 Has this country sunk
low only retain The allegiance of her sons by
the apparatus of brute force that which binds Po
land Russia Hungary to Austru The days are gone
by when England desired foreign territories either Tor the
purpose of imposing direct tribute their people Indirect
benedttng by commercial monopoly These objects be-
ING no longer aimed ar she has nothing TO gain by compe
g her colonies remain members OF empire from which
they wish withdraw. Never again we trust and believe
will one drop of English blood be shed In the attempt to CO.
cree our foreign dependencies If therefore, any of our col!
onies wish leave u.s. gain nothing by seeking to per-
the connexon by force of arms We have no WISH
diminish colonial empire TO separate from Inc Side
of England those rising communities In whom shc ough 10
find her friends in peace and her sures allies n
war. But remember that the whole advantage OF
the connexion depends the mutual good will which
se defend domnons and scattered against the
world The burden the British taxpayer in the event oil
war will be exactly propooned the extent of empire
burden he receives other equivalent than the
honor Of extended dominion The profit have long ago
signed this dominion be merely kept together by brute
force the honor is turned into disgrace. IT, herefoe col
ony wish part from have perfect right 10 refuse
70 be taxed in order 20 retain by violence possession which
brings neither honor profit But venture 10
that bad the government Of dependencies has been II
has yet gone the point Of alternating the colonies ro
their allegiance TO the British Crown We venture 10
assert that there is not single colony which would
no, look upon separation from Great Britain as
great and irretrievable misfortune. The under Sec
retary for the Colonies bels his Office, when hel
having exercised such force
upon the abric of the empire that nothing but external
pressure hold it together. Much has been done TO r
a,e much exasperae but the Prime Minister oversates
the effects OF his Colonial Secretarys admInstrauon when
he representa- them amounting alienation 1t Is not The
abandonment Of the empire but the surrender Of patronage
which would be the result of the troops and
taxpayers Of England ought know that the only equ
vaIenl which they receive for their sixteen hundred thou
sand year. Is the perpeuaon through lucrative colonial
appointments, of system Of Parliamentary management
fatal any efficient reduction Of expenditure and
ouentY OF taxation