New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-01
THE BRITISH COLONIES.

While England is lacerated and torn by an
absurd homogeneous war abroad, and fretted
and shaken by the heart-burnings and convul-
sions which the exposures growing out of the
war have created at home there is 10 ,ming in
the distance another huge element of disorgani-
cation in the growing dissatisfaction felt and
expressed by British subjects in the Colonies at
their anomalous and undignifed position. 1t is
true that the red.tape tie which binds Englsnds
vast possessions abroad to the common center
of Downing street is still strengthened by those
rusty knots Of habit and tradition which have
such singular fascination for Britishers; but
all that is passing in the Crimea, and ali that is
passing at home, must, when the tumult has
subsided in mems veins, tend to loosen this tie
and impart TO the Colonies spirit of apprecia-
tion of their rights and depreciation of their
grievances, more powerful in its inspirations
than any yet felt.
We have on various occasions recently had to
show how the public mind in all those vast and
various regions under the Briti,h Crown, from
the holder bound of Australia even to the first
faint iutter in India, has mOie and more ad-
yaDced toward self government, and showed in
proportion to its growth and strength dispo-
sition to shake of the coloniocracy of Downing
street assert more independent claims and put
on more elevated aspects.
The same spirit breathes in pamphlet just
published at London, containing speech BY the
Hon. Joseph Howe, one of the most prominent
of British subjects in the North American de-
Tendencies of the empire. This speech dis
cusses proposed union of the North American
Provinces and the right of British colonists to
representation in the Imperial Parliament and
to participation in the public empOyments and
distinctions of the empire. This is an idea long
and ably advocated by the author of this pamph-
let. 1t merits consideration, not only from the
manner in which be presents it, but from its
own large and bold comprehensiveness.
The Hon. Joseph Howe, late Secretary of
State, and at present Commissioner of Railways
for Nova Scotia, is man of no ordinary mold.
Ola manly, generous nature, enthusiastic ma
tiona love- rough, masculine, aad at times hu
morous and pathetic eloquence, strong in his
accumulation of facts and close and keen in the
yigor of their application, be possesses all those
qualities which would leave a mark upon the
history of nation, were they no. cas-. and cir
cumscIibed within the circle of province.
We can we'll fancy such a nature in the con-
sciousness of its power, beating sgainst its mar
row colonial cage and painting with heaying piniOn
for some broader and ampler sphere. In the
methods he has marked out, however, be will
not find il.
Mr.. Howe, with vigorous propriety, anlmsd-
veIts upon the present subordinate position to
which the subjects Of the Colonies are doomed,
and calls for the admission of the outlying States
into the parent Empire on the same federal
principles which admitted Louisiana and Iowa
into the American Uaion. But while We ad-
mire the spirit which anima.es his scheme, We
cannot but notice the gross errors into which
even A strong intellect like his must fall where
his views about the future are clogged and
cramped BY the traditions of the past. IL is
this little crust ofmud, so difficult to get lid Of
which thickens and corrupts the whole current
of his argument.
In the first place, let us ask him-with his ex-
periences Of the opinions Of several successive
Secretaries for the Colonies and leading British
statesmen, including the most liberal and en-
lichtened of any, Earl Grey, who entertains the
highest estimste of Mr.. Howe's abilities, and
with whom be has been in constant communi-