New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-23
CRAY HEAD on GREEN SHOULDERS.

| There is a hideous German story of a mes
merist, who, in the French Revolution of the
Three Days, picked up the white-haired head
of one victim under the guillOtine, fastened it
| to the youthful body of another, the sole con-
nection being band of linen, and then by
| his art recalled the monster to life. England,
| Just now, with her inadequate and WORKOUT
Home Government and her gigantic foreign
possessions, reminds us every day of the old
stOry-she furnishes just such q grotesque
anomaly. If such a thing as everyday COM
! nonsense could find an acknowledged place
i'm politics or economics, no nation would
attempt to furnish brain power, or government
for another totally alien III ideas, temperament,
and physique. Yet here are half dozen
respectable gentlemen with average intel
iects, who actually constitute the con-
trolling power in England-men born with
true British bigotry and hampered besides at
home by an iron network of inexOrable preju
dices, by an enforced union Of religion and
politics, and ly a WORKOUT m0narchical system
which they keep, as a gorgeous puppet-show,
TO amuse the vulgar-undertaking to supply
the rule and policy, and to satisfy the material
and spiritual needs of vast nations, as differ
ent from their own and from, each other as
Canada, Australia, and India. Common sense
rules results, however, little as It may have to
do with motives.
The story tells MS that the gray head and
young members, full of rank, lusty vigor,
dragged on diseased, abhOrert life together
until the thin bani rotted that held them to-
gether, and they fell apart. To outside eyes,
the band that holds England to her colonial
possessions is rotting very fast. There never
has been healthy union between them. What
could solid, downright John Bult-cast in the
same mold, and that a narrow one, for five
hundred years-haye in common with the
vivaeiOus, feeble Canadian half breed, the sup
pie, subtitle Hindoo, or even his own stock,
born to new and more liberal eli
mate, temper, and wants, in Tasmaniaf Abb
sOlutely nothing. The consequence has been,
therefore, that instead of becoming healthy,
self supporting powers among the other nations
of the world the colonies of England are held
by her simply as outlying fields of supply to
fill her Golfers with money, or her workshops
with raw materials. John Bull, who worships
a Trinity of Precedent, Expediency, and In
terest, is not likely TO prove a self sacrificing
father to step-chiltiren so far out of sight.
Naturally, the children have grown tired of
asking for bread and receiving q stone. The.
example of the United States is constantly be-
fore them, pregnant with suggestion. Our last
mails warn us of q curious unanimity of pur-
pose in the malcontent members Just as Mr..
Campbell sails to England, laden with COM
plants of the contemptuous neglect with which
Canada is treated, the six Anstralasian colo
MES show definite signs of decisive resolve
upon Independent action. A statement of their
political condition has Just been published in
England, in which the narrow, illiberal policy
observed toward them is exposed, and also
the purpOsed secession from England and
amalgamation of the colonies of Victoria, New
South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania,
Queensland, and New-Zealand. The 100000
population of the United States is eontrasted
with the 100000 of Canada
$50 absolute is the neglect with which the colonies are
treated in England" is added, "that only ten out
of e6s NJ. P.s considered NewZealand worthy subject
OF debate last session The insensate policy England
dictated by the selfish fears of her Ruler ana Employer
Glasses, which treats her hideous Wen OF Pauperism
her plethora Of Labor her semstary alton OF Laborer
with the costly quackery OF Poor Laws instead OF with
the cheap certain final cure OF State Em grafton bodies
III for the wisdom OF her future policy other directions
and suggests the doubt whether State blind to the
interests Of her Home Empire wisely he intrusted
with any interests Of Colonial Empire"
The possible loss of her Australasian colo
MES 10 the Crown is sending "A shiyer of hOr-
r0r TO the heart of every loyal Briton but
among all the clamor of Objurgation or advice,
no one seems to recognize the separation as
the inevitable effect of the simple national
law which teaches that, there being no unity
of religion, interest, or national character be-
tween England and her colonies, when the
force that has held them together proves mad
eduate they will drop from her. John Bull