New-York tribune., 1873-02-17
TRUTH AND POETRY.

A singular discussion has arisen in England
from what most people would have the irrev
erence TO consider a somewhat trivial cause.
Several months ago The London Times published
an article equally remarkable for its truth and
boldness, in which it announced to the Cana
dians in substance that the time OF their ap-
premiership was over, that they had become
the best judges of their own actions, the fittest
persons to sustain the responsibility of their own
government, and invited them to take up their
freedom. The article was read with little interest
but general approval on both sides OF the
Atlantic. The truth it contained was familiar
TO every one, though there seems to be sort
of tacit understanding in official circles in
England and the Dominion that this univer-
sally recognized fact should be treated as II
it were not. 1t is difficult to assign reason
for this reserve. 1t is perfectly well known
at Toronto as well in London that
the bond of dependence of the colony
upon The metropolis has ceased to bind;
that the will of the people OF Canada
is already absolute in all matters
of government, and that the most enlightened
minds in England regard the present simula-
crum of imperial authority in the Dominion
as already of doubtful utility, and not to be
continued a moment in face of demand from
Canada that it shall end. At this moment the
connection between the Colony and the En-
pire is scarcely more than an alliance between
two friendly Powers, treating on equal terms.
But there was one intensely patriotic SUBJ
iect of the Queen, to whom the royal au-
thority and the traditions of the kingdom are
very real and solemn things, who regards any
meddling with them by the light of common
sense as little better than blasphemy. SO, as
he was writing dedication to the Queen of
the "Idyls of the Kingn he introduced into
this address, which included little of every
thing in its vague inyolutiOns, sharp
criticism of this article of The Times, calling 1T
"a strain to shame u.s." and otherwise soothing
his injured poetical sensibilities by wrapping
himself up IN the meteOr-fag of England. 1t
was an odd and eccentric outburst of un-
reasoning Chauvinism, and deserved no more
than a smile. But it awakened an unques-
tionable echo among those Philistine circles
which believe as thoroughly as Mr.. TennysOn
in the Queen and her everlasting dominion
over every foot of ground ever covered by the
British flag. They feel that the cold percep-
ton of facts exhibited in The Times article
was in the highest degree un-English
and unpatriotic. They say such things
cause the nation ito lose caste" and
make its enemies "chuckle over its retro
" "gression.r "Is it not natural" asks one
loyal and outraged paper "that the Poet
" Laureate of England should be moved in
shame and Indignation to pen lines of fire
" and address them to the Queen ~ They do
not care, they say frankly, whether the posi-
ton assumed was true or not; it ought not to
have been publicly assumed. The incriminated
paper stands manfully by its guns, however; /;
and the controversy still goes on, and can
only end as such controversies always do end
among free peoples, i'll the advantage of truth
and sound policy.
1t would seem unjust and impertinent to
these excited English gentlemen to compare
them with what they would call "gasconading
"Spaniards,n but how perfect the parallel
appears so far as this subject is concerned. In
England the poets and the Tories are attack
ing the paper which simply admits what most
people see, and in Spain the Republicans in
the Government make haste to say they will
do what they must know they cannot do,
keep Cuba under Spanish control. of course,
no one expected they would do otherwise.
As THE TRIBUNE has declared over and over,
no Ministry could live twenty-four hours
which should consent to let Cuba go. What
we have hoped, what we are yet unwilling to
give up hoping, is that the Republicans now
in power shall fulfill the pledges they made in
opposition, to give freedom to the slaves of
the Antilles. This their own honor and the
conscience of the world require. We recog-
nize the fact that it is impossible for them to
go farther. They cannot hold Cuba and they
cannot let go. This is the great misfortune
which they have inherited from the monarchy.