, 1875-04-17

'otthe Windward Islands had better not toll
slow the mistake of their Leeward neigh
s bours.'
Whether the assumption of the existence
of such a programme be based on actual
fact or not, there are two significant cir
cumstanc, in connection with the suppo-
sition which cannot be ignored, and which
would seem in some measure, to justify it.
The first is the ingenious admission which
was voluntarily and unreseryedly made by
the Attorney General himself, with regard
to his new political programme shortly be-
fore his departure from the Leeward ISL
ands for the new sphere of IabOur. The
second circumstance is the REIMBURSEMENT,
by that gentleman, of a post in which he
was EciIe princrpS and Lord Of all he sur
veyed, for one of such far inferior emolu.
ment anI inequality from a political as
well as a professional point OF view. With
reference to the first question, it will be
remembered that in the course of a Lee
turr delivered in St. Kits, Mr.. Semper in
timated, in the broadcast terms, what were
his views in reference to the extension Of
a Federal Scheme, in its comprehensive
entirety, to include the whole range of
these islands and colonies. With regard
to the second consideration, matters of deli
cacy preclude US from assigning any as
sumed reason for so comparatively private
All arrangement as an afair of salary. We
may simply note the impression that only
the most disinterested purity of motive
could prompt an aspiring man to reIin-
quish twelve hundred pounds per annum,
for five hundred, unless there are more
things between heaven and earth, and q
brighter guerdon at the eud of the politi-
cal race-c0urse, than are dreamt Of in our
svery day philosophy.
Considering this and the soIicitude shown
by others in our behalf, anything like
total silence in ourselves would not I'M
n turalIy, be misconstrued and misinter-
preted into absolute apathy or unqualified
acquieseuce. Colonial Ministers of both
the great political parties have manifested
a tendency to incorporate the obnoxious
dogma in the body of their policy. 1t was
so with the present Colonial Minister,
even when he held the seals of Office under
the first administration OF his political
chief. And the interest in such specuIa-
tions seems rather to have been enhanced
than impaired with the lapse of time.
English Ministers can only rely upon in
formation received for facts to regulate
their policy of legislation in regard to
the local institutions of these islands and Col
onies. For their knowledge'Eot the feelings
and wishes of the ColonistS, the Rulers of
Downing Street can only depend upon the
representations of persons actually expert
enced in Colonial life. If these representa-
tions be incorrect or inadequate, then SO
much the worse for all parties concerned.
At all events as an axiom in state craft,
it is the duty of a wise Minister to res
pect the wishes of tie governed. when
not inconsistent with the dignity Of
the empire. Such expression of opini-
on must and will be entertained with
consideration and, from such point of
view, we repeat that it ID the duty of Colo
nists to state the circumstances of the case
,fearlessly and fully, and not leave them to
be garbled or perverted by enthusiasts
having a picture of Utopia to be realized
or a policy of selfish ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to be
subserved. When our present Auditor
General propounded his scheme, two years
ago.. for the total subversion of our Con-
stitution, and the erection of Combined
Parliament upon its ruins, the whole
- 49, ZL-eA 80 n m