The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
The outburst of Canadian Loyalty.

paralloled even by the popular enthusiasm
which welcomed the heir OF the British
monarchy eighteen years ago. Tho demon
STATIONS OF Canadian loyalty exceed the
most sanRulne forecast, and it seems al
ready certain that BEACoNsFIELD's shrewd
appointment will go far TO compass both
the public and private ends which the adroit
diplomatist is held 10 have contemplated.
Obviously the success Of the experiment
will add another to the grounds on which
tho Earl Of BEAcoNsFIELD, during his ca
rcer in office, has known how to commend
himself to the good will OF his sovereign.
There Is no longer faction in Parliament
which could venture to accept the title Of
the Queens friends" but II is an error TO
suppose that the influence OF the Court
counts for nothing In political affairs, not
only directly upon the Upper House. but in
directly through the pressure exercised In
boroughs by the Peers. The cordial sympa-
thy and resolute support of the Crown may
still contribute something to the stability
OF an English Minister. Such source Of
advantage has at no time been over
looked by the chiefs OF the Conservative
party, which even at the apogee OF its par
liamentary strength, in the elections, name
ly, OF 1874, found itself in q minority Of the
popular vote. Throughout the long quarrel
between Prince ALBERT and Lord PALMER
sToN, as to the scope and nature Of the politl-
cal function belonging to the former, Lord
DERBY and Mr.. D1sRAEL1 were uniformly and
boldly on the side OF the Queens husband.
In an hour Of trial whose pognancy is at
tested by correspondence lately published,
the present Premier was especially conspic-
uous in defending the natural and sacred
rights Of counsel and cooperation per-
tanning, as he affirmed, TO the mar
rage relation. When questions OF dover
and allowance payable to members Of the
royal family have boon brought forward
| from time TO time in the House Of Commons
the Queens wish has been certain Of earnest
and unwavcrng advocacy from the Conser-
vative leader. More recently the head Of
| the present Government contrvcd to rccog-
nizc a splendid fact, and at the same time
add lustre TO the dynasty, by investing
the Queen with the majestic title Of
Empress Of India. Nor was the subsc-
| quent visit OF the Prince OF WALES in
spircd by any other motive than to knit
more closely the ties Of personal allegiance
on the part of the great feudatores and
!
sentative Of the throne. No wonder VIC
ToRIA should be reputcd to regard Lord
| BEACoNsFIELD in special and emphatic
sense as her chosen Minister Since the day
| of Lord Butte no courtier has striven with
so much zeal and dcxterity to recon
ellie the trammels Of his parliament
tary responsibility with the private in
terests and predictions Of the Crown Yet
perhaps nothing hitherto achieved in this
direction has been more skllful OF more CRATE
full than the elevation Of the Queens son-in-
| law from the legal status Of commoner in
England TO an almost vicc-regal post at the
head Of the Canadian Dominion. At one
stroke the sagacious and complainant Prime
| Minister has rescued n somewhat uneQually
associated pair from an embarrassing stu
alton, has cut the complicated knot OF ETH
quctte and ceremonial, and has assured 10
the husband OF a Princess unqucstioned
precedence a supcrative position, and a
commanding opportunity.
The enthusiastic reception which awaits
the new Governor-General seems likely 10
promote, in no trivial degree, another object
which we must suppose the appointment
was intended to subservc. Lord BEACoNs-
| FIELD and his predecessor in Office, Mr.
| GLADSTONE, are known to hold very oppo-
site views regarding the nature and Prob2
ble drift Of the relation between the colonies
and the home Government. In Mr. GLAD
STONES opinion, the bonds Of attachment
are fictitious or sentimental the in
dividual interests Of the parent State and
OF it's outlying dependencies are dlverg-
ing every day. and the complete dis
Indignation Of the British colonial en-
plre Is only a question Of time. What is
called the Imperial theory, on the other
hand, expects the inauguration rather than
the loss Of existing ligaments. looks for
ward to the evolution OF comprehensive
public policy and coherent public spirit
throughout the British dominions, and an
equitable distribution Of public rights and
burdens. The accomplishment Of this idea
has repeatedly been urged by the present
Prime Minister, although 1t has been
doubted whether it did not wear, even to mis-
mind, the aspect rather Of dream than OF
a deliberate design. To the current asser.
tion that colonial fidelity is a thing OF shil-
lings and pence, sure 70 snap on the
first effort 10 impose reciprocal obligations
Lord BEACoNsFIELD has been wont TO re-
ply, in his oracular fashion, that the feeling
Of colonial loyalty was an uncalculated
quantity that its tenacity had not been
tested under suspicious conditions. and that
1t remained to be seen whether the spirit Of
devotion to the reigning house, once de
veloped by personal contiguity, would prove
less fervent and less fruitful in Canadian OF
Australian outposts than in the English
shires. To such test the people OF tn,
Canadian Dominion are about TO be sub
mitted, and If present indications may be-
trusted at all, they are not unlikely t.
demonstrate the ardor and honesty Of theil
sentiments, and even to reflect certain
credit on Lord BEAcoNsFIELDs theory O
the vital inter-dependence between the
colonies and the mother country
| A Duzzlp for tho Psvch OloPisfs