The herald., 1897-06-19
PREMIERS OF THE COLONIES
EXPRESS THEIR DEVOTION TO
THE CROWN
The Prince of Wales Banquets the
Visitors Who Come to Celebrate
the Jubilee
.ssociated Press Special Wire.

stitute, presided over banquet given
by the institute this evening to the colo
NAL premiers. The guests numbered
hundreds and represented every branch
of national and colonial life.
After the dinner the Prince of Wales
proposed "The health of the Queen" Ir
a felicitous speech he referred to the ap-
preaching jubilee celebration, adding
that he had no doubt they would receive
the familiar toast with more ACCLAIM
alton even than was usually the case
This was followed by prolonged cheer
ing. waving of handkerchiefs and cries
of God bless her." the entire company
standing
The prince welcomed the premiers and
hoped earnestly that their stay would
not be irksome. No one, he said. could
be more gratified than the queen that
they had come to do honor to great
epoch of history, (Cheers)
The prince, in proposing the health of
the guests of the evening, gave cor
dial welcome to the distinguished gen.
tlemen who had come to celebrate the
jubilee He was convinced that the col
onies would always come to the assist
ance of the mother country in time of
need or danger. Referring to the enor-
nous growth and increase of the colo
nies during the record reign, he ex
pressed the hope that the peaceful cir
cumstances under which they were met
together might be long continued.
"God grant it, he said, "but if the
national flag is threatened I am con-
vinced that all the colonies will unite
to maintain what exists and preserve
the integrity of the empire
Mr. Wilfred Laurier, In the course of
his reply to the toast to the colonial
premiers, said: 1T has been said that
colonies are born to become nations and
that perhaps Canada may some day be-
come a nation. My answer to that is
simply this: Canada is nation. Can
ada is free. and freedom is its nation
ality Though Canada acknowledges
the suzerainty of the sovereign, I am
here to say that independence will give
the Canadians no more rights than they
have. If England should ever be in
danger her colonies will do their ut
most to help her. (CheeriRg) 1 have
often been asked whether the French
Canadians are absolutely loyal and I
have been reminded that old feuds die
hard. But to that I may reply that it
is the proud privilege of the present gen.
Grafton to recall the spectacle of the
banners of France and England victo-
riously entwifed in the Crimea. True,
during the last century there was a long
duel between France and England for
the possession of North America. But
on the shores of Quebec is monument
m lie tah II, hat
and it bears the inscription. Equal in
fame, equal in courage, equal in glory
That equality exists at the present day
between the two races"
Sir Hugh Nelson, premier of Queens
land, in proposing the health of the
Prince and Princess of Wales. expressed
the hope that the Australian colonies
might some day have the privilege of
receiving a member of the royal family
and the opportunity of displaying an
equal loyalty and devotion.
The Marquis of Lansdowne. replying
for the army, urged the necessity of con-
sidering beforehand a scheme of defense
in the event of the possibility of circum-
stances arising that would require tn"
colonies and the mother country to
stand side by side for the common de-
fense He thought It would be prudent
for the colonies, now spending largely
on defensive armament, to consult the
wide experience of the home authorities
on the subject. and he hoped the present
occasion would be improved upon for
that purpose.
Lord Rosebery, proposing "The
Houses of Legislature, Home and Colo
nial,' said he hoped this unparalleled
gathering would not separate without
an effort to draw closer the bonds of
empire.
The Marquis Of Salisbury, responding
for the house of lords. confessed that the
misgivings he had when the colonial leg
letures were first created We're entirely
unfounded. He said: IF these legis-
latures were able to exercise self-con-
troll and to fulfill their high ideal they
will produce an empire such as the world
has not yet seen. There is talk of fiscal
union and Of military union. Both may
to a certain extent be good things, but
they will not be the basis upon which
our empire will rest. 1t will rest upon
the growth of sympathy and of common
thought and feeling between the mother
country and the colonies.
The Right Honorable Joseph Cham
berlain, secretary of state for the colo
MES, responded for the house of COM
mons. He made no allusion to'the colo
NAL office.
The whole proceedings were most en-.
thusiastic, The Prince of Wales has
rarely, if ever, spoken so impressively
and feelingly a in his speeches toastins
the guests
Mr.. Wilfred Laurier sat on the right
hand of the Prince Of Wales, and Mr.
Whitelaw Reid. the special envoy of the
United States to the jubilee festivities.
on the left of the prince. The latter
showed his keen interest by waiting to
the end of the speechmaking, which was
close upon midnight. The prince was
in an excellent humor, chatted gaily
with Mr.. Reid and Mr.. Laurier and
laughed heartily at the jokes of the
speakers.
The United States special envoy to the
queens jubilee, the Hon. Whitelaw
Reid, accompanied by the United States
ambassador to the court of s.. James,
Col John Hay, had a long interview
with the Marquis of Salisbury at the
foreign office today.
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