The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-14
Caledonia Stern and Wild.

These are troublous days for England.
While Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN is trying his best
to rouse the British colonies to feelings of
loyalty for the empire, and Lord SAILS.
BUR is anxiously scurrying about to keep
the foreign possessions of Great Britain
from falling into hostile hands; while n
Tory Government is trying to conciliate
Ireland with a liberal local Government
measure, Scotland suddenly appears with
a grievance against the sister kingdom so
serious as to threaten disruption.
The Articles of Union by which the two
Kingdoms were consolidated in 1907 pro-
vided, in more than one paragraph, that the
United Kingdom should be called Great
Britain. The name was not chosen lightly,
but after dissensions lasting for nearly
three centuries, during which Scotland
constantly refused to be merged in Eng.
land. The treaty Of union demands that
the combined State shall be called Britain,
and by logical implication that its subjects
shall be Britons, not Englishmen, and its
armies and possessions British, not Eng,
lish. This understanding has been violated,
it is asserted, in official ut~terances, in
treaties and in common speech; and Scot
land will not stand such treatment much
longer. Such, at least, is the assertion in
a petition presented to the Queens most
excellent Majesty from her Scottish sub
jects, signed, it is stated, "by 1884, 1888
Scottish people of all ranks, classes, and
conditions" including several peers, 53
members of Parliament, the representa-.
tives of 50 burghs, and more thar $50
provosts and town councillors, and adopted
by " the Royal, Parliamentary, and Police
Burghs of Scotland In full Convention as.
sembled." For a printed copy of this his
toric petition we are indebted to the
honorary secretary Of the petitioners.
Scottish conventions" M petitions
invariably bring to mind revolution and
the ~beheading OF kings. The present petit.
tion, though not couched in the vigorous,
yituperative terms of seventeenth century
Presbyterianism, is very plain spoken and
even threatening. In the dominions of the
Queens German grandson the signers
would undoubtedly be imprisoned for ltse
majestic, or as they would prefer to call it,
leasing holding. They say boldly:
when any of your Majesty's subjects debase the
coinage OF the realm or issue false bank notes the
whole power OF the law Is put In force TO punish the
Offenders. But there Is no redress for your MaJesty's
Scottish subjects when their national honor ia de-
based. and that OF England Is proportionaily and I'M.
justly exalted. by the improper use OF the terms
'EnEiani' and English In an imperial sense, On
the contrary, our Just complaints on this head are too
often tre.tsd. not merely with Indifference. but with
contempt and with ridicule.
I'VE are aware thut your Majesty cannot interfere
with the common everyday speech OF your English
%subjectsi but We think It peculiar y Irritating to our
feelings as loyal ~SubJects OF your Majesty that month.
ly. weekly, ana almo Il daily our national homer as
sc1tsmen should he insulted by gentlemen holding
your Majesty's comm Ssion IN the navy and army or
In tbs civil and diplomatic services. SO far, indeed.
has the g II gone that In treaties with foreign powers
tho terms England aud English have bNen used Ia
an imperial sense.
1--WE fear that this constant and deliberate use OF
an incorrect imperial nomt nclaturo Is due. not mere
ly TO ignorance or 10 carel 'SSaeSs, but largely 10 an
unfair and aggressive feeling Of natiOnsl vanity on
the part OF Au Influential portion Of the EngliSa PEG
pie. which. II continued, will in course Of time lead
W = dsStraetoR VI thAi Ssslins % BTiIish uAity With