They had for the most
part been "Little Englanders," to use a term of recent coinage,
and while using the military power of the government to put down
armed resistance to English sovereignty and to defend the
integrity of the boundaries of the distant colonies, had done
little else to hold the fabric together. Some of the most eminent
among them were of the opinion that the possession of the
colonies was an element of weakness. In the pursuance of such
theories the English commonwealths of British America, Australia,
and New Zealand were allowed to develop forms of local government
but slightly removed from independence. Their constitutions,
approved by English Liberal cabinets, allowed them to impose
duties against the mother country, and exempted them from most of
the burdens of taxation and military service which are the
natural incidents of dependence.
Disraeli's view of all this was vigorously expressed in 1872.
"Gentlemen, if you look to the history of this country since the
advent of Liberalism, forty years ago, you will find that there
has been no effort so continuous, so subtle, supported by so much
energy, and carried on with so much ability and acumen, as the
attempts of Liberalism to effect the disintegration of the empire
of England.
Pages:
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230