COLONIAL LOYALTY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9604, 23 December 1891, Page 6

COLONIAL LOYALTY.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib, —Your leader of this date, anent the recently announced betrothal of the Prince of Wales’ son to a, young lady who possesses the questionable reputation of being the beauty of the Royal Family, came as a surprise upon many of your readers. Rightly or wrongly, the Lyttelton Times is regarded as the representative in this Colony of the opinions and aspirations of the masses, as opposed to the classes, and your unequivocal delaration of loyalty to the monsrcbial form of government will be received with regret by I believe a large majority of your readers. Tour reiterated assumption that this Colony is loyal to the monarchy at present presiding over the destinies of the British Empire would, if accepted without question, involve a confession of our faith in the principle of hereditary rulers, and the rights of princes; whereas, I venture the opinion that if the men of New Zealand were afforded an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon the question, an overwhelming majority would declare their desire for the right to elect their own Governor—tantamount to republicanism—leaving the connection between this Colony and the Mother Country to commercial or other treaties, and the sentimental tie which binds together two peoples of common origin, tongue and faith. Your assertion that the appearance ip. our midst of the two members of the Royal family, referred to in your article, would arouse much popular enthusiasm and applause, is probably true; but if the future existence of the monarchy is to depend upon such fragile support, its future is insecure; for the monarch of the French revolution is a type and a proof of the insincerity of that popular enthusiasm which “.one day lauds a man to highest heaven, the next day damns him to the lowest hell.” Whether the lady whom an accident of birth rendered our Sovereign has, by precept and example, assisted her subjects in their struggle for freedom and material and moral improvement as fully as she might, is a matter for much difference of opinion ; but surely no one will doubt that many women of the people are her equals in education, morals and refinement, for which reason I protest against the volume of loyal twaddle usually indulged in by a certain class and certain class newspapers when referring to the Queen. Public opinion ia Australasia has not yet been afforded an opportunity of expressing itself legislatively upon the question of whether the Colonies shall be ruled by the Monarchial or Republican system; but when the time comes I predict that the decision will bo for Republicanism, the only system of government in harmony with the teachings and aspirations of an intelligent, educated and sincere democracy. The issue ia that of the hereditary rights of the people as against those of princes; and the sooner the glamour which surrounds royalty is dispelled, the sooner will the complete enfranchisement of men be accomplished.—l am, &c,, Sydenham, Dec. 18. T.E.T. [lf our correspondent could point to a Republic under which the people enjoy , greater liberty and power and privileges than the masses of New Zealand possess, he would be less singular in the views he has expressed.— Ed. L.T."]