Imperial Federation.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6757, 22 January 1890, Page 4

Imperial Federation.

Sir Julius Yogel discusses €he question of Imperial Federation in the Nineteenth Century. Propounding the question, "Is ib open to the Colonies to secede ? " he answers it in the negative, though admitting that the aelfgoverniug Colonies havo been led or misled into believing that they were at liberty to leave the Empire and sot up on their own account whenover ib pleased them. He blames the original framera of the -Colonial afm'tituii'jn^ for thj^ m Ux'Vj in order to justify the Imperial abnegation to whioh they consented, declared that the constitutions wore designed as the precursors to ■ uiutuat* separate nationality* It ia not to bo wondered, he thinks, that under these oircutostaacea the Colonies exhibit reluctance to join, in any reasonable arrangement for Federationu Bat Sir Julius Yogel argues that modern Great Britain will not consent to be humbled before the nations of the earth by submitting to its own mutilation.. It would declare that the statements made in the past that secession would be accepted were unauthorised. When brought face to face with a demand for secession, the Sovereign and the people would find a thousand furious reasons for refusing it. That being so, it was frightfully cruel, as well as impolitic, to leave the matter in doubt, and Sir Julius calls for an authorising; regal decision upon the point. Ha holds that the key to Federation is » declaration of the continued uatay of the Empire, and he thinks ttiftt twoh an announcement could be mads with the least tlcf'a fchrpngh the ixat-tftnißntality of the special Ooionial delegates Attending a Colonial Coo/efcnce Buck as met ia Loadon in 1887*