Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 5.djvu/218

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS

selves, as part of the British Empire, united to us, altho they may be dispersed throughout the world, by ties of kindred, of religion, of his- tory, and of language, and joined to us by the seas that formerly seemed to divide us.

But the British Empire is not confined to the self-governing Colonies and the United King- dom. It includes a much greater area, a much more numerous population, in tropical climes, where no considerable European settlement is possible, and where the native population must always vastly outnumber the white inhabitants; and in these cases also the same change has come over the imperial idea. Here also the sense of possession has given place to a different senti- ment — the sense of obligation. We feel now that our rule over these territories can only be justified if we can show that it adds to the happiness and prosperity of the people, and I maintain that our rule does, and has, brought security and peace and comparative prosperity to countries that never knew these blessings be- fore.

In carrying out this work of civilization we are fulfilling what I believe to be our national mission, and we are finding scope for the exer- cise of those faculties and qualities which have made of us a great governing race. I do not say that our success .has been perfect in every case, I do not say that all our methods have been beyond reproach; but I do say that in almost every instance in which the rule of the

186

�� �