Page:The founding of South Australia.djvu/118

 "XI. The Minister objects to the principle of chartered colonies.

"Answer. Passing by the fact that the principle of Crown colonies is a modern innovation, introduced by the conquest of foreign colonies; that the very existence of a Colonial Office is of quite recent date; that during all the while when England was engaged in founding: the thirteen great colonies of North America she was so unfortunate as not to have a Colonial Minister; and that no English colony (except the Swan River abortion) was founded otherwise than by charter; the present objection amounts to a decree against colonisation. The Minister cannot found a Crown colony, because Parliament will not give him any money for that purpose; but he forbids others to found a colony with their own money, that is, a chartered colony. He prefers a mere desert, and the uneasiness and distress which a new colony might relieve, to a colony which should not afford him any patronage. Though he would not lose any patronage by allowing a chartered colony to be established, still, because he would not thereby gain any patronage, he says that the thing shall not be done. He acts like the dog in the manger, preventing others, through mere whim or envy, from using that which he cannot use himself Colonial Minister by name, he becomes in fact the Secretary of State for the Prevention of Colonies.

"That strange conclusion is undeniable, if this national undertaking (which has for object to enlarge the field of employment for English capital and labour) is to be prevented by the veto of one Minister. But this is a question in legislation, while the office of Colonial Minister is purely executive. This, then, is a most proper subject of appeal to the Cabinet and to Parliament. It forms no part of the duty of a Colonial Minister to decide whether new colonies shall be Crown or Chartered; still less is it his business to decide whether or not the British nation shall found more