^A'u nkv 
 
 ADJUSTABLE FKDKIIATION. 
 
 It haH nlwnyH sermcfl to the that a very 
 siniplo Hdliitioii uniilil, UN tliu natural mil', 
 forcu itself qiiii'tly into lUHuiiHHion on tliu 
 jiroliltnn nf Inipvriiil Keilcrution. Soniu iluli- 
 iiiti' pliui i» |iluinly ncoilcil, if wc am to ovur- 
 I'oniu thu niiNgivingH of the ]>co|>1i'h int<'rcMtt'il, 
 at entering into a new ruliition of i>ni'li vaxt 
 iniportunec and totally nntrieil l<inil. The 
 plan niUHt alao l>c no elalmrato uontrlvanee or 
 thcoretiial experiment, and nnint auk no 
 ^'M'at outlay, to Iw Inst if it ihi not 
 BUc icimI. Hut tlie thief feature it niunt place 
 lievoiid »uspl<ion ia thatrelatingtotlM'lilnrliex 
 and iMiwerB of the diireront great coniinuni- 
 tIeM that are propoHed as uienilH'rH of tin' 
 union. Kttcli of thene will lie jealoiiH to kc'i'|i 
 intact all that it pnsBciiseH and no iinpciial 
 council or conRtitution iiiiiHt Interfere willi 
 thcin. 'J'lio Kritifih Parliament niiixt lie 
 supreme in llritain, the colonial I'arliamcntH, 
 if anything, even more free than at prcMiit. 
 It mUHt lie a confederate, not a federal, 
 union. Uoom miiBt lie tct't fur that nationul 
 inilcpendeiiee after which each colony is feel 
 in^ and which is not int^omiuitililc uitli 
 fcihralion. A plan answering to tlicm' de- 
 mands is not impossilile. A Hatisfactoiy 
 solution indeed appears ii)xiu tlu^ surface, 
 and it is satisfactory for the sole reason that 
 it i« simple, natural and perfectly cniitrollalile. 
 I might name itadjustivlile federation. 
 
 Kirst of all. Ictus give up the idea of start- 
 ing with a Counci] : a confei-ence of comniis. 
 sioners from Britain and the colnnies is 
 enough to commence with. Let the com- 
 niunitics, through this body, state and in- 
 vestigate the p<iints, detail liy iletail, in 
 which expense could lie 8.ivcd or other ad- 
 vantage gained by any sort of action in 
 eoninion. Let the commissioners go lack 
 and 'eport, and then, further empowered, 
 meet again and arrange for the snlutioii of each 
 ilctail by itself upon which an agrei-ment can 
 lie arrived at ; and leuve the rest aside. 
 Am far as (,'anada is concerned, for instunrt-. 
 she would arrange, in the matter of a consulai- 
 system, for the appointment of a consul or 
 ambassador of her own at I'aiis, Washington. 
 Uio Janeiro and at any other points where 
 her interests called for it, ami give him what 
 powers and *itle she pleaseil, while over most 
 of tile rest of the world she would use and 
 pay a share for the general system of the 
 Kmpire. ISy this method Caniida imild make 
 her commercial treaties separately where ile- 
 sired. A joint system of oirence and defence 
 is perhaps the most obvious eoniniou iiiteiest 
 of the Kinpiic. I am ghnl to remark that, 
 among the other generons feelings of the 
 colonists toward the .Mother Country there is 
 a growing conviction that all ought to 
 contribute to the expense of the general 
 protecting arnuiment. The commissioners 
 could, I think, without .lilticulty arrive at 
 some temporary agreement as to the propor- 
 tions of ciuitribntions. Kacli colony would, 
 for the most part, provide its own foitillca- 
 tioiis and milttia. As to classilieatioii of wars 
 into imperial anil local and their treatnu-nt, 
 this I consider presents no greater ditticulty 
 than the ordinary one of legal classilieatioii. 
 If a generous spirit, especially toward the 
 weak mcmliers, be fostered, all dilliiiilties 
 arc solvalile ; and a generous spirit I think, 
 could not but animate such a body, met upon 
 such principles, for no other tc^mper would 
 attain any result in u vidiintary union. 
 
 It can lie seen how this scheme of adjust 
 able Federation could be applied to the otUcr 
 <|Uesti<inB, and into what a flexible condition 
 it would throw our Union, leaving all free, 
 yet binding each to the rest wherever a bond 
 would give strength or advantage ; teaching 
 the peoples of the empire to know luie an- 
 other ; nay, preimring the way also for the 
 coming alliance of Knglish-speuking nations 
 and for that certain final constitution, " The 
 Federation of the World." The Conference 
 of Commissioners would crystallize gradually 
 int<i a Council and decisions be left to its 
 vote. W. D. LlUIITIl.\LL. 
 
 72101