which contemplates the colony in its commencement-in its infancy and onward in its course, till it becomes an established and self-governing community; my polity then seeks to unite this self-governing state with others, having the same interests, and living under the same laws and according to the same rule of government. Thus my plan proceeds preparing for a continually increasing power and importance-providing a secure and comfortable subsistence for the humble millions who constitute the large majority of the people-and opening a career of honourable ambition for the more aspiring leaders, by whom the people will be guided, ruled, and led. 112 CHAPTER IV. WITH these remarkable examples before our eyes, there is no great difficulty in framing a plan for the effective management of our Colonial possessions. Three of the SYSTEMS above mentioned-viz., 1 That of British North America, 2 That of Australasia, 3 That of South Africa, are in themselves so vast, as to require to be separated into many distinct PROVINCES; and the separate provinces of each system may be united into one federal union. New Zealand is not so extensive as to require such separation; it ought to be one province. But as such PROVINCE it will need the organization which is required in the cases of the separate PROVINCES of the SYSTEMS above mentioned, and will, therefore, in the following statements, be so far a subject of consideration. My plan will, therefore, directly relate to the four separate portions of our Colonial possessions here named -viz.: 1 British North America. 2 Australasia. 3 South Africa. 4 New Zealand. SECTION I. GENERAL VIEW-PLAN-NOMENCLATURE-SETTLEMENT PROVINCE-SYSTEM. As I do not intend to adopt the nomenclature employed by the United States, I shall make one for my purpose, and explain the terms as I proceed. Every colony ought to go through two stages of political existence. It ought to be first in a condition similar to that of a TERRITORY, as contemplated in the system of the United States, in which condition or stage of its political existence I shall call it a SETTLEMENT. Its second stage of political existence ought to be similar to that of a STATE in the system of the United States, and in this second stage or condition I shall call it a PROVINCE. When certain PROVINCES are grouped together-united for certain federal purposes-each group or federation I call a SYSTEM.* The first step with respect to the formation of a * This term is employed by modern astronomers very much in this sense with respect to groups of stars and constellations.-See Nichol's Architecture of the Heavens. I am by no means wedded to this my nomenclature. Some words were needed for the purpose I had in view: The above have been chosen not because they are the best, but because they are sufficient. If any small wit feels at all inclined to assail them, all I ask is, that he will replace them by some others, and adhere steadily to those he selects. colony should be a survey-a survey not merely to determine the boundaries of private property, but with reference to its political existence and government. Territorial divisions are necessary for the purposes of government, and the same system of division should be adopted throughout. The first point is to determine the BOUNDARIES of the colony itself. The next is then to divide the colony-that is, the lands contained within the determined boundaries-into COUNTIES. Then the counties should be laid out into TOWNSHIPS. And lastly, the townships should be divided into PARISHES. For the purposes of deciding upon the rights of property, each parish should be divided into LOTS, and sold by authority. This would enable a perfect registration of landed property to be at once established, and thus most materially contribute to economy and justice in all judicial decisions on civil rights, resulting from or connected with the land. With respect to British North America, Australasia, and South Africa, immediate steps should be taken to determine the boundaries of the existing SETTLEMENTS and PROVINCES, which have been formed in these three systems. All the lands which lie beyond the boundaries of these SETTLEMENTS and PROVINCES I shall for the moment consider vested in the Crown, and all the unappropriated lands lying within the boundaries of these settlements and provinces as belonging to the governments respec tively of each of them, subject to certain conditions, to be hereafter described and explained. We have now, then, spoken of colonies as to be considered and provided for as SETTLEMENTS, PROVINCES, and SYSTEMS. The two last conditions are permanent, that of a SETTLEMENT is a state or condition of transition. SECTION II. SETTLEMENT-MODE OF ESTABLISHING-SURVEY-FIRST SALE OF LAND-GOVERNMENT-EXTENT OF INTERFERENCE BY THE MOTHER-COUNTRY ETC. THE MONEY OF THE COLONY HOW DEALT WITH-CENSUS -WHEN GOVERNMENT -POWERS OF JUDICATURE CERNING LAND FUND. DIGRESSION CON The earliest condition of the colony is that of a SETTLEMENT. It is that in which it receives the greatest aid from the mother-country, and during which it is most subject to her direct authority-her immediate interference. All interference, however, is not of the same description. The mother-country may interfere by means of the executive-that is, of the administration who act by the Secretary of State for the Colonies in the name of the Crown-or she may exercise her authority through parliament. Theoretically, the last mode of interference can be subjected to no rule-parliament is omnipotent in theory, and may do what it pleases-but such is not, either in fact or in theory, the case with the Colonial Secretary, acting for the Crown. His interference ought in all instances to be according |