Gladstone’s Views on British Colonial Policy

GLADSTONE'S VIEWS ON BRITISH COLONIAL POLICY ILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE'Sattitudetowards the colonieshas hitherto receivedlittle attention. Except in Morley's Life, his work in this field has been either unnoticed or else largely misinterpreted. This need not occasionsurprise. The closingyears of his long political career witnesseda decline in popularity of the idealistic liberalism of the mid-nineteenth century. To an age deeply influenced by the latter-day doctrine of force Gladstone'spolicies,based upon the principlesof the earlier period, seemedweak and bordering on treason. People began to "think imperially", and in doing so struck at the men and measureswhich had laid a deep and broad basisfor Britain's Commonwealth of Nations. To the former liberal policy was applied the vague unmeaning term "anti-colonial", and hostile critics accusedGladstoneof neglectingthe Empire. Yet, it was constructive statesmanshipof the highest order to give up the old system and grant freedom to the new settlements in British North America, Australasia, and South Africa. Few steps have beenso singularly justified by later events or will prove of greater historical importance. The men who worked for this change in British colonial policy looked upon Gladstone as one of their leaders. Once converted to the liberal view on this question, he fought bravely in its behalf. To him liberty was the birthright both of the Englishmen beyond the seaand of thosewho remainedat home. The former shouldbe given wide scopefor their activities. This was not drifting; on the contrary, it was steering the course recommendedby deep political wisdom. If reared in freedom, Gladstone believed the new communities would overcome the difficultiesof the early critical years and later remain faithful to the mother country. In his opinion the human ties of love and affection could be dependedon for keeping the empire together. As a result in part of his work, Britain's imperial relationship gained that flexibility wherein lies its chief strength. 804 GLADSTONE ON COLONIAL POLICY 305 This lofty idealismis alsofound in his discussions of colonization and imperial expansion. As regards the former, Gladstone thought that owning overseaspossessions added to the economic strength of the Empire; but that the material benefitswere small comparedwith the moral and socialbenefitsto be got from the spreadof English ideasand English institutions throughout the world. He was, however,uneasyabout the ever-wideningboundaries . The burdensgrewheavierand the expandingboundaries causedenvy and hostility. Gladstone was early brought into closecontact with colonial affairs. During his first years in the House of Commons he servedon severalselectcommittees dealingwith the dependencies, and both at the Colonial Office and at the Board of Trade he had excellentchancesto study their needs.' That thesewere not neglected may be learned by reading the notes, minutes, and memoranda in his own hand found among the Colonial Office papersfrom the brief period he held that secretaryshipand his speecheson colonial questionsboth within parliament and outside . Some of Gladstone'scritics have charged him with a failure to understandGreater Britain. But this was not the opinion of the men who during the critical yearsof the middle nineteenth century urged colonial reform. One of their leading organs welcomedhisappointment to the Colonial Officein 184•5. 2 Edward Gibbon Wakefield believedthat Gladstone held "right views" on colonial questions 3 and was anxious to publish at least one of his speeches on this subject. 4 To John Robert Godley he was "the one amongour leading statesmenwho has most fully consideredthe questionof colonialreform" 5 C. B. Adderley called • John Morley, The Life of W•lliam Ewart Gladstone (London, 1903), I, p. 358. • See the ColonialGazette, Jan. 3 and 24, 1846. Z'heT.4mes in a leadingarticle, Dec. 26, 1845,co.mmenting on Gladstone's appointment,said:"Impartial inquiry, and an honestdevotionto the dutiesof office,may confide•ntly beexpected;and in thesewe recognisetlte promiseat leastof a better policy." aWakefield to Hinds, 1Via, y, 1848,in 7•heFoun.]ers of Canterbury,ed. by E. J. Wakefield (Christchurch,New Zealand, 1868), I, p. 28. (Only onevolumeappearsto have beenpublished.) 4"We earnestly requestthat you will do us the kindnessand t•heColoniesthe service,of letting ushavea correctedcopyof your speech of last night for immediate publication. "--E.G. Wakefield,Wm. Fox, et al. to Gladstone,May 22, 1852(Original MS., GladstonePapers,St. Deiniol'sLibrary, Hawarden). *JohnRobertGodley,A Selection fromtheWritingsandSpeeches of,ed. by...