The twenty-five gentlemen delegated by the Australian Colonies to consider
a plan for the federation of their con- tinent, have commenced their sittings in Sydney. They have decided that their meetings should be public, and have elected Sir Henry Parkes Chairman, who has asked them to accept a series of Resolutions as a groundwork of debate. In these Resolutions, three principles are laid down,—namely, that all powers not assigned to the Federal Government shall belong to the Governments of the Colonies ; that the Federal Govern- ment shall be Parliamentary, and not Presidential ; and that the Customs revenue shall be assigned to its support. It will control all Federal forces, and fix all Customs duties, but will have at first no other functions, foreign affairs remaining for the time, of course, in British hands. We show reasons elsewhere for strongly objecting to this pro- gramme, in which the idea of a genuine national life appears to be omitted ; but it may, of course, be greatly modified by debate. Unfortunately, the debate being public, its object will be rather to attract support in the different Colonies than to construct an effective and lasting national organisation.
