Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/232

Old Scratch (tremendous uproar, loud cries of "Knock him on the head!" "Hang him up by the heels!" "Burn him alive!" etc. Sir, if perfect—hem—freedom of speech, and innocuous ventilation of innocent and highly-inflammatory opinion is not permitted in this Hon. House, I will forthwith amputate my walking-stick out of it, as quickly as I can (cheers, and "The sooner the better"). I will not condescend ("Oh, oh!") to give any reason for my much-to-be-pitied opinion. That other great question—the Federation of the whole world—I feel that I can safely leave it with great confidence in their multifarious hands (cheers and hisses). I am sorry, sir, to provoke anything like a spirit—hem—of hostility or impracticability ("Hear, hear"). The day will come when one Federal Government will rule the world—("Yes, our Government"). But how, let me ask, could that Honourable—hem—and most respectable House expect to rule the world when it was in the dark with respect to that mysterious power, which can make the wheels of coaches go round? Why it can move tremendous floating palaces, carrying hundreds of men and women over the oceans of the earth, against wind and tide, about twenty miles an hour. ("Oh, oh," and derisive laughter.) His Majesty the Emperor was pleased to refer in his gracious— hem—speech to his matured plan of building a new city round the Great Lake of Tasmania ("Hear, hear "). I am bold enough to say that it has my cordial and patriotic approval—no, I mean my perpetual disapproval (groans and hisses). Yes, sir, and this is my reason for entertaining this perhaps highly reprehensible opinion: the inhabitants of this city of Pandapolis could not live even at the Great Lake in perfect peace; there would be perpetual war: the Salvation Army would be constantly attacking them, and precious blood would flow on both sides. In addition to this' [I now roared, my