The Shadow of Great Britain

In 1832, although Arthur was shot and fell under the Tower of London, the parliamentary reform passed, and Mr. Bentham died with a smile on his face, leaving a notable story.

However, could it be that just ten years later, this place would become our final resting place?

Although Arthur prides himself on Victoria’s trust, hoping to weather the storm unscathed and remain settled on the Alps, as a distinguished alumnus of the University of London, he cannot pretend to be indifferent like certain retired parliamentarians.

He knows very well that if the University of London loses its backing in the political arena and truly becomes marginalized, then the platform proudly boasting ”no religious restrictions” will inevitably be constrained and dismantled by various inexplicable bills and government committees in the near future.

By then, it won’t just be about religious freedom and non-sectarian education; even the school council meetings might have to seek guidance from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

However, it is impossible to have Lord Brougham submit to the King’s power now.

Arthur distractedly flipped through the newspaper, pondering if there was any way to break the deadlock.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a small news snippet in the corner of the Morning Paper.

It was a brief report with a tiny headline and tightly packed text, sandwiched between ”Letters from the Colonies” and ”Tropical Storm Hits Antigua Island.” If not carefully read, it was almost blurred by the printing ink.

”Lower Canada Parliament Riot Escalates, Opposition Leader Louis-Joseph Papineau Reorganizes Gathering”

Arthur’s brows furrowed instantly, and he took out a magnifying glass from his coat pocket, reading it word by word.

News from Montreal: Our correspondent, citing the Quebec Gazette, reports that Lower Canada Patriot Party leader Papineau recently gathered masses for a protest rally in the Saint-Denis District, demanding the establishment of a responsible government in Lower Canada.

During the gathering, Papineau publicly revealed the political violence and electoral fraud orchestrated by Lower Canada’s Deputy Governor Sir Francis Bond Head during the 1836 campaign and fiercely criticized the Tory Party in Lower Canada for passing a bill disregarding the tradition of ”dissolving the parliament upon the monarch’s death,” forcibly extending their term.

More concerning is that this leader of Lower Canada’s political scene also called on the public in the gathering to oppose the ”Ten Resolutions” proposed by Home Secretary Lord John Russell regarding Canada. It’s reported that many anti-British slogans appeared at the rally, with some young people burning portraits of George IV and the British flag and refusing to fulfill their tax obligations.

In this crisis of legitimacy, the Atlantic Economic Circle is facing the predicament of a full-scale recession, especially with the farmer population suffering the harshest impact. They’ve just struggled through the widespread poor harvests of 1836 and 1837, and now face lawsuits from merchants demanding repayment of old debts, leaving many impoverished.

The report states that reformists in both Upper and Lower Canada Overseas Province have established radical democratic political alliances. In Lower Canada, the Patriot Party organized the ”Sons of Liberty Society,” while in Upper Canada, with the assistance of Patriot Party leader William MacKenzie, a Toronto Political Alliance was also formed.

Currently, the Governor of Lower Canada, Earl of Dalmo, has not publicly stated his position on the situation, but insiders revealed that the Prime Minister’s Office at No. 10 Downing Street and the Department of Colonial Affairs recently received an urgent letter from the Earl of Dalmo, requesting the Cabinet to give him clear authorization and military cooperation to prevent local government turmoils.

Notably, there are rumors that the Papineau side may have secretly contacted American republicans.

Arthur’s fingers lingered on the news snippet for a few seconds, and he muttered to himself, ”Papineau, MacKenzie, demands for responsible government... and military authorization...”

At this, Arthur shivered involuntarily.

For some reason, he felt a faint pain in his heart, perhaps because it reminded him of some not-so-pleasant memories.

However, he quickly recovered.

This article seems at first glance to be just another colonial riot event, something ordinary Londoners might use as today’s after-dinner entertainment.

But as a good student of the Earl of Dalmo, Arthur read much more complicated subtext between the lines.

Because he deeply understands the character of the Earl of Dalmo, in his impression, this Earl, who rose steadily after graduating from Cambridge, is someone who insists on writing mandates with clean ink even when sitting on the brink of a volcano.

Even on the eve of the 1832 parliamentary reform, when riots erupted in London, the Earl of Dalmo never mentioned such blunt words as ”military intervention.”

Yet now, this noble, accustomed to penning rebukes with haughty pride but seldom tainted by bloodshed, actually issued a request for ”military cooperation” to White Hall?

This can only indicate that the situation in Lower Canada is considerably bleak and that the Earl of Dalmo is truly anxious.

He instinctively closed the newspaper, lightly tapping his knee, worried about the fate of the second-largest supporter of the London University System.

But then, moments later, Arthur suddenly stopped tapping his knee.

A clarity flashed through his eyes.

Perhaps...

This Canadian crisis is the very piece of driftwood appearing on the surface just before the ship of the University of London hits the reef?

If the Earl of Dalmo can successfully resolve this colonial crisis, without bloody repression, without falling into party quagmire, yet still stabilize the situation...

Then he would not merely be a simple member of the Upper House but the mediator of a new imperial era, the heaven-sent hero whom Westminster Palace, Downing Street, and Buckingham Palace all must thank and revere.

If Lord Brougham is destined to fall, then perhaps no one is better suited to inherit this banner than the Earl of Dalmo...