The Shadow of Great Britain

The wine glass originally held in Dalmo’s hand shivered slightly.

Arthur continued: ”She even expressed to me that, if necessary, she would personally summon the Cabinet at Buckingham Palace, urging them to reconsider your appointment. She believes that if the Canadian issue is to be resolved, you must be given sufficient power and room to maneuver.”

Dalmo was silent for a few seconds after hearing this string of words, then sighed: ”I am naturally grateful for the way His Majesty views my work. But will the people in the Cabinet care about His Majesty’s thoughts?”

He snorted coldly: ”I doubt it. Melbourne might spend four hours tidying his white hair, but he wouldn’t take three minutes to read my investigation report. Grenville probably couldn’t even distinguish between a Canadian map’s north or south. As for those idiots at the Department of Colonial Affairs, they now just hope that I’ll stay in Durham forever and stop coming back to trouble them.”

Arthur smiled and spoke: ”I used to think the same, but now, the situation is different. This is this morning’s newspaper; you likely haven’t seen it yet.”

Arthur opened the paper at the bottom and pushed it in front of the Earl of Dalmo.

”An Armed Rebellion Fully Erupts in Upper Canada, Toronto Situation Takes a Downward Turn”

According to reliable sources, following the outbreak of armed rebellion in Lower Canada, Upper Canada has also recently entered into turmoil. Led by Upper Canadian newspaper publisher William MacKenzie, the ”Reformist Volunteer Army” has gathered around York County, attempting to seize Toronto and calling for Canada to ”break free from oligarchic rule and establish a Republic.”

Though the rebels are poorly equipped, due to the colonial government’s local troops being slow to deploy, various militias failed to assemble in time, aggravating the situation rapidly.

Several posts along the northern road to Toronto have been seized by the rebels, cutting off all communication. Although government forces, under the command of Colonel Samuel Jarvis, expelled all the rebels from the Toronto City District three days later, a small-scale second conflict soon erupted in Brantford. At the time of publishing, both sides remained in a state of conflict.

Despite the successive outbreaks of rebellion in Upper and Lower Canada, the Department of Colonial Affairs has consistently maintained that ”the situation in North American colonies is controllable,” even vowing to the public at the previous day’s press conference that ”there is no unrest in the colonies demanding special attention.”

But the current facts prove this judgment is likely to become the most dangerous political misjudgment of the year.

Arthur spoke calmly: ”Your Excellency, the opportunity originally belonging to you was delayed due to the Cabinet’s arrogance and negligence. But now, the situation forces them to turn around and invite you back.”

Eld also chimed in opportunistically: ”Now all of London is talking about the incompetence of the Department of Colonial Affairs. Even in the Navy Department’s break room, you can hear everyone discussing whether your reforms, if executed earlier, would have prevented this mess.”

The Earl of Dalmo’s gaze slowly moved away from the last line of the newspaper.

He folded the page, but did not return it to the table, instead placing it casually beside his knee.

Dalmo let out a scoff, not out of disdain for others, but disdain for that absurd reality he had long anticipated.

”The problem with Canada...” He lifted his head, his eyes devoid of excitement, instead filled with a peace of surviving trials: ”Was never in Canada.”

Arthur looked at him, saying nothing.

The Earl of Dalmo continued: ”The people in White Hall always like to shift responsibility onto the colonies, onto Parliament, onto customs, onto language, onto religion... everything that can be blamed has been blamed once, except for admitting one simple truth — Canada’s dilemma is manufactured by London. The root of these two rebellions lies in London’s incompetence, London’s shortsightedness, London’s arrogance, not in me, John Lambton.”

Eld and Arthur remained silent, watching the Earl of Dalmo stand up.

”You think I don’t know?” His voice was low but every word was clear: ”They called me back from Quebec not because I did anything wrong, but because I did too many things right. Because I touched upon the interests of those lazy, outdated colonial bureaucrats who maintain their rice bowls with connections. Because I showed them that, even in a colony, a truly responsible and trustworthy administrative system could be established.”

He looked towards Arthur, seemingly examining his heart: ”Arthur, if you are here today as an envoy for the Whig Cabinet, trying to persuade me to obediently return to Canada to clean up the mess for them... then please forgive me, but I’m afraid you’ll have to leave right now.”

After the words fell, the air noticeably tightened.

Eld opened his mouth to say something but was gently stopped by Arthur raising his hand.

The Earl of Dalmo slowly set his glass down, his tone becoming cold and hard: ”I will not do an ounce more for a Cabinet that doesn’t give me power, doesn’t support me, yet expects me to clean up their mess. Such an experience is nauseating enough after just one time.”

He paused, drawing a line: ”I will only return to Canada under one condition, that I be granted sufficient authorization. Not symbolic, not ceremonial, not for appearances, but substantive power that can be realistically exercised. The right to mobilize troops, the right to make administrative decisions, the right to appoint personnel, the right to allocate finances, and the full authority to restructure the colonial administrative system.”

After speaking every word clearly, it seemed as though the Earl of Dalmo had outlined a framework that all of White Hall must submit to.

Eld couldn’t hold back anymore, he spread his hands and blurted out: ”Your Excellency, are you trying to be a Tsar?”