The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-24 00:00:00

THE GENERAL ELECTION•

(FROM A WORKING MAN.)
MR. EDITOR,—The time has arrived when the
working classes, to a man, should shake efr
the
lethargy which has taken possession of them:
If ever the working men of Great Britain and
Ireland possessed the power of doing gpod
(which is undeniable) they at this moment Pos-
jd
sess it to an eminent degree. Neither Whig.i° I
Tory deny it, and the only question for cons'. e:
ration appears to me to be the manner ill who'
they will exercise that power.
.1. t°
Now, Sir, I address myself exclusive
those of my own political creed—Chartist'
leaving Ireland entirely out of the question, we',
knowing how that brave, patriotic, and lonFe
oppressed people will behave themselves.
major part of England is entirely Chartist
I can safely say the same of Scotland ; there ur
pears no difference between the two countries 4
political feeling; all who are Chartists are al'',
guided by the one grand principle, equal right`'
equal laws; therefbre, the act of! England be;
comes the act of Scotland ; the indiscretion of °°
the indiscretion of the other. Each country, °,,`'e
to the other, is answerable for any evil that n 13.1,/
arise out of the intemperance of their politics
leadership. That intemperance will be e%'!".
bited ; that evils great and incalculable will ar'',
from such conduct, I have more than reason ,0
expect.
The characters of certain leaders, both Inetr°;
politan and provincial, are too well known to tn.,:
and many more, ever to expect any good front
their pretended exertions.
They are all poor men, (if honest, they 091,,1
be the better for that), most of them unwiti"'
to work, while they can do better upon froto):
exclamation, and hypocritical juggle; and ;
such, should be narrowly watched; r
but by -
means too speedily judged.
But to the substance of my story. of
You may remember, Sir, and so will man; (41
your readers, that a few months back I warns
the Chartists against allying themselves `,Lvip•
men whose conduct was anything but honourable',
whose interests were diametrically opposed
es; like justice to the working-clase;'s
and many whose prosperity in worldly inatters,„
deeply rooted in the oppression of the 100'1,`;
and which prosperity would melt into thin 810,
when justice found its balance. And these cube
ning declaimers are the parties who will, at tyre
next election, lead the people into the quagel.l,it
of folly, and will, by specious reasoning, P°.l,;(i
out the way to redress their grievances, to,g. to
them, by every art they are masters
"Rise up as one man," and tell their 4,onPr'io
sors" that "a people need but will it to be free;
Oh, Mr. Editor, even half-honest men must d
spise this base trickery--this usuring cajolerPor
To the easy believing multitude they say Vet
battles are to be fought at the elections.'
true. But how, Sir, think you these self'l°„-ie
fled surgeons of justice would have the ne°l;,e,
act? Why, at the coming nominations 'di,
the "Chartists," are to find Chartist
....Ono
dates, and, if possible, return them as lueve
bers—easy work (1); but should we not 115,0,
a good chance of a majority; we are rote
no means whatever to allow a single `tile
in our interest to be given on the part
Whig, rather should we return the Tory. .10(1
conduct will, you must perceive Mr. Editor,
in discomfiture of the principles of Chartisnoti
the elections over, a fresh agitation begins' titer
on again go the paid delegates for another caltn,.,
through the country, making the Nl'ol4°,l,o'o
classes, not their horses, but jaded asses/ u,',01,
whose fretted backs they ride pleasantly at
Talk of the " paid bQggarman of Ireland!''
London, May 23, 1841.