The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-03

eHa'e aha lney are enthusiastically honored as the
ifends OF freedom. for the English people love liberty
but do they know that the masses exercise no political
nights that. with all this liberty, there ID so much suneI
'nx and inequality Do they understand how this sbund
anee OF wealth Is distributed and that the fundholder
Inc capitalist and the arsocacy revel in the luxury
winch millions Of emaested. half starved men, women.
ana children produce, but never snjoy Distinguished
v'slles are not IN the way Of seeing this know that
is SAID by the apologists OF such state Of things
that those are unavoidable social evils which no
system OF politics. no party cure. Ii is not
SO. That party or that government which acts upon
The motto OF " the greatest good 10 the greatest
number will apply a remedyil may be slowly and with
great care, as skIfu surgeon with dangerous wound,
but there will be growing Improvement and finally
restored health But during the last twenty years. under
Ibis middle class this moneyed power. Engani-hat is,
the condition OF the mass OF the English Ieople-has
been growing worse II beyond my purpose and limits
mere 10 enter INTO The intricate but important subject OF
labor and capital have stated the facts above in order
TO show that the interests OF The roneyei and the work
ing classes are not Identical least effects have been
produced IN England TO induce the belief that they in
imca and that under such circumstances the present
wing party will not, except through fear concede poitl-
cal powet to the working men.
II was with such views these that, about the yea!
1898, few Intelligent working men, such as Loye
Ceave Vincent, and Others 10 about hundred in num-
ber met in the private house OF Loveu in Gfays Inn
they called the London Workingmen's Association
They said they had been cheated by the middle class
that they had been used tools and that they had
hurrahed for the reform bill 10 no purpose-they were
still beyond the pale of the constitution if they
aliens; they exercised political rights. This assoc
alton discussed the question: published addresses the
country on the subject and finally published pamphlet
which it called the "Charer" Societies sprang up in
every ra OF the country; petitions to Parliament, poured
in from every city and town Tor the "peoples charter
AT last one monster petition, counting than three
million signatures, asked The Commons to make this
charter the law OF the land All its supporters were
called char,iss. II asked universal suffrage, vote BIZ
ballot, no property qualification, equalization OF electoral
districts, and payment OF representatives. These were
the "hve points" rdiculed SO much afterwards The
charsts were numerous, but, as body, they had
neither intelligence influence. The few among them
who were intelligent were overpowered by reckless
demagogucs. Not many Of the small eeper class
the petite bourgeoisie even--belonged to them. They
were almost all working men--all those in fact. who
had not the suffrage The wings united with the tories
to oppose this new movement, and their opposition was
mixed with degree of contempt till the revolutionary
action Of lS4s gave il strength. Partly under the ina
duence OF that revolutionary spirit, and partly from the
excessive burdens OF the poor law OF the general taxes
AID OF their declining circumstances, portion OF the
less wealthy OF the middle class have joined within the
last three years the workingmen in demanding extern
sion OF the suffrage Some statesmen ALSO seeing the in.
cyabe tendency of democratic principles may Join the
movement in order 10 direct and moderate it, They MAY
say is better TO grant household suffrage than 10 have
universal suffrage forced from them Such policy nigh,
save for time the aristocrac and monarchca nstu-
lions. Butt give strength TO those elements which
have democratic character in the constitution will be
to neutralize and oyerpower the peers and the
monarch. Yet this is what the age demands and The
circumstances OF the times will accomplish. The
monarchy and the arisocracy doomed II they resist
the progressive spirit OF the age the people, when goaded
by extreme suffering and excited the obs,nacy of the
privileged few, will destroy the throne in their fury
London will have lis three days" 1t may not be yet
for the English. people are slow TO revoluonze; bu
come il must Whatever is opposed reason and the
being OF society must fall. II they yield tn,
movement, by extending to The people their poIiiica
hts they will sap the foundation OF the British Cover
men 1t j. based property and privilege overwhelu
these by democracy and both the throne and the peerag,
destroyed. II but question Of time. Better how
ever TO die gradually and easy than painfully and BY
violence.
1t might have been necessary that this gradual de
velopment should have taken place in England-tha
the power should have passed into the hands OF The mid
die classes from the upper before the of the people
could be enranchised; but cannot believe but that il il
more difficult for people, under such circumstances
especially in bighly-civzed, and therefore bighl,
selfish state OF society, in Englandio obtain then
political rights, than for those nations where there
middle class governmcnt-where there is despotism-
where the people natural and generous 10
wards each other and where all classes united for thu
same object-for The conquest OF freedom. must hini
III at the people OF Eng and the working classes
who are by far the greatest number'-are TO b,
piied are in a far worse condition, no, hstandng al
their liberty. than the people OF continental Europe
W.B.P.