Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-07-26
A Paintad Illustration.

Dickens, the novelist, recently made his maid
en- political speech at grand Administrative Re-
form meeting at Drury Lane Theatre London
We extract the following as an admirable illus
tration of the obstinate persistency with which
John Bull clings to old customs merely because
They are old, and insists on keeping in the ruts
made by his ancestors:
81 have observed from the Parliamentary de-
bates that by curious fatality there has been a
great deal of the reproof valiant and the counter
check quarresome in reference TO every case
showing the necessity of Administrative Reform.
by whomsoever produced whatsoever and where
soever tChcers.l dare say should have no
difficulty in adding two OF three cases to the list,
which know to be true and which I have no
doubt will econtradicted. Laughter cheers I l
should have nc difficulty in adding two or three
cases TO the list, but consider it work of SUI
pererogatiou for il the people at large be not al
ready Convinced that sufficient general case has
been made out for Administrative Reform think
they never can I've and never will be. [Cheers I
There is however, an old indisputable, very WELL
known story which has so pointed a moral ut the
end of it that will substitute it for new case,
by doing which may avoid, ! hope, the sacred
wrath of st. Stephens. [Laughtef Ages ago
a savage mode of keeping accounts on hotehed
sticks was introduced into the Court of Exeie-
inson Crusoe kept his calender on the desert is
land. [Laughter.l In the course of considera-
BILE revolutions of time the celebrated Cocker was
born, and died. Laughter. Walkinghame of
the Tutors Assistant well versed in figures, was
also born and died-a multitude of accountants,
book-keepers and actuaries were born, and died.
Still official routine inclined to these notched
sticks, as if they were the pillars of the Consti-
ton, and still the Exchequer accounts continued
to be kept on certain splints of elm wood called
tallies. Hear and laughter In the reign
of Charles III an inquiry was made by some rev.
dictionary spirit, whether pens ink and paper,
and states and pencils being in existence, this OBJ
stnate adherence to an obsolete custom ought to
be continued and whether change ought not
to be effected. All the red tape in the country
grew redder at the bare mention of this bold and
original conception, and it took till 1896 to get
these sticks abolished. Laughter In 1884
lit was found that there was a considerable ac-
emulation ofthem, and the question then arose,
what was to be done with such worn-out, worm
eaten, rotten old bits of wood! / dare say there
was a vast amount of minuting, memoranduming
an dispatchboxing on this mighty subject The
sticks were housed at Westminster, and it would
naturally occur to any intelligent person that no.
thing could be easier than to allow them to be car
RED away used & for firewood by the poor people
who live in that neghborhood However they
never had been useful and official routine requr-
ed tnat they never should be, ana so the order
went forth that they were to be privately and con-
fdentially burnt Laughter. Itcame to pass that
they were burnt in a stove in the House of Lords.
The stove, overgorged with these preposterous
sticks, set fire to the pannelling; the panncling
set fire to the House of Lords; the House of Lords
set fire to the House of Commons; the two houses
were reduced to ashes; architects were called in
to build others; are now in the second million
of the cost thereof; the national pig is not nearly
over the stile yet and the little old woman, Brit
ANNA, hasn't got home tonight. Loud laugh
ter and cheers. Now | think we may reasona-
bly, remark, in conclusion, that all obstinate adj
herence TO rubbish which the time has long out
lived is certain to have in the soul of it more or
less that is perncious and destructive, and that
will some day set fire to something other, which
if given boldly to the winds would have been
harmless, but which obstinately retained is rnin-
Gus.
rS7The Fond du Lac Freeman has the follow
ing sensible remarks i'll regard to the recent
GAINESVILLE tragedy: