Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-08-10
Communicated
The Highways Of England in the 18th
Century -Macaulay-A Lesson for
Croakers.


Century -Macaulay-A Lesson fol
Croakers.
Mr. EDITOR In reading the dis
cussion upon the railroad tax ques'
ton, contained in your columns re-
Gently, | have been interested to OBJ
serve its similarity to great questions
which arose among our forefathers
In the Sd Chapter Of the 1st Volume
of his History of England, Macaulay
has skotchcd, with master hand, a
most interesting picture showing
the social, moral and material condi-
ton of England about tbs year 1855.
This was when the crown passed to
James Ii, and but three years before
the final revolution of 1858 which in
augurated a new era in English pol>
ltics that has continued, with modi-
fications, to our time. / request
your readers, who have access to
to this, to read it carefully and make
it study. Those who are in the
habit of croaking over the dismal
condition of the present will fad
there cure for their mental malady.
Those who still comfort themselves
over the imagined difficulties of the
present, with the vain halucination
that there was once a golden age,
can lind there bit of philosophy
that should prevent the recurrence
of that nightmare of those who sit in
the dirt and will not let others rise
who will neither make the struggle
themselves nor let their brothers try.
In part of this chapter, Macaulay
describes the then condition Of the
roads in England, and the slow, ex>
pensive and uncomfortable modes of
travelling and transporting goods.
Then the King of Denmark, on
State visit, was six hours in going
nine miles. From London to Bir-
mingham the charge for freight was
81 ton from London to Exeter 912
a ton-fitteen times as much as is
now demanded by railroad compa-
MES. The first highway upon which
toll was taken to keep it in repairs,
was between the West Riding of
Yorkshire and London. This excit-
ed such murmurs that the other
roads were left under the old system,
Macanlay says, "For unjust and abb
surd taxation to which men are ac>
customed is often borne far more
willingly than the most reasonable
impost that is new. By slow de-
grees reason triumphed over preju,
dice; and our island is now crossed
III every direction by nearly
thirty thousand miles of turnpike
road"
When flying coaches were intro
duced, that travelled fifty miles per
day, they met with general opposi>
ton. MANY persons we've, from stu
pidity and obstinacy, disposed to
clamor against the innovation, sim
ply because it was an innovation"
1t was vehemently argued that it
was fatal to the breed of horses and
the art of Craftsmanship; that they
started too early before break fast and
got in late for Tea, and saddlers and
spurriers would be ruined. "On these
grounds it was gravely recommend
ed that no public carriage should be
permitted to have more than four
horses, to start oftener than once
week, or to go more than thirty
miles day. 1t was hoped that if
these regulations were adopted all,
except the sick and the lame, would
return to the old mode of travelling.
Petitions, embodying such opinions
as these, were presented to the King
in council, from several companies Of
the city of London, from several
provincial towns, and from the iusti-
ces of several counties. We smile at
these things. 1t is not impossible
that our descendants, when they
read of the history OF the opposition
offered by cupidity and prejudice to
the improvements of the nineteenth
century, may smile in their turn.
And yet it may then be the mode to
assert that the increase of wealth
and the progress of science have
benefited the few at the expense of
the many, and to talk of the reign of
Queen Victoria as the time when
England was truly merry England !;
when all classes were bound togeth-
err by brotherly sympathy when
the rich did not grind the faces of the
poor, and whom the poor did not envy
the splendor of the rich"
We have just given a few extracts
with the hope of starting some trains
of thought in others, and not to trace
them ourselves. Let the entire
chapter be studiously read by all
and the lessons derived will give
them kindlier hearts, more public
spirited and advanced views, more
generous hands and livelier hopes.
They can see the effects of that
spirit which animates our race, that
POUNDS empires, conquers sea and
land, overcomes mountains and for
ests, builds cities and railroads, push
es forward all the wonderful machin-
cry of civilization while few men,
like skulkers and deserters from the
army, sit down in the rear and croak
to the passers, of the evil that, lies
ahead, and the joys of that good
old time" when men did not attempt
these great things READER.
tara persistent young man of