The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-07-28

anxious and distressful in modern
british history. You can consult
the literature Of the times for the
facts. Thomas May Erskine. in
his Constitutional History of Eng
land" says the year 1919 was one of
peril. Harriet Martineau, in her "Iiis-
tory OF the Peace describes the dis
tracted condition of the country with
graphic power. Sir Archibald Alison
Is ornate and eloquent in his descriptions
oil the state of the nation. 1.-The govern.
ment alarmists of that period,' saws
Charles Knight, in his History of Eng
land. ""were in a condition of almost
helpless terror. Lord Eldon decribes
the peopl col the country as Invisible into
two classes-the one insane, who man
ifested their insanity in perfect apathy.
eating and drinking as If there was no
danger of political death. yea, even no
tomorrow contrasted with the other
class, who halloed on an Infatuated null
titude to acts of desperation, 'rhe
country said the Chancellor, must make
new laws TO meet this state of things, or
we must make shocking choice between
military government and anarchy" An
extra session of parliament was called m
November. 1919, and it made the new
laws necessary. in the judgment of the
ministry, to curb and quell
the lawlessness and insurrectionary
spirit of a whole people. afflicted with
the most extraordinary and unprecedent-
ed of all omplaints-ouer-p production =
who had so much to eat, to drink, and to
wear. that they were on the verge OF
open rebellion against the constitutional
authorities from sheer excess of the
fairness of the land, the people OF the
British Islands threatened to destroy their
government. surely an unparalleled
thing in the history OF nations. Shake
spere says Hamlet, was sent into England
because all the English being reputed to
be insane, an insane prince was not likely
to be an object of special notice among
them; and incontcstably a nation must be
| insane that grows rebellious because ofthe
presence OF too much wheat and corn.
| beef and bacon, butter and cheese, beer
and gin, cotton and wool Well, to meet
this most remarkable and abnormal
state of affairs, the parliament made
| the necessary HeU lars; they were
| known rs 'the six acts" and were de-
nominated by the larger part of the peo-
pie as wickedly oppressive and uncon.
stitutional. Lord Campbell said of
them that they were the last violation of
the constitution OF the kingdom. The
six acts conferred new and extreme
powers upon the government; they au-
thorized arbitrary arrests aud unusual
punishment, the suppression Of public
meetings, the search OF private houses,
and seizure of private papers, and the
lettering of the public press; "lhe old
spirit Of liberty appears to have de.
parted" says Charles knight comment
ing upon these statutes. And all this in
subordination and insurrectiOnary spirit
Oh the. part of the people, and the exhi-
bition OF military power and civil rcpres-
sion on the part of the authorities. were in
consequence of Orer production! of too
much to eat. to drink and to wear o1
storehOuses filled to repletion with fabrics
Of industry too active, OF commerce toe
gainful. 1t was a portentous time
indeed the harvest season OF
demagogues and of "reformers," though
there seems to be no authenticated III
stance in which, under guise of reform. >
policeman was made peer, or thief.
taker prime minister. or where so evil q
thing was even proposed. The doctrine
of over-production was OF course the i'm.
vcntion of the political economists, and
was not warranted either by facts Oh
common sense. any more than it Is now
warranted in explanation of the distress
prevailing in these United States. 1t was
a very convenient phrase, however. and
extremely satisfactory TO the office hold.
erS, bond holders, spectators. and the
political economists themselves.
The lesson of English resumption i!
one of instruction and warning one tina
the whole American people should tax,
thoroughly into their hearts.
The existing monetary system Is al
safe and sound as exists in any country
in the world; ii is capable OF absolut,
demonstration that since 1866 prices hay,
been as uniform and steady in Americ;
a. in Great Britain, though sustained a
a higher level. If any one expects better
protection tor either labor or property
under convertible system than he ha
under the existing system. he expects
what never will be realized
wish to see that system so strength
ened and perfected that it shall
become the permanent system OF the
country, for under it the rights OF prop.
erty and the rewards of labor may be-
alike protected and secured; and nc
system can effect more and these are OF
ought to be the objects of every system
in every country. And sooner or Later
this is the solid ground upon which the
labor and capital Of the country, Ions
and fruitlessly oppressed by Legislative
ignorance and sinister public policy
must unite Tor a common protection ant
safety. The American system will prov,
their final defence against the gold fla
natics and idolaters on the one hand
and the imitation fanatics and communist
on the other; the cOmmon.and equal enc
mics of morals, Of order, OF property ant
of industry.
In conclusion. beg to say that | am
neither infiationist or repudiator. pro-
test that i am no enemy OF the publ,
creditors, OF the public honor. Of the pub
lie justice, or of sound public policy
The public creditors should be paid L
the uttermost farthing. The public honor
is glorious part OF the public estate, Blu
] fail to see that its support or preserva
ton depends upon particular torn o
paper money. The public justice is til,
fountain of that perfect equity among TIN
people which is, in its administration
the nOblest of the public functions. 1t
most memorable and illustriou
exhibition in America took place under
an inconvertible system OF paper
notes, and was the emancipation of fouI
millions of slaves; an act upon which q ot
Himself must have looked with favor
which won for the Federal arms tn
goodwill and respect of all Christian
men, and which would have been physi