The Labor enquirer., 1884-05-17

II
injustice, that the English parliament
passed laws of taxation for the colonies
without the colonies being represented
in parliament. These tax-laws were
| framed SO that their definition was arbi-
trary and by and through the English
government could not leave the people
of the colonies single solitary penny.
| if the tax-gatherers 30 chose to do. The
people were willing to pay taxes, but
they demanded that they should be
their own assessors. The whig opposi-
ton in parliament was friendly to the
American people, as was popular opinion.
The masses with the masses. But the
oppressors, the lords and masters, went
|hrther. The stamped paper was de-
stroyed throughout the colonies. The
oppressed people of the colonies met in
congress and declared October 10, 1866
that parliament had no rightto tax the
people of the colonies. The people arose
from their apathy and were becoming
aware that self-preservation surely must
be the first law of nature.
The stamp act thereupon was repealed
MAY ls, 1766) by the Rockingham min
istry, which had superseded the Gran
vile cabinet. But the ministry ostensi-
bly, made it appear as if this appeal was
but an act of pity and charity to the peo-
| pie. The masters employed hypocrisy.
The people saw through the fimsy e1-
cuse and became more suspicious. They
clearly observed that the repeal was,
first, an act elected through fear and
weakness, and understood that, second,
the reservation in law, the intent, to re-
enforce the measure at the first fitting
occasion. The first encouraged them,
the second gave them more inclination
for revolt. The British ministry soon
showed that they had not maintained the
reservation in law, for mere appearances
sake. They increased the demand upon
the people of the city of New York, for
the maintenance of the British soldiery.
This was not complied with. They en-
acted a tax-law upon glass, paper, white
lead, paints and tea. Again the people
protested, and upon threats being made
by the British governors of several colo
nies, the people actually began to arm
themselves in anticipation of the coming
and inevitable conflict. 1t came and is
matter of history. It was the labor
pain which brought forth the child of
Liberty. Thus the instinct of the people
of America bade them that "selfpreser-
Yation is the first law of nature" This
struggle has had the lasting effect of a
century.
The great French Revolution of 17S9-99,
elected by the success of the American
Revolution, did not last but ten years,
and was drowned in It's own blood and
brutality. The French masses were not
sufficiently educated for their task, and
fell an easy prey to despotism again
They allowed their worst passions to
prevail over their better natures and
made scene Of murder and rapine out
of what should have been a victory of
the age Of reason. Yet the effects of its
causes were most lasting to posterity.
The old feudal aristocracy of France was
destroyed forever more and intelligence,
freedom, liberty and progress can be
justly traced to the results of the great
Paris drama. 1t introduced true liberty,
paved the way to other Revolutions in
France and made an attempt at the Com
mune possible. Yet France and its WORK
ing people are not free. They have to
learn much before they can hold in sure
bondage the tickle Goddess of Liberty.
permanently and lastingly. Their coming
task masters are the possessors of mil
lions and the bureaucracy. But the peo-
Pile, the toilers, are coming to a proper
understanding more and more. The
time is not far distant when the French
division of the International family of
workers will be one of intense conse-
quence and influence over the destiny of
the human race. The lessons given BY
the French Revolution and received by
the people, the masses of civilized hu-
manity, are of permanent results. With
this great Revolution all ideas of feudsI
ism has been destroyed. There ,, ,s M
.greater-aye, scarcely any eosaIlv great
-eventin history than tbSeF Tie French Revo-
luton. The ESTABLISH kment and destrpc-
ton of the old s1lsplres s1Lsplres, the Asiatlc, the
na'euonl@sI =, the Roman, were of great
'onseg. ose9 Hence and hustle, and produced
I effects far-reaching upon more than one
continent. But it was more of physical
power than the offspring of the mind.
They were effected, not through moral
causes, nor by the power of the ideas,
but with the application of genius in the
interests of coyetousness, tyranny and
rapacity.
The advent Of the Mahometan univer-
sal domination, the Hildebrand idea of
the crusades, had their ideal motives,
yet they were prompted by fanatacism
and superstitution. The introduction of
Christianity, as we'll as the inventions of
type and printing-presses, have changed
the condition of the people and the
aspect of the world steam and electric
ity also have done so, yet all have come
quietly silently andimperceptibly, infu.