Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 424, February 1851Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 424, February 1851
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
Is there, then, no remedy for these various, accumulating, and most
threatening evils? Must we sit down with our hands across, supinely
witnessing the progressive dangers and certain ultimate destruction of
the empire, merely because the measures inducing all these perils are
supported by the moneyed and manufacturing oligarchy who have got the
command of the House of Commons? We are far from thinking that this
is the case; but if we would avert, or even mitigate our dangers, we
must set ourselves first to remedy the most pressing. Of these, the
most serious, beyond all question, are to be found in our unprotected
state,--for they may destroy us as a nation in a month, after some
fresh freak of Lord Palmerston's has embroiled us with some of the
great European powers. In regard to other matters, and the general
commercial policy, the danger, though not the less real, is not so
immediate, and experience may perhaps enlighten the country before
it is too late. But it is otherwise with our external dangers: they
are instant and terrible. The means of resisting them are perfectly
simple--they will be felt as a burden by none; on the contrary, they
are calculated, at the same time that they provide for our national
defence, to mitigate the greater part of the domestic evils under which
the people labour.
Government tell us that they have a surplus of L.3,000,000 this year in
their hands. We hope it is so, and that it will not prove, like other
surpluses, greater on paper than in reality. But let it be assumed that
it is as large as is represented. _That surplus, judiciously applied,
would save the country!_ It would raise our armaments to such a point
as, with the advantages of our insular situation, and long-established
warlike fame, would prevent all thoughts of invasion on the part of
our enemies. It would give us 100,000 regular troops, with those we
already have--100,000 militia, occasionally called out--and 25 ships
of the line, with those already in commission, to defend the British
shores. It is true, the continuance of the Income Tax cannot be relied
on--nor should the country submit to it any longer; for a tax which is
paid exclusively by 147,000 persons out of 28,000,000, is so obviously
unjust, that its further retention is probably impossible. Additional
direct taxation upon the affluent classes is obviously out of the
question, for the chasms made in the incomes of those depending on
land, who pay three-fourths of it, are such that it would prove totally
unproductive. What, then, is to be done to uphold the public revenue
at its present amount, or even prevent its sinking so as to increase
instead of diminishing our helpless and unprotected state? An obvious
expedient remains. Imitate the conduct of America and Prussia, France
and Russia, and all countries who have any regard either to their
national independence, or the social welfare of their inhabitants. Lay
a moderate duty upon all importations, whether of rude or manufactured
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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