Bygones Worth Remembering, Vol. 1 (of 2)Holyoake, George Jacob
Philosophy
Bygones Worth Remembering, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Holyoake, George Jacob
Holyoake, George Jacob, 1817-1906; Social reformers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Working class -- Great Britain -- Biography
In "Vivian Grey," Disraeli foreshadowed his bright and vengeful career.
In the same way, Mr. Gladstone wrote the whole spirit of his life in
his first address to the electors of Newark. His career is in that
manifesto, which has never been reprinted. The reader will be interested
in seeing it Here it is:--
To the Worthy and Independent Electors of the Borough of Newark.
"Gentlemen,--Having now completed my canvass, I think it my duty as well
to remind you of the principles on which I have solicited your votes as
freely to assure my friends that its result has placed my success beyond
a doubt. I have not requested your favour on the ground of adherence
to the opinions of any man or party, further than such adherence can be
fairly understood from the conviction that I have not hesitated to avow
that we must watch and resist that uninquiring and un-discriminating
desire for change amongst us, which threatens to produce, along with
partial good, a melancholy preponderance of mischief, which I am
persuaded would aggravate beyond computation the deep-seated evils of
our social state, and the heavy burthens of our industrial classes;
which, by disturbing our peace, destroys confidence and strikes at
the root of prosperity. This it has done already, and this we must,
therefore, believe it will do.
"For a mitigation of these evils we must, I think, look not only
to particular measures, but to the restoration of sounder general
principles--I mean especially that principle on which alone the
incorporation of Religion with the State in our constitution can be
defended; that the duties of governors are strictly and peculiarly
religious, and that legislatures, like individuals, are bound to
carry throughout their acts the spirit of the high truths they have
acknowledged. Principles are now arrayed against our institutions, and
not by truckling nor by temporising, not by oppression nor corruption,
but by principles they must be met. Among their first results should be
sedulous and especial attention to the interests of the poor, founded
upon the rule that those who are the least able to take care of
themselves ought to be most regarded by others. Particularly it is
a duty to endeavour by every means that labour may receive adequate
remuneration, which unhappily, among several classes of our
fellow-countrymen, is not now the case. Whatever measures, therefore,
whether by the correction of the Poor Laws, allotment of cottage
grounds, or otherwise, tend to promote this object, I deem entitled to
the warmest support, with all such as are calculated to secure sound
moral conduct in any class of society.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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