She and I, Volume 2: A Love Story. A Life History.Hutcheson, John C. (John Conroy)
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She and I, Volume 2: A Love Story. A Life History.
Hutcheson, John C. (John Conroy)
Love stories
What will your ballot-advocate--who anathematises "Tory coercion," and
is continually urging into notice the "purity of election" that
characterises the system of our "cousins"--say, to the fact, that one
party of "free and enlightened citizens" of the model cosmos of his
admiration regularly sell their votes to the highest bidder; while,
another set, under a military despotism, are compelled to exercise the
franchise only in a manner pleasing to a dominant faction? What will
your Democratic Dilke, or Ouvrier Odger--who may, in this "speech-
gagged," "oppressed" country, heap scurrilous abuse on royalty and
overhaul the washing bills of her Majesty without let or hindrance--say,
for the "liberty of speech" on the other side; where, if they were to
utter a word in favour of the conquered Confederates, amongst a certain
school of "black republicans," they would run the risk of having a
revolver bullet in their epigastric region before they knew where they
were?
How would your communistic enthusiast, who bawls out about the equality
of all men, like to see, as I have seen, "respectable cullered pussons,"
representatives of the beloved "man and a brother," _wearing livery_,
the "badge of servitude," which is only supposed to be donned by the
"menials of European tyrants?" And yet, these darkey flunkeys are in
the service of free and equal citizens of a "Great Republic," strange to
say!
What does your Manchester "Spinning Jenney," the earnest upholder of
free trade, say to the "Protection" policy of his congeners in the
States?
How can he reconcile his statements _here_ with facts _there_?
Where is the "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite," now, when you really come
to dive below the surface, and see things as they are in America, eh?--
But, bless you, these reformers will _not_ so regard the objects of
their veneration. They will only see them in the light in which they
choose to see them; and would swear black was white in order to answer
their purpose!
Your true radical or republican--the name "liberal" is a misnomer--is,
as I have often heard the vicar say, one of the most intolerant,
illiberal persons under the sun. His idea of freedom, is, that
everybody should be free to do as _he_ pleases:--if they object to his
programme, they are evidently not sufficiently "advanced" to suit him!
His liberty of speech, is, for himself to spout away ad libitum on his
hobby, and everybody else who may not agree with him to hold his tongue!
His theory of equality is, for all above him in station to be brought
down to _his_ level, and then, for _him_ to remain cock of the walk!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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