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Qctor^r15, 1853] yHitEADEI 995
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BELLOT'S MONUMENT. "A monument to Bellot...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The System Of Forty Years. Four Proposit...
year . We tare repeatedly proved this to demonstration . We are losing exactly in- , the proportion qf : ^ e eojhjaxdrd ^ 'd ^ etendexh ^^ den . the trade which , we have with Bussia and- tile Austrian States / Said that ^ Mc & yre have witlt Turkey . The actual state pf ^ our # ade ° witJi thos ' e ; ' eduiitraes ig in singular contradiction to the dogma } of dertain economists , that political amity does not lead to commerce , Our experiments prove the reverse . Sardinia has held out to us the commercial hand of friendship oh entering into the list of constitu-¦¦
tional states . . ; prance ; Whichcertainly entertains a more friendly feeling to us than " has teen the case for along series of years , is also beginning to discern the advantage of free commercial intercourse ; Turkey reciprocates ; with us the most complete fre ' edoia ; Austria , our : vacillating ally , is restrictive j Russia , pur open , enemy , is prohibitive . With the 15 millions of Turks we enjoy a ta-ade of a , O 0 d , OOO ^ annually , t > r , taking it at the --lowest figui-e , 2 , 500 , 0001 . With theISO millions of Russians , we have a trade of 500 . GOO &
Let us exchange the political circumstances existing between us and E-uBsia , and those parts of Europe which are locked up under the Absolutist GoTernments , fcr the -state of > ' eircttmstances which exists tetween- Us and' Turkey , and- wfe might have a trade with the rest of Europe prpportionate" With that which We have witk Turkejr . This isiiot'sp ^^ lation ;¦ it / is fact : We Icriow thaffc J Gfermany is- deVPurepV by - standing ' armies , and 'incapable 6 f ePijdmereial ¦ expansion through the obstructions to her political einaticipatidri . We know that Italy-is kept frdih trading 'with this country by Austria' Naples , ' arid JBoinP . We
kribw- that Hungary 'is iotpr isoned by the Customs cordon . Jnsnor ^; we know th at'the whol e of Europe which is mnder the Absolutist families , is prevented from , employing its iildu 8 try : in the exchange trader whjh England / ' 'Liberate Europe from thfe Absolutist 'faiailies , and we * exchangefor that prohibitive system the system' that fexists in Turkey , -or , at all events , tliat progressive system which exists in Sardinia , and which is dawning in France ; If we wore to rate the commerce tnus
extricated' for tile OOujatry at 100 millions sterling , we sliould-mahifestly be taking itiiifihitely tod low for any probable'figure . ' WoW , what investment 6 f capital in a ^ vai * of freedom is Worth 100 millions in trade per annum P Thus we sayj as we Said'last week , that if it vteJe neee & sary to invest lOOOmilliPns in the war , ' as We did in the last ; it wotild paycommercially . We should then' enjoy atrade equal to the ' sum now stated "by Mr . Bright as spent annually oh standing armies—ilOO or 150 millions sterling . /< • ' ' ¦ ¦
But independently of the ulterior commercial advantagps to beVori , there are special trading classes in this'country who know Very well the positive profits Pf a war . Sheffield ami Birmingham , for example , have an eyo to sword ^ blades and ¦ muskets ; Tbut it is a ludicrous Quibble to pretend that these piu'veyors alone , or ev . pn ' tn ' o farmers exclusively , would rea p the profits of an European war . Much of the industry of the Continent would be Suspended , and we should havo'fo supply its Jiiacel Coal , iron , carr iage , and many o « i < ir co ' nVniodiiies and services , wouj 4 be rendered'by this country , at war prices , arid many a fortunes would Jiavo to bo inado during thb interval . ' ' "
But ^ erinii , iiont ^ advantages would accriie' not « lorie to individuals . ' Let lis take' 6 ne example . War with jRuM ' amight tp' some extent suspend more than Pne greilt 'triiflo' with . ' that country . : If jt is Observed by tho tim 6 ro ua free trader that Jiere wo should loao in produce ,, lot vis reply jit once , that ' wo' neec'l hover fear for ' any prPdueo which TlusfiiiCcan lioltlbac'lt , wliilowo fiavpAmerica and oxir colonies' to ' support us—auomer instan
ce of tho facility of trade with friendly lowers " aind peopled VhoBo industryis free . But a mongst tlieJiUrifliiln ' tradoH ' 'is , a HUpplV of flax , which might bo suspended . Flax ja already tho Bubiect of anxious cultivation in England arid in Ireland especially , wlioro iii is b ' ogijitiing to' b a ? l , ? f i p * ¦^' ¦ m- li ^ . ird ^ bnH' ^ y ^ IiQ' ^ ttitt ' iS ' ° f « ax , ihintfl 6 d ' ' witli , ii £ l manufacture , ik bxco ' s-- ^ mjiiuiicKto
... y u .-a uoay ot people suppiyth / r work % tlio whole y « W , mlA cMcfiicing to ii M-^ eatic form -of ihdubMy lnoi any-bonoficia . i : ' Suspend tho E ,, iBftiaii flattl-ado , ftna ' fv ' n ' i ^ men ^ iirt-V l-u 1 H hriy ^ 1 ; o thri ilax- inrdAe i « Mgtiti K mul HtiU moi ^ o In Jtblnnd a trddo woultt'tliiifl W-ow U , notoftiiUy to Ko suporflocMt ori thp riatojation ' of poiico ; wll ^ \ ftiiflHia . " ^ hei"flift irko ?« ua ci-eatod wbulfl survive : Already' % Xrcland
thin contingent benefit from a just war is the subject of ieongratuktjon . This is no new idea , adopted from an Irish feeling * bf the day , for we have ourselves anticipated the present occasion . Thus , nearly a twelvemonth b , ack , we wrote ,-r" At this momen ^ should a general European wQi xuir hJappilj : break out , and Eussia be found amongst'our pppo * npnfcSjvwhat would becpome of our supplies of material forsaile , cordage , and other nayal e . quipinents « dependeat upo »
a full supply of fibrous material ? It is beyond a _ doubfc that , with the exception of manilla hemp , > vjiicla wilj not take , tar , $ uad isfphneipaliy serviceable for running , rigging ? and wholly useless for wearing purposes , Russia almost escluaitely supplies ( pur niarine with flax and hemp . Thia dependence ttpqin foreign , countries , and , abpye alL upoij Eussia , may one day involve us . in , much difficulty ,, and demonstrate , when top late , thie folly ; of negleotiug our own internal resources . " —Jjeader , Nov . . 27 , 1852 .
¦ ; Again , — - " Of some 150 , 000 ships and coasters employed in the marine of G * eat Britain , it is supposed that not one is fltte'd with stores nlanufactured fitomflax of home growth ; <^ hat , in order to supply necessaries for those Vessels , and for domestic use , ; . the produce ,, not of 400 , 000 acres , as stated rougUy in pur . fest' letter , but of 70 <) , 0 d 0 , as assumed by Sir Jaines Graham ^ Would be annually re ( juired to displace fdr & 4 n importations of flax , heimp , and jute ; and tnatf t 6 effect this , we only require to multiply the present growth of Ireland by five . Of the 160 , 000 acres supposed ^ tQ be now g $ own in Grreat Britain , Ireland in 1851 contributed as much as 138 , WO ; and with a further deyeioprienib of her resources , could herself increase the Supply of flax beyond the requirements of the British empire . "—Leader , December 4 , 1852 .
i But nptbing can be more suicidal in logic than to appeal ' ix > the recollections of the war with France o ? the Anierican colonies ; . the circumstances are exactly reversed , At the close of last eentuPy we were at war . with France against ]> Tapoleoni for the purpose of forcing upon Europe certain families which were hateful at the time , and which nave justified the hatred of the people by their crimes and cruelties . ! Thefe . e nated , cruel , imbecile families— -such as the reigning -houses of Austria and Naples—^ have obstructed c 6 minerce , destroyed natiPiial indejjiendence , ' suppressed political action of every kind , expunged education , imprisoned men and women in multitudes , generation after generation ; have
inflicted ignorance , slavery , pauperism of soul and body , death , aiid worse than death , upon whole races ; a ^ d it was to force those fam ilies upon reluctanifc nations tHat we undertook the war against Napoleon . We spent a tliousand millions in that holy alliance . The circumstances now are exactly opposite . W ^ e should act with the nations , and their resources would be for us , arid not against us ; we sliould have legions of volunteers flocking to our standards , instead of subsidized mercenaries and discontented conscripts . We have with us , not against us , the heir' to the name and empire ^ of NUpolepn , and we can well dispenso witli tlie . y & onsiours , the Ferdinands , ana even the Alexanders , for whom we spent our monoy afc the commencement of the century .
There is another incident of the distinction we arc enforcing of sucli poh ' tical and commercial significniK ' , 0 1 that tho peace croakers ought % o be among the first to souiid the trumpets of this hPly war . The armies of the despotic Grovernmenta may bo reckoned at somefcbmg like 2 JdO 0 , QOO , of men , sustanie 4 iijb yasrt oxpcAse , to . tho ' oppressed , nations , nnd at a disastrcxTia Jlo » s 8 to the victims of bankrupt bondH and fabulous lpaiis , who rush like moths to ii ' flamo sit tlie tempting 1 > ait 8 of the Barings and tho itptljuBcjiilus- , Tli , e . expens . o ' . pf s ' uatainin ^ ( JIicho nicu iB eiitiiiled , bc < 'auBO tUpy are hired fpr t ] io pui-ppeo of acting against tho peoples , and of keeping on
high seals of emolument and power , some forty crpwhed atid vicious Xinpoators . In free countries wo hayo exactly tji , p bpp ' ps ito ^ t ^ tQ pftliings , Tajco Anioyioa ; there is no . necessity |; o mo . intu . in a . atttndijig army there , becaviso tho people is ita own army . There is no noceHsity either to pay t 5 fio men , ' or to abstract ' so much manhood from tho pursuits of industry , agriculture , " aiid eio ! tbrpriBe . By disbanding tup ahti' -iin ; tiPn > i . rarmies of Ei ^ 'p ' po , Vo' ^ loiilclfcliufl i ; cc ' ruit tll ^ ^ upa pf industry and of ]> oaco . ThiH is a commercial , i ( ioi , » i o « % j credit side which wo luiveiiji-ightito add to oiir provioiiH calculations . '
The riicolleotion of our Ainoi-ican colonies ought again to Htreiigtheu u » ifc is ho apropos . Wo ( illo ' n thought to sVippros ^ na , tiPnal ftocdom Hijiop , ' jtlmf ' tlinio . wo have ibi ^ id tUo iiCcoaHi | y pt conferring ¦ ¦ tUo biuiio fvop ^ pm for ' . which '• , tho Amm'kianB fought , upon -our colonies iU North Awnyinca , 'tlw Woat'Indies , South AMvu , and AuBtralifl . ' We' are taking 'kexie to cpnfof tho
same upon our alien dependencies of India . We have made some progress , and are contemplating further : developments in the same principles at home ; in other words , we have admitted throughout the British dominions that our American colonies were right , and our Grovernment was wrong . The question now is , whether we shall continue to fight on the si de of arbitrary Government as we did against our American colonies , and as we did in the last European war , or wheth er we shall desist from that wicked , foolish , and losing policy , to take the same side which the Canadians have taken ; which our present Colonial Minister has taken in the colonies recently added
to the ' list of free countries ; and to extend the same freedom , with analogous results , no doubt , to the broad field of Europe : having on our side and not against us those American colonies that have grown strong in the policy which they initiated and We have adopted . Our readers will perceive'that this is not a straining of the circumstances , but a simple recital of the facts which they know as well as we do . We have only put them together for our readers to view them in juxtaposition , confident in the conclusion which they will draw . It is said that we must pause before we give up " the system of forty years . " What has the system of forty years been ? It . was established to sustain dominant and detested
families against the nations ; it was expected to preserve order . The families have only brought a few more imbecile tyrants into the world as worthless as those whom we re-established . They have so go vernedEurope , that the whole of the continent under their sway has for the last five years been virtually and in many cases literally in a state of siege . They prevent the trade which we should share ; they cheek civilization both of commerce and of intellect ; they prop up , at Rome , an apoplectic old Prince of Darkness , who insiststhat
tne science of the world shall starfc from the presumption that the sun goes round the earth ; they imprison by multitudes , and they kill b y slow tortures and lingering exhaustion . That is " the system of forty years ! " In the ensuing war we should inevitably change these conditions , reverse these results . We should have freedom , co ' mmerce , peace , abolition of standing armies . In a word , the American system , which lias been
adopted with success in England and English colonies , wouldbebroxightliometoEuropc ; a system of domesticorder andtranquillity , of national liberty , of education , of social regeneration , of energetic production , active trade , advancing science , and of good will . That system whick appears to us to be so good is exactly the reverse ot the detestable " system of forty years" which has at last become so intolerable that it can no longer be sustained .
Qctor^R15, 1853] Yhiteadei 995
Qctor ^ r 15 , 1853 ] yHitEADEI 995
Bellot's Monument. "A Monument To Bellot...
BELLOT ' S MONUMENT . "A monument to Bellot , " is suggested , and tho suggestion , springs from an honourable impulse . The example of the gallant stronger lias told upon the minds of those , who stay t \ t home ; and the proof is furnished by this honourable desire to do honour to him . Let there bo a tomb . For himself it is not needed , as tombs seldom are . It is not Shakespeare who is affected by tho monument , but tiioso who live after Shakespeare ; and the monument is not needed to make us appreciate liia works , but to tell each other ( hat wo are able to appreciate greatness So likewise a monument to such a man m Bollot ia chiefly for our-Molves , and those who immediately succeed uy . As for him , if his epitaph were ongraven on tho hupnjnock , of ieo from which ho foil ; if it woro writ iii tUo w , u , ter thai ; was atirrod for im instant with liia last movomnnta in life , it would still aurvive any structure of Htono or brass ; for it in hnpPriahably lUMpciatcd with all that makes flolfaaorificp sublime .
Aa-iitio diyepvery lias fujmiahod ih ' m oou , nli"y , xn piping iirnoH of po < -u ) O , with that which lined to attbrd . opportunities for grand exertion in tlio dayn of chivalry . Thero ia in tho human mind tin : inextinguishablo dcfliro to try ils capacity ol puraving good for } ts own nako ; pf oncountorijig danger Fov tliosako of the conquest ; and , in short , t ol nature
of prPving the immortal par our . — that par !/ which cannot bo milxhiod cither by danger or death . It haw boon observed , th ^ it ttiosp' wlu > pbjoiit to tUrHo X ' ylur ( ixpodijijone , u , h i ^ uSflo ^' aMi ' npfc tho pwwons . ongagotl in them , but those who stay at homo . It is tho writer , eittjing irt Jiifl warm room , wlip ehrinks in idpu ftr 6 iu tllo wiislo of life amid tlio ico and winds of
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 15, 1853, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15101853/page/11/
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