Reader,didyoueverhearof“ConstitutedAnarchy“?Anarchy;thechoking,sweltering,deadlyandkillingruleofNo-rule;theconsecrationofcupidity,andbrayingfolly,anddimstupidityandbaseness,inmostoftheaffairsofmen?Slop-shirtsattainablethreehalfpencecheaper,bytheruinoflivingbodiesandimmortalsouls?SolemnBishopsandhighDignitaries,_our_
divine“PillarsofFirebynight,“debatingmeanwhile,withtheirlargestwigsandgravestlook,uponsomethingtheycall“prevenientgrace“?Alas,ournoblemenofgenius,Heaven’s_real_messengerstous,theyalsorenderednearlyfutilebythewastefultime;——preappointedtheyeverywhere,andassiduouslytrainedbyalltheirpedagoguesandmonitors,to“riseinParliament,“tocomposeorations,writebooks,orinshortspeakwords,fortheapprovalofreviewers;insteadofdoingrealkinglyworktobeapprovedofbythegods!Our“Government,“ahighly“responsible“one;responsibletonoGodthatIcanhearof,buttothetwenty-sevenmillion_gods_oftheshillinggallery。AGovernmenttumblinganddriftingonthewhirlpoolsandmud-deluges,floatingatopinaconspicuousmanner,no-whither,——likethecarcassofadrownedass。Authentic_Chaos_comeupintothissunnyCosmosagain;andallmensingingGloriain_excelsis_toit。Inspiritualsandtemporals,infieldandworkshop,fromManchestertoDorsetshire,fromLambethPalacetotheLanesofWhitechapel,wherevermenmeetandtoilandtraffictogether,——Anarchy,Anarchy;andonlythestreet-constablethoughwithever-increasingdifficultystillmaintaininghimselfinthemiddleofit;thatso,foronething,thisblessedexchangeofslop-shirtsforthesoulsofwomenmaytransactitselfinapeaceablemanner!——I,formypart,doprofessmyselfineternaloppositiontothis,anddiscernwellthatuniversalRuinhasusinthewind,unlesswecangetoutofthis。MyfriendCrabbe,inalatenumberofhis_IntermittentRadiator_,pertinentlyenoughexclaims:——
“WhenshallwehavedonewithallthisofBritishLiberty,VoluntaryPrinciple,DangersofCentralization,andthelike?Itisreallygettingtoobad。ForBritishLiberty,itseems,thepeoplecannotbetaughttoread。BritishLiberty,shudderingtointerferewiththerightsofcapital,takessixoreightmillionsofmoneyannuallytofeedtheidlelaborerwhomitdarenotemploy。ForBritishLibertyweliveoverpoisonouscesspools,gully-drains,anddetestableabominations;andomnipotentLondoncannotsweepthedirtoutofitself。BritishLibertyproduces——what?FloodsofHansardDebateseveryyear,andapparentlylittleelseatpresent。IfthesearetheresultsofBritishLiberty,I,forone,moveweshouldlayitontheshelfalittle,andlookoutforsomethingotherandfarther。WehaveachievedBritishLibertyhundredsofyearsago;andarefastgrowing,onthestrengthofit,oneofthemostabsurdpopulationstheSun,amonghisgreatMuseumofAbsurdities,looksdownuponatpresent。“
Curiousenough:themodeloftheworldjustnowisEnglandandherConstitution;allNationsstrivingtowardsit:poorFranceswimmingtheselastsixtyyearsinseasofhorriddissolutionandconfusion,resolutetoattainthisblessednessoffreevoting,ortodieinchaseofit。Prussiatoo,solidGermanyitself,hasallbrokenoutintocracklingofmusketry,loudpamphleteeringandFrankfortparliamentingandpalavering;Germanytoowillscalethesacredmountains,howsteepsoever,and,bytalismanofballot-box,inhabitapoliticalElysiumhenceforth。AlltheNationshavethatonehope。Verynotable,andrathersadtothehumaneon-looker。Foritissadlyconjectured,alltheNationslaborsomewhatunderamistakeastoEngland,andthecausesofherfreedomandherprosperouscotton-spinning;andhavemuchmisreadthenatureofherParliament,andtheeffectofballot-boxesanduniversalsuffragesthere。
WhatifitwerebecausetheEnglishParliamentwasfromthefirst,andisonlyjustnowceasingtobe,aCouncilofactualRulers,realGoverningPersonscalledPeers,MitredAbbots,Lords,KnightsoftheShire,orhowsoevercalled,actually_ruling_eachhissectionofthecountry,——andpossessingitmustbesaidinthelump,orwhenassembledasaCouncil,uncommonpatience,devoutness,probity,discretionandgoodfortune,——thatthesaidParliamentevercametobegoodformuch?Inthatcaseitwillnotbeeasyto“imitate“theEnglishParliament;andtheballot-boxandsuffragewillbethemerebowofRobinHood,whichitisgiventoveryfewtobend,orshootwithtoanyperfection。AndifthePeersbecomemerebigCapitalists,RailwayDirectors,giganticHucksters,KingsofScrip,_without_lordlyquality,orothervirtueexceptcash;andtheMitredAbbotschangetomereAble-Editors,mastersofParliamentaryEloquence,DoctorsofPoliticalEconomy,andsuchlike;andall_have_tobeelectedbyauniversal-suffrageballot-box,——IdonotseehowtheEnglishParliamentitselfwilllongcontinuesea-worthy!Nay,IfindEnglandinherownbigdumbheart,whereveryoucomeuponherinasilentmeditativehour,beginstohavedreadfulmisgivingsaboutit。
Themodeloftheworld,then,isatonceunattainablebytheworld,andnotmuchworthattaining?England,asIreadtheomens,isnowcalledasecondtimeto“showtheNationshowtolive;“forbyherParliament,aschiefgoverningentity,Ifearsheisnotlongforthisworld!PoorEnglandmustherselfagain,inthesenewstrangetimes,theoldmethodsbeingquitewornout,“learnhowtolive。“ThatnowistheterribleproblemforEngland,asforalltheNations;andshealoneofall,not_yet_
sunkintoopenAnarchy,butleftwithtimeforrepentanceandamendment;she,wealthiestofallinmaterialresource,inspiritualenergy,inancientloyaltytolaw,andinthequalitiesthatyieldsuchloyalty,——sheperhapsaloneofallmaybeable,withhugetravail,andthestrainofallherfaculties,toaccomplishsomesolution。Shewillhavetotryit,shehasnowtotryit;shemustaccomplishit,orperishfromherplaceintheworld!
England,asIpersuademyself,stillcontainsinitmany_kings_;possesses,asoldRomedid,manymennotneeding“election“tocommand,buteternallyelectedforitbytheMakerHimself。England’sonehopeisinthese,justnow。Theyareamongthesilent,Ibelieve;mostlyfarawayfromplatformsandpublicpalaverings;notspeakingforththeimageoftheirnoblenessintransitorywords,butimprintingit,eachonhisownlittlesectionoftheworld,insilentfacts,inmodestvaliantactions,thatwillendureforevermore。Theymustsitsilentnolonger。Theyaresummonedtoassertthemselves;toactforth,andarticulatelyvindicate,intheteethofhowlingmultitudes,ofaworldtoojustly_maddened_intoallmannerofdeliriousclamors,whatofwisdomtheyderivefromGod。England,andtheEternalVoices,summonthem;poorEnglandneversoneededthemasnow。Up,bedoingeverywhere:thehourofcrisishasverilycome!InallsectionsofEnglishlife,thegod-made_king_isneeded;ispressinglydemandedinmost;insome,cannotlonger,withoutperilasofconflagration,bedispensedwith。He,wheresoeverhefindshimself,cansay,“HeretooamIwanted;
hereisthekingdomIhavetosubjugate,andintroduceGod’sLawsinto,——God’sLaws,insteadofMammon’sandM’Croudy’sandtheOldAnarch’s!Hereismywork,hereornowhere。“——Aretheremanysuch,whowillanswertothecall,inEngland?Itturnsonthat,whetherEngland,rapidlycrumblingintheseveryyearsandmonths,shallgodowntotheAbyssasherneighborshavealldone,orsurvivetonewgranderdestinies_without_solutionofcontinuity!Probablythechiefquestionoftheworldatpresent。
Thetrue“commander“andking;hewhoknowsforhimselfthedivineAppointmentsofthisUniverse,theEternalLawsordainedbyGodtheMaker,inconformingtowhichliesvictoryandfelicity,indepartingfromwhichlies,andforevermustlie,sorrowanddefeat,foreachandallofthePosterityofAdamineverytimeandeveryplace;hewhohasswornfealtytothese,anddarealoneagainsttheworldassertthese,anddarenotwiththewholeworldathisbackdeflectfromthese;——he,Iknowtoowell,isarareman。Difficulttodiscover;notquitediscoverable,I
apprehend,bymanoeuvringofballot-boxes,andriddlingofthepopularclamoraccordingtothemostapprovedmethods。HeisnotsoldatanyshopIknowof,——thoughsometimes,asatthesignoftheBallot-box,heisadvertisedforsale。Difficultindeedtodiscover:andnotverymuchassisted,orencouragedinlatetimes,todiscover_himself_;——which,Ithink,mightbeakindofhelp?Encouragedrather,andcommandedinallways,ifhebewise,to_hide_himself,andgiveplacetothewindyCounterfeitofhimself;suchastheuniversalsuffragescanrecognize,suchaslovesthemostsweetvoicesoftheuniversalsuffrages!——O
Peter,whatbecomesofsuchaPeople;whatcanbecome?
Didyouneverhear,withthemind’searaswell,thatfatefulHebrewProphecy,Ithinkthefatefulestofall,whichsoundsdailythroughthestreets,“Ou’clo!Ou’clo!“——AcertainPeople,onceuponatime,clamorouslyvotedbyoverwhelmingmajority,“Not_he_;Barabbas,nothe!_Him_,andwhatheis,andwhatbedeserves,weknowwellenough:arevileroftheChiefPriestsandsacredChancerywigs;aseditiousHeretic,physical-forceChartist,andenemyofhiscountryandmankind:
Tothegallowsandthecrosswithhim!Barabbasisourman;
Barabbas,weareforBarabbas!“TheygotBarabbas:——haveyouwellconsideredwhatafundofpurblindobduracy,ofopaque_flunkyism_growntruculentandtranscendent;whataneyeforthephylacteries,andwantofeyefortheeternalnoblenesses;sordidloyaltytotheprosperousSemblances,andhigh-treasonagainsttheSupremeFact,suchavotebetokensinthesenatures?Foritwastheconsummationofalongseriesofsuch;theyandtheirfathershadlongkeptvotingso。AsingularPeople;whocouldbothproducesuchdivinemen,andthencouldsostoneandcrucifythem;aPeopleterriblefromthebeginning!——Well,theygotBarabbas;andtheygot,ofcourse,suchguidanceasBarabbasandthelikeofhimcouldgivethem;and,ofcourse,theystumbledeverdownwardsanddevilwards,intheirtruculentstiffneckedway;and——and,atthishour,aftereighteencenturiesofsadfortune,theypropheticallysing“Ou’clo!“inallthecitiesoftheworld。Mighttheworld,atthislatehour,buttakenoteofthem,andunderstandtheirsongalittle!
Yes,therearesomethingstheuniversalsuffragecandecide,——andabouttheseitwillbeexceedinglyusefultoconsulttheuniversalsuffrage:butinregardtomostthingsofimportance,andinregardtothechoiceofmenespecially,thereisastonishingasitmayseemnexttonocapabilityonthepartofuniversalsuffrage——Irequestallcandidpersons,whohaveneversolittleoriginalityofmind,andeverymanhasalittle,toconsiderthis。Iftrue,itinvolvessuchachangeinournowfashionablemodesofprocedureasfillsmewithastonishmentandalarm。_If_popularsuffrageisnotthewayofascertainingwhattheLawsoftheUniverseare,andwhoitisthatwillbestguideusinthewayofthese,——thenwoeistousifwedonottakeanothermethod。DelolmeontheBritishConstitutionwillnotsaveus;deafwilltheParcaebetovotesoftheHouse,toleadingarticles,constitutionalphilosophies。Theothermethod——alas,itinvolvesastoppingshort,orvitalchangeofdirection,inthegloriouscareerwhichallEurope,withshoutsheaven-high,isnowgallopingalong:andthat,happenwhenitmay,will,tomanyofus,beprobablyarathersurprisingbusiness!
OnethingIdoknow,andcanagainassertwithgreatconfidence,supportedbythewholeUniverse,andbysometwohundredgenerationsofmen,whohaveleftussomerecordofthemselvesthere,ThatthefewWisewillhave,byonemethodoranother,totakecommandoftheinnumerableFoolish;thattheymustbegottotakeit;——andthat,infact,sinceWisdom,whichmeansalsoValorandheroicNobleness,isalonestronginthisworld,andonewisemanisstrongerthanallmenunwise,theycanbegot。Thattheymusttakeit;andhavingtaken,mustkeepit,anddotheirGod’sMessageinit,anddefendthesame,attheirlife’speril,againstallmenanddevils。ThisIdoclearlybelievetobethebackboneofallFutureSociety,asithasbeenofallPast;andthatwithoutit,thereisnoSocietypossibleintheworld。Andwhatabusiness_this_willbe,beforeitendinsomedegreeofvictoryagain,andwhetherthetimeforshoutsoftriumphandtremendouscheersuponitisyetcome,ornotyetbyagreatway,Iperceivetoowell!Abusinesstomakeusallveryseriousindeed。Abusinessnottobeaccomplishedbutbynoblemanhood,anddevoutall-daring,all-enduringloyaltytoHeaven,suchasfatally_sleeps_atpresent,——suchasisnot_dead_atpresenteither,unlessthegodshavedoomedthisworldoftheirstodie!
Abusinesswhichlongcenturiesoffaithfultravailandheroicagony,onthepartofallthenoblethatareborntous,willnotend;andwhichtous,ofthis“tremendouscheering“century,itwereblessednessverygreattoseesuccessfullybegun。Begun,triedbyallmannerofmethods,ifthereisonewiseStatesmanormanleftamongus,itverilymustbe;——begun,successfullyorunsuccessfully,wedohopetoseeit!
InallEuropeancountries,especiallyinEngland,oneclassofCaptainsandcommandersofmen,recognizableasthebeginningofanewrealandnotimaginary“Aristocracy,“hasalreadyinsomemeasuredevelopeditself:theCaptainsofIndustry;——happilytheclasswhoaboveall,oratleastfirstofall,arewantedinthistime。Inthedoingofmaterialwork,wehavealreadymenamongusthatcancommandbodiesofmen。Andsurely,ontheotherhand,thereisnolackofmenneedingtobecommanded:thesadclassofbrother-menwhomwehadtodescribeas“Hodge’semancipatedhorses,“reducedtorovingfamine,——thistoohasinallcountriesdevelopeditself;and,infatalgeometricalprogression,isevermoredevelopingitself,witharapiditywhichalarmseveryone。Onthisground,ifnotonallmannerofothergrounds,itmaybetrulysaid,the“OrganizationofLabor“
_not_organizablebythemadmethodstriedhithertoistheuniversalvitalProblemoftheworld。