latter-day pamphlets-第33节
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n Chancellor had got a Fortunatus' purse； as if this Island had become a volcanic fountain of gold； or new terrestrial sun capable of radiating mere guineas。 The result of all which； what was it？ Elderly men can remember the tar…barrels burnt for success and thrice…immortal victory in the business； and yet what result had we？ The French Revolution； a Fact decreed in the Eternal Councils； could not be put down： the result was； that heaven…born Pitt had actually been fighting （as the old Hebrews would have said） against the Lord；that the Laws of Nature were stronger than Pitt。 Of whom therefore there remains chiefly his unaccountable radiation of guineas； for the gratitude of posterity。 Thank you for nothing；for eight hundred millions _less_ than nothing！
Our War Offices； Admiralties； and other Fighting Establishments； are forcing themselves on everybody's attention at this time。 Bull grumbles audibly： 〃The money you have cost me these five…and…thirty years； during which you have stood elaborately ready to fight at any moment； without at any moment being called to fight； is surely an astonishing sum。 The National Debt itself might have been half paid by that money； which has all gone in pipe…clay and blank cartridges！ 〃Yes； Mr。 Bull； the money can be counted in hundreds of millions； which certainly is something：but the 〃strenuously organized idleness；〃 and what mischief that amounts to；have you computed it？ A perpetual solecism； and blasphemy （of its sort）； set to march openly among us； dressed in scarlet！ Bull； with a more and more sulky tone； demands that such solecism be abated； that these Fighting Establishments be as it were disbanded； and set to do some work in the Creation； since fighting there is now none for them。 This demand is irrefragably just； is growing urgent too； and yet this demand cannot be complied with；not yet while the State grounds itself on unrealities； and Downing Street continues what it is。
The old Romans made their soldiers work during intervals of war。 The New Downing Street too； we may predict； will have less and less tolerance for idleness on the part of soldiers or others。 Nay the New Downing Street； I foresee； when once it has got its 〃_Industrial_ Regiments〃 organized； will make these mainly do its fighting； what fighting there is； and so save immense sums。 Or indeed； all citizens of the Commonwealth； as is the right and the interest of every free man in this world； will have themselves trained to arms； each citizen ready to defend his country with his own body and soul；he is not worthy to have a country otherwise。 In a State grounded on veracities； that would be the rule。 Downing Street； if it cannot bethink itself of returning to the veracities； will have to vanish altogether！
To fight with its neighbors never was； and is now less than ever； the real trade of England。 For far other objects was the English People created into this world； sent down from the Eternities； to mark with its history certain spaces in the current of sublunary Time！ Essential； too； that the English People should discover what its real objects are； and resolutely follow these； resolutely refusing to follow other than these。 The State will have victory so far as it can do that； so far as it cannot； defeat。
In the New Downing Street； discerning what its real functions are； and with sacred abhorrence putting away from it what its functions are not； we can fancy changes enough in Foreign Office； War Office； Colonial Office； Home Office！ Our War…soldiers _Industrial_； first of all； doing nobler than Roman works； when fighting is not wanted of them。 Seventy…fours not hanging idly by their anchors in the Tagus； or off Sapienza （one of the saddest sights under the sun）； but busy； every Seventy…four of them； carrying over streams of British Industrials to the immeasurable Britain that lies beyond the sea in every zone of the world。 A State grounding itself on the veracities； not on the semblances and the injustices： every citizen a soldier for it。 Here would be new _real_ Secretaryships and Ministries； not for foreign war and diplomacy； but for domestic peace and utility。 Minister of Works； Minister of Justice；clearing his Model Prisons of their scoundrelism； shipping his scoundrels wholly abroad； under hard and just drill…sergeants （hundreds of such stand wistfully ready for you； these thirty years； in the Rag…and…Famish Club and elsewhere！） into fertile desert countries； to make railways；one big railway （says the Major ＇Footnote： Major Carmichael Smith； see his Pamphlets on this subject＇） quite across America； fit to employ all the able…bodied Scoundrels and efficient Half…pay Officers in Nature！
Lastly；or rather firstly； and as the preliminary of all； would there not be a Minister of Education？ Minister charged to get this English People taught a little； at his and our peril！ Minister of Education； no longer dolefully embayed amid the wreck of moribund 〃religions；〃 but clear ahead of all that； steering； free and piously fearless； towards his divine goal under the eternal stars！O heaven； and are these things forever impossible； then？ Not a whit。 To…morrow morning they might all begin to be； and go on through blessed centuries realizing themselves； if it were not thatalas； if it were not that we are most of us insincere persons； sham talking…machines and hollow windy fools！ Which it is not 〃impossible〃 that we should cease to be； I hope？
Constitutions for the Colonies are now on the anvil； the discontented Colonies are all to be cured of their miseries by Constitutions。 Whether that will cure their miseries； or only operate as a Godfrey's…cordial to stop their whimpering； and in the end worsen all their miseries； may be a sad doubt to us。 One thing strikes a remote spectator in these Colonial questions： the singular placidity with which the British Statesman at this time； backed by M'Croudy and the British moneyed classes； is prepared to surrender whatsoever interest Britain； as foundress of those establishments； might pretend to have in the decision。 〃If you want to go from us； go； we by no means want you to stay： you cost us money yearly； which is scarce； desperate quantities of trouble too： why not go； if you wish it？〃 Such is the humor of the British Statesman； at this time。Men clear for rebellion； 〃annexation〃 as they call it； walk openly abroad in our American Colonies； found newspapers； hold platform palaverings。 From Canada there comes duly by each mail a regular statistic of Annexationism： increasing fast in this quarter； diminishing in that；Majesty's Chief Governor seeming to take it as a perfectly open question； Majesty's Chief Governor in fact seldom appearing on the scene at all； except to receive the impact of a few rotten eggs on occasion； and then duck in again to his private contemplations。 And yet one would think the Majesty's Chief Governor ought to have a kind of interest in the thing？ Public liberty is carried to a great length in some portions of her Majesty's dominions。 But the question； 〃Are we to continue subjects of her Majesty； or start rebelling against her？ So many as are for rebelling； hold up your hands！〃 Here is a public discussion of a very extraordinary nature to be going on under the nose of a Governor of Canada。 How the Governor of Canada； being a British piece of flesh and blood； and not a Canadian lumber…log of mere pine and rosin； can stand it； is not very conceivable at first view。 He does it； seemingly； with the stoicism of a Zeno。 It is a constitutional sight like few。
And yet an instinct deeper than the Gospel of M'Croudy teaches all men that Colonies are worth something to a country！ That if； under the present Colonial Office； they are a vexation to us and themselves； some other Colonial Office can and must be contrived which shall render them a blessing； and that the remedy will be to contrive such a Colonial Office or method of administration； and by no means to cut the Colonies loose。 Colonies are not to be picked off the street every day； not a Colony of them but has been bought dear； well purchased by the toil and blood of those we have the honor to be sons of； and we cannot just afford to cut them away because M'Croudy finds the present management of them cost money。 The present management will indeed require to be cut away；but as for the Colonies； we purpose through Heaven's blessing to retain them a while yet！ Shame on us for unworthy sons of brave fathers if we do not。 Brave fathers； by valiant blood and sweat； purchased for us； from the bounty of Heaven； rich possessions in all zones； and we； wretched imbeciles； cannot do the function of administering them？ And because the accounts do not stand well in the ledger； our remedy is； not to take shame to ourselves； and repent in sackcloth and ashes； and amend our beggarly imbecilities and insincerities in that as in other departments of our business； but to fling the business overboard； and declare the business itself to be bad？ We are a hopeful set of heirs to a big fortune！ It does not suit our Manton gunneries； grouseshootings； mousings in the City； and like spirited young gentlemen we will give it up； and let the attorneys take it？
Is there no value； then； in
