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Hungary and Schleswig-Holstein—which obtruded its good offices on behalf of Lombardy—the Government which permitted those countries to be overrun by the unresisted powers of Austria and Russia , and is then seen in close concert with the diplomatists of the Absolutist Confederacy—the Government which permitted for two years , unreproved , the barbarous cruelties of Naples , and then sent by the hand of its " Liberal" Minister a copy of the pamphlet by the " Tory " Gladstone—that Government is now understood not to be "
mediating " at all , but only to have been trimming as if to gain time , and to be acting with the Absolutist Confederacy . In this struggle , the " Constitutional party " has only been the stalking horse under cover of which the English Member of the Inner Circle of Diplomacy has advanced , on the side of Absolutism , to hunt down the Peoples who are labouring for freedom . Freedom such as we in England enjoy . This is a posture of affairs which the Moderate Liberal party of England is bound to consider . That party has been acting down to this point on
presumptions . It has supposed its views to be making progress in Europe , which they are not ; it has shut its eyes to the defeat which it has sustained in the very places of which it boasted . The Moderate Liberal party—we prefer to use that comprehensive expression , rather than to recall the more controversial epithet of party—has accepted as its favourite Minister the English Member of the Diplomatic . Circle ; and by favouring that Minister , has liberally supplied Diplomacy with the means of advancing Absolutism . It has been the boast of those who believed Free Trade to include every desirable reform in Europe , that we could command Free Trade sympathies in the Baltic , in Italy , in Turkey , in Hungary ; we now see the Lords
paramount of the Zollverein , which is to be imitated in Austria and Italy , taking possession of the whole Continent , except the West ; Italy is in possession of our enemies ; Turkey is threatened ; that great outpost of commercial alliance with England , Hungary , has been beaten in ; even Sardinia is surrounded . The trade policy of England has been defeated . And by what force ? By that of armed Despotism . The Peoples , on whom we must rely , are to be thrown down and fettered , if that Despotism prevail . What chance is there of converting that Despotism by argument to English views on politics and commerce ? In what consists the chance of combating its progress Westwards ?
No ; England has not been true to herself . England might have caused the battle for English principles to he fought in Italy , Hungary , and Germany , gloriously for herself , for the Peoples of those lands , for mankind ; freedom in France would have been surrounded and strengthened by freedom in Europe ; and England might have inspired the new regime with much of her experience and her spirit . She preferred to lose ei ^ ht of those great enterprises ; to close her eyes in obedience to prejudices ; to heap the power of England into the hands of the English member of the Diplomatic circle ; and thus to serve the cause of DeHpotism .
But it will not stop here . The resuscitated Sovereigns of Huh si a and Austria , and their dependants of Germany and Italy , will not . be content with the victory which shall reestablish them : not only will a rule of Neapolitan atrocity be felt throughout , from the Baltic to the Mediterranean ; but the Despotic Confederacy will inevitably seek to extend its conquests . Already in it preparing to do ho , in fulfilment of Napoleon ' s alternative prophecy , that Europe must be either Cossack or Republican . Napoleon vainly tried to close Europe against English commerce ; but be had no agent in the Inner Circle . Will the merchants , and manufacturers , and labourers , be content to nee a more than Berlin decree establish a Zollverein of
Absolutist Kurope ? We ask our " Moderate" readers—who may be inclined to cast reproaches in our teeth , that we are violating the sacred quiet of Peace—to ask themselves whether we are not truly recapitulating the actual state of affairs ? Already has an indiscreet organ of the Despotic Confederacy , the Constitutionnel in Paris , declared that it will rather have Europe Cossack tliun Socialist .
And as the Cossack host advances England thinks it wise to shut her eyes and say that " there is Peace" ! England , who might decree a real , solid , victorious peace , if hIjc would but act up to her own principles ! Yes , if England would but stand chivalrously by her own principles , wherever they are infringed , —
would but sustain whomsoever supports those principles , —she might endow Europe with the genuine peace which freedom guarantees . For never was there a more hollow monster than this Despotism , if it were but fairly encountered . Its exchequer bankrupt , England might destroy its means in the money market of the world . Its physical strength drawn from the very Peoples who are oppressed by keeping them apart and using
them against each other , might be reabsorbed into those Peoples by any influence which should unite them . And in such an enterprise France neither could nor would refuse to act with England . But England leaves the field unoccupied ; or rather lends her influence , her resources , her power , negatively at least and often actively , to the English member of that Diplomatic circle which has reorganized the Despotic Confederacy .
What hope , then , remains of resisting the march of Cossackisrn across Europe . We see but one ; and it is time to call forth that hope into active life . It is an appeal to the Democracy of Europe ; indeed , not onl y of Europe , but the Democracy of the whole world . England has waived her right to the post of honour ; but there is another imperial England not so bound by the concealed cords of Diplomacy and Court influences—the Anglo-American Republic . That republic is the natural head of the Democratic movement . True her
fathers forewarned her against European intervention ; but when Cossackism has established itself on the shores of the Atlantic , it will be too late to discuss the policy of intervention , too late to take the initiative . Besides , the people of that Republic can act without waiting for the Government . Nor would it really be an alien intervention . Her sons can act with us : they are more than cousins , they are brothers of the whole blood , needing only a common action to develope all our brotherhood . And to the Democracy of the world they are the very brothers of their reliance .
An American force in the battle-field of Europe , raising the standard of universal Democracy , would call forth every People of the Continent , in hope , courage , and irresistible numbers . Floating in that field , " the star-spangled banner" would strike terror and despair into the heart of old Despotism , conscious of its doom . Its very coming would be victory . The appeal would be felt even in this country . If a particular class just now lends its influence to a Diplomacy-deluded Government , the bulk of the English people has no such spell upon it ; the present Government of England has deliberately
provoked the enmity of Ireland ; we have seen how impatient the most active of our colonies are under the low rule of the party which manages in Downing-street : the Cape of Good Hope , Canada , the Australias , are full of sympathy with Peoples who have struggled , like themselves , for freedom and self-government . Once raise the standard of universal Democracy in Europe , and the people of our colonies , the people of Ireland , and of England itself , would shout an echo to the summons , and would soon place in power a Government strong enough , in head and heart and popular influence , to lead England to her true post .
We have no fear that such a war would flood us , like that from the East , with barbarism ; it must be animated by a noble chivalry and high spirit . We have no fear that it would entail national debts—it would be self-supporting—it would " pay " itself out of the treasures of Despotism , out of the perverted wealth , the impropriatcd lands of the Peoples . We have no fear that it would establish a " tyranny of the many , "—the idea which this pen has long been labouring to inculcate , that a union of the Peoples of the world against the tyrants
would still leave each People to be free in itself , to follow its own genius , and work out its own development , is now understood . Here is a crusade against the true Eastern Infidelity gf our day—the infidelity of Despotism in the rights of humanity ; here is a field on which America can rejoin the active Peoples of the Old World , win her spurs in the history of Kurope itself , and unite the glories of the two hemispheres . Austria has challenged the Democracy of the World : let the Democracy accept the challenge : we pass the challenge to the young Democracy of America .
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ADULTERATION AND ADMIXTURE OF POKKlttN l'LOUll . The bread-corn grown in the British Islands 1 ms , for some years past , ceased to be tniflicient for the wants of the population . Since 1 H ; J 5 this has regularly been an importing country ; and the
amount required to feed the people , in addition to the wheat , &c , grown at home , varies fro m three to five million quarters per annum , according to the state of the harvest in Britain . This supply of food from abroad was formerly very nearly all in the shape of wheat , excepting the Indian corn meal ; but of late the importation of wheat has gradually given way to that of flour This arises from the fact that there is a gain " ranging from 3 s . to 5 s . per quarter , in importing flour from France to England , rather than wheat the charges for freight , landing , &c , being much less ; and flour entirely escaping the payment of several dues which are charged on wheat .
The natural effect ia , that nearly one-half of the mill power in England , with more than half the mill power in Ireland , is idle , and thousands of men are thrown out of work . Some have emigrated , others are in workhouses ; and in several districts in Ireland land is going out of wheat cultivation , because the millers , having no market for flour , cannot buy wheat .
These disastrous results have followed the recent extraordinary legislation , —which , while it admits flour duty free , levies a duty of ten per cent , on bran , shuts , sharps , &c , from abroad ! The feeders of pigs and cattle are deprived of a home supply of these requisite articles , by reason of the home mills' being shut up , or working short time ; and they have to pay a heavy duty on the offal imported !
But while it is necessary to show how injuriously the present law operates upon certain classes , it is right that the inhabitants of London and other large towns should know that they are also injured by it . In the debate on Lord Naas ' s motion it was said , that the lower classes of London were better off than they ever had been before , because they could buy their food cheaper . Now cheapness is a relative term , and comprehends not only price but quality . The flour which we receive from France
is adulterated in a variety of ways . At a recent meeting of the Society of Political (^ Economists in Paris , the subject of French flour was discussed . M . de Kergorlay , late peer of France , and one of the jurors at the Exposition , stated , " that the French millers had been unable to keep up their supply of first-class flour , and they had lately been making up with stock below sample , which had caused great dissatisfaction among the London bakers . " The plain meaning of this is , that the flour was adulterated with fmricot beans , and in
consequence when it came to be made up , would not bear so many potatoes ( or fruit , as the trade term is ) as if it were genuine-It is estimated that all kinds of flour from France ( except , the finest wJiites ) have from 15 to 25 per cent , of Imricot bean flour . iNow haricot beans are very nutritious food in their way , and so are potatoes ; but it docs not follow that the English
public should like to buy them for bread , nor that the French millers should mix the one and the English bakers mix the other with the wheat flour . The result of the mixing and adulteration is , that the bread which is supplied in many shops to the poorer classes is a compound of wheat-flour , beanmeal , potatoes , alum , soda , and marl . Of the latter article something may be said . sent to
Not very long since , a cargo of marl was Fiance , to be mixed with Hour for the English markets . The purpose was suspected ; the cargo and vessel were seized . In endeavouring to reobtain possession of the ship , the owner admitted the purpose for which ibe marl was required ; ne contended that ; this marl was not unwholesome , and alleged , by way of proof , that a small quantity of the marl had been pulverized and placed in sacks , and that some mice were found in tne powdered marl , of which they had eaten . J " cargo and vessel were not restored ; but subsequent
cart / oes were more fortunate . Flour is also adulterated with other wheaten flour of bad quality , which is mixed with that oi new wheat , and so passes undetected . At this time there is for sale in Mark-lane a large quantity of French flour , in colour beaut "" —equal to the finest * ' households ; " the price i * exactly one half of the present retail price seconds flour . -i The difference between a loaf of country-mauc bread and the compound of meal , haricot lic anb ' sour and sweet flour , &c , which is known a " bread" in some parts of London , is great » " « " *?• True , the appearance of the London " bread ' much finer and whiter : but the quality?— 11 sometimes fitter for building then eating . It is not necesuary to point out the manner i »
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848 © 1 ) 0 3 Lt& * [ bttl Saturday ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 6, 1851, page 848, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1899/page/12/
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