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earful to think； every new unit that falls is _loading_ so much more the chain that drags the others over。 On the edge of the precipice hang uncounted millions； increasing； I am told； at the rate of 1200 a day。 They hang there on the giddy edge； poor souls； cramping themselves down； holding on with all their strength； but falling； falling one after another； and the chain is getting _heavy_； so that ever more fall； and who at last will stand？ What to do with you？ The question； What to do with you？ especially since the potato died； is like to break my heart！
〃One thing； after much meditating； I have at last discovered； and now know for some time back： That you cannot be left to roam abroad in this unguided manner； stumbling over the precipices； and loading ever heavier the fatal _chain_ upon those who might be able to stand； that this of locking you up in temporary Idle Workhouses； when you stumble； and subsisting you on Indian meal； till you can sally forth again on fresh roamings； and fresh stumblings； and ultimate descent to the devil；that this is _not_ the plan； and that it never was； or could out of England have been supposed to be； much as I have prided myself upon it！
〃Vagrant Lackalls； I at last perceive； all this that has been sung and spoken； for a long while； about enfranchisement； emancipation； freedom； suffrage； civil and religious liberty over the world； is little other than sad temporary jargon； brought upon us by a stern necessity；but now ordered by a sterner to take itself away again a little。 Sad temporary jargon； I say： made up of sense and nonsense；sense in small quantities； and nonsense in very large；and； if taken for the whole or permanent truth of human things； it is no better than fatal infinite nonsense eternally _untrue_。 All men； I think； will soon have to quit this； to consider this as a thing pretty well achieved； and to look out towards another thing much more needing achievement at the time that now is。
〃All men will have to quit it； I believe。 But to you； my indigent friends； the time for quitting it has palpably arrived！ To talk of glorious self…government； of suffrages and hustings； and the fight of freedom and such like； is a vain thing in your case。 By all human definitions and conceptions of the said fight of freedom； you for your part have lost it； and can fight no more。 Glorious self…government is a glory not for you； not for Hodge's emancipated horses； nor you。 No； I say； No。 You； for your part； have tried it； and _failed_。 Left to walk your own road； the will…o'…wisps beguiled you； your short sight could not descry the pitfalls； the deadly tumult and press has whirled you hither and thither； regardless of your struggles and your shrieks； and here at last you lie； fallen flat into the ditch； drowning there and dying； unless the others that are still standing please to pick you up。 The others that still stand have their own difficulties； I can tell you！But you； by imperfect energy and redundant appetite； by doing too little work and drinking too much beer； you （I bid you observe） have proved that you cannot do it！ You lie there plainly in the ditch。 And I am to pick you up again； on these mad terms； help you ever again； as with our best heart's…blood； to do what； once for all； the gods have made impossible？ To load the fatal _chain_ with your perpetual staggerings and sprawlings； and ever again load it； till we all lie sprawling？ My indigent incompetent friends； I will not！ Know that； whoever may be 'sons of freedom；' you for your part are not and cannot be such。 Not 'free' you； I think； whoever may be free。 You palpably are fallen captive；_caitiff_； as they once named it：you do； silently but eloquently； demand； in the name of mercy itself； that some genuine command be taken of you。
〃Yes； my indigent incompetent friends； some genuine practical command。 Such；if I rightly interpret those mad Chartisms； Repeal Agitations； Red Republics； and other delirious inarticulate howlings and bellowings which all the populations of the world now utter； evidently cries of pain on their and your part；is the demand which you； Captives； make of all men that are not Captive； but are still Free。 Free men；alas； had you ever any notion who the free men were； who the not…free； the incapable of freedom！ The free men； if you could have understood it； they are the wise men； the patient； self…denying； valiant； the Nobles of the World； who can discern the Law of this Universe； what it is； and piously _obey_ it； these； in late sad times； having cast you loose； you are fallen captive to greedy sons of profit…and…loss； to bad and ever to worse； and at length to Beer and the Devil。 Algiers； Brazil or Dahomey hold nothing in them so authentically _slave_ as you are； my indigent incompetent friends！
〃Good Heavens； and I have to raise some eight or nine millions annually； six for England itself； and to wreck the morals of my working population beyond all money's worth； to keep the life from going out of you： a small service to you； as I many times bitterly repeat！ Alas； yes； before high Heaven I must declare it such。 I think the old Spartans； who would have killed you instead； had shown more 'humanity；' more of manhood； than I thus do！ More humanity； I say； more of manhood； and of sense for what the dignity of man demands imperatively of you and of me and of us all。 We call it charity； beneficence； and other fine names； this brutish Workhouse Scheme of ours； and it is but sluggish heartlessness； and insincerity； and cowardly lowness of soul。 Not 'humanity' or manhood； I think； perhaps _ape_hood rather；paltry imitancy； from the teeth outward； of what our heart never felt nor our understanding ever saw； dim indolent adherence to extraneous and extinct traditions； traditions now really about extinct； not living now to almost any of us； and still haunting with their spectralities and gibbering _ghosts_ （in a truly baleful manner） almost all of us！ Making this our struggling 'Twelfth Hour of the Night' inexpressibly hideous！…
〃But as for you； my indigent incompetent friends； I have to repeat with sorrow； but with perfect clearness； what is plainly undeniable； and is even clamorous to get itself admitted； that you are of the nature of slaves；or if you prefer the word； of _nomadic； and now even vagrant and vagabond； servants that can find no master on those terms_； which seems to me a much uglier word。 Emancipation？ You have been 'emancipated' with a vengeance！ Foolish souls； I say the whole world cannot emancipate you。 Fealty to ignorant Unruliness； to gluttonous sluggish Improvidence； to the Beer…pot and the Devil； who is there that can emancipate a man in that predicament？ Not a whole Reform Bill； a whole French Revolution executed for his behoof alone： nothing but God the Maker can emancipate him； by making him anew。
〃To forward which glorious consummation； will it not be well； O indigent friends； that you； fallen flat there； shall henceforth learn to take advice of others as to the methods of standing？ Plainly I let you know； and all the world and the worlds know； that I for my part mean it so。 Not as glorious unfortunate sons of freedom； but as recognized captives； as unf