Tobringthesehordesofoutcastcaptainlesssoldiersunderduecaptaincy?Thisisreallythequestionofquestions;ontheanswertowhichturns,amongotherthings,thefateofallGovernments,constitutionalandother,——thepossibilityoftheircontinuingtoexist,ortheimpossibility。Captainless,uncommanded,thesewretchedoutcast“soldiers,“sincetheycannotstarve,mustneedsbecomebanditti,street-barricaders,——destroyersofeveryGovernmentthat_cannot_
  putthemundercaptains,andsendthemuponenterprises,andinshortrenderlifehumantothem。OurEnglishplanofPoorLaws,whichweoncepiquedourselvesuponassovereign,isevidentlyfastbreakingdown。Ireland,nowadmittedintotheIdleWorkhouse,israpidlyburstingitinpieces。Thatneverwasa“human“destinyforanyhonestsonofAdam;nowherebutinEnglandcouldithavelastedatall;andnow,withIrelandsharerinit,andthefulnessoftimecome,itisasgoodasended。
  Alas,yes。HereinConnemara,yourcrazyShipoftheState,otherwisedreadfullyrotteninmanyofitstimbersIbelieve,hassprungaleak:spiteofallhandsatthepump,thewaterisrising;theShip,Iperceive,willfounder,ifyoucannotstopthisleak!
  TobringtheseCaptainlessunderduecaptaincy?Theanxiousthoughtsofallmenthatdothinkareturneduponthatquestion;
  andtheirefforts,thoughasyetblindlyandtonopurpose,underthemultifariousimpedimentsandobscurations,allpointthitherward。Isolatedmen,andtheirvagueefforts,cannotdoit。Governmenteverywhereiscalledupon,——inEnglandasloudlyaselsewhere,——togivetheinitiative。Anewstrangetaskofthesenewepochs;whichnoGovernment,neverso“constitutional,“canescapefromundertaking。ForitisvitallynecessarytotheexistenceofSocietyitself;itmustbeundertaken,andsucceededintoo,orworsewillfollow,——and,aswealreadyseeinIrishConnaughtandsomeotherplaces,willfollowsoon。TowhateverthingstillcallsitselfbythenameofGovernment,wereitneversoconstitutionalandimpededbyofficialimpossibilities,allmenwillnaturallylookforhelp,anddirectionwhattodo,inthisextremity。Ifhelpordirectionisnotgiven;ifthethingcalledGovernmentmerelydriftandtumbletoandfro,no-whither,onthepopularvortexes,likesomecarcassofadrownedass,constitutionallyput“atthetopofaffairs,“popularindignationwillinfalliblyaccumulateuponit;oneday,thepopularlightning,descendingforkedandhorriblefromtheblackair,willannihilatesaidsupremecarcass,andsmiteithometoitsnativeoozeagain!——YourLordship,thisistootrue,thoughirreverentlyspoken:indeedoneknowsnothowtospeakofit;andtomeitisinfinitelysadandmiserable,spokenornot!——UnlessperhapstheVoluntaryPrinciplewillstillhelpusthrough?PerhapsthisIrishleak,insucharottendistressedconditionoftheShip,withallthecrewsoanxiousaboutit,willbekindenoughtostopofitself?——
  Dismissthathope,yourLordship!LetallrealandimaginaryGovernorsofEngland,atthepasswehavearrivedat,dismissforeverthatfallaciousfatalsolacetotheirdo-nothingism:ofitself,tooclearly,theleakwillneverstop;byhumanskillandenergyitmustbestopped,orthereisnothingbutthesea-bottomforusall!AChiefGovernorofEnglandreallyoughttorecognizehissituation;todiscernthat,doingnothing,andmerelydriftingtoandfro,inhoweverconstitutionalamanner,heisasquandererofpreciousmoments,momentsthatperhapsarepriceless;atrulyalarmingChiefGovernor。Surely,toaChiefGovernorofEngland,worthyofthathighname,——surelytohim,astoeverylivingman,ineveryconceivablesituationshortoftheKingdomoftheDead——thereis_something_possible;someplanofactionotherthanthatofstandingmildly,withcrossedarms,tillheandwe——sink?Complexashissituationis,he,ofallGovernorsnowextantamongthesedistractedNations,has,asI
  compute,byfarthegreatestpossibilities。TheCaptains,actualorpotential,arethere,andthemillionCaptainless:andsuchresourcesforbringingthemtogetherasnootherhas。Totheseoutcastsoldiersofhis,unregimentedrovingbandittiforthepresent,orunworkingworkhouseprisonerswhoarealmostuglierthanbanditti;tothesefloodsofIrishBeggars,Able-bodiedPaupers,andnomadicLackalls,nowstagnatingorroamingeverywhere,drowningthefaceoftheworldtootrulyintoanuntenantableswampandStygianquagmire,hastheChiefGovernorofthiscountrynowordwhatevertosay?Nothingbut“Rateinaid,““Timewillmendit,““NecessarybusinessoftheSession;“
  and“AftermetheDeluge“?AChiefGovernorthatcanfronthisIrishdifficulty,andsteadilycontemplatethehoroscopeofIrishandBritishPauperism,andwhitherwarditisleadinghimandus,inthishumor,mustbea——WhatshallwecallsuchaChiefGovernor?Alas,inspiteofolduseandwont,——littleotherthanatoleratedSolecism,growingdailymoreintolerable!Hedecidedlyoughttohavesomewordtosayonthismatter,——tobeincessantlyoccupiedingettingsomethingwhichhecouldpracticallysay!——Perhapstothefollowing,oramuchfinereffect?
  _SpeechoftheBritishPrime-MinistertothefloodsofIrishandotherBeggars,theable-bodiedLackalls,nomadicorstationary,andthegeneralassembly,outdoorandindoor,ofthePauperPopulationsoftheseRealms_。
  “VagrantLackalls,foolishmostofyou,criminalmanyofyou,miserableall;thesightofyoufillsmewithastonishmentanddespair。WhattodowithyouIknownot;longhaveIbeenmeditating,anditishardtotell。Herearesomethreemillionsofyou,asIcount:somanyofyoufallensheeroverintotheabyssesofopenBeggary;and,fearfultothink,everynewunitthatfallsis_loading_somuchmorethechainthatdragstheothersover。Ontheedgeoftheprecipicehanguncountedmillions;increasing,Iamtold,attherateof1200aday。Theyhangthereonthegiddyedge,poorsouls,crampingthemselvesdown,holdingonwithalltheirstrength;butfalling,fallingoneafteranother;andthechainisgetting_heavy_,sothatevermorefall;andwhoatlastwillstand?Whattodowithyou?Thequestion,Whattodowithyou?especiallysincethepotatodied,isliketobreakmyheart!
  “Onething,aftermuchmeditating,Ihaveatlastdiscovered,andnowknowforsometimeback:Thatyoucannotbelefttoroamabroadinthisunguidedmanner,stumblingovertheprecipices,andloadingeverheavierthefatal_chain_uponthosewhomightbeabletostand;thatthisoflockingyouupintemporaryIdleWorkhouses,whenyoustumble,andsubsistingyouonIndianmeal,tillyoucansallyforthagainonfreshroamings,andfreshstumblings,andultimatedescenttothedevil;——thatthisis_not_theplan;andthatitneverwas,orcouldoutofEnglandhavebeensupposedtobe,muchasIhavepridedmyselfuponit!
  “VagrantLackalls,Iatlastperceive,allthisthathasbeensungandspoken,foralongwhile,aboutenfranchisement,emancipation,freedom,suffrage,civilandreligiouslibertyovertheworld,islittleotherthansadtemporaryjargon,broughtuponusbyasternnecessity,——butnoworderedbyasternertotakeitselfawayagainalittle。Sadtemporaryjargon,Isay:
  madeupofsenseandnonsense,——senseinsmallquantities,andnonsenseinverylarge;——and,iftakenforthewholeorpermanenttruthofhumanthings,itisnobetterthanfatalinfinitenonsenseeternally_untrue_。Allmen,Ithink,willsoonhavetoquitthis,toconsiderthisasathingprettywellachieved;andtolookouttowardsanotherthingmuchmoreneedingachievementatthetimethatnowis。
  “Allmenwillhavetoquitit,Ibelieve。Buttoyou,myindigentfriends,thetimeforquittingithaspalpablyarrived!
  Totalkofgloriousself-government,ofsuffragesandhustings,andthefightoffreedomandsuchlike,isavainthinginyourcase。Byallhumandefinitionsandconceptionsofthesaidfightoffreedom,youforyourparthavelostit,andcanfightnomore。Gloriousself-governmentisaglorynotforyou,notforHodge’semancipatedhorses,noryou。No;Isay,No。You,foryourpart,havetriedit,and_failed_。Lefttowalkyourownroad,thewill-o’-wispsbeguiledyou,yourshortsightcouldnotdescrythepitfalls;thedeadlytumultandpresshaswhirledyouhitherandthither,regardlessofyourstrugglesandyourshrieks;andhereatlastyoulie;fallenflatintotheditch,drowningthereanddying,unlesstheothersthatarestillstandingpleasetopickyouup。Theothersthatstillstandhavetheirowndifficulties,Icantellyou!——Butyou,byimperfectenergyandredundantappetite,bydoingtoolittleworkanddrinkingtoomuchbeer,youIbidyouobservehaveprovedthatyoucannotdoit!Youliethereplainlyintheditch。AndIamtopickyouupagain,onthesemadterms;helpyoueveragain,aswithourbestheart’s-blood,todowhat,onceforall,thegodshavemadeimpossible?Toloadthefatal_chain_withyourperpetualstaggeringsandsprawlings;andeveragainloadit,tillweallliesprawling?Myindigentincompetentfriends,I
  willnot!Knowthat,whoevermaybe’sonsoffreedom,’youforyourpartarenotandcannotbesuch。Not’free’you,Ithink,whoevermaybefree。Youpalpablyarefallencaptive,——_caitiff_,astheyoncenamedit:——youdo,silentlybuteloquently,demand,inthenameofmercyitself,thatsomegenuinecommandbetakenofyou。
  “Yes,myindigentincompetentfriends;somegenuinepracticalcommand。Such,——ifIrightlyinterpretthosemadChartisms,RepealAgitations,RedRepublics,andotherdeliriousinarticulatehowlingsandbellowingswhichallthepopulationsoftheworldnowutter,evidentlycriesofpainontheirandyourpart,——isthedemandwhichyou,Captives,makeofallmenthatarenotCaptive,butarestillFree。Freemen,——alas,hadyoueveranynotionwhothefreemenwere,whothenot-free,theincapableoffreedom!Thefreemen,ifyoucouldhaveunderstoodit,theyarethewisemen;thepatient,self-denying,valiant;
  theNoblesoftheWorld;whocandiscerntheLawofthisUniverse,whatitis,andpiously_obey_it;these,inlatesadtimes,havingcastyouloose,youarefallencaptivetogreedysonsofprofit-and-loss;tobadandevertoworse;andatlengthtoBeerandtheDevil。Algiers,BrazilorDahomeyholdnothinginthemsoauthentically_slave_asyouare,myindigentincompetentfriends!
  “GoodHeavens,andIhavetoraisesomeeightorninemillionsannually,sixforEnglanditself,andtowreckthemoralsofmyworkingpopulationbeyondallmoney’sworth,tokeepthelifefromgoingoutofyou:asmallservicetoyou,asImanytimesbitterlyrepeat!Alas,yes;beforehighHeavenImustdeclareitsuch。IthinktheoldSpartans,whowouldhavekilledyouinstead,hadshownmore’humanity,’moreofmanhood,thanIthusdo!Morehumanity,Isay,moreofmanhood,andofsenseforwhatthedignityofmandemandsimperativelyofyouandofmeandofusall。Wecallitcharity,beneficence,andotherfinenames,thisbrutishWorkhouseSchemeofours;anditisbutsluggishheartlessness,andinsincerity,andcowardlylownessofsoul。
  Not’humanity’ormanhood,Ithink;perhaps_ape_hoodrather,——paltryimitancy,fromtheteethoutward,ofwhatourheartneverfeltnorourunderstandingeversaw;dimindolentadherencetoextraneousandextincttraditions;traditionsnowreallyaboutextinct;notlivingnowtoalmostanyofus,andstillhauntingwiththeirspectralitiesandgibbering_ghosts_
  inatrulybalefulmanneralmostallofus!Makingthisourstruggling’TwelfthHouroftheNight’inexpressiblyhideous!-
  “Butasforyou,myindigentincompetentfriends,Ihavetorepeatwithsorrow,butwithperfectclearness,whatisplainlyundeniable,andisevenclamoroustogetitselfadmitted,thatyouareofthenatureofslaves,——orifyouprefertheword,of_nomadic,andnowevenvagrantandvagabond,servantsthatcanfindnomasteronthoseterms_;whichseemstomeamuchuglierword。Emancipation?Youhavebeen’emancipated’withavengeance!Foolishsouls,Isaythewholeworldcannotemancipateyou。FealtytoignorantUnruliness,togluttonoussluggishImprovidence,totheBeer-potandtheDevil,whoistherethatcanemancipateamaninthatpredicament?NotawholeReformBill,awholeFrenchRevolutionexecutedforhisbehoofalone:
  nothingbutGodtheMakercanemancipatehim,bymakinghimanew。
  “Toforwardwhichgloriousconsummation,willitnotbewell,O
  indigentfriends,thatyou,fallenflatthere,shallhenceforthlearntotakeadviceofothersastothemethodsofstanding?
  PlainlyIletyouknow,andalltheworldandtheworldsknow,thatIformypartmeanitso。Notasgloriousunfortunatesonsoffreedom,butasrecognizedcaptives,asunfortunatefallenbrothersrequiringthatIshouldcommandyou,andifneedwere,controlandcompelyou,cantherehenceforthbearelationbetweenus。AskmenotforIndianmeal;youshallbecompelledtoearnitfirst;knowthatonothertermsIwillnotgiveyouany。BeforeHeavenandEarth,andGodtheMakerofusall,I
  declareitisascandaltosee_such_alifekeptinyou,bythesweatandheart’s-bloodofyourbrothers;andthat,ifwecannotmendit,deathwerepreferable!Goto,wemustgetoutofthis——unutterablecoilofnonsenses,constitutional,philanthropical,&c。,inwhichsurelywithoutmutualhatred,ifwithlessof’love’thanissupposedweareallstranglingoneanother!Yourwantofwants,Isay,isthatyoube_commanded_
  inthisworld,notbeingabletocommandyourselves。Knowthereforethatitshallbesowithyou。Nomadism,Igiveyounotice,hasended;needfulpermanency,soldier-likeobedience,andtheopportunityandthenecessityofhardsteadylaborforyourliving,havebegun。KnowthattheIdleWorkhouseisshutagainstyouhenceforth;youcannotenterthereatwill,norleaveatwill;youshallenteraquiteotherRefuge,underconditionsstrictassoldiering,andnotleavetillIhavedonewithyou。