Henry Parkes

“ You have a fearful sense of desolation as you gaze on those enormous factories, with their wildernesses of machinery, all silent as the grave. Ten thousand hands in Manchester wholly thrown out of employment Wigan and Blackburn still more destitute! And yet these sufferers patiently enduring to the death, without a sign of riot, almost without an audible murmur! ”

“ Parliament has unanimously resolved for the speedy building of iron ships, for the steel casing of our wooden frigates, and for the substitution of floating iron castles for fortifications on shore One is fairly stunned by the inventions for destroying human life, and the horrifying results of civilization which every morning brings forth Grim geniuses meet one on every side, clamouring for the adoption of their steam rams, and cannon-balls a ton weight, which are to smash everything to eternal ruin, and sweep men away in multitudes. ”

“ I mentioned in a former letter something of what is being done by a few benevolent ladies in England to better the condition of the respectable class of poor struggling women. They seem to be coming to the conclusion that emigration is the only way to afford effectual help, and their advisers among influential men and members of the press point in the same direction. ”

“ MR. GLADSTONE—MR. COBDEN—THE IRON-CLAD 'MERRIMAC'—EMIGRATION OF WOMEN—POVERTY AMONG THE PEOPLE.
DURING the Parliamentary recess the spirit of domestic politics seems to have fairly died out; Mr. Cobden's pamphlet, "The Three Panics," is about the only ripple on the dull quiet sea. Mr. Gladstone's appearance in Lancashire may be regarded more as a personal than a political ovation. The high spotless character of the Chancellor of the Exchequer raises him above most others in the estimation of the English public—from the Throne to the cottage ”

“ The English winter and spring have been singularly mild, which was very fortunate for the thousands who in different parts of the country are suffering destitution little short of death. Little hard pinching weather has been felt, but an unusual quantity of rain has fallen, and there have been some mischievous late frosts, which in many places have destroyed all the wall-fruits and done other injury to the gardens. ”

“ You people of Sidney may form some notion of the pressure on these poor young women from the fact that more than 3000 applied to be engaged as waitresses in the refreshment department of the International Exhibition, all producing high testimonials. ”