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THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
" THE TIME IS COME !" 
 
 L 
 THOUGHTS 
 UPON 
 
 THE PRESENT POSITION 
 
 BY CHARLES' YOUNG. 
 
 4 Boast the pure blood of an illustrious race, 
 In quiet flow from Lucrece to Lucrece : 
 But, by your fathers' worth if yours you rate, 
 Count me those only who were good and great. 
 Go ; if your ancient but ignoble blood 
 Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood ; 
 Go, and pretend your family is young, 
 Nor own your fathers have been fools so long." POPF. 
 
 SHEFFIELD: 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY E. M. CHARLES, BOOKSELLER, WAINQATE. 
 
 Sold also by all other Booksellers in the Kingdom. 
 
 MDCCCXXXV. 
 
 PRICE SIXPENCE. 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 TO WILLIAM THE FOURTH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 Sire, 
 
 May it please your Majesty, 
 
 I have presumed to dedicate this produc- 
 tion to your Majesty, not from the view that it will at all en- 
 hance its circulation, but from purer motives ; that your Ma- 
 jesty may know from the pen of a hater of flattery, the true 
 sense the People of the United Kingdoms entertain in refer- 
 ence to the " House of Lords" 
 
 Trusting that your Majesty may live to enjoy a long and 
 happy Reign. 
 
 I subscribe myself, 
 
 Your most Dutiful and Loyal Subject, 
 
 CHARLES YOUNG. 
 
 M367533 
 
THOUGHTS, &c. 
 
 THE time is at length arrived when all sense of 
 dormancy must be thrown aside, and the spirit of 
 alacrity not only assumed, but maintained in ear- 
 nest. The writings of Tompkins,^ as well as of 
 Roebuck, have already produced an effect upon 
 the public mind, which can never again be lulled, 
 or quieted to sleep. The cradle may be rocked 
 by the hand of Monarchy, but that even is no 
 guarantee of slumber or repose. The restless and 
 perturbed soul of society is stalking o'er the 
 confines of the earth, and no human power can 
 ever lure it from its course. The tendency of the 
 writings alluded to above, is manifest to the dullest 
 capacity they have laid bare the fact, that any 
 further worship or adoration at the shrine of the 
 Peers, is a humbug of the first water. The dis- 
 guising of private or public sentiment at any time 
 is so far dastardly, that I can find no language 
 * The Reader of course is aware of the Author's real name. 
 
capable of expressing my abhorrence of so cow- 
 ardly a course. 
 
 Upon this all engrossing theme, " THE LORDS," 
 I dare take up my pen ; and it would be folly to 
 hide the workings of the head, or the feelings of 
 the heart, when now that every page of the public 
 press is unhesitatingly canvassing their virtues (?) 
 and their vices. That the position of the Lords 
 at this moment is one of critical danger cannot be 
 denied. If danger then is proved to be so mani- 
 fest, it is for them to put their house in order 
 without delay, for an event awaits them which no 
 earthly interposition can arrest. Their existence 
 is drawing rapidly to a close, and their last strug- 
 gle will soon be passed away. The throes and 
 agonies of death of this monstrous blotch upon the 
 fair face of national independence will, alas ! re- 
 ceive no alleviation at the hand of an insulted 
 people. The scroll and bond of the Charter of 
 Runnemede is cancelled, so long as this pestiferous 
 curse keeps its present shape ; and the liberties 
 and rights of the community are negatived till (as 
 & political ko&y) they are totally annihilated. 
 
 If content and innate satisfaction be found in 
 the breast of the Lord, by the mere sound and 
 emptiness imparted by a TITLE, let him, in God's 
 name, enjoy it to full perfection. A Lord ! Fri- 
 
volous and trumpery appellation ! Well may the 
 poet observe, "What's in a name?" In good 
 sooth I would rather be termed an ass, and be an 
 honest man, than be doomed to wear the coronet 
 of a legitimate buffoon ! 
 
 What is the House of Lords ? the simplest of 
 
 the simple could at once furnish an answer 
 
 A congregation of (I was going to say human) 
 flesh and blood as amenable for offences against 
 the laws of common sense, as the veriest beggar in 
 the land. Where in the name of all that's just 
 exists the vast distinction between us of the 
 people, and yourselves of the Lords ? We were 
 made by the same hand endowed of intellect by 
 the same hand life's uncertain tenure held by 
 the same hand the general way of death open 
 and common to us all. Then wherefore this dis- 
 tinction ? If property and wealth lays claim to 
 pre-eminence then is the Duke of Newcastle 
 safely booked for Heaven ! 
 
 The humbug of this theory of theirs is now too 
 well known to be entertained for a single moment 
 it has, in fact, long since been exploded, but ne- 
 cessity only till now has called forth its admission. 
 THE TIME is COME ! Then for your own sakes, 
 look to yourselves you have certainly something 
 to lose as respects pounds, shillings, and pence- 
 
8 
 
 but not as to character for Heaven knows, there 
 is not a body in the whole community resting un- 
 der a heavier imputation than yours. 
 
 Ever determined in being foremost in all acts of 
 tyranny and misrule, the finger of the Country 
 from one end to the other now points to the wall, 
 and shews you " THE TIME IS COME !" 
 
 Look to facts How was the Emancipation Bill 
 passed ? was it in courtesy to the people, because 
 it was simply asked for ? No you were driven 
 to make a virtue of necessity. To follow your 
 deeds of rule and ?ms-rule, would occupy more 
 time than the space of these few pages can well 
 afford ; but to recent instances of your self-anni- 
 hilating acts, look to the vileness of your conduct 
 in respect to the Municipal Corporation Reform 
 Bill nay, even later than this look to the rejec- 
 tion of the Roman Catholic Marriages Bill ! A 
 Bill which, morally speaking, was mare than 
 wanted and yet so heavy a majority against it. 
 The Commons and the Country demanded this to 
 pass your honourable house, and yet you dare re- 
 fuse it ! and refused too with a vengeance by a 
 majority of twenty-six. Does not this demonstrate 
 beyond all disputation, that the poor brute who so 
 conspicuously shone on this occasion, and moved 
 the virtuous amendment, is totally unworthy a 
 
legislative seat, even in a Hottentot Assembly? 
 Exceptions to this rule of general censure of this 
 all-perfect body, no doubt can be adduced but 
 after this decision, does it not, in truth, toll its own 
 death knell ? 
 
 The minority upon this question will live com- 
 paratively speaking, for ever, whilst the reptile set 
 called a MAJORITY (numerically I admit it, but not 
 nwrally) will be recognized upon the page of 
 history, written in characters, which can never 
 in future be misunderstood. Pause then for a 
 whileand remember, THE TIME is COME! 
 I warn you against the commission of acts like 
 these, which only tend to place you in hostile 
 array against power supreme, or in other words 
 power of the people. Do not, I beseech you, for- 
 get, that you are but mortal and possessed of 
 no more controul over destiny or fate, than the 
 most abject beggar upon the face of the land. 
 The resources you once could boast of, are no 
 longer commanded with a nod and your reliance 
 upon those resources (once your main stay and 
 hope) is now weak and insignificant. What absor 
 lute resources have you then ? Is it in the Army ? 
 Is it in the Navy? You may rest assu- 
 red that not a shot would be fired by a British 
 soldier against his fellow-berng ; nor would an 
 
10 
 
 Irish bayonet be drawn against a brother. The 
 bloody character which marked the rebellion in 
 Ireland, when the patriot, the more than patriot 
 Emmett fell like the autumn leaf long long be- 
 fore its time is now gone by but a nation's 
 Revenge is not smothered in a moment the hour 
 of retribution is at hand or in the emphatic lan- 
 guage of the title of these reflections -THE TIME 
 IS COME ! 
 
 Look to it then and rest assured this is no 
 idle prophecy nor warning voice couched in 
 language of intimidation or threat but the re- 
 monstrance of a friend a lover of his country- 
 one who would fain live to see these United King- 
 doms governed by a Monarch, and a Commons, 
 
 LEAVING THE LORDS OUT OF THE QUESTION 
 
 ALTOGETHER. They are welcome to the full 
 enjoyment of all their empty TITLES but further 
 than this, they should have no concession granted 
 them at the hands of the people. It is palpable 
 even to the LORDS THEMSELVES, that it is high 
 time they were put down for it is as clear as 
 the sun at noon-day, that for these last FORTY 
 years, they have been but as a stumbling-block 
 betwixt the THRONE, the COMMONS, and the 
 PEOPLE. The Commons, it is plain enough, are 
 sent by the people to represent the peoplebut 
 
11 
 
 who are the LORDS sent by ? " There's the rub"__ 
 this is indeed a question of vast solidity, and of great 
 national importance. If they could answer it at 
 all satisfactorily, they would stand in a very dif- 
 ferent position in point of public estimation, than 
 they now have the happiness to enjoy. Their own 
 atrociousness have wrought out this dilemma, 
 and themselves only have they to thank for the 
 results. % The lying HUME, and his truth-loving 
 coadjutor^ speaks volumes against this unfortunate 
 band of incurables even in their days what then 
 must it be NOW ? The question staggers me. 
 
 And yet these worthies dare boast of LEGITI- 
 MACY ! In God's name, where did they spring 
 from ? As a sample a precious sample what is 
 the origin of the Earl of Winchelsea's family ? 
 This one question will answer for all the other 
 tribe of titles. 
 
 If the advancement of general knowledge has 
 tended to establish the fact that the House of 
 Lords is useless and unnecessary, then in the 
 name of common sense, leave it not for posterity 
 to achieve, but abate the nuisance AT ONCE. The 
 point where they have chiefly grounded their su- 
 periority is on the score of PROPERTY but it 
 is too late in the day for any man to pay ano- 
 * Smollett. 
 
12 
 
 ther superior respect on the score of pecuniary 
 possession, and the true civilian knows that no 
 greater extent of courtesy is due to the Lord than 
 to the peasant. The bowing and scraping times 
 are long gone by and the position of society is 
 altogether different from that which existed in the 
 reign of the last George the lick-spittles are de- 
 funct &n& it now remains but to hold up one 
 character in particular * * \ # 
 
 in addition to a few other livery-men, and court 
 flies, to public detestation, and the mask which at 
 one time was considered impenetrable, will be 
 dashed aside, and their characters anatomized by 
 the searching scalpel of public opinion. The 
 Peerage in point of fact, as the Editor of the 
 Corn-Law Rhymes^ justly observed, is, after all, 
 but a SPLENDID LIST OF PAUPERS ! I cannot but 
 conceive that had Brougham more deeply consi- 
 dered this, prior to his elevation to the House of 
 Lords, he would never have bartered the endear- 
 ing name of HARRY BROUGHAM, for that of Lord 
 Brougham and Vaux ! What jot is he the better 
 for advancement ? What better for TITLE ? I 
 confess I knew and admired him as a commoner, 
 and ever spoke as to his talent and acquirements 
 with the heartiest enthusiasm but for the soul of 
 * Ebenezer Elliott, 
 
13 
 
 me I cannot reconcile myself to him now, thei^ely 
 because he is a LoRD-and yet I admit this is tod 
 bad-for why should a man be regarded the less 
 merely because he is a PEER? but it is so_and 
 nothing can disturb this conviction-I neverthe- 
 less regret it, as in good sooth it seems unfair, 
 nay even dishonourable, to withhold the tribute 
 of admiration really due to a fellow-creature, 
 merely because he had experienced the ill luck 
 of being created a LORD! Brougham-alas ! is 
 there no possibility of backing out? I would 
 stake an empire that you would make any earthly 
 sacrifice to effect your escape from this Westminster 
 bazaar of legitimate ignorance, superstition, and 
 buffoonery, and once again resume your seat among 
 the representatives of the people. There is a dif- 
 ference indeed, as to the relative honour of these 
 respective positions, and to a mind like His, (sen- 
 sitive_acute_and charged with ablest workings) 
 it must be felt with more than common shame! 
 But why should I follow him farther ? The stri- 
 ding pace which transported him from the Com- 
 mons to the Lords " damns" him at once 
 
 " to everlasting fame." 
 
 Then let him rest. Now to the body immaculate 
 again. 
 
14 
 
 That the people may in future never be at a log* 
 to know the title and origin of this far-famed body 
 It would be as well to tell them at once, that as 
 to title they have none, and as to ORIGIN, they are 
 
 but UPON A LEVEL WITH THEMSELVES. If that 
 
 unfortunate THING of Park-Lane should chance to 
 cast his eye upon this, he (1 should have said it) 
 will wonder at himself. His sewse-itiveness will 
 doubtless try the proof and strength of the seams 
 of STULTZ'S most exquisite fit but alas! poor 
 devil ! why should he be saddled with all the 
 odium ? unfortunately the cause of TITLE is extant 
 beyond this idiotic being yet 
 
 " He as loving his own pride and purposes" 
 
 through ignorance preaches the infallibility of his 
 ORDER ! Gracious powers, why halts the aveng- 
 ing bolt the fiery shaft to put out these, God 
 knows who created meteors ! The constitution of 
 society should be founded upon moral virtue alone 
 and distinction dealt only in accordance to our 
 deserts. ---What in the name of all that's SACRED 
 has worth to do with riches? SIR RUFFIAN 
 LORD of the Upper House, has no more exclusive 
 privilege to character, than has the poorest artisan 
 or peasant of the realm. 
 
 The victim of St. Helena exclaimed " J'ai tou~ 
 
M 
 
 jours marcht avec V opinion, de grandes masses et 
 les 6vbnemens" This expression strikes home to 
 my most inmost souland the force of its truth 
 will be remembered so long as LOWE Hudson's 
 name is associated with that of his persecuted 
 charge. The Aristocracy has much to thank this 
 creature for on the score of exposition ; and but for 
 his leniency Napoleon would have terminated his 
 career in peaceful quiet and repose but the un- 
 English treatment of Sir Hudson, drove him often- 
 times to dwell in detestation upon the misdeeds of the 
 higher classes of European society, and thus ren- 
 dered them the figure for the 
 
 " Hand of scorn to point, its slow unmoving finger at." 
 
 In fact, the measures and decisions of this inex- 
 orable band only tend to shew that the greatest men 
 have proved themselves in many instances the 
 greatest fools. Pitt is 
 
 " In his grave ! 
 
 After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well." 
 
 But the tomb cannot hold secret the impressive 
 truth, that the line of politics which this infatuated 
 being so determinedly pursued engendered an 
 implacable hatred in society, of the order, 
 which nor time, nor circumstances can ever wipe 
 away. 
 
16 
 
 This man to whom a monument was raised, and 
 a tablet of lies written to his. memory, was the 
 most prominent actor in his time in substantiating 
 the fact, that society is not cemented by distinction. 
 I find upon reflection that I am running fast of 
 space, therefore needs must close. I cannot, 
 however, do so in justice to the mighty cause in 
 which I am embarked, without again pointing to 
 the title "THE TIME IS COME ! Let no man de- 
 ceive himself as to this. The immutability of truth 
 proclaims the (almost) sacred fact, that vice nor 
 folly can have an everlasting day and that poli- 
 tical misrule must, in the course of things, meet its 
 reward. That reward is now being paid. For 
 too great a reliance in the faith and honour of our 
 UPPER Senators, England is reaping the dreadful 
 harvest. Merciful Heavens, where will it end ? 
 I could with Chatham say, "Oh, save my coun- 
 try," but 'tis hopeless, for 
 
 " In blood we are steep 'd in so far 
 
 That to return were as tedious as go o'er." 
 
 A remedy, therefore, is all that is necessary to 
 seek, and that remedy must be in the TOTAL 
 
 ANNIHILATION OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS AS A BODY 
 
 POLITIC. The country has experienced too much 
 oppression at their hands already, to induce them 
 to desire their existence being procrastinated, and 
 the balance due from them to England's injured 
 race, applies with avidity the fearless declaration. 
 
 44 Oh 'tis a glorious sight to see revenge, 
 Spring like a Lion from his den, 
 And tear these hunters of mankind." 
 
 E, M. CHARLES, PRINTER, WAINGATE, SHEFFIELD, 
 
Syracuse, N. T. 
 Stockton, Calif. 
 
 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH 
 rh, S book is due on the last date stamped b, 
 date to which renewed. 
 
 2 5 1954 LU