Take, Madam, this poor book of song; May children of our children say, She wrought her people lasting good; God gave her peace; her land reposed; 66 And statesmen at her council met "By shaping some august decree, CHARTIST SONG THOMAS COOPER No sooner were the Napoleonic wars at an end than the English people began to demand for themselves such privileges as the French had won. First of all, they asked for power to send representatives to the House of Commons in order that they might have some share in the making of the laws. The substance of their demands was formulated in the People's Charter and the reformers were therefore called Chartists. By 1832, popular agitation had become so vigorous and so persistent that Parliament dared no longer resist. The first Reform Act was passed in that year. The right of electing representatives to the House of Commons was taken away from the rotten boroughs and given to a number of towns that had never been allowed this privilege. Moreover, the right of voting at town elections was extended to all householders. The people's representatives succeeded in carrying through some much needed reforms. The time shall come when wrong shall end, The time shall come when the artisan Toil, brothers, toil, till the work is done, The time shall come when the weavers' band The time shall come when man shall hold Shall sever no more from human-kind. The time has come when kingly crown Toil, brothers, toil, till the world is free, The time shall come when earth shall be When the slaughterous sword is drawn no more, THE BARONS BOLD WILLIAM JOHNSON FOX THE Chartists were not satisfied with the measure of representation accorded the people by the Reform Act of 1832 and demanded manhood suffrage. On April 6, 1848, twenty-five thousand men assembled on Kennington Common, south of the Thames, determined to carry to the House of Commons a monster petition that the Charter should immediately be granted. The magistrates were greatly alarmed and made elaborate preparations for the defence of the city. The Chartists were unarmed and dared not meet the troops, so the great demonstration came to nothing. But suffrage has since been given to every householder in town and country alike, and the people have to-day sufficient influence in the House of Commons to carry any measure for which they make a united demand. The Barons bold on Runnymede By union won their charter; True men were they, prepar'd to bleed, And they prov'd that freedom's cause The memory Of those Barons brave united; And like their band, Join hand to hand : Our wrongs shall soon be righted. The Commons brave, in Charles's time, The memory Of those Commons brave, united; And like their band, Join hand to hand: Our wrongs shall soon be righted. The People firm, from Court and Peers, By union won Reform, sirs, And, union safe, the nation steers Through sunshine and through storm, sirs: Shall prevail o'er lordlings' words, The victory Of the people brave, united; Let all our bands Join hearts and hands: Our wrongs shall all be righted. THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING THE invention of machinery and the building of great factories made the employment of children profitable, and many a father sent his boys and girls to work before they were old enough to endure the strain. There was at first no limit set to the number of hours the children might be kept at work or to the tasks that might be required of them. The suffering of the factory operatives was finally brought to the attention of Parliament, and laws for the protection of women and children were passed. Mrs. Browning's poem did much to rouse public feeling in behalf of the little toilers. Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers, They are leaning their young heads against their mothers, And that cannot stop their tears. The young lambs are bleating in the meadows, |