Author: Thomas Cooper

Publisher:

Published: 2015-07-07

Total Pages: 88

ISBN-13: 9781330935224

Excerpt from Two Orations Against Taking Away Human Life, Under Any Circumstances; And in Explanation, and Defence, of the Misrepresented Doctrine of Non-Resistance: Delivered at the National Hall, Holborn; February 25 and March 4, 1846 My Friends and Brothers, We live in that age when attachment to ancient usages has become a scarce quality in the national mind. We exist at that period when reverence for the Past is well-nigh superseded by doubt as to whether the Past really deserves any reverence; and when admiration for what have long been called our wise, and venerable, and time-honoured institutions, is rapidly merging into a scepticism as to whether there be aught that is truly wise and truly venerable about our "time-honoured institutions." Nor does any one assist to spread this scepticism more effectually than he who seeks to revive a custom or usage which had fallen into abeyance, or to reestablish an institution which had come to be considered, nearly, as obsolete. Thus, what is called the 'National Militia, ' - though long the subject of panegyric, even by strong-minded men who were esteemed sincere reformers, - though often held up to the people as an institution they ought to support with zeal, and guard with jealousy, lest its "free manner of embodiment by ballot" - such were the terms of old - should be abandoned, and the Militia itself displaced and subverted by a standing army; this national militia, I say, so zealously preferred as a necessary means of warlike defence, from the moment that the "Trained Bands," or first elements of a standing army, were formed under the Stuarts, has grown, by desuetude, into dislike, approaching to abhorrence. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.