CROMWELL'S SPEECH TO A DISCREDITED PARLIAMENT

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 299, 22 November 1922, Page 6

CROMWELL'S SPEECH TO A DISCREDITED PARLIAMENT

Kefe is Oliver Cromwell's to til© corrupt Rump ParlianYent in the year 1653. It is applicable to-day almost to every' Parliament novr. jabbering under the..'sun v . Let the. People be their o>yh Oliver ' and so."speak to the gangs, of hardfaced men who did very Weir out of tho war and are now assisting the profiteers to do even hotter, out of the "peace" by cutting ' wfages and sinking the wdrkers in poverty I "IT IS HIGH" TIME. FOR ME TO PUT AN END TO YOUR. SITTINGS IN THIS PLACE WHICH YOU HAVE DISHONOURED BY YOUR CONTEMPT OF VIRTUE AND DEFILED BY THE PRACTICE OF EVERY VICE. YE ARE' A 1-ER-. NICIOUB CREW, AND ENEMIES OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. YE. ARE A PACK 'OF MERCENARY WRETCHES, AND WOULD.. LIKE ESAU, SELL YOUR . COUNTRY FOR A MESS OF POTTAG E; OR, LIKE JUDAS, BETRAY YOUR GOD FOR A FEW PIECES OF MONEY. IS THERE A SINGLE VIRTUE NOW.' REMAINING AMONGST YOU?' IS "THERE ONE VICE YOU DO NOT POSSESS? YE HAVE NO MORE RELIGION THAN MY HORSE. GOLD IS. YOUR 'GOD. WHICH OF YOU HAVE NOT BETRAYED YOUR CONSCIENCE" FOR BRIBES? IS THERE A MAN AMONGST YOU THAT HAS THE LEAST CARE.,FOR . THE GOOD OF THE COMMONWEALTH? ? . . YE ARE GROWN INTOLERABLY ODIOUS TO THE WHOLE NATION —YE WERE DEPUTED HERE TO GET GRIEVANCES REDRESSED. ARE NOT YOURSELVES BECOME THE GREATER GRIEVANCE? YOUR COUNTRY, THEREFORE, CALLS UPON ME" TO CLEANSE THIS .AFUGEAN STABLE BY PUTTING THE FINAL PERIOD TO YOUR INIQUITOUS PROCEEDINGS IN THIS HOUSE, AND WHICH, BY GOD'S HELP, AND THE STRENGTH HE HAS GIVEN ME, I AM NOW GOING TO DO. I COMMAND YE, THEREFORE, AT THE PERIL OF YOUR LIVES, TO DEPART IMMEDIATELY OUT OF THIS PLACE. GO! GET OUTMAKE HASTE, YOU VENAL SLAVES! BEGONE! SO TAKE AWAY THAT SHINING BAUBLE THERE, AND LOCK UP THE DOORS."