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    IOOO ?HE LEA PER. [No, 343, Satubbai

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    CHARTISM AND SOCIALISM. (To the Editor o...

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    The Moon's Rotation. (To The Editor Of T...

    Having briefly stated those essential conditions of axial motion , it may now be stated that if the planets revolved about the-sun ,, as ' the moon about the earth , the idea of axial or rotary motion by those bodies would never have been dreamt of . If the orbital motions of the planets were to cease , those bodies would continue to rotate about axes within themselves , agreeably with the first indispensable condition of axial motion . Secondly . Every point equally distant from the axis of rotation in . any of the planets , passes through the same quantity of space during one complete revolution , conformably to the second condition of axial motion .

    Thirdly . Every side of the earth and of every planet moves successively upon each side of the line of its motion , and is equally distant from that line , upon each side during one complete revolution , agreeably with the third condition of axial motion . Fourthly . A spectator situated anywhere , ¦ whether within or "without the orbit of any of the planets , would see every side of those bodies while they made one complete revolution , according to the fourth indispensable condition of axial motion . I do not mind in this instance the difference in time that necessarily elapses before actually perceiving one complete resolution of those bodies arising from our own change of position , as this makes no difference whatever in principle .

    Fifthly . Every point , whether upon the surface or within the body of any of the planets , comes successively into the line of motion , and is in that line twice during every complete revolution . It is evident , therefore , that as the planets in their motions conform to all the essentials of axial motion , that they have that motion . It is a fact , too , about which there is no dispute . Let the motions of the moon and—by analogy— -of all the satellites be now examined , and it will be found that in no particular whatever do those motions conform to the indispensable conditions of axial motion .

    . In the first place , the moon does not turn about an axis within herself , because every point equally distant from her centre , or from any axis through her centre , in any direction , does not pass through the same quantity of space during any assigned revolution . Secondly . As the moon moves in her orbit , there is no successive and complete change of sides or of position about her line of motion , the same limb being continually upon the same side of that line , contrary to the essential condition of axial motion , which requires -that every part of a rotating body about a movable axis must be successively on each side of the line of motion , and equally distant from that line upon each side of it during each complete revolution .

    Thirdly . The moon caiinot have axial motion , because to a spectator within her orbit one of her sides only is presented , contrary to the fourth essential condition of axial motion , which requires that to a spectator either within or without her orbit every side must be successively presented . Fourthly . It is concluded that the moon cannot have axial motion , because all her points , or parts , do not come successively into her line of motion , and are not twice in that line during any assigned revolution , iis required by the fifth , indispensable condition of axial motion .

    It cannot be denied that the moon moves , or is carried about in a circle , and presents the same face continually to the earth ; but that she should necessarily move upon an axis within herself , upon tfhat account is a question to "be disposed of in the negative , even without the arguments already advanced . We ourselves are carried in a circle about the earth , once in every twenty-four hours ; but nobody ever dreamt of his having turned upon an axis within

    himself for that reason , when a ship circumnavigates the earth , it conforms to all the conditions of the moon ' s supposed axial motion ; hut it would appear very absurd to state that she turned upon an axis within herself , because of that circuitous journey . In fact , the best reasons , or rather statements , that may be made to prove the moon to have axial motion , would equally apply in proof of the independent axial motion of every body upon the the earth's surface , an I of every conceirablo distinct part of that body .

    I must now however admit that every body that moves in a circle , moves , or goes about an axis . The moon , consequently , must also do so . But , where is that axis ? Certainly mot in the moon—for the many reasons already given—but in the centre of the earth ; for the outer , or highest limb of the moon is always passing through a greater circle than the inside , or lower limb ; just as our heads , or the higher part of any other body on the earth's surface , is perpetually passing through the greatest circle , or greatest quantity of space ?

    Every body having axial motion rotates as a unit , li-very conceivable portion of the earth , or of any tinng upon its surface , having no separate existence , or action , m relation to that motion , constitutes the only part of that unity , and partakes of the whole , mere is no separate o-xial motion by any part of the earth arising out of the single individual action of

    It inust now be evident that no part of the earth ' s surface has independent axial motion ; no matter what the extent of its projection from the general level may be . A mountain may be supposed to be any height , and may even be thrown off to some distance , and move about thus elevated , as a balloon would ; but so long as it continued to present the same face to the earth , it could have no independent axial motion , it would still move about that body as when attached . The moon moves under precisely the same conditions . Consequently , it has no motion different from that of a balloon while floating , nor from that of an attached or detached mountain . And

    as they have no independent axial motion , but partake of the one motion of the whole ; so the moon , for all tlie reasons assigned , has no axial motion , but is carried about the earth , a § if she were a positive portion of that body . I , any Sir , your obedient servant , Thomas Best .

    Iooo ?He Lea Per. [No, 343, Satubbai

    IOOO ? HE LEA PER . [ No , 343 , Satubbai

    Chartism And Socialism. (To The Editor O...

    CHARTISM AND SOCIALISM . ( To the Editor of the Leader . ' ) Sir , —It was indeed a pleasure that your Open Council opened to me , at the sight of the above heading . Is it that these matters are of no importance—or have they lost all influence—that so little has lately been said thereon ? Your correspondent , "T . G ., " thinks otherwise , and is "inclined to favour the Charter as a measure of reform , " and as * a warning he points out two evils that " menace the cause , " viz ., the absence- " of virtue in the leaders , " and the presence of " Communism in the ranks . " I presume "T . < x . " has satisfied himself the leaders are not virtuous , and that Communism is an evil . The said leaders -would , however , probably incline to dispute his assumption ; and I , for one , equally object to his opinion of the evil of Socialism and Communism such as I see them .

    Remedies should be calculated to meet the speciality of the evil ; and , as I believe the great evils of the day are in social derangement , " I do hot think that any legal arrangement will effect a cure . Our great evil arises from the inequality of wealth and of the advantages of art , science , and civilization . There is wealth , but there are too many poor—there is abundant material for comfort and plenty , and yet we find the great mass without them . _ ,- There are two modes of arrangement by which it is asserted the people may reach the goal of plenty and cornfort : the one is political , the other social , and their several advocates urge forcible reasons on each side for the superiority of each . The political

    section aim , by compulsion , to move the mass within from without—the Socialist party wish to move , by culture , the mass from within . " T . G . " seems to think the Charier is all we require . I think the knowledge of right and wrong , of true and false modes of action , and the culture of good habits , is the true reform . I deny that the Charter and twelve points would be of the slightest benefit if the people remained with their present knowledge , appetites , and habits . Suppose now we had the Charter , we must have virtuous leaders , or it would be of no use .

    Have the people hitherto shown they could select fit and virtuous men to represent them ? "T . G-. " says no ! and yet neither aristocracy nor middle-clas 3 had any influence to prevent it . The people had the six points in their selection , and good men , true men , offered themselves as leaders : Thomas Cooper , Joseph Sturge , and a host of others , able and vi q * tuous ; men wKo had worked and suffered for years for the people and the Charter , were set aside for Feargus , Finlin , Frost , Jones , and Co ., leaders , according to " T . G ., " of easy virtue .

    But suppose virtuous representatives were chosen , upon what are they to legislate . The Charter is only a means , and the how is still to be worked . And here , I take it , the model men must enter into the questions of " Socialism and Communism "—the evils " T . < x . " ranks with a lack of virtue . AH political , must end in social questions—the Chartists are no exception , for proof of wliich I will give two extracts from one of the Tracts for Working Men issued by the " Executive Committee of the National Charter Association" " What then is needed for your prosperity Qhe people ' s ]?—Firstly , To place at your disposal the public lands , and enable you to obtain land at a reasonable price ; and ,

    Secondly , To enable you to start mills , shops , fuctories , and agriculture ; by supplying you with the necessary capital , under safe and suitable restrictions . " Tli at is , all this is to be done by Act of Parliament , which seems to me most " suspiciously like Socialism and Communism both run mud . " Land for , nothing , or at the price the people think to be " reasonable , " is somewhat an inversion of what is usually deemed equitable , on the principle of competitive market value ; and for the people to draw from Government taxation that which they might subscribe for themselves seems a very roundabout mode of doing business . If the people want " nulls , factories , shops , and agriculture , " they neither need Government funds , nor restriction . Legislature has latterly decidedly favoured combinations , to the end that the people may themselves purchase , conduct , and reap the benefits of trude and manufactures . Some

    few have done so , and lost thereby ; and some few hi « . greatly thereby gained ;* but , as a rule , th * pZhZl most remarkably contented with things as they ar ? ignorant of how to do better , averse to troublmnx ^ selves to improve , and especially averse to ^ i , ^ for imy future probability however advantagS But present to the people a sensual treat , be it titlS military ,.- equestrian , or pyrotechnic ( day or nisht will make no matter ) , and there will flocl ; not thn , sands only , but hundreds of thousands . ( Ct thought that a great majority of the people wanted and were anxious to obtain the Charter ; Tacts haS dissipated the mistake , and I now sec the people wan ? something else . What it is the people do want I think may be judged of by what they attend to and are willing to pay for . '

    Now , -what meetings do the people attend inlaxee numbers?—and I urge that number is a £ ood test of the estimate of importance . Exeter Hall occasionally has large attendances ; the Charter has bv fits and starts , had large meetings in its favour (" not latterly ) , but who for a moment will compare these numbers with the attendance at the Derby , Epsom Manchester , or Doncaster races year after year ? Again , what are the people -willing to pay for ? The Charter * if worth anything , is worthy of supportbut do the people raise a tithe , for the Charter , of the sums that they invest in Ledger dubs , sweepstakes , or even goose clubs at Christmas ? Alas ! And yet there is no act of Parliament compelling the people to pay for these and not to suppo-rt the other . The people have plenty of money to sport a- \ vay when they like ; and what they do like may be judged of by what they spend .

    One other instance of popular estimate ought not to be forgotten . John Frost is-a ., people ' s hero ; for them he worked , was sacrificed , betrayed , and suffered ; and after fifteen years' transportation , he returns , still true to the good cause , the people , and the Charter . Now , if ever man deserved a popular ovation , John Frost did deserve it . Londoa , the metropolis , determined upon a demonstration ; and howdoes " T . G ., " an advocate of the Charter himself , say it ended ? '"In the ridicule which the public press has heaped upon the tawdry paraphernalia of a . congress of * roughs on an idle Monday . '" I , however , suggest it " was the moral sense of the people that prompted them to hold aloof from a demonstration which

    outraged common propriety and good feeling . " Without deciding whether the demonstration did ; so outrage propriety and good feeling , it is certain such is the mode in which demonstrations are usually made . But it must not pass that the moral sense of the jpeojrfe was so shocked as to be the cause of popular contempt . A race or a fight , or , still better , a clown riding in a tub on the water drawn ty swans (?) , does not shock the moral sense of crowds far larger than John Frost has yet seen . Why , on the same

    day that the London ovation failed , the paltry hamlet of Ilblbeck had at the races thousands more , by the lowest estimate , than Frost had by the highest ; Pontefract races , on the Tuesday following , had twice as many , —and yet these are of too little importance to appear in any racing calendar ; and , on the Friday following , Doucaster had the largest meeting , according to the papers , that has ever yet been known of . Shall we make " comparisons so odious" —John Frost , v . a race—a race , -v . the Charter : which beats—in numbers and cost ?

    " Ilippolytus to a Satyr ? " —Alexander to a robber .-Let me reflect . Reflection will show us that a few do care for the Charter extremely , and would work it well and honestly ; a largo number would take it , if it cost nothing , and gave no trouble , —that these would use it well is doubtful , —but the vast mass care nothing for either the Charter or any thing else , save their pipe , pot , and the merest animal and sensual gratifications . These would sell twonty Charters , and birthright included , for a mess of pottage . It is a wretched pity that this should l ) e so , but the truth ou"ht to be known .

    And this being so , how are we . to deal with the people in order to elevate their tastes and to improve their habits ? Will nn not of Parliament do this ? Alaa , no ! To the extension of knowledge , and to better arrangements for the distribution , as -well as the creation of wealth , the wise will look , as the only true remedy , by elevating the peoj > le themselves . Questions of Socialism and Communism had better not bu left until we have got tho Charter ! in order to use the power . New arrangements of social questions involve a pcradventuro betwixt theory and practice ; ot

    and I , for one , advocate n practical application Social principles , —with the power we have already in hand , in order to test their value in working , before we have a surplus power to dispose of . JJ ^ t the people create wealth for themselves , ami no one can prevent them from having tho Charter and as many points as they like ; but , having the Charter , they may , without knowledge and discipline , destroy all that they now possess , the Charter included . Suclj is the opinion of one who has long worked with nn « for tho people . Yours mos t truly , Nevilott . John 1 \ o \ m &^ * At Leeds ami Kochdalo for oxamplo .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 18, 1856, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_18101856/page/16/