From the beginning of his career he never hesitated in
championing the cause of the People, and declared that "he was not
afraid or ashamed to say that he wished more sympathy had been shown
on both sides towards the Chartists."
The people had begun to look upon the upper classes as their
oppressors, who were living in comfort upon the profits wrung from
their poorer brethren.
Thomas Cooper in his Autobiography describes the reckless and
irreligious spirit which continued poverty was creating among the
half-starved weavers:
"'Let us be patient a little longer, lads, surely God Almighty will
help us.' 'Talk no more about thy Goddle Mighty,' was the sneering
reply; 'there isn't one. If there _was_ one, He wouldn't let us suffer
as we do.'"
The Chartists were opposed to the Anti-Corn Law party, for they
thought that the cry of 'cheap bread' meant simply 'low wages,' and
was a trap set to catch them unawares.
The Young England party believed in themselves as the leaders of a
movement which should save England through its youth. They were,
however, known in Parliament in their early days as "young gentlemen
who wore white waistcoats and wrote spoony poetry."
'Young England' wished for a return of the feudal relations between
the nobility and their vassals; the nobles and the Church, as in olden
days, were to stretch out a helping hand to the poor, to feed the
hungry, and succour the distressed.
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