" A person of overgrown wealth is in almost every case
a mischievous or use.- loss member of society. In politics, his natural alliance is with the rabble; who can never be his rivals or seem to fail in deference. In private life, such men are disagreeable despots; exacting all the obsequious submission which is- due to princes, and repaying it with jealous insolence, and a character of ser- vility, instead of the generous frankness and the honour which princely society reciprocates."
Here, good reader, may be found a few of the evils that accrue.
to society from individuals being too rich. The remedy is very obvious—disincumber him of part of his gains. Now, from what base Radical twopenny tra,h is this extracted? Is it CARPENTER that thus leads the way 'to spoliation ? Has the Poor Man's Guardian at length dared to avow itself the Rich Man's Robber? No, CARLILE and HETHERINGTON ara guiltless. The passage is from the Conservative and classical columns of the Standard!
Princes are entitled to "obsequious submission," and no harm : but princes are poor—alas, alas ! they can only pay in "generous frankness" and "the honour which princely society reciprocates:' Here is the evil : feudal privileges are expiring, boroughs are going out, taxes are being appropriated to public uses; and poor princes are left naked on the strand—their few rags of dignity fluttering about them as they stand exposed to the biting blasts of splendid poverty. Great wealth may be acquired by insolent and ignorant persons, just as some princes may be haughty and cruel. The chances however are, that the man who acquires wealth possesses qualities of the first importance to society ; and the natural order and pro- gress of things is, that not only will his wealth stimulate others to imitate his conduct, but the possession will humanize and elevate either the first or second holder of it. Whereas, on the other side, there is nothing to be said for hereditary princes : it is all acci- dent; the possession of irresponsible power is corrupting, and the "obsequious submission" of their entourage encourages the most absurd ideas of self-importance, and often the most foolish, reckless, and injurious course of conduct.
Princes of old have been the enemies of" persons of overgrown wealth ;" but we trust the time is past when they shall be per- mitted to pursue, ruin, and destroy them, that they may fatten on the prey.
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