I make no apologies for reproducing the following which is relevant to-day -



Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the Dissolution of the Long Parliament
Given to the House of Commons

20 April 1653

It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured by your
contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice;
ye are a factious crew, and
enemies to all good government;
ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell
your country for a mess of pottage, and 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 barter'd your conscience
for bribes?
Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?
Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den
of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices?
Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone!
So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!

Why should you even think of apologising, Andy? What you have quoted were the words of a world-weary man who had already refused the Crown of England, the biggest perk any politician has ever been offered, and came out of virtual retirement to offer up those immortal words to end a rotten parliament by sheer physical presense. Regardless of later accusations against him, and hatreds he picked up along the way, he was always a man of the people, a superb soldier and a very special bloke with the gonads to see the end of a monarch who used his subjects without regard to their worth other than for his own ends. The lesson taught, thank goodness, has carried through the years and still applies. Also with regard to parliament alone, regardless of party politics, it seems that something again Cromwellian has happened over the last few days.


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Mike Barton

But he became the vilest dictator of them all and deprived the people of any democracy and religious freedom. His was the reason behind the Pilgrim Fathers fleeing to America and his bestiality towards the Irish still resonates to this day in mindless sectarian violence. Truly a man of the people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John

Quite. jireland. The man must indeed be viewed........"Warts and all."


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Mike Barton