Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the Dissolution of the Long Parliament

[McMouse]

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 dishonored 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!

[jackthehat]

I believe, sadly, that there are very few political figures who have the moral authority to make this statement these days.

Who would you recommend we ought to send in to deliver it ?

[Ankou]

he didn't fare too badly out of it (well until 1658 at least) he got paid something like �7.5m a year in todays money(according to my sums which do intend to involve lots of zeros) in todays money as lord protector. plus he had another �15m pa for generally running the administration.

must have gine to his head. before he lost it of course.

[Ankou]

ah yes who can forget the pro-Christmas riots of 1646 and 1647. them was the days.

[jake-the-peg]

So the moral of the story is much as you may dislike the inadequate democracy than no democracy at all?