LET US TRY TO BE CHEERFUL
(From Punch)
A DEFICIT’S coming, hurrah! hurrah!
A Deficit’s coming, hurrah! hurrah!
A Deficit’s coming, and GLADSTONE is humming
And ha-ing about it, hurrah! hurrah!
More taxes are coming, hurrah! hurrah!
More taxes are coming, hurrah! hurrah!
More taxes are coming, for fifing and drumming
Cost money in plenty, hurrah! hurrah!
But one thing’s not coming, hurrah! hurrah!
But one thing’s not coming, hurrah! hurrah!
Invasion’s not coming, no. no, Doctor Cumming,
We’re not a bit frightened, hurrah! hurrah!
So when Budgets are coming, hurrah! hurrah!
When Budgets are coming, hurrah! hurrah!
When Budgets are coming, we’ll think that the summing
Is all in our favour, hurrah! hurrah!
Title:Let us Try to Be Cheerful
Author:Unknown
Publication:Accrington Guardian
Published in:Accrington
Date:Sat, Feb 9th, 1861
Keywords:politics, religion , satire
Commentary
This satirical and deeply ironic Punch poem is blunt in its condemnation of British economic policy as set out by the Liberal government of the day, naming in particular the contemporary Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Gladstone. Although this is just before the beginning of the American Civil War and the blockade, it gives an indication of the existing financial state of the country, and popular conceptions of its short and medium term future.
– SR