Samuel Pepys & the Debt

Under the category of some things never really change, a quote from Samuel Pepys' Diary of February 26, 1666. At this time England was at war with the Dutch and the a French. Pepys was responsible for "victualing" the Navy, and Parliament was not very agreeable to actually appropriating funds to do this. So here was the situation:

went into the Parke, and meeting Sir Ph. Warwick took a turne with him in the Pell Mall, talking of the melancholy posture of affairs, where every body is snarling one at another, and all things put together looke ominously. This new Act too putting us out of a power of raising money. So that he fears as I do, but is fearfull of enlarging in that discourse of an ill condition in every thing, and the State and all.

The good news is that England survived this, and almost 350 years later still survives. So there may be hope yet.