am

frage, though not to all householders, for the good, for the happiness, of the yet to householders of a very low de- people, and for the revival of the greatgree: they have taken in copyholders ness of the country, I should be quite and leaseholders without disfranchising content with what has been done; and, freeholders; they have given repre- I am sure that the country will be con sentatives to a great number of potent. With how much less should we pulous places which had them not have been content in 1817! And now before; and, in short, it is a reform let the base and brutal and insolent bowhich we all ought to approve of, roughmongers reflect on their exultation which we all ought to applaud. It when the Parliament, in answer to our does not extend so far as my wishes humble and earnest prayers, for far less would go; but, as I have always said, than has now been conceded; let them in the first place, every sensible reflect on their exultation, on their man takes what he can get; and, inexpressible baseness, in chuckling in the next place, we are to con-at the passing of a law by which sider that here was a great variety of we were consigned to dungeons, at interests to be combated, and a great the pleasure of SIDMOUTH, CASTLEmass of prejudices and aristocratical REAGH, SCOTT ELDON and Co.! If fears to subdue; and the question with the name of OGDEN should come the ministers was, in the first place, athwart their minds, will not the whether they should make no reform at ruffians now tremble in their shoes! all, and thereby expose the whole fa- Forgive! Oh, yes, I for forgiving, bric of the government to destruction, the moment atonement shall be made. and the country to convulsive revolu- I want no atonement made to me. But, tion ; or whether they should make, all when I forget other sufferers, may God at once, such a reform as would satisfy forget me! What! do I not recollect all reasonable men for the present, and when the "authorities" of Manchester not expose the fabric to total destruc- were prepared with horse, foot, and tion, by a breaking up of every vestige artillery, to prevent me from going to of the former species of representation. that town to dine with friends who For my own part, I am of opinion; an had invited me to dine there? Do I opinion settled in my mind after the not recollect when JOHN HAYES, of most impartial investigation and mature consideration, that there would have been no danger to the prerogatives of the King, to the just privileges of the Peers, or to any of the institutions of the country properly so called, if, at once, the right of voting had been extended to every man being of twenty-one years of age, of sane mind, and untarnished by indelible crime; and if the voting had been settled to be by ballot. I am firmly convinced that the aristocracy, that the crown, and even that the clergy However, sufficient unto the day is would have found themselves better the triumph thereof. I cordially apunder a reform to this extent than they prove of what the ministers have done al will do now. But, it does not follow and, for the first time, in about eight that I am not to applaud, and greatly and twenty years, I am quite anxious to to applaud, that which has now been give a Ministry my support, though some done. On the contrary, so much has base tax-eaters are, at the same moment, been done now, that I am quite willing prosecuting me, and that, too, in the to wait, and patiently wait, too, for its meanest and most malignant manner. fair effects; and, if those effects be such A prosecution, however, which I will as to render further change unnecessary cause to cover them with confusionTM

Bolton, was crammed ten weeks into a stinking prison because he went round with a bell to apprize the public-spirited people of that town that their countryman, William Cobbett, had arrived at Liverpool, in good health? Not for me do I demand redress. I call for no atonement towards me; but as long as this tongue or pen shall be able to move will I seek to cause atonement to be made for those who have suffered unjustly for my sake.

and disgrace. It is curious enough, their want of firmness to resist what that, in the Register published only they call the "clamours of the people." the week before last, speaking of They have the good sense, the real the stupid plots and contrivances in-courage, to set these taunts at défiance. tended to drive me out of the country, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning I said, "Abscond, indeed, here is an im-" of wisdom. The voice of the people **pudent fellow, talk of my absconding!" is the voice of God;" and when it is "a pretty set indeed, in the House of the voice of a whole people, it is the "Commons and the Hells to make me voice of their Creator. Therefore, to abscond. They may now pass suspen-act upon a fear of opposing the voice of ❝sion-of-Habeas-corpus-acts, dungeon- the people was, in the language of "acts, gagging-acts; they may put Scripture, the "beginning of wisdom." "down the press altogether: they may And you have only to look back to the "do what they like; but never shall fate of CHARLES the First, to the fate of "they make me abscond or quit English Lours the Sixteenth, and the aristocracy "ground. They are much more likely and clergy of France; to the fate of to abscond than I am. I have done George the Third, with regard to the "my work; I have firmly planted the American States, to be convinced that "tree; and, please God, I will remain the Ministers have now acted wisely as "to see and taste the fruit. In the first well as justly. They are entitled, "of these two last, I was wrong. I therefore, to our hearty commendations "had not quite done my work: I finished for their conduct, not, however, like that last Saturday, in the ever-living servile creatures overlooking the great "article called · FRENCH REPUBLIC and share in the triumph which is ascribable ***ENGLISH REFORM.'" That was the to ourselves. finisher of my work; and it will take a With regard to the opposition to this great deal to persuade any man who measure, it is sheer nonsense. Had it has read it, that it had not a considerable been a little trifling measure, the oppo share in urging the Ministers to adopt sition would have thrown out the Ministhat grand measure, which now fills the ters, and the nation, regarding the mouths of all honest men with applause. two factions as forming but one body, The work, however, is now done. Here would have taken the Reform into its is the tree, bearing the fruit; and, res-own hands. This paper that I am now pecting you, fellows, BLANDFORD and writing will go to the press before I SLAPP, here am I to taste the fruit, in shall know the result of this day (Thursspite of your backbitings and slanders. day's) debate; but, in all probability, Though, however, I ascribe a great the second reading of the bill will not part of this grand work to my own take place until early next week, when Herculean labours, the nation at large the division on it (if any division) will, has its share; and I am by no means of course, take place. The bill will pass; for denying that great merit belongs to and though I know nothing about the the Ministers for what they have done. matter, I should suppose that the preTheir enemies in Parliament are no-sent Parliament will sit the Sessions thing, they themselves having the peo- out, transact the necessary business of ple at their back; but they have had the Session; then be prorogued, then other greater enemies to overcome, and dissolved, and the new and Reformed much greater enemies, too; the Parliament elected in the month of Ocgreatest of all the enemies that men in tober, rendering immortal the memory power know any-thing of; namely, of the year 1831. The interest excited their own pride and deep-rooted pre- by the deliberations of the remainder of judices. Here the combat must have this session will be far less than the inbeen severe indeed! They have had terest excited in the nation at large by the courage to set at defiance those the proceedings in a vestry of any of the taunts which their political opponents parishes of Westminster or of London. were sure to deal in, with regard to The nation, full of hope, will be quiet in

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every part of it. We shall hear of no foretelling, in Parliament, too, that he more riots and disturbances; no more believes that the fires will recommence petitions for a repeal of the Union with if the Parliament be not efficiently reIreland; and I am firmly of opinion formed. I have triumphed over this with Mr. HODGES, that, unless in cases bloody newspaper; but I repeat, what where deep revenge has been left im- I have said a hundred times over, that printed on the heart by deeds of injus- no Parliamentary reform ever can be tice and of cruelty too great for human worth a single straw, which will nature to endure, we shall hear of no not give rise to a state of things that more fires. Mr. HODGES, though the will bring punishment on the heads of villanous " reporthers" have given us such ruffians as those who have laboured no part of his speech, told the Ministers, through the columns of this newspaper, in the House of Commons, on Saturday to cause the destruction of the liberties last, that he had the inexpressible and the lives of the people. There is pleasure to tell them that the riots no act of cruelty, not of oppression am I "and fires had wholly ceased in the speaking, but no act of cruelty, of savage county of Kent, for which he was a barbarity, that this bloody newspaper "member; that he verily believed that has not defended and even called for. " cessation to have arisen from the hope Like the croak of the raven, its voice “and expectation which the people en- has been the omen and precursor of "tertained of an extensive and efficient death; and it has seemed to be morti"Reform of the Parliament; and that fied that there was nothing beyond "he believed most firmly, and most death to glut its propensity for blood. "solemnly declared that belief, that, Amongst the advantages of this mea if such reform were refused, the sure of the Ministers is to be numbered "riots and the fires would begin again. the exposure of this bloody newspaper. I believe so too; and it was upon pre-It has now turned about suddenly, and cisely this principle that I proceeded in is as loud in cries for the destruction of those lectures in Kent and Sussex which victims of another sort. Its furious the bloody Times newspaper, in con- and brutal assault of this morning junction with the certificates of Parson (Thursday) upon Lord ELLENBOROUGH RUSH and of WALTER BURRELL and Co. is a sort of first step in its general asendeavoured to represent as the cause of sault upon every pensioner and sinethe fires in those counties. At every curist; and if such were unhappily place (and I can call witnesses from the case, that a DANTON, a COLLOT every place to prove it) I advised the D'HERBOIS, and a ROBESPIERRE, were farmers to call all the people of their to succeed the present King and his several parishes together; to bring with Ministers, we should see this bloody them a short petition ready written for newspaper, not their apologist, but the Parliamentary Reform; to sign it, and Coryphæus of the band of writers, to get the people to sign it too; to as- breathing blood and carnage. I be sure them that that would bring them seech my readers in particular, and all better times if their prayer were attend- the public, now to keep their eye upon ed to; to tell them that their prayer this vehicle of sentiments of blood. It would be attended to, and that, there- hates the present Ministers: it attacked fore, they ought to be patient in the them the other day in the most brutal meanwhile. This, I told the farmers, manner, when it thought the duration would fill the people with hope, would of their power was uncertain. It said, make them patient, would put a stop to of this Ministry, that all was "feeblethe fires, and to violences of all sorts." ness, uncertainty, CROTCHET, and And it is for having laboured thus, that" POULETT THOMSON." This was only this infamous and bloody newspaper last week; and the viperous attack has been labouring day by day to pre- arose from the proposition to lower the .pare the way for causing my blood to be tax upon newspapers, which it knew to shed! However, here is Mr. HODGES have originated with Mr. Thomson.

During the summer, the Ministers they will congratulate themselves that will have plenty of time to arrange themuckworm has taken an alarm at their what is called the machinery of taking measures. It is the nation; it is this the elections. They will have the peo-industrious, this laborious, this honest ple all in good humour; and, severely people, that hail their measure with joy as they feel the taxes, and odious as are and thanks; and what need they care the tithes, they will find every one wil- for the feelings or opinions of a merceling to pay. The Ministers may throw nary band who are sucking the blood of aside all the stupid projects which have this people, and who are undermining been intruded upon them for getting all property, and all the institutions of rid of the people. They will soon find ages? There is, however, a very able that they have not got too many people. article in The Star newspaper eyesterThey will soon find, too, that that deep day, showing that the measure must disgrace to the country, the flocking of ultimately be advantageous even to the people of property to America, will fundholders themselves. And I say so, cease. I could give them some most too, provided they be content with that striking proofs of this; but I have not which is equitable; for there is no quesroom in the present Register. tion that a refusal of efficient reform

Let not the ministers be disheartened would, in a few years, and more proba at the fall of the funds, even if they bly in a few months, have deprived should come down to 40 or 30. Let them for ever of every farthing that them remember the words of the first they claim. Every sensible fundholder Lord CHATHAM : "The stocks are a good that I have ever known, who is unable "criterion enough: for, when they fall to remove his money from the funds, you may be sure that the nation is has expressed his willingness and readi66 rising and when they rise, you may ness to submit to a very considerable be sure that the nation is falling." reduction in positive amount. It would

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:

But, without going so far back as be easy to show that a reduction must the time when this great statesman follow in other things, and that the funddelivered this sentiment, have we, holder would in reality lose but very the reformers; have I, and has Lord little by a reduction in his interest. GREY, forgotten the year 1817, when, But there will be time enough to discuss in answer to a speech of Lord HoL- these things hereafter.

LAND, in which he most urgently At present, before I conclude (my pleaded (but in vain) that the persons room being small), let us turn and take whom the ministers might choose to a look at the dejected countenances of imprison should be permitted to see the fellows who are to be trundled their kindred and friends, and to have out of the rotten boroughs: let us look the use of pen, ink, and paper; and at the DIVANS, called close corporations; when he described the disgrace that the let us look at the hypocritical, proflidungeon-bill would bring upon the gate, profoundly lying, beastly, mercecountry, and the alarm which it would nary crew called free burgesses and excite in the breasts of the people; freemen; let us look at the swarms of when he did this, for which he was ap- attorneys of inexpressible villany; vilplauded by every good man in the king-lany, as BURKE calls it, defecated; dom, the dry and short answer of un- that is to say, purged of every alloy feeling Liverpool was, "Let the noble arising from the remains of conscience. "Lord look at the funds! He will Let us look at all these; see the hetcthere see that public credit has been rogeneous group; and see them all "benefited by the introduction of this destroyed at one fell swoop," by the "Bill, for the funds have risen ever hand of little Lord Joux, who, in future "since the determination of Parliament story will surpass the famous "Little was known." Therefore, let the mi- John," the brother or the rival chamnisters not be alarmed at the fall of the pion of ROBIN HOOD, and even "JACK funds. Let them recollect 1817; and the GIANT-KILLER himself. Sir

CHARLES WETHERELL may crack his exulted in the everlasting fall of the jokes upon the little paymaster, as he Reformers, and, in answer to their petis called him, as long as he pleases; but tions, referred them to the History of the country will be very much disposed the Battle of Waterloo; and, when the to entertain some degree of gratitude former of these papers exclaimed, in the towards the instrument of the destruc-height of its intoxication of savage tion of such a monstrous evil. The joy: "The play is over: we may now anger of Mr. HORACE TWISS was go to supper;" I answered, "No, we much more natural than it seemed cannot go to supper yet; we must natural to the public that this ministry" first pay the reckoning for the play, should have left him any-thing to be angry "and in order to pay that reckoning, we for the ss of. When this hero came" must first have Parliamentary Re into parliament, he made his debut in a "form." We have got that now, and furious attack on the Parliamentary Re- therefore, we may prepare for the sup formers. I told him at the time, "Ah!|per; and, it seems that we are to have "HORACE, HORACE, you are of the it in grand style; for, the bloody Times, “true breed, and are upon the right "scent, but you come into the pack too "late: the game will soon be all gone; "and, when that is the case, God Al"mighty only knows what is to become of you!

which called for the putting us into dungeons, in 1817, for having petitioned for Reform, now calls upon the cities of London and Westminster for a grand illumination to celebrate the passing of the bill. If this illumination should, Amongst the consequences of this as I hope it will, take place, all that grand measure will be the complete ex-I shall want, all that I shall lament posure of all the sham patriots; of all the want of, will be the power of the dirty souls, who, by professing that calling up the saucy CANNING and they wish for reform, thought to escape the venerable Major CARTWRIGHT to the vengeance of the people, if a con-witness that illumination. The next vulsive Revolution should take place. thing to the having them in their proper These vile hypocrites, and some of them persons, is that of having them in effigy: the basest of Boroughmongers too, that of CANNING in a Dustman's cart always took special good care to ex-drawn by an old rip horse, representing ercise their corrupt power in such a a fallen boroughmonger, the effigy clad way as to perpetuate, if possible, that in mourning, with the words, "a low, corrupt power. which will now be blown degraded crew" (the appellation which up, and that too by their own apparent he gave the reformers in 1809) coming consent and good-will! The touch-out of his lips; and the venerable stone of these will be, when the sepa- MAJOR in a triumphal car, decked with rate question of the Ballot comes to be laurel, the effigy itself furnished with a discussed. By every means in their civic crown. At any rate, one of the power, except open means, they will very first acts of a reformed Parliament oppose it. The Ministers will do well ought to be, the causing of a monument, to propose it, and to maintain it to their in the most honourable of all the spots utmost, to prevent the possibility of that can be found, to be erected to the having insincerity ascribed to them. It memory of this wise and brave man, who will give them strength, too, against spent fifty years of his life in endeavors the implacable enmity of the borough-to obtain that which has, at last, been monger crew. But it will do this, accomplished.

which is more than all the rest: it will leave nothing to be demanded; and that is the great thing of all. It will silence the boroughmongers; silence every enemy that the Ministry has upon the face of the earth. When, in 1815, the base COURIER, and the BLOODY TIMES

WM. COBBETT.

THE INDICTMENT.

THE following words which are put in italics is what is called the libel of which some mean wretch or other has