forget Sturges "Bourne's Bill;" you would totally ruin and bring this mode, in short, of obliterating to poverty, and add to the mithe recollection of thirty years of sery of the working classes, that ever-hardening laws, of new pu- of 300,000 families, now pronishments before unknown to Eng-prietors in the middle rank of lishmen, of suspensions of Ha-life; making, altogether, about beas-Corpus Acts, of Power-of 2,000,000 of persons. And now, Imprisonment Bills, of Sidmouth's let us hear, how it is that you have Circulars, of new Treason Laws, persuaded yourself, that the Landof SIX-ACTS, one of which owners would be backed by the dooms to banishment for life any working classes in this enterprise. man that shall utter what has a The whole passage is well worthy tendency to bring either House of of the attention of the public; for, Parliament into contempt; the silly as it may be, and as it is, it mode of doing all this is the most expresses the sentiments of the simple in the whole world! It is Land-owners in general. It exnothing but such an alteration of presses the sentiments of those, the Corn Laws as would give us who, as you say, have all the legal "free importation," with only fif- power in their hands, if they have teen shillings fixed duty upon each but the pluck to make use of it, it quarter of wheat! and fifteen being always understood, howshillings, let it be observed, is ever, that, though legal, it may three-fourths of the price of fo- be exercised, in a ticklish case reign wheat now in the river like this, at some risk. The pasThames! Faith, Sir James Gra- sage is as follows, and it is the ham of Netherby, you have to be manifesto of the Land-owners taken down many a peg yet, be- against the Fundholders and fore you are brought to the stand-against the Ministers.

ard of the times which you will, I "This concession [letting corn hope, have to live in. "come in with a fixed duty of

But, let us now, by way of a" 15s. a quarter of wheat] will concluding extract, hear what you" win back the kindly feelings of have to say upon this subject of" the people; and let not the aid and assistance to be given by "land-owners lose this great adthe people to the Land-owners. It " vantage, let them rivet the seems monstrous to suppose, that "gratitude of the community to the working-classes should wish to their cause; let them exert all see 300,000 families of the mid-"their power, and insist on the dle class of life stripped of their" revision of Mr. Peel's Act of all. It very soon would be their" 1819,-an act no less fatal to all; for though you do not posi- "the land-owner than to the payer tively say that you would take," of taxes,-an act now about to even 30 per cent.; still, it is very come into full operation,-an clear that you mean that, over and" act which, from its first introabove the constant fifteen shillings "duction, goaded the people to duty upon wheat. If you were to" insurrection; and the returning take, even 10 per cent., the funds" influence of which has not failwould fall down to the price, even "ed to produce the same alarmof Colombian bonds, and, very "ing consequences.` Here the soon, of Spanish bonds; so that, "land-owners may, with safety, in fact, you would take the whole: "make their stand: the position

"is impregnable; the payers of" against thousands;

..

66

66

and the

"taxes, the productive classes," issue of the contest will not · are ready to defend it: sub- “ long be doubtful." "stantial justice is on our side: Here it is here is your grand "and who are they that are reliance for success. The Corn"against us? -the Annuitants, Bill was passed with soldiers "the Fundholders, and the Eco-drawn up round the Houses of "nomists; a body which the Parliament; it was passed in spite "land-owners, IF TRUE TO of thousands of petitions against "THEMSELVES, and in con- it; it has caused a mass of misery "cert with the people, cannot indescribable; and after all this, "fail to defeat.**'********this law is not proposed by you "I have shown the terms to be repealed; but it is to be so on which, in my humble judg- altered as merely to make the ment, it would be wise to capi-duty upon a quarter of wheat fif"tulate; I have proved both the teen shillings, which is, upon an "policy and general equity of average of years, one half as much "these terms, and the power as the whole price of the quarter "possessed by the land-owners to of wheat in France! This you "obtain them; but, to be success represent as a most gracious act ful, the nobility and gentry on the part of the Land-owners; "must act in the strictest union: an act to win back the kindly "they will be opposed by the mo- feelings of the people," and to "nied interest, as by one man; "rivet their gratitude to the Land"they will be opposed by the pre-owners." Having settled the point, "sent Ministers, few of whom you proceed to describe the na66 are connected with land, or with|ture of the contest and that of its "the Aristocracy-some of whom, issue. Your position is impreg"by far the most able, having nable, you have justice on your "risen, by their talents, from an side, you have the aid of the "humble origin, are disposed, people; and you cannot fail to very naturally, to envy the ex- defeat the enemy! The "nobi"istence of any power in this lity and gentry must act, you "country which genius cannot say, in the strictest union; they "win, and which birth alone will be opposed, you say, by the "bestows. The land-owners will monied men; they will be opposed "be strenuously opposed, but by the present low-born minis"they will be powerfully sup- ters, who envy you your high "ported; they will be supported birth; but, the Land-owners, you "by every payer of tax through-say, will be supported by every "out the kingdom,-by the pea- payer of tax throughout the king"sant and the artisan, by the dom! Indeed! Why, then, they "merchant and the manufac- will have plenty of support; for, "turer. Then, indeed, they will where is the creature with a mouth fight on the right ground; they to swallow or a carcass to be co"will be backed by the great vered, that does not, in this land "body of the people. Interests of taxes, pay a tax? The Land"will be re-united, which ought owners, you say, will be supported "never to have been severed; a by the labourer and the artisan. "nation will be arrayed against That is your mistake, I can assure an administration; millions you. You seem really to con

་་

template a battle: you say that the Land-owners will then fight on the right ground; that they will be backed by the great body of the people; that a nation will be arrayed against an administration; that millions will be arrayed against thousands; and that the issue of the contest will not long be doubtful!

Third came to the throne; and I have always insisted, that, unless this were done to begin with. and that unless all which is stated in the Norfolk Petition were most fully and amply agreed to by the Land-owners; and that especially unless there were an efficient and radical reform of the Parliament, the people of England would be the most stupid as well as the most dastardly wretches upon the face of the whole earth, if they were not to resist by every legal means in their power, every attempt to deduct, though in the amount of only one single farthing, from the interest of the National Debt. I am fully persuaded that the people in general are decidedly of my opinion; and, therefore, Sir James Graham of Netherby,

must e'en bring out "John with the bright sword;" for, without such supernatural assistance, to a certainty you will be defeated.

Faith! This is coming to the point: this is fulfilling my prophecy as expressed in my motto. The open quarrel is taking place; and be you assured, that you lose your estates, or that we have reform of Parliament, one or the other! Towards the close of the last quoted passage, you say, that the great body of the people will join the Land-owners; and that then "interests will be re-united "which ought never to have been if you are really for a fight, you "severed." Now this is a very important concession; and the fact is most interesting to the whole kingdom. The people, you say, the main body of the people, I have, for three-and-twenty“have been severed from the land- years, been an advocate for a reowners." I have said this in print duction, for a very great reducfive hundred times, I am certain; tion, and, indeed, I am now for an and it was with the Register lying annihilation complete of the fundopen before you, that you wrote ed debt. But, I have never been all that you have said about recon- for this vile robbery of the Fundciling the people to the Land-holders, though I have been conowners. I have always said that stantly accused of it by the ruffians the Land-owners could never save of the London press; and though, themselves, except the people while they accuse me of this inwere reconciled to them first. tended robbery, they had before Thus far, then, you have repeated them those writings, which always my sentiments; but you have protested a desire to do whatever omitted my method, by which the was done upon principles ofequity. landlords were to win back the Before the date of the Norfolk Pekind feelings of the people. My tition, I had been abused, for just method-was, putting all the laws twenty years, on account of my as to game, as to trespass, as to opinions relative to this national the matters of Ellenborough's Act, debt. I had always been misreas to treason, as to libel, as to presented, belied; I had always punishments; my project was, to had my statements and arguments repeal all laws upon these sub-garbled. In short, there were jects, passed since George the three hundred villanous newspa

proclaims to all the earth, he must delight in injustice, and those whom he delights in must be damned. As clear as day-light is the justice of the Norfolk Petition; and not less clear is the injustice, the cruelty, the infamy of those who would plunder the widow and the orphan, while the Land-owner should be left in quiet possession of his estate and his sinecures.

pers, and fifty magazines and re- of the Church have been made to views, or thereabouts, constantly refund that which they have unat work, some or the other of them, justly received out of the taxes. to disfigure and mar all that I said By this petition, which, in fact, upon this subject. I several times only repeated that of HAMPSHIRE, put forth explicit and formal de- will I abide. "Here will I hold: clarations, in order to counteract "if there be a God, and that there the effect of these villanous pub-" is, all nature cries through all lications. But, they were merely" her works, he must delight in literary articles of my own: they "justice; and those whom he dewere my assertions and opinions," lights in must be happy." If and nothing more; except in the there be a Devil, and that there is case of the Hampshire Petition, the existence of Boroughmongers agreed to, on Portsdown Hill, on the 10th of February, 1817. At the Kent County Meeting, which was in June, 1822, I moved, and the county agreed to, a prayer for a just reduction of the interest of the debt. This got regularly before the House of Commons; but, there was no time to draw up any thing at any length. When the county of Norfolk was about to meet, that was another And now, Sir James Graham, matter. I, therefore, in the petition let me, by way of adieu, just ask which I had the very great honour you, what could induce you, after to submit to that county on the 3d writing several pages (not less of January, 1823: in that petition, than forty) with the Register open I endeavoured clearly and fully before you all the time; what to express what I meant upon this could induce you, after writing so important subject. That petition many pages upon the fatal effects was passed by that great and of Peel's Bill and upon the evils public-spirited county; that peti- arising from NOBODY HAVtion is recorded in the Journals of ING FORESEEN the consethe House of Commons; I have quences of that Bill; let me ask read that petition a hundred times you, son-in-law of the seventh since it was passed, and each suc- Earl of Galloway, what, after all ceeding reading only tends to this, could induce you to put into confirm me in the truth, the jus- print the following sentence in tice and the wisdom of every part page 84: "every man, of any of it. No robbery does that peti-degree of authority, has admittion contemplate: it contemplates" ted, distinctly, that he undera complete deliverance of the" rated, in 1819, the pressure country; but, always by just, by honourable, by reasonable and by merciful means. That petition scorns to touch the interest of the debt, until all other means of reduction have been resorted to, and particularly until the aristocracy"

"

"which the return to the ancient "standard would occasion?"You wrote this with the Register open before you, and what could induce you to say, that "every man of any authority, has admitted," and so forth? What

the London Gazette of Friday, Sept. 1.

BY THE KING

could induce you to say this, path of righteousness. In short, when you had the gridiron pro- the whole of the corn and cattle phecy before your eyes and under and food laws must be swept your hand? I will ask you no away, or there must be universal more questions about it; but will uproar: millions, aye, millions, conclude by observing, that if you will be starved to death, if effec have not named me, I have not tual measures be not taken to prebeen backward in naming you. vent it. The Ministers have beNow go, Sir James Graham, of gun the good work; and I trust Netherby invoke the shades of in God that they will finish it. the great" Earls of Monteith" We have afflictions enough; but, and of "John with the bright | let us, at any rate, not let the Oli❤ sword," and prepare for that garchs starve us out of our existfight, the plan of which you have ence! so judiciously laid down. If you have only a small portion of sense From left, however, you will, in future, hold your tongue, learn to entertain modest desires, and think A PROCLAMATION. yourself well off if you preserve even a fragment of your estate, GEORGE R.-Whereas our Parwhich, however small it might be, liament stauds prorogued to Thurs would exceed the deserts of him day, the second day of November who has had the audacity to pro- next; we, with the advice of our pose to lay, for the sole interest of Privy Council, do hereby publish and declare, that the said Parlia his own order, a heavy and per- ment shall be farther prorogued, on petual tax upon the bread of all the said second day of November the rest of the community, and to next, to Tuesday, the fourteenth day suggest, at the same time, the of November next; and we have propriety of withholding from the given order to our Chancellor of that lenders of the money to carry on part of the United Kingdom, called the war, that interest which he, Great Britain, to prepare a writ amongst others, has contracted to patent for proroguing the same acpay, and which withholding would cordingly; and we do further hereby, with the advice aforesaid, declare plunge 300,000 families from the our Royal will and pleasure, that middle ranks of life down into the the said Parliament shall, on the depths of poverty and despair. said fourteenth day of November next, be held, and sit for the despatch of divers urgent and important affairs and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, and the Commissioners for Shires and Boroughs of the House of Commons, are hereby required and commanded to give. their attendance accordingly, at Westminster, on the said fourteenth day of November next.-Given at of September, one thousand eight our Court, at Windsor, the first day hundred and twenty-six, and in the seventh year of our reign.

WM. COBBETT.

GOOD MINISTERS!!!

Good pretty gentlemen of Whitehall! I am always amongst the foremost to praise them, when they do well. The following is one of their good deeds; for it will sting the OLIGARCHS in the tender place; that is, their purse! But, let us hope, that this is only a beginning, only a first step in the

God save the King,