and guzzle. In the meanwhile I have the pleasure to tell you, that I sleep as soundly as you do.

WM. COBBETT.

FALL

OF

SIGNOR WAITHMAN.

66

at my house, in the year 1800; we soon became opposed to each other in politics; but, though we had not spoken to each other for some years, he came to see me when I was in prison, and, upon leaving that prison, I found that though Messrs. Alderman WooD and GOODBEHERE had greatly interested themselves for me, it was to him that I owed a great part of the indulgent treatment that I experienced, to which there belonged this additional merit, that he does not, even to this hour, know that I ever was apprised of his benevolent interference.

THE efforts of this noisy City Cock to get into a fat birth for life, that of CITY CHAMBERLAIN, have been defeated in a most signal manner, the poll being 3405 for Sir James Shaw, and 1986 for him, when, on Wednesday Still, Sir, notwithstanding these connight, he gave up the contest. I am siderations, which by most men will be aware of the natural dislike of my considered sufficient to determine my readers to have their valuable time choice, in a case where, the office to be wasted on remarks on the conduct of obtained has no apparent connexion such a man; but, there are circum- with political principles or stances, connected with this election, which will, I hope, be my apology for the remarks that I am about to offer. On the 26th instant, I sent the following letter to the Editor of the Morning Chronicle.

To the Editor of the Morning Chronicle.

Kensington, 26th January, 1831.

conse

quences, if I had seen in his opponent a man unexceptionable in other respects, and of my own political principles, I should have deemed it my duty to vote for that opponent; because the happiness and honour of our country ought, in my opinion, to be preferred before every good of a nature more confined. But, Sir, do I see in Mr. Waithman SIR,-I went, on Friday last, with the a man of my political principles? The intention of being the very first Livery.great principle is, and has been, in this man of London to vote for Sir James country, for years, the absolute necessity Shaw in preference to Mr. Alderman of a radical reform of the Parliament. Waithman. I was prevented from so To that principle Mr. Waithman is a doing by the speech of the Alderman, greater enemy than Sir James Shaw, in which, in point of length, exceeded that just that degree that open is less inof the time that I had to spare. To- jurious than disguised enmity. When day I have voted in accordance with Mr. Waithman was Sheriff, he refused my first intention; and, if you will be to call a meeting for reform in the so kind as to give me the room, I will state to you, and through you to my brother Liverymen, my reasons for give ing this vote, which reasons are as follows:

county of Middlesex, though the requisition, most numerously and respectably sigued, was carried him by Major Cartwright. In the perilous year 1817, when thousands of petitions I have known Sir James Shaw rather were presented for reform, he got up more than thirty years; and I never have a meeting at the Freemasons' Tavern, known a man of more uprightness and to pray for a reform more moderate more benevolence, completely severed than the petitions prayed for; and his from all ostentation. I have known language upon that occasion was such several of his acts, either of which as to encourage the Sidmouths and would add lustre to the brightest cha- Castlereaghs to pass the horrible laws racter. I have never been what can be by which they crushed the press and called intimate with him; our acquain-cramined the dungeons. If he, or his tanceship arose from his visiting an sons, had not places under the Whigs, American gentleman, a common friend, in 1806, it was not for want of asking

The letter arrived too late, I suppose, for insertion in the Chronicle of the 27th. At the close of the poll, on Wednesday, just after I came away, the speech-making began, and WAITHMAN "F. BURDETT." again accused his opponents, and me The reader will laugh at these sly amongst the rest, of political apostacy, hints about Middlesex, particularly at and even of "rank conspiracy." One the idea of a poor good-for-nothingof his partizans, a Mr. DILLON, who, thing like this, thinking that he could it seems, came from a Committee in Westminister, produced a letter from it remembered, did NOT "stick his set people against Mr. HUME, who, be Burdett to the chairman of this com-knees in Canning's back!" This is a mittee, in the following words:

pretty fellow to talk about consistency, and to rip up the anti-reforming principles of Sir James Shaw! This is a pretty fellow to "grieve" at Mr. Hume's supporting, for a civil office, a man who, 25 years ago, opposed him duct of Mr. Alderman Shaw, as a public man, in politics! and HOBHOUSE, too! fed and particularly of his conduct as Sheriff towards the electors of Middlesex, during the with pap purchased with public money, great contest with Mr. Mainwaring, the pre-and married to a wife who had, all her

life, been tax-fed! This is another The hand-bill, circulated in 1817,
honourable proof of the goodness of entitled "SIGNOR WAITHMAN,"
Waithman's pretensions. But, do we representing him as a POLITICAL QUACK,
not judge of this man's cause at once, was written by Major Cartwright, and
when we see amongst his supporters I have it now, in the Major's own hand-
BURDETT and HOBHOUSE, who were, writing! The Major read it to Burdett
only a few months ago, actually pelled and me, at the house of the former, in
off the hustings at Covent Garden by the James Street. The Major had no
people, of whom they have the brass thought of having it printed; but Bur-
still to call themselves the represen- dett insisted that it was too good a thing
tatives? But (I had like to have for- to be kept out of print. So that Waith-
gotten him) WAITHMAN had another man did not know that it was to this
supporter, Mr. WOOLER, who speechified consistent and serious friend of his, that
and accused me of having deserted the he owed the roar of laughter raised
-country in 1817, when I went to America! against him by that humorous squib.
This miserable declaimer, whose wri- But, "conspiracy!" What share have
tings could not live a day in any-thing I, at any rate, had in such conspiracy;
higher than a Two-penny scale! This I, who have been speaking contemptu-
battered sot, whose brains, when not ously of him for fourteen years at the
animated by gin, are as vapid as the least. And as to the other conspirators,
contents of a mug filled from the tap- to not one man of them did I ever
tub; this scribe, who was silenced at speak on the subject, in my life. Nay,
once by an act that put his productions until about a month ago, I have not,
at a price but one degree higher than I am pretty certain, spoken to Sir
waste paper! This is a pretty specimen James Shaw for these ten years last
of the supporters of Waithman; a fine past. Then, he being walking up
and triumphant contrast with the
"Slades and the Rouths," who were
"apostates" and "conspirators" be-
cause they differed in opinion from
man like this!

Fleet Street, and I being in my chaise,
going home, I got as near to him as I
could, and, as soon as I caught his eye,
said: "Ah! we Jacobins shall beat you
now!" And, laughing, shook his um-
Waithman makes it a crime in the brella at me, and said something that I
"SLADES and the RouтHS," that they could not hear for the noise of the
proposed to raise a sum of money to wheels. In short, my vote was given,
put Mr. Cobbett in Parliament. Why, when I knew that it was not wanted,
they did subscribe; and, the only dif- merely as a mark of my great respect
ference between them and his worthy for his excellent private character, and
friend, Burdett, in this respect is, they as a mark of my detestation of the
did it without promising to do it; and public character of his opponent.
that he most solemnly promised to do it,
and did not do it! This is the difference
between WAITHMAN'S Supporter and
those who "conspired" against him.
His friend, Mr. DILLON, when he was
pointing to the statue of Pitt, as that
of the man who had done so much
mischief to the country, was not aware,
perhaps, that Waithman himself voted
for the putting up of that very statue,
or, at least, did not oppose it; and that
his apology for so doing was, that his
friend CHANTRY, who was to make the
statue, who was to have our money for
doing the job, was " a true friend of
liberty!"

As if we still wanted some additional proof of the silliness, the low-mindedness, the want of decent pride, the want of common spirit in this blustering and brazen bawler. I hate to fill up my paper with this rubbish; but as it is likely to be amongst the last that is to come from him, let us have it.

Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN again came forward. He hoped they would do him the justice to believe that he would not shrink back from any contest of that sort so long as there was the slightest chance that its coutinuance would be attended with the slightest benefit to illness of his son, and notwithstanding the the public. Notwithstanding the dangerous shameful desertion of his political friends, he

1

had still borne up, determined to give the Ward, at the St. Thomas's Day Livery an opportunity of recording their votes before the last? Did any mah ever -Could he do more-could they require more at his bands? He felt perfectly satisfied, that if witness partiality so gross and so foul? the Livery, at the commencement of the Elec- Did he not then defend every abuse, tion, had been made sensible of the deep con- every waste of the city's money; nay, spiracy which was formed to defeat his just did he not tell the Livery to take care claims-however he felt that he had done his duty, and that the time had now arrived when how they countenanced such rummagbe ought to follow the advice of those friendsing into their accounts, lest they should who recommended him no longer to continue be deprived of their funds altogether! so exhausting a contest. (Applause.) He Here, too, as in all other respects, the then proceeded to defend the attacks he had made upon the characters of his opponents, two candidates present a most striking saying that they were public meu, open to contrast. At that very election Mr. animadversion, and men whose conduct would SCALES, though opposed in politics to hereafter be marked with the detestation and the Sir James Shaw, applauded his imparto his conduct respecting the late Queen, and tiality, and either proposed or seconded the sacrifices to which that led. His enemies a vote of thanks to him on that score. might rejoice that his pocket had been picked In short, whatever Liveryman reflected, of the expenses of the present contest; but in this case, had no choice: the one he should still persevere in the same steady candidate was so fit, and the other so and undeviating course. If he could not afford to keep a two-pair front room, he would unfit, that, to the man who thought, keep a two-pair back room, aud go on still, there was no room for choice. Each and, like Andrew Marvel, dine off his bone candidade has got his just allotment: of cold mutton: his health might fail, and the one, the means of extending the sphere of his benevolence; and the other, a pretty good punishment for his conceit, his insolence, and his greedi

abhorrence which it deserved. He next adverted

ness.

so might his talent; but he would support the
great cause with his dying breath. He felt
bound to do the Bank of England the justice
of saying, that he met with no opposition from
that quarter; but he had been defeated, and
the corrupt influence excited against him only
the more convinced him of the necessity of the
Ballet. (Great applause.) He feared that
the Government was not about to proceed in
a right course-he feared that they would
at last sting the people into violent courses.
He believed that with such a government
the people could not long be prevented
from taking affairs into their own hands.
He might be asked why he had not sooner
exposed the hollowness of the men with whom MY LORD,
he dealt? He confessed, he was, like Ful-
staff, ashamed of his recruits, and he did not

of his Committee would attend.

WM. COBBETT.

TO THE

MARQUIS OF BLANDFORD.
Bolt-Court, Jan. 27th, 1831.

I HAVE been informed, that a few like to expose them; but they had now ex-weeks ago, your Lordship, by letter, posed themselves. He thanked his many told a Clergyman of the Church of Engfriends for their kindness, saying that the land, that the guilt of setting some of the poll-books would of necessity be opened on the following morning, but neither he nor any fires had been brought home to me, and that, in consequence, I had, absconded. "Andrew Marvel" indeed! Did The object of this present letter is, to Andrew Marvel ever beg for a place? request your Lordship to have the goodAs to his "sacrifices for the Queen," Iness to inform me whether you ever did could, if I would, tell a story that would make the town laugh for a month! His "pocket picked!" The low, the vulgar man, does he accuse the Livery of picking his pocket, merely because they would not vote for him! They seem, at any rate, to have been resolved, not to lead him into a temptation of the sort. What was his conduct as Alderman of our

communicate, in the manner abovementioned, such information; and to apprize you, at the same time, that this letter will be published in the next Register, and also any answer that your Lordship may be pleased to give there

to.

I am, your Lordship's most humble
and most obedient servant,
WM. COBBETT.

No. 8 of TWO-PENNY TRASH will be published on the 1st of February.A gentleman has written to me for leave to translate No. 7 INTO WELSH, to which I have assented.

I shall make a grand show-up of · Spiritual Persons" next week. They have outwitted themselves this time! The whole country rings with Cobbett's Sermons! Cobbett's Protestant Reformation! But, what more is wanted

than Two-PENNY TRASHI, No. 7?

This little work is 11s. a hundred, if more than 300 copies are taken. Cheap Government" this, at any

rate.

To the Editor of THE REGISTER.

IRELAND.

THE run upon the Banks, though not to any extent worth speaking of, has com directions have been issued by the Bank of menced even in Dublin, and every-where

Ireland to limit the discounts, and to sus

pend as much as possible the issue of paper, and this at the approach of a famine in the West of Ireland, and a frightful scarcity in every other part of the kingdom. But it is all for a repeal of the Union-all the consequent suffering must be incurred for the good cause, and to please the great agitator! Fools! you are preparing a whip of scorpions

for yourselves!

know is not in your power; but you are preYou will not injure the Banks-that we paring insolvency for yourselves!

ALARM IN THE MONEY-MARKET.-Since the preceding lines were written, we have received several communications from the country and from our mercantile friends in town, wlrich fill us, we confess, with deep alarm. Mr. O'Connell may be much nearer iu bringing unfusion on the country than January 27, 1831. ever, in his most sanguine moments, he could SIR, I shall feel greatly obliged by have imagined. Circulars, we know, have your telling me, through the medium been sent by one great house, and perhaps by others, in the corn-trade, to their factors and of your paper, how it is that, although correspondents in the country, intimating meetings are taking place all over the that for the present they must suspend all Kingdom, on the subject of Reform, business-that they will not accept any bills and the necessity of the Ballot, almost O'Connell. The Banks in Dublin, including -in cousequence of the panic created by Mr. unanimously acknowledged, there has the Bank of Ireland, have declined the most been no meeting for Reform in South-solvent bills-and there is a great gloom this wark. Surely it is not because Sir day spread over the city. The arrests," Robert Wilson waxed wroth on the subject of the Ballot, in the House of Commons, some time since.

it

And perhaps you can explain how is that there has been no meeting of the City of Westminster. It cannot be from the fear of cabbage-stalks and turnips; because if that were the case it could be held in Palace-yard, or some other place remote from the danger arising from a shower of these ob

says The Morning Register, "for the coutenant's Proclamation, caused Bank Stock to spiracy to evade or defeat the Lord Lieufall 3 per cent. yesterday. So much for the wisdom of the arrests!"

We are surprised that The Register, which, at least, knows something of the operations of trade, and the delicacy of public credit, and the causes which have produced the present alarm, should have let out such a paragraph as this. Every-thing has fallen, as well as hended scarcity of money from Mr. O'Con Bank Stock, in consequence of the appre nell's threat.

The Banks have almost declined discount.

ing. Government Stock has fallen less in proportion than other securities, because the English market is open; but the merchant who is forced to sell his Bank Stock, which cannot be sent to England, was obliged to submit to,,a reduction of three per cent.; for have fallen much more than Stock. The best the same reason, Government Debentures informed persons consider, that but for the London market being open, Government Secu rities would be from five to ten per cent. lower than in England.

ARREST OF THOMAS CLONEY, ESQ., OF

GRAIGUE, COUNTY KILKENNY.-Friday morn ing, about nine o'clock, two officers from the Head Police-office applied at Mr. Cloney's