WM. COBBETT. F PRAY READ!!! ass to be the instrument wherewith to membered; and that the only waystoft effect the other things necessary to the cause it to be forgotten by the nation siss happiness, safety, and greatness of the for their Lordships to obffet no further!? country. All other matters, therefore, resistance, at least, of a nature so offenew ought to remain in abeyance until the sive to the millions, amongst whom o reform be effected. The present Minis-they may, if they please, still be to the ters have experienced that they can do end of their lives, the greatest inen, it nothing in the way of retrenchment, or their sovereign only excepted, that the in any other way for the good of the world knows any-thing of That such country, with a Parliament constituted may be the end of this struggle, has cal t as the last was: When we come to the ways been my most anxious wish; and choosing of a reformed Parliament, then if it be not, no part of the fault will ever i will be the time to talk about measures be justly ascribed to for the restoration of the country. Then there will be pledges enough to call for from the candidates; for the people will not then be contented with promises made in words of course, and in terms so general as for no man to know I HERE present my readers with a what they mean. There are certain collection of paragraphs from the Lonthings, and very important things, that don daily newspapers. They, and must be done to restore the country to particularly those of them who have real prosperity; and as the people will been persecuted for reading the Register, know their wants, and as the members will here find their full revenge. And will really speak their voice, the things what must I feel at this moment! I, necessary to be done will be done, as who have been called jacobin, and all far as it shall lie in the power of the sorts of things looked upon as meaning Parliament to do them. All that we rebel and villain; and this, too, only have to do at present is, to choose men because I, in spite of all that could be who shall make the reform; and, that done against me, maintained the cause accomplished, there can be no doubt of parliamentary reform! What must that the rest will follow in due course I feel, when I hear crying aloud against of time. It remains, then, for us all, in our several stations in life, to do every thing in our power to give effect to the King's most gracious exertion to obtain for us a Parliament that shall speak the voice of the people as far as relates to this reform. the boroughmongers the very men who thanked the Sidmouths and Scott Eldons for the horrible bills of 1817! With what delight I turn back to the Registers written in Long Island, and especially to one of them, in which I told the fortunes of the boroughmongers! There is one thing that appears to I have, at the end of twenty years of hang as a doubt upon the minds of reproaches for "coarseness," lived to some; and that is, if the new House of see the "polite" and "refined" daily Commons pass the bill, the Lords may papers call them the "INFAMOUS reject it, and thus throw all up to the boroughmongers," the "RAPACIOUS wind again, leaving, at the same time, boroughmongers," the "INFERNAL no ground whatsoever for another dis- boroughmongers." I shall begin my solution of the House of Commons. My collection with the PROCLAMATION for opinion is, that the Lords will not do dissolving the Parliament. this because this would be to bring them at once breast to breast with the King, with the people at his back. No, I trust that they will stop far short of this. They must, when they have had time fit, by and with the advice of our Privy Coun to cool, be satisfied that the scene of the cil, to dissolve this present Parliament, which 228 of April will be but too long re-stands prorogued to Tuesday the 10th of May.17 BY THE KING.-A PROCLAMATION FOR DISSOLVING THE PRESENT next; we do for that end publish this our name, are hereby, respectively required to Royal Proclaination, and do hereby dissolve attend such meeting, and administer the baths the said Parliament accordingly; and the required by law to be raken there fry the daid Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Peers, and to take their vótésgaudi imme. Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, and the diately after such election made and duly ékCommissioners for Shires and Burghs, of the amined, to certify the names of the Sixteen House of Commons are discharged from their Peers so elected, and to sign and attest the meeting and attendance on the said Tuesday, I same in the presence of the said Peers the the 10th day of May next; and we, being de electors, and return such certificate into our sirous and resolved, as soon as may be, to High Court of Chancery of Great Britain, meet our people, and to have their advice in And we do, by this our Royal Proclamation, Parliament, do hereby make known to all our strictly command and require the Provost of loving subjects, our Royal will and pleasure Edinburgh, and all other the Magistrates of to call a new Parliament; and do hereby fur- the said city, to take especial care to preserves ther declare, that, with the advice of our Privy the peace thereof, during the time of the said! Council, we have given order to our Chancellor election, and to prevent all manner of riots, of that part of our United Kingdom called tumults, disorders, and violence whatsoever. Great Britain, and our Chancellor of Ireland, And we strictly command this our Royal Prothat they do respectively, upon notice thereof, clamation be duly published at the Market forthwith issue out writs in due form, and ac- cross at Edinburgh, and in all the county cording to law, for calling a new Parliament; towns of Scotland, twenty-five days, at least, and we do hereby also, by this our Royal Pro- before the time hereby appointed for the clamation, under our Great Seal of our United meeting of the said Peers to proceed to such |Kingdom, require writs forthwith to be issued election. *yomázuerod. accordingly by our said Chancellors respectively, for causing the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons, who are to serve in the said Parliament, to be duly returned to, and give their attendance in, our said Parliament; which writs are to be returnable on Tuesday, the fourteenth day of June next. BY THE KING.-A PROCLAMATION, WILLIAM R.-Whereas we have in our Council thought fit to declare our pleasure, for summoning and holding a Parliament of our United Kingdon of Great Britain and Ireland, on Tuesday, the fourteenth day of June next ensuing the date hereof; in order, therefore, to the electing and summoning the Sixteen Peers of Scotland, who are to sit in the House of Peers in the said Parliament; we do, by the advice of our Privy Council, issue forth this our Royal Proclamation, strictly charging and commanding all the Peers of Scotland to assemble and meet at Holyrood 1 House, in Edinburgh, on Friday, the 3rd day of June next ensuing, between the hours of twelve and two in the afternoon, o nominate and choose the sixteen Peers, to it and vote in the House of Peers in the said nsuing Parliament, by open election and lurality of voices of the Peers that shall be hen present, and of the proxies of such as hall be absent (such proxies being Peers, nd producing a mandate in writing, duly gned before witnesses, and both the constient and proxy being qualifief according to w), and the Lord Clerk Register, or such vo of the Principal Clerks of the Session as all be appointed by him to officiate in his 7: Witness ourself at Westminster, this twentythird day of April, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and in the first year of our reign. n's aid bimts mai GOD SAVE THe King. From the Morning Chronicle, April 23. Again we invoke the electors of the Uuiled Kingdom, and UNITED it is in one resolution to depose and exterminate the borough mongers, to devote their bodies and minds to the accomplishment of our political regeneration. Every man must act as though the national salvation depended on his individualis exertions. We must not over-rate the power of the people, or under-rate the influence and vicious spirit of the boroughmongers. True it is, that the corruptionists regard the proclamation of Dissolution as the grave-stone of their power; they see in it the close of their existence; it is the bottomless pit of their perdition. The awful and sullen silence in which they received the announcement of their majority on Wednesday morning, twilight receded before the rising of the sun, demonstrated their fears of success, Defeat was ruiu; victory might be equally destructive. Stretched on the rack of this excruciat ing instrument of torture, the reform bi.is, the boroughmongers knew not which way to save their lives. The passing the ministerial measure was certain death to the political hucksterers; the rejection of it might afford a ray of hope, if not a gleam of ultimate safety. As the desperate gambler casts the last die, so the adversaries of the people were forced to run all hazards. The cask of Re GULUS was comfort compared with the agonies of their situation. To the last moment, deceived by base-minded courtiers, and bewiled by political women, they, trusted to the writi plots laid to seduce the King from Ars courag and integrity. Even when the momen discharge of guns, in successive peel thunder, announced the advent of his broandidate start for Westminster. Sir Francis reform; on the other, victory would soon Burdett and Mr. Hobhouse ought to have no enable them to repay their outlay out of the Arivals among reformers. The reformers have pockets of the people. The poor wretches, who *quite enough on their hands without opposing for gold should sell themselves to this crew, each other. would soon feel the consequences in increased It must not be forgotten, that in the elec-burdens. The victory of the boroughmongers tion about to take place many of the motives would be reaction, and the liberal squanderwhich stimulate candidates to make exertions! ing of the public money, in order to protect to secure their return are weakened, while, themselves by the dispensation of patronage. on the other hand, the boroughmongers are We state matters fairly and without disfighting for their all. Vanity comes in power-guise, because we would not have the people fully to the aid of public spirit on ordinary oc- to allow any advantage to be obtained over casions; but the Parliament about to be them, through ignorance of the extent of the chosen meets for a specific purpose, and then danger. There is no cause for despair, if the ceases to exist. There are many individuals people be only true to themselves, because an who would stand the expenses of a contest for united and determined people must triumph a seat in a Parliament expected to be of the over their enemies. But then every man ordinary duration, who on this occasion would must put his shoulder to the wheel, and conrather give way to others. The people should tribute in purse and exertions according to bear all these things in mind. It is peculiarly his abilities. The man who is not true to the their cause which is now agitated. The enemy cause on this occasion, may never be able to are united-their movements will be skilfully atone afterwards for his fault. Every elector directed. Nothing but the union of the peo- should consider the fate of the country to deple, and an enthusiastic determination to pend on himself. Public opinion should be make every sacrifice for this one occasion, will made to bear powerfully in every neighbourcarry us successfully through. If the people hood on electors, so that the man, who, from be not true to themselves now, the conse- pusillauimity might be led to betray his quences will be unspeakably calamitous. country, may tremble at the odium he will have to encounter. Every man who votes for an anti-reformer votes for despotism-votes against the liberty of the press-against education-against all that has made England what she is, in spite of the abuses from which she has suffered.Sir Robert Peel, the head of the anti-reformers, has not hesitated to declare himself an admirer of the system of Charles X., and an enemy to the liberty of the press, which he chooses to term Journalism. He talked on Friday of "the despotism of journalism-that despotism which had brought neighbouring countries, once happy and flourishing, to the 誓 very brink of ruin and despair." Joseph Surface has at length spoken out. This was the overflowing of a full heart. Happy France, if Charles had succeeded in destroying the charter, and annihilating journalism! So, if this man and his party succeed, we may see what happiness is in store for us. We shall have, no doubt, gagging bills in abundance, a reaction against every-thing liberal, fresh crusades against the press by Sir James Scarlett, fleshed by a spirit of vengeance on account of his late mortifications. It would be an eternal reproach to Englishmen, were they to allow the boroughmongers to triumph over them. From the Morning Chronicle, April 26. The King insulted by the borough-faction.— Never was so gross and flagrant an insult offered to a prince, as was on Friday offered to our beloved and revered Sovereign, by some Peers of the Realm in their places in the House of Lords. To what excess will self-interest and other sordid motives lead men! Sir R. Peel, who is now pleased to play the part of leading anti-reformer, as he once did that of chief opponent to the cause of civil and religious liberty, was demoniac with fury, as a persón possessed, and reseembled one "having a devil." His face was pale as a sheet, his lips wore the hue of ink, and it was said by many who saw him, that by the entrance of the Black Rod he was probably saved from an apoplectic fit. Whence all this fury? Because common decency is wholly disregarded by this gentleman and his accomplices when there is a We understand that several of the leading question about touching the darling rotten boroughmongers have had a meeting, to agree boroughs. This is Sir Robert Peel's present on supplies for the contest, and that a stock cue, and the borough faction may possibly purse of a hundred thousand pounds was sub- fancy they have got a good supporter. Let scribed for without delay. Some of them sub-them not deceive themselves. In a month, he, scribed as high as twenty thousand pounds. and Mr. Goulborn, and his brothers, may To counteract these great exertions subscrip- just as swiftly wheel round, and be for reform, tions must be liberally entered into at Man-ballot and all, as they did in 1829 on the Cachester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, tholic Question. and all the other great towns about to receive Lord Mansfield, who lectures by the hour, the franchise. We repeat, the greatest ex-in his prosing conceited way, for decorum of ertions are required. The boroughmongers discussion in newspapers and for Peers' privihave every motive for opening their purses leges, and seems to think he has a monopoly liberally on this occasion. On the one hand, of loyalty, exceeded all bounds of common their power to plunder will be annihilated by decency in the very presence of his King, เ A when his Majesty was actually entering the as tools of anti-reform, some Dukes and House of Peers. It is said that the good-Lords are now subscribing thousands of pounds. natured King asked "What is all that noise?" Let the people be on their guard, and let call and was answered, "The Peers debating," good meu ineet so foul and corrupt an attempt which somewhat astounded his Majesty. of the faction by the Sovereign Subscription. Next to Lord Mansfield, no one forgot himself so shamefully as Lord Lyndhurst; and we would just ask the Ministers one question, especially the Lord Chancellor, in whose gift the high office of Chief Baron is, whether Lord Lynhhurst was promoted to it upon an understanding that his Lordship would oppose his Majesty's Government? Lord Lyndhurst apparently has made some great miscalcula tion, as well as lost his recollection of his late promotion. Does he think that the conduct of the Ministry cancelled the obligations he lay under to them, that conduct being only the sin of coming forward in an honest support of reformn, the cause which Lord L. himself once very honestly supported? I must stop here to offer a few remarks to my readers. I do not think that the assertion made by Dr. BLACK, that in voting for an anti-reformer, we should vote against the liberty of the press, any more than we should in voting for one of the present Ministers. Of that, however, I shall say no more at present; there will be enough to be said about that hereafter. I am for the bill: I am for sinking all private considerations for the sake of accomplishing this But what shall we say of the peers who had great public good; but I am not for the decency to complain of the Lord Chancellor telling lies: I am not for putting forfor leaving the House to meet his Royal Mas-ward false pretences, as this is, with reter-on being summoned to do so by the Usher of the Black Rod! They actually said his Lord-gard to the liberty of the press. The ship should have put the question, and remained less that is said about that matter at and kept his Majesty at the door, while Lords present the better. In imitation of Mansfield, Lyndhurst, and Co. were carrying the labourers, we have dropped all on their violent debate! Here let us contrast hostility for the purpose of aiding in the carrying of this bill; but if Dr. BLACK be wise, he will not mix up along with the bill, praises of the present Ministers with regard to their love of the liberty of the press. with the conduct of Sir Robert Peel, Lord Mansfield, Lord Lyndhurst, and Lord Londonderry, the dignified demeanour of the Duke of Wellington and his party, who abstained from giving their presence and countenance to such violent and outrageous scenes. They well deserved of their King and their country. Their line of conduct is plain and consistent and honest The last article which I have inserted and intelligible. They oppose Reform. We think from the Chronicle is, in my opinion, a them quite wrong. But they do err conscien tiously and fairly. The petty distinctions very indiscreet publication. As far as taken by the others, who are furious against relates to the insult said to be offered the Government measure, but have misgivings to the King by what is here called the that some reform must pass, so they affect to be borough faction, it is a mere matter of -1 for some reform. We say affect, because every fact, and very well worth recording; argument they use, every topic they appeal to, is distinctly directed against all reform, the but, what is the main drift of the smallest as well as the greatest. And, accord- article? It is to cause it to be believed ingly, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Goulburn, and all, that, at last, if they find themselves 1n were against every kind and degree of reform, from the first instant of their coming into pressed by the people: now, mind this: -5 public life, down to the hour when they dis- if they find themselves pressed by the covered, t'other day, that it might be con- people, PEEL and GOULBOURN Will 1793 venient for them to affect some reforming turn round, will offer to make a reS opinions. But these gentlemen are nimble in form, and will even tender more to their evolutions. How quickly did Mr. Goulya burn turn round in favour of the Catholic Ques- the people than is tendered to them tion on the day of the King's Speech, 1829! by this bill. The speculation is this; He had always been against anything like con- and this speculation is manifestly in the Recession to Catholics till that hour; and ever mind of the writer of this article; -since be has been an emancipator. So of Sir R. Peel and the Test Act. He as quickly namely, that the Ministers will probably wheeled round, and came to be for the repeal, find themselves in a decided minority to the moment they saw Lord J. Russell's Motion when the Parliament shall reassenible; -was carried; though he said most solemnly that they will then be beaten in the vio that he deemed it ruinous to the church, nou Again we say, these men cannot be either House of Commons; that their op respected or trusted. But to support them ponents will not come, however, and |