large export trade of wheat. It is our jeopardy. We are beginning to knock necessary taxes then, that disable us in down the fives into four, and four into competition with the foreign grower, three, by hocus-pocus operations upon and render protection necessary to save the funds; a miserable attempt, and is our own agriculture from extinction. only an earnest of what the fundholders Now, as it has been proved in a thou-may expect. I say, then, we cannot sand ways, that Peel's Bill effectively keep our PRESENT currency. We could, increased taxation to such an enormous with the greatest advantage, use and and unnecessary extent, as compared safely keep the war currency. But it is with taxation, paid in the war currency, said, with such an increase of currency, so the return to the war currency would our paper would lose all value. Why lighten taxation in the same degree; so, I ask again? Our paper is credit, and with our present war taxes so and our credit is unshaken. Our credit LIGHTENED, and looking to the stock of is even better established than ever by corn in this country and on the Conti- this tremendous trial it has undergone. nent, I at this moment should not en- Our integrity and faith are evinced in a tertain any fear of injury to the agricul- most extraordinary manner by our perture of this country from the competi- severing almost to destruction, to action of the foreign grower. I shall be complish what is beyond all human asked, what would become of the con- power; namely, to pay our creditors twice sumers, with this rise of the money as much as we borrowed of them. The price; why, I that their powers of paper or credit of a country will go commanding the necessaries of life by down, when that country issuing it augmented wages of labour would be cannot fulfil its engagements, or when increased, and consequently the con- a greater quantity of credit currency is sumption would be increased to the infi-issued than the commerce of the counnite relief and comfort of the people. try requires. But that would not be our Who are the consumers? Why, the case; we could absorb nearly as much industrious and laborious classes are if not quite, as we had in circulation consumers, the great consumers. States- during the war. Fictitious wealth is men argue as if the producer was one then talked of, as if the medium of exsort of animal, and the consumer ano-change constituted wealth. It is true ther; which is too absurd. The pro- that gold and silver are valuable comducers are the principal consumers, and modities; but as money, they are a they could and would consume a great dead weight, instead of adding to our deal more than they do now. We should wealth. What is the national debt but hear no more of over-production or sur- a credit upon the industry of the counplus population. Depend upon it, we try? To employ the precious metals in have yet ample powers of production payment of debt and taxes; to attempt and consumption too, if we were not it, indeed, (for the thing is impossible,) chained to the earth by the shackles would beggar the country at once. of that fatal bill. say I have heard many people say, the war currency we know would relieve us for a time, but we could not keep it. But why not? I say we could keep it, and for this obvious reason, that we want it; we require it to carry on our financial and commercial operations; we cannot go on without it; we are expiring for the want of it; our commerce is sterile of profit, and our revenue is drawn from capital instead of income, and will, ere long, materially decline; and our public creditor, and all other creditors, will be in I have extended this letter to such a length, I am obliged to conclude it very abruptly. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your faithful and obedient Servant, CHAS. C. WESTERN. Felix Hall, Jan. 16th. 1830. Now, Sir, the only part of this stupid farrago, that I shall here particularly mention, is that where you quote the old tax-eating Whig, Mr. LoCKE. And this is your great offence in my eyes, and one for which you ought to lose your estate by the means that are now venience arising from the scrambling of at work. You know well that I am men to get their former proportion of teacher upon this subject; that I foresaw money. If, indeed, he had seen the true all, foretold all, laid down every prin- cause of distress, in such a case, and ciple, described every cause and every had stated it, as I have done, a thousand effect, years ago. But your insolent times over, in my warnings to the Goaristocratic pride would not allow you vernment and Parliament, you might to acknowledge this; and so you endea- have quoted him with some show of vour to hatch up an authority in the reason; but, as it is, your quoting of very shallow essay of Locke, who had, LOCKE is just the same as saying: and could have, no kuowledge upon the Cobbett has told me all about it; subject, as that subject now presents it-" but, O God! is it not better to be a self to us. beggar, than to acknowledge myself LOCKE is in error; his doctrine is" to have been taught by him"! Yes, false; and his reasoning on it is non- it is, Western: be a beggar, for God's His doctrine is this: that sake! And, in company with the far LESSENING of the quantity of money in greater part of your brothers of the a country must always produce distress. wise Collective, be sport, be a subject And why? Because all those who were of laughter and of mockery for before in the habit of having certain quantities of money in their hands, are all striving to get out of the lessened quantity as much as they got out of the larger quantity. What poor unmeaning stuff is this? What a REASON is this for the distress arising out of a lessened quantity of money! sense. WM. COBBETT. NORTHERN TOUR. Leeds, 26th Jan. 1830, ON Monday, the 18th, I went to HudIf one-half, or any other proportion, dersfield, where my friends had met of the money of a country, were annihi- with great difficulty in providing a suitlated to-night, for instance; if, to put able place. They at last got a room, the case plain, the money were nothing which was well filled, and yielded me but sovereigns; and, in the morning, much more money than I either expected we were to find all the sovereigns turn or wished. From Huddersfield, I proed into shillings; what injury or in-ceeded to Dewsbury on the 19th, where convenience would that produce? The I lectured in a school-room to about shilling would purchase just as much as the sovereign did before. No valuable thing would become less valuable. Not the smallest disturbance would there be in the pecuniary affairs of any part of the community. No injustice would be done to any man. What does the old tax-eating Whig mean, then, by his children under the "too-small coverlet"? The coverlet would not be diminished in effect. four or five hundred persons. This is a very public-spirited and excellent town, My reception was of the most gratifying kind, by all ranks and degrees of the people. I soon found myself surrounded at the inn, by some of the most opulent men in the town, whose kind and hospitable treatment will never be effaced from my recollection, On the 20th I came on to Leeds; and, after having stopped a little while to "O yes," you will say, "for all speak with my friend Mr, Foster, of the "debtors, or mortgagors, all payers of Patriot newspaper; my old and firm “ annuitants, all tax-payers, would, in friend, Mr. Mann, the bookseller; Mr. "virtue of their contracts, or of the Heaps, and some other friends, we pro"tax laws, be compelled to pay in sove- ceeded on to Sir William Ingilby's, at "reigns, and must, therefore, be ruin- Ripley Castle, which very beautiful "ed." Very true; but your tax-eating place, and still more beautiful village, Whig says not a word about this sort of are situated on the Glasgow mail road, effect: he only talks about the incon- twenty miles to the north of Leeds, From Leeds to Ripley we went in a heavy snow-storm, and were compelled to take four horses on account of the heaviness of the road. The snow had fallen so fast, and the drift had been so great and the night was so dark, that the post-boys got out of the road on the edge of a moor, just on this side Harrogate; and we were within a very few inches of being overset; but we got out of the carriage, and assisted the post-boys, and arrived at Ripley a little before eight o'clock. While I was standing out in the snow, I really began to blame myself for having so frequently jeered poor Burdett for having skulked from a Westminster meeting, on the ground of not daring to encounter a "heavy fall of snow." Here I found myself at the most north-quantity of snow. ernly point that I had ever been in my whole life; for the most northernly at which I had ever been in America, was far nearer to the south, several degrees nearer to the south, than any part of Devonshire. Our reception and treatment by this member for the county of Lincoln, was indeed, such as I expected; such indeed, as I was worthy of, from an English gentleman of great good sense; great knowledge of the world, and perfect independence. There are yet some scores of such men left; and the only wonder with me is that they should suffer their estates to be frittered away by bands of loan-mongers, Jews, and greedy reptiles, by whom they suffer themselves to be plundered. However, if they continue obstinately to support those bands, and set at defiance the reasonable prayers of the people, it is just that they should suffer, and suffer they most assuredly will. They will be stripped of their all, by little and little, and the common people will get their Hrights in spite of them. The part of Yorkshire between Leeds and Ripley is a farming country. About ten miles of the road goes through the estate of Lascelles,who is now called Lord Harewood, from a village which lies in nearly the middle of the estate. The history of this family of Lascelles would be truly entertaining if one had the time. I have just returned from the theatre to give it. I know them, however, only in this fine and opulent town, which may as the thorough-going supporters of Pitt be called the London of Yorkshire, and and his successors in all those measures in which I have been received with an which have brought the nation into its enthusiasm which I should in vain en-present state: but I ought not to omit deavour to describe. Here, as in all to observe, with regard to the present other places, there prevails theatrical Lord, that he manfully opposed the vile distress to an exceeding degree; but I dead-body bill, which was thrown out have filled, and over-filled, the whole by the Lords in the last session of Parhouse, pit, boxes and galleries. Here, liament, His Lordship opposed it, too, particularly, I have made a point of ex-upon the right ground; namely, that posing all the nonsense about the dis- the Parliament had no more right to tress having arisen from the Corn Bill, pass a law to sell the dead bodies of the from the East India monopoly, as it is people, than they had a right to pass a called, and from the other causes hatch-law to sell their live bodies. ed by the Ministers and the Parliament, To-morrow morning we set off for and by the various silly projectors, who Sheffield, where I shall lecture to-mor seem willing to abandon even their own row and the next day, unless my cold souls, rather than abandon the vile sys- should increase. I have strong invita tem of loans and jobs and paper-money. tions to stop at Wakefield, and at BarnsI was glad to have a rest of three days ley; but if I go to those places, it must at Ripley, having caught a cold at Hud-be after I have been at Sheffield, It dersfield, which however has continued, will be with great reluctance that I though it has not been severe enough shall miss those towns, but I am afraid prevent me from giving these three that it will be inevitable. From Sheffield lectures at Leeds. I go to Nottingham, a place that I have The weather has been almost inces-always wanted to see. Thence I will, sant hard frost, with a considerable if I can, proceed to Leicester, and then I reckon to be at Nottingham on Sunday the 31st, or before. If I quit it on the 3d, I shall be at Leicester on the 4th, at Wolverhampton on the 6th, and in London on the 8th of February. to Wolverhampton, and then hasten | back to London, without attempting, at this trip, to stop at any other place. At Birmingham I shall not, I think, attempt to stop this time. This is the only place where I have met with any impediment as to a place for lecturing. When there before, the theatre could NORFOLK COUNTY MEETING. not be had, because Mr. Lewis, the lessee, was not present to give his con- THIS meeting appears to have been, sent, he being with his company at through the tricks and intrigues of the Liverpool. Having written from Liver- Whigs, rendered a mere despicable pool that Mr. Lewis had given his con- farce. Resolutions were proposed by the sent, my Birmingham correspondent Whigs: it was proposed to amend them informs me, that the proprietors of the by resolutions brought forward by the theatre (who had referred us to Mr. Tories, as they are called. The Sheriff Lewis), having had Mr. Lewis's con- put the ayes upon both, and the negasent announced to them, REFUSED tive upon neither; and then he deterTO GIVE THEIR CONSENT! Be- mined that the Whig resolutions had the sides the theatre, there was only one majority. Sir Thomas Beevor, in a place sufficiently large; namely, a re- speech which contained more sense than pository, owned by a Mr. Beardsworth, those of all the other speakers put toof which he had freely given the use for gether, had declared his intention of the delivery of the speeches of Mr. Att-moving another resolution if Mr. Wodewood; but the use of which he would house's were rejected, or rather, as soon not consent to give to me. This was as it had been disposed of; but as soon the place where I meant to take the as the Sheriff had determined that the bull by the horns, and this was the place Whig resolutions had been carried, the where the bull-keepers seem to have Sheriff bolted; Sir Thomas Beevor was been determined, that I should have no deprived of an opportunity of moving opportunity of doing it. I clearly un- his amendment, and, indeed, there ap derstand the real cause of the impedi- pears to have been no petition adopted ments; and the people of Birmingham at all. The last resolution of the Whigs will understand it too. I hear of a was, that a petition should be immegrand scheme there for setting on foot diately prepared, founded on the resolu an association to obtain Parliamentary tions; but no such petition was ever Reform; and that, too, by persons who put to the meeting by the Sheriff. It is abused the reformers as much as any pretended, that there was a motion persons in this kingdom, and who have made and carried in the confusion, relaalways set their faces against a reduc- tive to the petition; and this is what is tion of the expenditure. Give these to be palmed upon the country. The persons the base paper-money back reporter of the Morning Chronicle has again; give them but eternal deprecia- this remark: "We are requested by a tion; give them iron at ten pounds a ton "member of the committee of requisiinstead of fifty shillings; give them but" tionists to state, that during the conthese, with liberty to take five per cent. " fusion, after the passing of Mr. Bulfor the loan of mere bits of paper, and" wer's resolutions, a motion was profrom them you will never hear another" posed and carried relative to a petition. word about Parliamentary Reform. I "All that we can say is, that we were know all their motives; the people of" within a yard of the chairman, and Birmingham ought to know them too;" heard nothing of it.” and if any of my friends there can find Thus, then, the Old Daddy and his a proper place at any future day, I will then go thither, and do that which I now should have done. crew are going to palm upon the country a petition never agreed to by the meeting. They did not dare suffer Sir Thomas Beevor's petition to be put : WM. COBBETT. NORFOLK COUNTY MEETING. "ANDREW FOUNTAINE, Sheriff. Narford, Dec. 28, 1829." The meeting being appointed to take place at the Shire-hall, a considerable number of persons assembled in the precincts and avenues of that building, shortly after eleven o'clock. The arOn Saturday, the freeholders, and other rangement for admission, however, was inhabitants of this county, were called to- most miserable: a few favoured indivigether to agree to a petition to Parlia-duals were allowed to slip in at private ment on the subject of the malt tax. doors by stealth, and so to obtain the We gave an account of a similar meet-best seats in the court, while immense ing of the county of Lincoln last week, numbers of the most respectable freewhere a petition for the repeal of the holders not only had to kick their heels malt and beer taxes was agreed to. for nearly an hour in the avenues or the Similar petitions in various hundreds of open air, but likewise had the satisfacthe county of Norfolk, have already tion of being sneered and laughed at been got up; and a few weeks ago, it by the Sheriffs' javelin-men-a set of was wished by upwards of sixty gentle- respectables, who, on the strength of men of the county, that the High Sheriff their red velveteen breeches, their top should be called upon to summon a boots, and their imitation spears, thought meeting of the whole county. themselves "gods indeed." The following is the requisition on which the meeting was called : : At a little after twelve o'clock, the doors being thrown open, the Crown Court in the Shire-hall was crowded to excess. The High Sheriff, on entering the court, was received with applause ; and having taken the chair, the business of the day commenced. "To the High Sheriff of the County of Norfolk. Sir, we the undersigned Freeholders, and others, of the County of Norfolk, request that you will convene a County Meeting, for the purpose of taking into consideration the pro- Among the noblemen and gentlemen priety of presenting a Petition to Par-present, we observed Lord Suffield, Lord liament for the Repeal of the Malt Charles Townshend, Sir Thomas BecDuties. Signed by vor, Mr. Coke, Mr. Wodehouse (the two Members for the county), Mr. Bulwer, Mr. Postle, Colonel Harvey, Archdeacon Bathurst, Mr. Palmer, &c. There were upwards of 1,500 persons present. "The Right Hon. Lord J. Townshend. Rev. J. W. Flavell, Henry Blyth, Esq. The HIGH SHERIFF said, that having received a requisition, most respectably signed, to call county meeting on the subject of the malt tax, he had obeyed |