otherwise than this? Verily, verily, a of 1795. But, LORD JOHN, how could committee composed of men like this you blunder upon a comparison of dates, would be likely, indeed, to discover the which at once knocked up the whole of means of giving us relief! With regard your argument! In 1792-3-4-5, Lord to the fact of the difference of the poor- JOHN, the people were not, as you say, rates in the north and in the south, it is "disturbed by the distresses which opno criterion at all. The state of society pressed them," and for this very good is wholly different; the manner of living reason, LORD JOHN, that the people is wholly different. A Sussex man will then knew no distresses! Your friend not live upon oatmeal and burgoo. I PITT's paper-money was coming tumthank God that he will not. LORD JOHN bling out in bales; prices were higher appears to have been as fond of the than they are now a great deal; they sweet recollections of 1792-3-4-5, as a were double what they are now in proman in his dotage is of the recollections portion to the amount of the taxes! of his days of courtship; for here he re-Think of that, LORD JOHN, and think a turns to them again, at the close of his little whether it were wise to introduce speech in the following most affecting and the comparison. most poetical language: "In the dis- The people "concurred" with the "turbances that took place in 1792-3-4- Parliament, did they, in undertaking "5, the affections of the great body the wars which the Parliament, by the "of the people were not disturbed by people's concurrence, were enabled to "the distresses which oppressed them, support? Again I remind you, Lord "for they saw that Parliament was John, that the people were not the came "anxious to relieve them; and they people; that the people of that day "therefore concurred in those wars were not distressed; that the people "which Parliament, by their concur- had not then seen Bank Restriction and rence, was enabled to support, and Peel's Bill, and Banishment Bill; that "by the support of which the noble the people had not then seen the Man"Duke opposite had made him-chester affair of the 16th of August ; that "self so illustrious. The state of Eng- the people were promised indemnity "land was like a great and glorious pillar; the people formed its base; "then came those of a little higher "rank; then still a little higher, until "it reached the apex, on which stood "the Monarch of the country. If the "distresses of those who formed the "basis of that pillar were entirely neg(6 lected, he need not tell the House "what would ensue. There was not an Englishman of that class that was being driven by a driver." When the "not enduring, in the most exemplary people, LORD Joux, concurred with the manner, distresses difficult to conceive, Parliament in undertaking the wars, the "and too painful for him to describe; and people were not told that these would be "he thought the people were entitled to the consequences: the people were hum"have those distresses patiently and care-bugged, LORD JOHN, and now they can fully investigated by their lordships."be humbugged no longer. That is the In the first place, LORD JOHN, "the difference, LORD JOHN; and I can hardly great body of the people" are not the believe that the reporter has not misre same persons now that they were at presented you, in making you start a the time of the sedition bills and comparison like this. With regard to the trials for high treason. Those per- the "glorious pillar"; with regard to sons are gone, and a new set are come the " apex"; and with regard to the to supply their place; and this set un-monarch, enjoy the beauty of your eloderstand trap a little better than the setquence, LORD JOHN. 66 66 66 for the past, and security for the future; that the people never dreamed that they were to pay interest for twice as much as was borrowed in their name; that they never dreamed that they should be ruined by hundreds of thousands, and that a DUKE OF RICHMOND would come into the House of Lords and say, upon his honour, that he had " seen men har"nessed like cattle and drawing carts, But with regard to the last sentence suffering poor, as if his own life deof this reported speech; about the peo- pended upon their being happy; a man ple enduring, in the most exemplary worthy of being confided in implicitly manner those distresses, "too painful" by Lord RADNOR; and to say more in for you, dear man, to describe; with his praise would be needless. His Lordregard to this patient endurance, I join ship did another good thing in his you with all my heart. There have speech: he defended the farmers against been, indeed, some few instances of their the general imputation of having, for going to collect the poor-rates them- their own interests, combined to introselves with sticks in their hands; some duce the practice of paying wages in few instances of their cuffing and kick-the shape of relief; and said the pracing of overseers; one instance of their tice was introduced by a very worshooting at an overseer; some few in- thy clergyman for the best purposes, stances of this sort; but I agree with though the result had been contrary you, LORD JOHN, entirely, that they to his wishes. His Lordship described have endured their distresses, and do en- the state of the poor, their sufferings of dure them in a most exemplary manner! every description, and spoke of them in And I think with you, that they are a manner to prove that he felt what he entitled to have their distresses carefully said; but, above all things, he insisted investigated by your lordships; and 1 on the necessity of a reform of the agree with you further, that if their House of Commons. He said that, "the sufferings be not inquired into, and put people called for reform because their an end to, it is not necessary to say 66 hope of relief from Parliament is “what will ensue." The "base" being" withered, and they seek for those who neglected, I suppose, the pillar, (Burke's" will represent their feelings in the Corinthian pillar,) you think, will be" House of Commons (hear); thereshaken, and the pillar" and the" fore, at Penenden Heath meeting, the "apex" may come tumbling down toge-" other day, he was not surprised to ther? That's right, LORD JOHN. Take" hear that a general cry of reform precare of the basis, then remove its dis-" vailed; and it was remarkable that, tresses, LORD JOHN; aud now, being in" though at that meeting there were perfect harmony with you, I heartily bid you farewell for the present. 66 66 many speakers, there was only one "who did not declare himself friendly Lord RADNOR, though he did not re- "to reform. (Hear.) In the petition sort to poetry; though he did not resort" from Andover, presented by the noble to the "basis," the "pillar," and the" Earl below him, a prayer for reform "apex," did something a little better: "would have been introduced, but, in gave a most complete answer to the" consequence of the boroughreve reDuke of BUCKINGHAM, and to all who" fusing to call a meeting when that contended that the distress was partial" subject was to be discussed, it was not or light; showed, by indubitable facts," proposed, and one speaker, who alludthe real state of the country; referred "ed to it, was called to order. At to the case of Manchester particularly, Birmingham something decided was and to the high authority of Mr. RICH-"more done; and he called on their ARD POTTER of that town, who, his " Lordships to attend to what was Lordship said, had been described to "going on in that town. There was a him as a gentleman of singular bene-" political union established by men of volence, and one who contributed much" great knowledge and experience. It to the relief of the poor at Manchester." was determined upon at a most reMost justly had he been described to" spectable meeting, attended by 12,000 him; for such another man there is not, men. It had its correspondents and perhaps, to be found; a man who has" funds, and the burden of its song was not only bestowed his money with unsparing hand, but who has been personally as diligent in his attentions to the "for reform in Parliament. (Hear.) "A noble Earl said there was good sense " enough in the country to induce the suffering people. In the dismal years of 1817 and 1818, when BURDETT was as mute as a mouse, or was spending his time in parties of pleasure amongst the squirearchy of Ireland, Lond Radnor, though he had never invited the people to form clubs and societies for reform, became the zealous defender of men whom BURDETT had abandoned; he visited the prison in his own county, in which some of them were confined; and "people to look up to Parliament; but "he believed the people were tired of looking to Parliament for redress. "(Hear.) And if Parliament gave no “relief, he feared they would cease from "doing so altogether. (Hear.) Indeed "the great object which cemented the "meeting at Birmingham was, the con"viction that the legislature did not "attend to the petitions of the people. "(Hear.) He was a reformer, a ra"dical reformer. (Hear.) He confess-did every thing in his power to alleviate "ed himself one, and he felt no reproach in so doing. (Hear.) He was so, and he had been long so; and the reason which induced him to become one was, that he did not think that "Parliament had attended to the voice "of the people, and that the people 66 were not represented in the House of "Commons." (Hear.) their sufferings, in spite of rebuffs from the Government; and, I dare say, in spite of the disapprobation of many of his own rank. The manner in which he spoke of JOHN KNIGHT, who was confined in Reading jail; the manner in which he did this in Parliament, ought never to be forgotten, and never will be forgotten, by the people. When I was at Manchester, there came to me a deputation from OLDHAM, and amongst them, that very JOHN KNIGHT. They reminded me of the noble conduct of LORD RADNOR, at which I was very much pleased. mentary reform. He said then that which has now been found to be true, that the measure was politic as well as just; and that it was as necessary to the peers themselves, if not more necessary, than to the people. So that, this is no new language of his Lordship; nothing invented to suit the times: it has always been his way of thinking, as proved by his couduct. It is not a little remarkable that the noble Earl was cheered while he was saying this. When I was in the North, particularly at Manchester, the question was frequently put to me: "What is LORD RADNOR about?" My answer always was: "I do not know; His Lordship did not wait until these "but be you assured that he will do times to declare himself a parliamentary "what is right." I was asked how he reformer. Eight years ago, at a meetcame to say nothing upon the Catholicing in his own county of Berks, he Bill; to which I answered by saying, himself brought forward, or supported, that, seeing all the circumstances con- I forget which, a petition for parlianected with that bill, and particularly seeing that it disfranchised a great part of the voters in Ireland, I should not have been at all surprised if he had voted against that bill; for I am sure I should not have known what to do myself in that case, clogged, as the bill was, with the disfranchisement of three hundred thousand men, and with the oppressive regulations as to the Jesuits; I should have been disposed to vote against it. With regard to LORD RADNOR, however, we have the acts of his life for our guide. Not only has he never given a vote hostile to the liberties of the people, but he has never neglected both to vote and to speak against every attack on those liberties. It is not now, when so many peers show that they are alarmed at the dangers which are appching; it is not now that he speak in favour of the The cheers which his Lordship received are really not a bad omen. He has never been deficient in any thing but in that of justly estimating his own sound understanding and great capacity." There is not a man in the kingdom, without a single exception, who understands more thoroughly every principle connected with the currency of the country; and this he has shown, too, by his acts many years ago. They might despise my advice; but he warned them fatal result of these destructive tam- WM. COBBETT. TO DR. BLACK Lynn, 23d March, 1830. THE news has just arrived, that the of their danger nearly ten years ago; foretold, in his place in the House of Commons what would be the King of France, in imitation of those sensible and fortunate people, the the value of money. STUARTS, has sent the representatives of the people packing, because they, in their address to him, interfered, as it is called, with his royal prerogative. He appears to have prorogued them, doubtless, with a design to dissolve them; and, as was the case with the STUARTS, they will, I dare say, come back in a worse humour than that in which they went away. In the meanwhile, they have voted him no money! Alas, what an unfortunate thing for him that there are In one of your papers of last week, no rotten boroughs in France! There is you have greatly misrepresented me. I no telling, as yet, how this matter may impute it to the twist (you know what end; but one of two things is very likely I mean), the Caledonian twist; and not to happen; a turning out of the present to premeditated malice. You say that ministry in France, or another revoluI predicted, that if the Scotch small- tion; and this time, we cannot go to notes were left in existence, TWO war, and cannot pay subsidies, to put PRICES would take place in Scotland. down Jacobin principles in France. The I never said any thing so foolish, Doc- people of France know this as well as tor. This is what I said, that the Scotch we do: they know what a pretty situa-` Small-note Bill was perfectly useless;tion we are in; and notwithstanding the for that those notes never could come DEAR DOCTOR, Hargham, 22d March, 1830. Duke of Wellington's fine talk about into England to make face against gold; being prepared for war; they are by no and that the quantity of them could not means afraid of him. They find their be kept up so as to cause prices to be debt heavy, and they will not be fools higher in Scotland than in England; enough to continue to be ruined and because if that were to be done, there distressed by that debt. The honour of would be an exchange between Scot-preserving national faith with villanous land and England disadvantageous to Jews and jobbers, they will leave to us. Scotland. Accordingly we see, that prices have been lowered in Scotland just the same as in England; the quantity of Scotch notes has been greatly diminished; and if you be not aware of the terrible ruin amongst the Scotch farmers, I am. I request you to copy this letter from my Register into your paper, as I have not time to write to you by post, which I should otherwise do. My readers will all recollect that what I have now stated is perfectly correct; but if you can point out any part of any Register to make good the truth of your statement, you will, of course, do it. I am, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servant, WM. COBBETT. COBBETT-LECTURES. I HAVE now settled on the following route. To be at ELY on Thursday, the 25th March; at CAMBRIDGE on Friday, the 26th, and Saturday, the 27th; at St. Ives on Monday, the 29th; at STAMFORD on Wednesday, the 31st of March, and on Thursday, the 1st of April; at PETERBORO' on Friday, the 2d; at WISBEACH on Saturday, the 3d; and at LYNN on Tuesday the 6th, and Wednesday, the 7th. THE wheat is here rising in price; but fat pork, and fat beef are 5s, the stone of 14 lbs.; that is, about 41⁄2d. a pound! The meat of the country amounts | The second is good from November till to more than the corn of the country. The February; the third, from fall till Christtimber, the coppice-wood, and the wool, mas; and the fourth is an incomparable are at less than half of the price of 1812; pie apple, and a good keeper. They are and the corn would be the same had the all great bearers, and the wood is of free two last been harvests of average pro- growth. The plants are as fine as it is duce. All will come down a great deal possible for them to be. The stocks were lower. In 1812, fat hogs were 18s. twice removed; the roots are in the best a score, and fat oxen 20s. in Hampshire; possible state for removing; and if plant13s. the one, and 14s. the other, the ed according to the directions contained stone of 14 pounds. in my "ENGLISH GARDENER," they will grow off at once, and speedily bear.. PEAR TREES. I have eighteen sorts of pears, omit AMERICAN FOREST TREES, ting, I believe, no one that is held in AND APPLE AND PEAR TREES. I NOTIFIED, last spring, that I should not have a great many forest-trees to sell this year. I have, however, some of the following sorts, and at the prices put against thein. FOREST TREES. Locusts, two years old, transplanted, 7s. a hundred. BLACK WALNUT, Very fine and large, 4s. a hundred. ob much estimation. The first and the last sort, No. 1. and No. 18., are from America. No. 1. is an extraordinarily fine ́ eating pear, the like of which I had never seen before. No. 18. is a baking pear of most exquisite flavour, and a great and constant bearer. I had lost this sort, but I got some cuttings from Long Island in 1827, put them upon a large stock in the spring of that year, and these cuttings have begun to bear already, having yielded a dozen pears this year. This BLACK SPRUCE, two years old, trans-dance, and for baking, and making pear always bears in abunplanted, 10s. a hundred. RED CEDAR, three years old, trans-yond all comparison, as far as my perry, it surpasses all others, and beplanted, 6d. each. servation has gone. My pears are, this N. B. I would recommend planters to year, all upon seedling pear-stocks; the raise the Locust trees from seed, agree-stocks were removed; and, therefore, the ably to the directions, contained in my roots will be in the best possible state book, entitled, "THE WOODLANDS," for the transplanting of the trees. The which explain the whole matter very scions, or cuttings, were chosen so as to fully. In general, not a tenth part of be of the exact size of the stock; the the seed come up; but this is because it grafting was done in the neatest manis not sowed in the proper manner. See ner, and the plants are clean and beauparagraphs from 383 to 387, inclusive. tiful accordingly. I venture to say, that Follow these directions, and you will these pears never were exceeded, either never fail. I shall have some fine seed, in growth of shoot or condition of root, in a short time, from America, and some by any that ever came out of a nursery. other American tree-seeds also. They are growing at Kensington, as well as the other trees. The price of the pears is, as it was last year, three shil· lings a piece. The list is as follows: APPLE TREES. No. 1. Newtown Pippin. 4. Concklin's Pie Apple. } 2s. each. These are all the sorts that I have now, and they are all that I think necessary. The first is the finest flavoured apple in the world, and it will keep till May. No. 1. American Fall Pear. 3. Ganzal's Bergamot. 4. Brown Beurée. 5. Crassanne. |