continued boast of the riches and prosperity of this country? If a poor man could only be allowed 3d. per day when bread was 2d. per lb., to what state must the country be reduced? And yet this was called prosperity! He went on to compare the wages of labour in the reign of Edward the Third with those of the present time. It was provided by an Act passed in that reign, that a man filling a dung-cart (he used the words of the statute) should receive Std. per day, and no more (the object of the statute was to prevent men from demanding too high wages). At that time wheat was Ss. 8d. the quarter; a fat goose sold for 2d., a fat sheep, shorn, 1s. 2d., and unshorn 1s. 8d. So that a dung-cart man could earn the price of a fat sheep in four days, while at this time a man in the Hundred of Lodon was allowed for his entire support as much per day as would purchase four or five ounces of mutton. To this sad state had this country fallen; and yet such was the contemptible vanity and base malignity of some people, that they wrote No Popery ry" upon the walls of that cathedral which ought to remind them of the high and flourishing state of their ancestors, and the fallen and degraded state in which we were now placed. They might rest assured of this no matter what was thought by persons beyond the reach of want-that when the laborious classes of society were not properly fed and clothed, the Government was not secure, and the boasted prosperity of the country delusive. Those around him, as country gentlemen and farmers, must be aware of this. He meant to cast no blame upon the farmers. They were obliged to retrench, and to cast the burthen any where, rather than let it come upon themselves and their families. It was to the 54,000,000l. of Taxes that this severe pressure was to be attributed; and were they, when wheat came to 3s. a bushel, to go on paying the same - amount of taxes? Thus it was that 66 they heard so much about emigration and pauperism. How was it that our ancestors did not feel the necessity of emigration? In former days there was no complaint of overpopulation, or of want of labour-on the contrary, plenty and hospitality reigned throughout the country. England was then the greatest, the most happy, and the freest nation in the world; and so she would be now, if not borne down by debt and taxation [hear, hear, hear!]. The Chairman proposed the "Health of Col. Johnstone, M.P. for Boston, the most sincere and zealous friend and supporter of their opinions [applause]." Mr. Gobbett said, one thing made it necessary to trespass again upon the attention of the meeting. The reason the poor had so much in the reign of Edward the Third, was because the higher classes were allowed so little. Now, a Judge had 5,000l. or 6,000l. a year, a sum certainly not too much, considering the laborious duties they had to perform. For his part, he would not perform the duties of the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, were they to give him 50,000l. a year. But in the reign of Edward the Third, when a dung-cart man had what would amount to 91/. a year of our money, a Judge had no more than 60l. of the currency of that time, or what would amount to 1,200l. a year at the present day. So that a Judge had no more than could be earned by fourteen or fifteen dung-cart men. As that time a quart of red wine coud be had for 4d., and a quart of while wine for 6d; a gallon of ale coutd be had for 1d. There were then nlo taxes; even the very name of taxes was unknown. When the King wanted money beyond the revenue of his crown lands, he applied to his Parliament, who granted him what they called a subsidy out of their own estates. Persons opposed to Reform tauntingly asked its advocates to point out a time when all the people in England voted at elec tions. He did not think such a precedent necessary; but he could easily find a time when all who paid taxes had a vote in imposing them, and that was all that was asked for now [hear, hear!] Let any one point out to him the man who paid no taxes, and he would say, let that man have no vote. Magna Charta declared that no man should be taxed without his own consent, and it was renewed every reign, in order to keep it in the King's memory. Now he should like to know how Our dairy-maids and wash-women of old were up their trades; They wash by steam, you know. Among the various fashions of these our modern To see the sexes changing modes our grandsires Heigh bo! It ought not to be so. Fol, &c. A Gentleman proposed health of Sir T. Beevor, and many thanks to him for his exertions to place Mr. Cobbett in Parliament many there were in that room, who buy a pair of shoes for 4d.; so that The Chairman proposed "the healths of Lord Folkestone, and of Mr. Coke;" they were drunk with marked applause. Mr. Cobbett, in proposing the health of Mr. Hume, observed, that that Honourable Member did his ut most to lighten the burthens of the • country; he was always at his post, and brought into exercise a degree of industry and sincerity rarely equalled. His only mistake was, that ✔ he thought by retrenchment, and a moderate establishment, we might still go on and become prosperous. He (Mr. Cobbett) thought differently, but still it was only his opinion. The Honourable Member, acting, as he had a right to do, upon his own Mr. Sherwin (late of Drury-lane) sting the Seven Ages,' to which he added the following new stanzas :Th' Antipodes that dwell on t'other side the Ball, Fol, &c. Wear their heads below-but our Parliament, at call, Shew many a great man without any head at all. Heigh ho! Fol, &c. Sir T. Beevor returned thanks for the honour done him. He then proposed "the health of Archdeacon Bathurst," who, though a Parson and a Magistrate, felt heartily ashamed of the late hole-and-corner business of his brother Magistrates [applause]. Sir T. Beevor, in proposing "the health of Mr. Withers," pronounced a most handsome eulogium, upon the public spirit, patriotism, and zeal, of that gentleman. Mr. Cobbett said, there was only one objection to him; but that was a thumping one, he was a lawyer [a laugh.] A Gentleman: Yes; but an honest one. (Mr. Withers is, we understand, the gentleman who qualifolk County Meeting of 1823.) fied Mr. Cobbett to vote at the Nor Mr. Cobbett said he was going to depart soon, as he was anxious, on to sleep one night in his way home, a county where there was no Bank. Now he understood there was no Bank in Essex, he wished to sleep there, never having been in a county where no Bank existed. But before he went, he begged Mr. Sherwin to sing him another song. [Mr. S. did so, and was loudly applauded]. Mr. Cobbett, in rising to take leave of the meeting, again thanked them for the honour they had done him, both by their reception, and the attention with which they had heard can suspend at their pleasure! his address. He felt it his duty again If they can suspend taxes, they to press upon them the certainty that a continued fall in prices must take can remit taxes; and then, to be place. He advised them, therefore, designing men!" must not to trust to any Bank, no matter sure, how solvent it might be reported to stand clear! - While I have the be. If Ministers persevered in their Mr. BODENHAM, the late banker I addressed myself in my last Bill, money must continue to dimi- pen in hand, I will remark, that nish; nothing could prevent it but since last week, I have been told, their return to a Bank restrictiona measure which he considered very improbable, because of the load of at Hereford, to whom particularly infamy which would attend such a step. Ministers had stout stomachs, and could swallow a great deal, but he did not think they could swallow that [a laugh]. Mr. C., in conclusion, again thanked the Meeting, and cor- HAM dially bade them good night. He his will, and only because was loudly greeted as he retired from against his father pressed it on him in a manner that he could not resist. This being the case, I am sorry for Mr. BODENHAM; but, this is a singular case; and, at any rate, even in this case, while I am sorry for the man, I must rejoice at the fate of the banker. the room. Sir T. Beevor continued in the Chair, and the hilarity of the evening was continued to a late hour. Mr. Sherwin sang some excellent songs. HEREFORD BANKS. CORN-BILL. THE people of Rochdale have, through Lord FOLKESTONE, presented a petition against this odious bill, and they have, at the same time, prayed for a reduc THE news-papers tell us, that the Ministers have suspended the collection of taxes at HEREFORD on account of the breaking of the Rooks there! This is another pretty feature, or, as CASTLEREAGH would have called it, " fundamental feature," of the papermoney system. But, the taxes must be paid at last, surely? tion of taxes. This is sense; and, They will hardly be forgiven al- indeed, it is sense to pray for a together? And, then, when they repeal of the corn-bill alone, and are paid, they will be paid, thank to leave the affair of taxes to the God, in a good gold and silver landlords. That is their affair. currency, and not in "worthless If they choose to give up their rags." But, what a curious sort rents, let them; that is nothing to of law this is, which the Ministers the eaters of bread. But, how FORGERY. THE following I see in the Hampshire Chronicle of 27th March, 1826.-" George Mitchell "Jackson, A BOY, THIRTEEN "YEARS OF AGE, was ca"pitally convicted, at the York "Assizes, of UTTERING forged "SADDLEWORTH BANK "NOTES, and sentenced to "DEATH"!-Oh, God! There come the people of Westminster, who always used to take the lead in every thing public-spirited; how come they to be silent on this subject? I see, that their two members have, at last, found some work to do: they are drawing up a bill for making A NEW GAOL for the benefit of their constituents! Would it not be quite as well, if they were engaged in an endeavour to keep people out of gaol by getting cheap bread for them; and by getting taxes taken off? Oh! expect not this from ing, that, in divers cases, country them! They will never make notes have been issued by men, who knew that they were insolthese attempts. One of them wants high rents, and the Son of the vent! And, now there will be Commissioner of Nabob of Arcot's more forgeries, and, of course, debts wants high taxes. more blood than ever. How long, how long, suffering England, is this state of things to last? is now abundant evidence show But, are we to be longer noodled along thus? I hope not. I trust that we shall have a Westminster petition for a repeal of the Corn-Bill. If there be no meeting for that purpose within these three weeks, I shall draw up a petition myself, and call DEAR PETER, TO PETER MACCULLOCH. upon others to join me. The WHERE are you, "mon"? RUMP, that despicable tool of Sir What is become of you? Why Francis Burdett, shall not, I am do you not lecture us now? Now, resolved, any longer, stifle the dear Peter, is the time for you to voice of the people of this great show us all the advantages of city, teeming as it does, with men "sic yen a cheap currency." The of sense, of real knowledge, and silly "loons o' th' Sooth" are of public spirit. If there be no crying for gold, nasty, dangerous meeting in Westminster for this gold; and you hold your tongue! purpose, I shall draw up a peti- Come forth, dear Peter, open tion, and call on the people of your "London University," and Westminster to join me in that teach the "loons," that paper is petition. If there be a meeting, far safer than gold, and beyond I shall go to it, in order to assist all measure cheaper. Pray, Peter, in sending to the Parliament a favour me with your address, that suitable petition; a petition that I may wait on you; for, really I will speak out, in a manner that long to see how you look. For the present, adieu. the people of Westminster ought to speak; one that will show, that the Rump and its employers have not yet made Westminster a Rotten Borough. WM. COBВЕТТ. N. B. Where is now the "surplus copatol, mon"? Resolutions of a Meeting, held surer, then the whole of such surat the Freemason's Tavern, and, plus shall, at the end of fifty days by adjournment, in Lincoln's Inn after the close of the next general election, be, in the manner aboveFields, on the 8th February, mentioned, returned to the sub1826; SIR THOMAS B. BEEVOR, Bart. in the Chair. Resolved, 1. That it is the opinion of this Meeting, that it would be beneficial to the country if Mr. Cobbett were a Member of the Commons' House of Parliament; and that it is, therefore, the opinion of this Meeting, that there ought to be raised by public subscription a sum of money sufficient for defraying any expenses that may become necessary for the accomplishment of that object. 2. That Sir Thomas Beevor, Bart., be the Treasurer of such subscrip tion. 3. That the subscriptions be paid to the Treasurer, or to a person authorized by him to receive subscriptions, at the Office of the Register, No. 183, Fleet-street, London. 4. That each subscriber shall, at the time of paying his subscription, receive a receipt for the same, in the following form:-" Received of A. B. "the sum of as "a subscription towards defraying " any expenses that may arise from scribers, in proportion to the sums that they may respectively have subscribed: and, in order that the subscribers may be duly apprized of the share of surplus due to each, the Committee (here below named) shall cause notice to be publicly given of the amount of such surplus, and of the time for repaying it to the subscribers, upon their producing their afore-mentioned receipts. But, in order that there may be a limit to the business of the Committee and the Treasurer, it is understood that, in this case, as well as in that mentioned in Resolution 5, if the sub scriber do not make his demand within three months, or ninety-three days, after the times above specified, the Committee shall be at liberty to dispose of the unclaimed subscriptions in that way which they may deem most proper, consulting, in this respect, as far as may be practicable, the wishes of the subscribers. 7. That each and every subscriber may subscribe in his own name, in any other name, or under any motto or designation that he may choose, and that his receipt, when produced (either by-him or by any holder of it) shall be as valid as if given to him "any steps that may be taken for "the purpose of obtaining a return " of Mr. Cobbett to serve in parlia "ment." 5. That, if it should so happen that there be not raised a sum sufficient to warrant an attempt to effect the object in view, then, in the space of ten days after the close of the next general election, each and under his own name. 8. That Sir Thomas Beevor, Bart., Joseph Martin, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, Peter Walker, Esq., of Worth, Sussex, William Withers, jun. Esq., of Holt, Norfolk, and William Pal every subscriber shall, upon present-mer, Esq., of Bollitree, Hereford ing, or causing to be presented, his aforesaid receipt to the Treasurer, or other person appointed for the purpose, receive the whole amount of the sum stated in the said receipt, without any deduction whatsoever. 6. That if any attempt be made, and fail, or if it succeed; and if, in either case, there be a surplus remaining in the hauds of the Trea shire, be a Committee for deciding upon, and for carrying into execution all the measures necessary for effecting the several purposes abovementioned, and that their order, or that of any three of them, shall be to the Treasurer his sufficient warrant for disposing of any sums of money, that he may receive on account of the said subscription. |