of discovering either cure or mitigation. I could go back and draw from the Register, beginning with the year 1803, a series of warnings; in which series there is scarcely a lapse of five months at any one time; and, from this review, from this retrospect it would appear clear as day light that if the Parliament and the Ministers had listened to my suggestions, the country would, at this moment, have been in a situation to be the envy of the whole world instead of its being in such a state as to make men flee from it as vermin escape from a house on fire.

selves declare that they have no hopes | minds of the people at large (for great indeed is the error of supposing that the millions of Reformers are mis-led, deluded, ignorant creatures): with the knowledge of this in the minds of ninety-nine hundredths of the nation, what must that nation think of the insinuations, the continual insinuations, thrown out against me, and the indefatigable endeavours by all sorts of means, high and low, to prevent the people from reading what I write ? Though I cannot but feel strongly on my own account in this case, I feel much more strongly on account of my country. I am ashamed, I blush to the very bone, when I contemplate I do not, my Lord, attribute to the schemes, the devices, the tricks, any of you a design to produce the the innumerable round-about artifices, present state of things. There are put in play in order to withhold from persons who, listening to their anger the eyes of Englishmen the producinstead of their reason, say that the tions of that pen, which, if its former Government is glad to have a pretext productions had been attended to, for adopting measures such as are would have completely prevented all now about to be adopted. And this the evils of which we now deplore the is an imputation very familiar with existence. I can assure your Lordthat son of faction, Perry of the ship that the " poor deluded creaMorning Chronicle." No man that tures," as they are affectedly called, reflects can believe this; it is against want nothing but the bare reading or nature. The wickedest tyrant that hearing an account of these artifices. ever existed cannot be pleased at being They well know the object of them: compelled to do odious things, that is they see in the twinkling of an eye to say, things odious in themselves, the whole of their drift: the object is in order to preserve his power. Every thus defeated before the scheme is in ruler, and every one who has any operation: and, not all that any share in the ruling of a country, must power on earth can do will change the wish that the state of that country opinions of this faithful and enlightshould be happy; and he must also ened people with regard to the matwish, especially in a country like En-ters upon which I have, during the gland, that the period of his sway last three years, had the very great should not be marked by popular dishonour of addressing them. content or by any thing tending to hold the nation forth as a bridged in all its liberties. Therefore, on the score of design, I do now acquit, as I always have, most decidedly acquitted the Parliament and the Government. But then it follows of necessity that things have turned out contrary to the wishes and expectation of the Parliament and the Government; or, in other words, according to my expectation and my predictions.

With the knowledge of this in the

How much more manly, how much more wise would it be to suffer my writings to go forth freely to the people! The impression could not thereby be made greater than that which is made under a system of restraint and persecution; and, indeed, it could not be so great; for perscution always excites an interest in behalf of the object of such persecution. This has been the case in an uncom

mon degree with regard to him who has now the honour to address your

Lordship. I have been, I thank Gad, always very ardently beloved by the far greater part of those who personally knew me. Before my departure from England for America, I had a great deal of fair popularity; unsonght-for popularity; and my writings had brought me a great portion of disinterested praise and admiration. But upon my return i can perceive no bounds to these things, so generally held in high estimation. I perceive every where the most anxious desire in persons of all sorts, to show respect towards me; and if I have always loved my country with more ardour than ever I have witnessed in any other man, except-conciliation and change of system. ing, indeed, the brave and generous Reformers of the North, I have now reason to love it more than ever.

I found the minds of my readers sheets of clean paper, unsmeared by the precepts of selfishness. Upon those fair minds I have imprinted the thoughts of my own mind; and, it is as impossible for my readers to unknow that which I have caused them to know as it is for me to have a mind other than that which I have. Monstrous, therefore, is the error to sup pose that the people are to be induced to change their opinions upon the great subjects of paper-money, taxation, right of representation, right to relief in case of indigence. Monstrous is this error; and the only wise, the only rational course is that of

a

I now conclude, my Lord, with assuring you, with the utmost sincerity, that all the insinuations thrown out against me, though by persons who ought to be ashamed of such insinuations; that all the persecutions I have endured and without my meriting any part of them; that all the insults which have been levelled at me, from whatever quarter proceeding; that all these, and that every feeling of a personal nature are banished from my bosom when I

now

I make not these observations for the gratification of any selfish feeling: I make them in order to show how powerful is the impression upon the public mind that I have all along been right, as to the measures which ought to have been adopted. There is conviction generally prevailing amongst the people of this Kingdom at large, that the course of policy, long ago recommended by me, would come back to my native land, have saved the country from its and when I contemplate the present present unparalleled calamities. I may dreadful calamities and the still more say that the whole of the nation dreadful which appear to be impendwhose minds are free from undue biasing; and that if I still persevere in are of this opinion. What measures, my accustomed labours, my object then, can be adopted, to remove that will be entirely that of preventing opinion? Measures of coercion? my country from being involved in Measures of restraint? Measures for coufusion and irretrievable ruin and silencing? Oh! no! By reasoning; disgrace. by true statement of facts; by these, favoured with the gift of capacity to anake myself clearly understood, when speaking of things in their nature intricate: by these means the popular opinion has been produced, and that opinion is to be removed by no means other than such as those which I have made use of. If I were never to write another line it would be beyond the power of all the writers in England to remove any part of the impression which I have produced.

I am, my Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,
And most humble Servant,
WM. COBBETT.

ΤΟ

MR. JAMES PAUL COBBETT,
AT NEW YORK.

London, 14th Dec. 1819.

MY DEAR James,

I have just received an Address from the Female Reformers of Manchester, accompanied with a most beautiful sil

ver writing stand and silver pen, presented by them to me, and which they intended to present to me at Manchester. This address came too late to be inserted in the present Number of the Register. It will be inserted in the next, together with the best answer that I shall be able to give to it, though upon this occasion, my abili-will be contained in a publication ties will fall far short of my inclina- convenient as to form and low as to tion: my head and band will be price. That is to say, as low as the wholly unable to do justice to my Parliament will let us have it; for heart. The address also, of the wonderful to relate, they appear to brave and sensible Reformers of York- be anxious that I should sell my proshire shall be recorded in like man- ductions at a very high price! L wor; together with some other ad- could scarcely have suspected them dresses, particularly one from the of such kind wishes towards me.. female Reformers of Bolton in Lan. But, it really appears that such is cashire. their feeling.

purpose into execution; and which, plan should be recommended to the adoption of the country at large.. This request I expressed my readiness to comply with, and I promised to perform the task with diligence, with as much speed as possible, and with the best of my abilities. The plan

These are things, my dear little son, which reflect honour on your father, and which you ought to hold in estimation far beyond the possession of wealth, however enormous in amount. Compared with these things money is dirt, and as such you may leave it to Jews, Stock-jobbers, and the rest of the Muck-worms that live only to eat and drink, to die, to rot, and to be forgotten.

The Reformers have long been told, · ́ that they ought to begin by reforming themselves; and I am very sure that the best sort of individual and family reformation is that which we are now endeavouring to effect. Fory, how small a part of the miseries, arising from misconduct in private life; how small a part is that which does not proceed from drunkenness, from extravagance, or from gaming! We, in our fa I enclose you a song which I wrote mily, have tasted largely of the happiwhen we were about half way to ness arising from the absence of all these England, upon the subject of the re- vices; and it is our duty more especi¬ turning emigrants. Pray give it to ally to endeavour to cause others to Mr. Spooner with my best respects; enjoy similar happiness. The ginand let it be sung at Murray's Hill by shops in this immense metropolis are a the merriest voice you can find there, principal cause of the thefts, the asto amuse you now and then, during saults, and the murders which unhap the winter evenings, while other peo- pily disgrace it, and, what is well ple are smoking segars, guzzling worthy of notice, some of those who wine or grog, or playing at cards. put forward the strongest pretensions We had last night a most glorious to extraordinary piety, are the Keepers meeting at the Crown and Anchor of those gin-shops. I propose to reTavern, consisting, they say, of commend to the Reformers, a line of about a thousand persons, and ho- conduct somewhat similar to that of noured by the presence of a great the Quakers; namely, to disown and many ladies. The object of the to stigmatize as far as they are able, Meeting was to consider and deter- every one who is guilty of tendering mine upon the best and most effectual enticements to drunkenness; and if means to promote Sobriety, Frugality, this be acted upon with only a little and an abhorrence of Gaming. The perseverence, it will produce a prodi company came to an unanimous de-gious effect. In short, you may rest termination that I should be requested assured, my dear James, that a large to draw up a plan for putting this part of the money which is now laid

Entered at Stationers' Hall. Printed by H. HAY, 11, Newcastle-street, Strand, for T. DOLBY, 209, Strand

REFORMERS OF THE WHOLE the fullness of your rights.

KINGDOM.

Botley, December 21, 1819.

FRIENDS AND FELLOW COUNTRYMEN, The topics upon which it is my intention to address you in the present sheet are of a nature the most interesting; they call for your serious and immediate attention. The addresses, which I have received, and which have not yet been published by me, I will now insert. Some of them are from male Reformers and others from female Reformers; and in my answers to these addresses, I beg you to regard me as addressing myself to you all, whether in England, Scotland, or Ireland; for, in my mind, boundaries of a geographical kind give rise to no distinctions. We are all but one family; and that Englishman who does not feel for Ireland as acutely as he feels for Hampshire, or for Durham, is unworthy of the name of Englishman. It is for our enemies; our base corrupt and blood-thirsty enemies, to endeavour to set us one against another. For my part, every one who is for the rights of the people without infringing upon the rights of the Throne, is my friend. As such, I consider every sincere, disinterested, and zealous Reformer; and, therefore, while I am addressing myself to the Reformers of Yorkshire or of Lancashire, by name, I beg you to believe that you have all an equal share in my esteem, my affection and my most

WM. COBBETT.

ADDRESS FROM THE REFORMERS OF

LEEDS AND PARTS ADJACENT. MUCH ESTEEMED SIR,-We, the Reformers of Leeds, feel ourselves impelled to express our affectionate regard for your welfare, and to hail your return to your native country, at a time when your exertions and abilities are so much wanted.

To you, Sir, we feel ourselves indebted, for an interest in our welfare and the welfare of our country, which, with a sacred impulse, appears at all times to have inspired you, and excited an unremitting exertion even amidst the most unparalleled persecution, slander, and reproach, in behalf of our oppressed and insulted fellowcitizens. Yes, Sir, to you we are indebted for having enlightened our minds, and giving us clearly to discover the source of all our political evils in a paper-bubble and a ✶ ✶✶

**

***, together with the sinecurists, pensioners, placemen, parasites and sycophants, who are daily prostrating themselves at the shrine of power, in the hope of finally crushing the liberties of the people, and erecting the throne of despotism thereon.

We would not address you in the language of adulation, but as you have so eminently shone forth, and given to Britons a widely extended political light, so you have, like the

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