ப்

66

upon the "Grand Council" like Six-Acts Registers with quota hail-stones, and these, too, of no tions from speeches of great contemptible size. And yet, if "men" in praise of the Bill. Not? it do neither of these, what will this is too horrible to think of be the use of it. with any degree of patience. It' cannot be; it must not be Perish rather,? " said Sangrado,

The public is waiting with great curiosity to see what the Committee will do. The farmers, the

the city and the suburbs, than

ped of their estates; but, did they not pledge their fortunes and their lives to put down the doctrines of PAINE? What right have they, then, to complain, even if their lives be called for?

big greedy farmers expect some-give up our system." thing done to raise prices. The Yet, the Landlords can have » Landlords expect the same. The no rents without this ! Well: fund-holders, fearing that despera- they have had their day. They tion may urge the "Lords of the and the big farmers have ridden "Soil to a "breach of national their Cavalry Horses, as the Rea "faith,” hardly know what to ex-formers of Manchester know full pect or what to wish for. The well. They must now do as well rest of the community, except as they can. They may be stripa the tax-eaters (who feel with the fund-holders) wish that things may go on; and the Reformers have the laugh half out before the Report appears. The result will probably be the doing of nothing at all; or, at most, some little The public are divided in opi thing to amuse the Landlords, nion on the subject of the repeal while the present experiment is of Peel's Bill Some people pushed along to its utmost extent. think it will, and some think it My opinion decidedly is, that will not, be repealed. We are the Ministers will never run the always prone to let our belief run risk of another Corn Bill. If with our wishes; and, as my they were to do it, such a Bill wishes are very strong that the would be of no use to the farmers pretty fellows of Whitehall may or Landlords. But, it is what be stout, and may stand to the they will not do; and the Land-Bill, through thick and thin, 'till lords will not dare to contend for the wheat come down to four shilit against the Ministers. There- lings a bushel, I am disposed to fore, to get high prices is impos- believe, that the Bill will not be sible, without a repeal of Peel's repealed. And then we shall, by Bill; and then comes the feast of the Gridiron; then comes my victory over the Banishment-Act Parliament. This repeal would be such a thing! It would be so shameful; so capon-like; so scandalously contemptible a thing; the very dogs would lift up their legs against the "Great Council." I should fill half a dozen of the

₹

about next March, see how the "Lords of the Soil" will look we shall see, whether they begin to think of giving us a Reform of the Parliament.

Day-light is not clearer than the fact, that the Lords of the Fun is, who now get so large a portion of the rents, will get (in conjunction with the other tax

eaters) the whole of the rents,when less then they are brave ast wheat' shall come down to four Héctors of Troy." However, shillings a bushel. This is so plain time will tell us all about it. a matter, that no one can dispute And, in the meanwhile, it is a it, without openly setting truth satisfaction to know, that, let and common sense at defiance. what will be done, the accursed What, then, are the "Lords of system must give way. "the Soil" to do? To reduce the interest of the Fund-lords and 4 April, 1821. the pay of the gentlemen in red- I left off last night as above. coats and of the pretty gentleman This morning comes the newspaat Whitehall, they dare not at- per with the result of Mr. WEStempt. What, then, will they TERN's opening of the campaign. stand gaping, with their hands in Oh! shocking! Sad figure! As their empty pockets, till the bad as that of the Neapolitans ! Fund-lords actually come and Well, GAFFER, I said truly, that take them by the shoulders and the "Lords of the Soil" were shew them the door of their own brave as Hectors of Troy, when mansions? I really should not they had the poor and defenceless wonder if they were to do this; to deal with. Then they are coufor, between the bullying of the rageous; then they talk big; then Fund-lords and other Tax-eaters, they look fierce, and stretch and their fright at the Radicals," the nostrils wide," to use a they appear to be spell-bound.

66

4

phrase of our "immortal bard,' They have, as I observed in lest, if not quoted, it might be my Register of last week, one coarse." Well, really, my resource, and only one; and that Lord FOLKESTONE, Sir Pomis to take off taxes. Here they" pous Jolterhead," and " Diswould have the people at their count" were not overcharged. back Malt, leather, salt, soap, And, out comes our poor friend candles, tea, coffee, sugar, beer, PERRY, with a whine, that the spirits, tobacco All would be motion was lost "because it was popular. Never talk about horses," in favour of economy, and behouses, windows, stamps, and " cause Ministers are resolved coaches. Let these remain, and not to adopt economy.' No drive at what the people use. you "invisible, unassailable and This would make Whitehall begin omnipotent being," it was not to look about it. As I said be- because it aimed at economy: it fore, talle big about preserving was because it aimed at the Funds, "national faith" all the while. which you say ought to be sacred. Express horror at the idea of Economy, indeed! how often touching the funds. This is the must I repeat; how often must only remedy. This is the last common sense din it in the ears hope. To be sure it is a good of the Edinburgh Reviewers, and solid hope. It is an effectual that no economy can relieve the remedy; but, the Lords of the country. Does the "unaccount"Soil" are bold only when they" able" Mr. PERRY propose to have to face the poor and defence- reduce the pay of the Army,

Navy, Judges, Police People, [liam; the "travelled" John WilPensioners, Offices, Sinecures, and liam, who vies even with the genso on? O, no! What does he tle son of the late gentle Chief mean by economy, then? It is Justice in knowledge of courts really "cheese-parings and can- and lofty matters of state, and "dle-ends" that he must have in who can, with all the self-co plaview. No: this of Mr. WESTERN cency imaginable, talk about the was a dig at the Funds to be sure; balance of Europe, while the taas such, as a beginning, it had bles of the Houses are covered sense in it but his tool failed with petitions praying for relief; him it broke in his hand: it and while the Houses know not was what the French call a coup which way to turn themselves manque. amidst the contending difficulties; that John William, the polite and

I have inserted, below, the whole of the debate of Tuesday night." gentlemanly" and candid; that It is an interesting thing. It will he should think and say, that havbe a thing often to refer to. And ing supported the Pitt-System now, GAFFER, let me offer you ought to shut the mouths of the some remarks upon it. supporters, let their distress be

It was curious to observe, that what it may, is what one could amongst the opponents of the hardly have expected. As to the Bill, some opposed it because it PITT-CLUBS, indeed, even John would afford no relief to agricul-William might be permitted to ture, and others, because it would say, that they ought to complain afford relief to nobody but the of no distress, let it be ever so arming people. Mr. JOHN WIL-great. Those are nests of creaLIAM WARD, that brightest star tures that deserve no mercy, of of the quiziological constellation; any sort. They are witnessing that nice divider of arguments; the evils of the system; they canthat awakener of great expecta- not deny their existence; they tions, and never fulfilling them; acknowledge and proclaim the that drawer of outlines and leaver existence of the evils; they conof them not filled up; that see-fess that they proceed from the saw politician, whom to catch on Pitt-System; and yet they celethe level we must be as quick-brate the birth-day of the deadly sighted as hawks: this gentleman author of that system! They dedid, however, take a fair cut at serve no compassion; but a great the agriculturists," as they are deal of cha tisemen; and, their coxcomically called. He ex-names ought all to be collected, pressed his surprize, that those in all the counties, and put into a who had supported" the Pitt-book; that we may all knowSystem" (I gave it that name, them.

66

Mr. JOHN WILLIAM) should com- Here, therefore, I agree with plain of distress! Devil! This John William; but, John Wilis rather hard lines! It might liam, though so "travelled," have done very well for me, who knows nothing about Sinkingdo not stick at trifles; but, for Funds. Sir JOHN SHELLEY was The "accomplished" John Wil- right, when he called the thing a

humbug." From the moment parchments would go too! That's it was established, Paine de- right! Work them in that way! clared it to be a humbug. In At them in all manner of ways; Paper against Gold it was de- but, work them especially in that monstrated to be a humbug; and way; for, with such men, there John William should have staid is nothing like a arm for their at home, and read in that A, B, own safety. Keep working them C, of Political Economy. John in that way, 'till wheat comes William is famous for making down to four shillings a bushel ; the skeletons of arguments; but, and then they will have lost the he never fills them out. He power of resistance, even if they never brings the flesh and blood had the will and the courage to and muscles and sinews. What resist. was it in favour of the sinking- Mr. LOCKHART denied, that, in fund, to say, that it was not the that House, any one had ever rejoint child of Pitt and Fox? It commended a "breach of public was, after all, only their adopted faith." No: nor out of it neichild; for Dr. PRICE was the ther; unless to repeal a law be a real Papa. Dr. Price had found breach of public faith. out, that, a sinking-fund of one farthing, if established at the birth of Jesus Christ, would now have paid off a Debt consisting of a mass of guineas bigger than the whole earth; and, he thought, of course, that it was hard, if a sinking-fund of a million of guineas would not pay off our Debt! The poor old man was so absorbed in admiration of the power of figures, that he did not stop to reason about the matter; if he had, he would have discovered, that he had hit upon a humbug, wherewith for a profligate and showy impostor to ruin and degrade a nation.

Mr. LOCKHART was not correct, however, in his notion, that the Fund-lords were exempted from taxes, which pressed on the Landlords.

The Fundlords eat and drink and wear clothes, like the rest of us. They have houses, carriages, windows, servants, dogs, cats, rats and mice; for even the

very

food of the latter is taxed.

They breathe the air of England, in short; and they must, then, feel the pressure of taxes. But, was there ever any thing so doltheaded as to suppose, that the tithes, rates and taxes, are not finally paid by the consumer! And, do not the fund-holders consume as well as other people? Mr. LOCKHART does not see clearly yet. He has a mist still before his eyes. He does not get at a clear sight.

Mr. GRENFELL was against the repeal of the Malt Tax. That I could have sworn without hearing or reading the Debate. He deprecated the sentiments that had been uttered in favour of a "breach of faith." That he did, I'll warrant him! But, he went further, and said, that the Landlords should recollect, that, if they seized on the Funds, their had not been able to answer with

When I last saw him, and when he (knowing that I was under heavy bonds to keep the peace) challenged me to fight a duel; in order to answer by mouth of pistol, that which he

But, while I agree with Mr. LOCKHART, that the present "Lords of the Soil," are very likely to become Serfs, I cannot agree with him, as to the way, in which the thing works. I cannot agree with him in supposing, that the Landlord and farmer are borne down by unequal pressure

these have a compensation, and more than a compensation in what they receive out of the taxes.

his own mouth, though that mouth two years and a half, is worse was loud enough as to report; than being a SERF; for a Serf at that time, on that very day; enjoys the open air at any rate; I told him and the band of noisy, and his Lord (especially a Fundriotous, bullying and even swear-lord) will take care, that he do ing BLACKS, of whom he was the not die for want of exercise. chosen orator, that, before that day four years, they would begin to sing another tune. It was four years ago last Tuesday was a fortnight; and, months before that I heard Mr. LOCKHART complain of the ruin of farmers and landlords; for which I, as in duty bound, thanked God, seeing that that ruin is now become neces-of taxation. For, place taxes sary to the good of the country where you will, they finally reach and the stability of the King's every creature in the community. throne! They reach even those who live Mr. LOCKHART said, that, un-out of the taxes; but, then, less some change took place, the Landlords would shortly become mere SERFS to the Fundlords. A serf is a bondman, one who, in- However, though no one is. fact, is the property of another; in its first operation, exempt from but who, for the use of that other, the pressure of taxation in prowas sometimes permitted to oc- portion to his means and his excupy lands, yielding to that other penditure, taxes, may enrich some the profits of the occupation. and ruin others. All things, Now, perfectly agreeing with Mr. generally speaking, arise out of LOCKHART, that this must be the land. The Landlord, therefore, case, if things go on in the pre- would possess all these things to sent way, I by no means agree himself, were it not, that, to get with him in lamenting the pros- any thing out of the land, he must pect. The persons whom I feel have the aid of others. Labour most concern about are the labour-is the chief thing; but he must, ing classes, those whom some of in most cases, have some other the Landlords call the lower things. He has to pay labourers, orders" and some the 66 pea-smiths, and various others. By santry." Their lot cannot be the time that these are paid, his made worse, except by means that income (being the whole amount would prevent the Landlords (for of his produce) is greatly reduced. a while, at least) from becoming Then if all these labourers, smiths, SERFS. I see what it must be and the rest, pay taxes, they for such haughty fellows to be-must be paid again out of his income SERFS; but, being at the come. So that, fashion the thing bottom of a damp dungeon for how you will, to the land, to that four years and a half, or even out of which all things arise, the