them lay in their births, many

and many a time, actually crying

this passage in the life of that ger. They were lads from the victim of the despot, called by plough tail. All of them tall; base flatterers Frederick "the for no short men were then "Great," without recollecting on taken. I remember two that the pangs of hunger felt by me, went into a decline and died during the thirteen months that during the year; though when I was a private Soldier at Chat- they joined us, they were fine ham, previous to my embark-hearty young men. I have seen ation for Nova Scotia. Of my sixpence nothing like five pence was left to purchase food for the on account of hunger. In such day. Indeed not four pence. a state of things where is the For there was washing, mending, man to reproach a Soldier for soap, flour for hair powder, shoes, theft or for desertion? stockings, shirts, stocks and gaiters, pipe-clay and several other things, all to come out of the miserable sixpence! Judge then of the quantity of food to sustain life in a lad of sixteen, and to enable him to exercise with a

These are my reasons and more than sufficient they are, for saying that no reduction ought to take place in the pay of the Soldier and the Sailor. They are pretty well off just now; and they never were so before since my recollec tion of the army. Their allow→ ance of bread and meat at a fixed price did something; but the high prices, which extended you will observe to their linen, stockings and shoes, rendered the addition to their pay not sufficiently great. Just at this time they are very well; and, the way to reduce the expence of the Soldiers, is, to discharge them; and let them go and share in the good times with their relations and friends. The pay of the officers, especially the subaltern officers, is not a farthing

musket (weighing fourteen pounds) six or eight hours every day. The whole week's food was not a bit too much for one day. It is not disaffection, my Lord; it is not a want of fidelity to oaths, that makes Soldiers desert one time out of ten thousand; it is hunger, which will break through stone walls; and which will, therefore, break through oaths and the danger of punishment. We had several recruits from Norfolk (our regimemt was the West Norfolk); and many of them deserted from sheer hun- too much. Discharge here, too,

if the nation's expence be too furnished him with ample mategreat. But is it the pay of the rials for this; but they have forOfficers and Soldiers that swallows gotten to inform him that the up the money? Oh! no! Look Members of Congress have passed at the army estimates; and you an act to reduce their own salawill find, that the pay of Officers ries from ten dollars a day to six ; and Soldiers do not exceed a and that other salaries have been quarter part of the total amount. reduced in the same proportion! It is the staff; it is the Barracks; Not a word do the Ambassadors it is the Military Colleges; it is and Consuls say of this! This, the contingencies. But, at any however, is beginning at the right rate, be there few Soldiers or be end. Such a government can there many, these ought to have a belly-full as long as they are Soldiers, and are prevented from working to obtain that belly-full.

proceed when it pleases to reduce the interest of the debt, without incurring the just reproach of any human being.

And here, my Lord, excuse me for pointing out to your Lordship. the beneficial effects of legislators being really and truly chosen by the people whom they are said to represent, and being prevented

But, impossible will it be to touch the interest of the Debt, unless the salaries be reduced. There are many other things to be done; but this must be a preliminary step. Lord Liverpool delights to dwell upon American from holding place or pension or distress. It is not distress, mind, deriving any emolument whatever it is meré fall of prices; but, from the exchequer of the state. since his Lordship will call it Any man who would have dared distress, since he will cite the to oppose an act so manifestly Americans as examples of suf-demanded by justice would never fering; why does not he cite have been chosen again! This their government as an exam- points with finger as strait as a ple for himself and his col-gun to that Reform of Parlialeagues in their conduct towards ment, that real and not humbug a people who are in a state of suf- Reform, without which to extrifering? He has heard enough cate ourselves from the present. to justify him in stating that the difficulties is impossible, unless by. Americans are in distress. His the means of a horrible convulAmbassadors and Consuls have sion, which, after all, must end in

:

That

famous Assembly, which you say. does not want reforming, has put a bridle on their heads, a bit in their mouths, and a curb under. their gullets. That famous Assembly has made it banishment to speak contemptuously of its proceedings; and, how, then, are the public to discuss what has been, or ought to be, done by

that very Reform, which your are they to make their sentiments Lordship has always opposed, known even to each other? and which I wish I could hope that you would oppose no longer. To return once more to your Letter it appears, that you expect, that some plan will be adopted for reducing the interest of the Debt; for, you say, that you see" at present no symptom "that the public will agree upon "any plan." The public! Oh, oh! The public! Who is that? that famous Corps? The public Do you mean that being, which agree! What can it agree upon? the DON had been looking after And what is the use of its agreeing for so many years in vain; and, to any thing? What power has at last, said that he could not find it; what organ; how is it to disit, though a million and a half of cuss; how to act in any way men had signed petitions and whatever? A pretty story insent to him to present? The deed! The mess is come; the dear man could not find a pub- confusion is at hand; and now "lic" notwithstanding this. He you would throw the blame upon. was like DIOGENES Squeezing the public! And that, too, at about amongst a crowd to en- the very time when you are redeavour to find such a thing as fusing them the right even of voting for those who make the laws!

66

man. The DoN never told us what he meant by a public, nor does your Lordship tell us what you mean by that public, which you wish to agree to some plan for the reduction of the interest of the Debt.

Oh, no! The people, the public, are out of the scrape. They cannot meet to discuss the subject ; and they have, in fact, nothing to do with it, except as spectators of the interesting drama, which is now drawing to a close. It is parliament; " the wisdom of par

If, by public, you mean the people at large, how are they to agree upon a plan. How, in the first place, are they to express" liament," as bawling Pitt used their wishes or opinions? How to call it, with a wurr of the r.

R

That is what has done the good than yesterday, just before sunthing. The people have been rise, and whistled to me, that there set out of the question, and let began to be a misgiving amongst them keep out of it. Let the those in whose profound heads the famed "Areopagus," as your wisdom is concentrated! It Lordship by comparison called the celebrated House a few days ago: let the "Areopagus, who in that speech of Lord Liverpool, contracted the debt without ask-which I quoted but now.

alarmed me, and still alarms me. And, there was an ugly passage

66

He

ing the advice or consent of "the said, that "he felt it due, in can"public," settle with the Fund-" dour to the House, to state, lords in its own good time and that, if they considered a paperway. Here, at any rate, I have": currency more desirable, the entire confidence in the wisdom" passing of the present Bill "of parliament." That wisdom" (VAN's bill for gold payments has gotten into the right-track for" of one pounders) would create

me.

:

play; and we shall see all that my heart desires.

"The wisdom of parlia-" impediments to its adoption." “ment” is written in legible cha-"Though his own mind was not racters in all that we now behold." yet made up on the subject, he bam for relying on "the wisdom" would confess, that his inclina"of parliament;" for, I know," tion was rather in favour of a that that is the very thing that will" metallic than a paper currency !” do our business to a tittle. Let Good God! What can this it alone only let it have full mean? But, it corresponds precisely with what my little bird' told me. He would not name The Ministers are neither more names: for he is a very prudent nor less than the organs of the little bird! He is very fond of "wisdom of parliament." Let this showery climate, and does them keep on in their present not wish to be banished. But, course. Let them hold on. Let what can this mean?«Inclinathem keep hard; and not suffer" tion rather in favour of a me"the wisdom of parliament" to" tallic currency !" Why, my be turned aside from its object. good Lord,, has not" the wisdom A little bird (and here is the ad-" of parliament" said; has it not vantage of early rising) came to resolved; nay, has it not enacted, my study window, no longer ago that the currency shall be metal

lic? Did not the Six-Acts par- the people at the mint refused to that take it in. So that this is pretty

liament pass an act,

the Bank should pay in 1823; payment after all ! really pay; pay in gold without

However, there will be no

any reservation? What! And wrong done, if the Bank will now, with this act before your eyes, pay, actually pay, all its one you, the prime man of those in pounders. This we shall see in a whom the wisdom is concentrated, very few days. This will put

say, that your "inclination is

the thing to the test, so fur; but rather in favour of a metallic this is not cash-payments! Cashcurrency?" Poh! They must payments will take place when have misreported your speech; any man can go with a Bank and yet, it does correspond with note and demand gold for it the story of my little bird! in the king's coin; and this I do not like it, I must confess.

will never take place without a In the meanwhile the first of reduction of the interest of the May has arrived, and with it Debt. The MARQUIS OF LANsbullion-payments without loss to DOWN, who was one of the the note-holder. Many people, loudest advocates for PEEL'S in spite of all impediments, have BILL, made use, the other night, got bars. Upon application for a of some very strange words as bar a gentleman was compelled, relating to this subject. They before he could get the bar, to are, on account of this subject, endorse, or put his name on, all worth quoting. I will take them the notes that he tendered; to entire. They are, especially write his name and place of abode when taken into view along with on every note! What law is there what I have just quoted from for this? What right, what rea-Lord Liverpool's speech, full. son, is there for insisting on this? of ominous forebodings. Pray Do not the Bank know its own mark, how the Marquis works his notes when it sees them? PEEL's way along. Pray, attend to the BILL does not say, that people words in italics! shall put their names and places of abode on the notes before they said he did not rise for the purpose of get the bars. This gentleman offering any opposition or obstruction to the passing of the measure, but the went to the Mint. He there tenprinciple upon which it was founded dered his bars to be coined; and was of too much importance to let the

"The MARQUIS of LANSDOWN