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Speech inserted in the last Register," mend his Majesty to postpone his which greatly disappointed the people" visit. And we were induced to come in general, who expected him to recom- to this determination in consequence. mend something for their relief, but" of all the information we received of who saw in the Speech nothing of that various descriptions. various descriptions. We have no sort, but something of a menace. To" doubt whatever, from the information this omission was added the speech of conveyed to us from a variety of quar-> the Duke of Wellington, declaring "ters, information on which we could against Parliamentary reform, and in rely, that an attack would be made on such terms as to give offence to at least" the Police, that there was a plan laid ninety-nine hundredths of the people!" to extinguish the lights, and a variety From this moment the general observa-" of attempts to be made to excite riot tion was, "The Duke will get it on Tues-" and disorder. My Lords, we had no day!" And though no serious thing was "doubt that we should know how to · expected by sensible men, every one suppress those tumults; but I must thought that the Duke would experi- say that I considered it far preferable ence every mark of opprobrium that the" not to hazard the risk of riot and people could bestow upon him. Besides" confusion occurring in the presence these natural anticipations, he had al-" of the Sovereign, and we therefore ready been hissed, hooted, and even recommended the Sovereign not to pelted, by the people in Westminster. put himself in a situation to be the But now let us hear his own story, "witness of such tumults. My Lords, in his own words, as reported in the "it was solely on this view that we Morning Chronicle of Tuesday, the 9th." recommended to His Majesty to postHe began by reading the letter of the " Ipone his visit, as I conceive it imposLORD MAYOR ELECT, which will be "sible that such confusion and tumult seen as above-mentioned, and which "should exist without ending in bloodapprised him of danger to his person." shed. The people, my Lords, would "Hence," said he, although I felt" be collected together to witness a "myself personally to be placed under" pageant, the pageant of His Ma"the same protection of the laws as any jesty going in state to visit the Cor"other subject in the kingdom, I did "poration of the City of London, "not think I was justified in making "and confer on the Lord Mayor the "confusion and tumult in the proces- "honour of dining with him. His, "sion which was to attend his Majesty, Majesty and his Ministers, and the "by adopting the advice of the writer great officers of State, and the foreign "of this letter, and seeking protection "Ambassadors, could not go to the "from the civil and military power in" City of London without causing a "such a way as would be likely to pro- great collection of people, and making "duce that very disturbance which all" it very probable that riot and confu66 men were so anxious to avoid. Under" sion would take place. I say, my "these circumstances, when I received" Lords, that there was a great chance, "the letter I have referred to, I felt it" and a very great chance, that there "my duty to refrain from attending at" would be serious consequences to his "the City feast. My Lords, I com- Majesty's subjects, and therefore we "municated this determination to my "recommended his Majesty not to go. "colleagues, and we found on that oc- "The noble Duke (Richmond) has "casion, from the letter, from other" asked if the news of disorder and "letters which I had received, and from" tumult was confined to the City of "letters received by my Right Hon." London, and if there were apprehen"Friend, the Secretary of State, on the "sions of riot in other places? There "same subject, that it was very possible were not. It was sufficient to me.. "that a tumult would occur in the City "there were such apprehensions in "on the occasion of his Majesty's visit;" the City. With some parts of the "and we thought it our duty to recom- country other noble Lords must be

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"better acquainted than I am. The ing about from the clouds! There "noble Duke himself must know more only wanted a little change in the appel* than I do, as to the disposition of the lation to make the thing complete. people in Sussex. In Surrey and one What shall we do with the hero of B6 or two other counties, as is known to Waterloo, the twice conqueror of your Lordships, there have been France, the greatest captain of the some disorders; there has been some" age?" There only wanted these ap"stoppage of work in Lancashire, but I pellations, coming from the lips of the "know nothing beyond these to disturb son of the cotton-weaver,, to make the the national tranquillity at this mo- thing complete. "What shall we do 86 ment. At the same time I cannot with the man on whom the kings of “doubt the truth of the information“ England have bestowed every honour communicated by the Lord Mayor "that they have had the power to be"Elect, namely, that there would have". stow, the man with more than forty "been confusion and tumult in the titles and decorations, the man who is "city had the pageant taken place." a Duke, a Grandee and a Prince; "After having said so much, I shall what shall we do with him?" If the only add that I have no objection question had thus been lengthened, it "whatever to produce the document could, however, not have added force to "asked for; and I can assure your the idea; for these circumstances have "Lordships that there is no inclination all occurred to the whole of the public. in the Government of the country, or But, how came this question to be put “in any other Government that I am "acquainted with, to do any-thing “which is likely to disturb the peace of Europe."

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by Peel to Mr. KEY? Will any one believe, that Mr. Key had not been representing to Peel, that, if the Duke were out of the way, all would be safe enough? This is quite wonderful! Is this, can To be sure; and then the question of this be, "the greatest Captain of the Peel was natural enough. “What shall age"! Are these the words of the we do with the Duke?" That is, how man, who called county-meetings a shall we get him out of the way, so that farce"! But, does the Duke tell the we may get quietly along? Now, will whole of the story? Oh, no! for Mr. any man pretend to believe, that Mr. KEY, the Lord Mayor elect, has let it Key's letter was not the result of this out, that he had a communication with interview with Peel? Will any man Peel BEFORE he wrote this letter to pretend to believe, that Peel did not the Duke! Who is to believe, then, know that the letter was about to be that Peel did not advise him to write written? And, if he did know it, will this letter? Look (under the head of any one believe, that he kept the Lord Domestic Affairs) at the report of pro- Mayor's intention a secret from the ceedings in the Common Council, and Duke? And, will any man pretend to you will perceive that Mr. Key says, in believe, that this was not the true reason excuse for his writing the letter, that he why Mr. Key wrote the letter without hád PREVIOUSLY been with Peel, consulting the court of Aldermen? If and that, in the course of the conversa- he had consulted them before he wrote tion, Peel said, "What shall we do with the letter, there would have been some, the Duke of Wellington"! Good at least, to protest against it, and that God! Just such, I dare say, were the would have been enough to mar the proquestions put to each other by the ject; for, nothing short of a documentaffrighted mariners before they resolved like letter could have been sufficient to to throw poor JONAH overboard! "What form even a pretext for the measure "shall we do with the Duke of Wel-that was adopted. The plain truth, "lington"! Just as if the Duke had then, appears to be this: that the Duke got the small-pox or the plague; or, found that his unpopularity was so just as if he had been a barrel of gun-great, that he could not go in the procespowder, while the lightning was dart-sion without the danger of producing

riot and confusion that he had, there- time. Others, who might fill his place, fore, to choose, between causing this have not these mortifications to endure; danger to the peace of the metropolis they may, without immediate difficulty and disgrace to himself, and the dis-and inconsistency, allow Belgium to grace of keeping out of the way, while become a Republic, or to become a the King and the rest met with no insult part of France; but they cannot avoid at all. He chose neither; but chose to the consequences of such events; and prevent the procession altogether! The those consequences must be great to King, particularly with the Queen, might England Lord Londonderry was quite have passed quietly along, he being ab- right when he said that the revolution sent; but, certainly not, he being pre- in France was only commencing That sent. Whether his presence were abso- fact, which is pleasing to us, the people, lutely necessary; whether to avoid the is a fearful fact for the aristocracy; for disgrace, very deep I allow, of keeping who is to believe that the present sysaway upon such an occasion, it was right, tem, or any-thing like the present sysin a prime minister to render it necessa- tem, can stand, when there shall be no ry for the Corporation to issue a declara- hereditary right, and no paid clergy, tion, that the King was popular and existing in France; and when the comwould have been well received; these are munication between Hertfordshire and questions, my friends, which I leave you the Department of the Seine shall be as and the world to answer,having myself no close as that between England and desire to press upon a man, who, though Scotland! It is against these things, from his own acts and language, has ex- and particularly against the inevitable perienced a fall greater than any man effects of the establishment of a republic that I ever heard of, Cardinal Wolsey in France, that the English Governnot excepted. Wolsey and others have ment will have to provide. There can, fallen by the caprice of tyrants, or by I think, be hardly a man so foolish as public convulsions; but here is a whole to hope that the present poor thing of a people, gradually changing their admi-government can continue in France for ration and gratitude into contempt and any length of time. The recent change resentment. He said lately, at a din- in the ministry is no change of things, ner at Manchester, that he did not de- but merely of names. It is the nature

sire to retain his office any longer than of the government that demands a he had the support and approbation of change. It is a cheap government that men like those by whom he was then is wanted; and that the people cannot surrounded. He has them not now; no, nor one particle of them; and, therefore, according to his own professions, he now ought to resign.

But (and this brings me to my second topic) who is to fill his place; and of what use would the change be? It is a very ugly feature in the state of the aristocracy, that, while every one cries, "Down with Wellington," not a single voice cries "up" with any body else! The poor Duke, verifying the old remark, that misfortunes never come by ones, has, to comfort him in his loss of the London feast, the delectable news that the Belgians are about to pull down the mound and the lion, raised, on "the Field of Waterloo," to perpetuate his renown. I said, in August, that they would not stand a year from that

have with their present form. What is the use of M. LAFITTE calling himself a republican: it is not the name, but the thing, that the people want; and that thing they will have. So that our Duke's resigning would be of no use, as regards France. The Whigs could do nothing to prevent a republic in France; and yet, if they could not, how would they be able to uphold the present state of things in England!

But how, without a very great change, are they to uphold the present state of things in England, independent of all effects from foreign causes? I am not supposing danger to the Government and aristocracy from "mobs," nor even from sudden attacks, like that of Paris; but from the general discontent, growing. daily greater and greater, and arising

cannot do.

solely from the weight of the taxes. How subject of my lofty eulogiums in, 1816, is this discontent to be allayed? By no- when I said, that, with you at our back, thing under heaven but a relief from the we cared for nothing; if this was my burdens that produce it. And how is that language then, whence are to come the burden to be taken off without blowing words to express my love and admiraup the Debt? And how is the Debt to tion of you NOW, when you are not only be blowed up, and the aristocracy stand? embarrassing, puzzling, bothering, teazBefore, therefore, Lord Winchilsea calls ing, tormenting, tying the hands and refor Lord Grey, let him tell Lord Grey straining the jaws, of our own corrupt how he is to do that which the Duke and rapacious and insolent and bloodyminded boroughmongers; but are, at If it be not absolute madness, it is the same time, throwing your ample infatuation little short of it, to believe, under-garment over the infant Reor it is matchless insincerity to affect to publics of Belgium and of France! believe, that the violences in Kent are Kind, generous old matron! I was not only not the work of the labourers of always for petticoat-government; and Kent, but that the labourers are singu- who will rebel against it now! Great, larly well affected towards the owners indeed, is your danger at present; one and occupiers of the land! PEEL and of Dr. BARING'S "cold fits" is, it seems, KNATCHBULL assert this boldly, and yet upon you, and also (from sympathy) their hearers do not laugh! There are upon your daughter at Paris; but, there others who are basely impudent enough is in you, my dear mother, this rare exto assert, that the labouring people are as cellence, that, whether in living or in well off as they ever were; and that, too, dying, you serve us; as long as you in defiance of hundreds of facts stated have breath in your body, you keep in to committees of the House of Com-check, you benumb the limbs of, the mons itself! However, the state of the most hellish foes of justice and freedom; country and the fate of the aristocracy, and, whenever you die, those hellish foes are topics which I must reserve for my die too! Wonderful woman! You next, when I mean to publish what I shall, call "LAST WORDS TO LORDS;" for, after that, never will I address them, or any of them, again. will, next week, tell their fortunes for them; and will then leave them to strut and hector about as long as they like, or, rather, as long as they can.

WM. COBBETT.

render them powerless as long as you live; and, whenever you turn up your toes, they are found dead at your heels! They would cause you to be murdered; aye, that they would, and, like Charles X. and Polignac, would play at cards, or be out sporting, while the murder was committing; but your life, bad as it is for them, is still not so bad as would be your death. The republicans of France and of Belgium, aye, and even the Americans, are the most ungrateful wretches that ever lived, if they do not, in expressions and in feelings of admiration and gratitude, cordially join your ever affecWM. COBBETT. tionate son,

LETTER H.

ΤΟ

LOUIS-PHILIPPE, KING OF THE

FRENCH.

London, 8th November, 1830.

SIR,
In my former letter I endeavoured to
convince you, that it was the system of

public debts and funds, that had been to us, that France should see the Belone great cause of the ruin of England, gians slaughtered by the cowardly and and that would now be the ruin of your [ bloody ® Dutch, without marching to government, if you did not speedily their protection," resolve to abandon this fatal system, I After these observations, I expressed endeavoured to convince you, that taxes, my wonder, that the new government raised to pay the interest of a public of France should have kept in full force debt, operated most mischievously; all the laws of the old government,. that they created bands of idlers to live especially that odious law, which comin luxury on the fruit of the labour of pels a man to deposit 150,000 francs in the industrious; that they caused mono- the funds before he be allowed to print a polies by drawing the property of the newspaper; a law which, in fact, says country into few hands; that they caused to him; "You shall become a fundseasons of false prosperity and of real" holder; your fortune shall depend on distress; that they produced want of" the maintenance of the funds, as long employment and all its attendant" as you be allowed to convey your miseries, and, in the end, a violent over-" thoughts to the people.' I expressed throw of the government. I observed my wonder also, that the money awarded to you, that it was the desire to uphold to the widows and orphans of July, and this system in France that was the real even the subscriptions for their relief, cause of all your present difficulties; should have been deposited in the public that to this cause was to be ascribed the funds, thereby making them fundholders strange adherence to laws of Charles X. too. I expressed my wonder at this for enchaining the press; that to this great, this extraordinary, this apparently motive, and this motive alone, was to unnatural desire, on the part of the new be ascribed your abandonment of the government to uphold the public funds, brave Belgians; and to this cause was and to compel the people of France still to be ascribed the non-dissolution of to toil and sweat to pay the interest of a the Chambers, the upholding of an debt, which the old government had hereditary peerage, and also that strange, contracted, and contracted, too, to pay that indescribable,act, the attempt to save the allies, the emigrants and others, for the lives of Polignac and his colleagues enslaving France. I expressed my in tyranny and blood, and that, too, by wonder that YOU, at any rate, should an expost facto law, founded on pretexts have seemed to wish to uphold this so manifestly insincere as not to admit fatal and oppressive system of debts and of adequate reprobation. I endeavoured funds, asking: "Why should YOU to convince you, that a nation, however" wish to support it? YOU can have great in valour and resources, can never" no interest in its existence; and why assert its rights, maintain its honour, or "should YOU bear the odium of being even provide for its independence, if its supporter? Alas! Sir, these loaded with a public debt; for that war destroys the fund-holders, and that, in time the government becomes so firmly linked to them, that it cannot go to war without being destroyed too. I showed you, that this was the state of England now; and that, therefore, it might be, and was prudent in our government not to go to war to fulfil the treaties relative to Belgium, because, by going to war it would, perhaps, have overthrowed itself; but that this was not your case; for that the government of France was already overthrowed; and, that, therefore, it appeared very strange

words had not been in print three hours, when I learned a fact which explained all the mystery; namely, that YOU had, before the Revolution of July, and HAVE NOW, about eighty thousand pounds sterling, or TWO MILLIONS OF FRANCS, in the PUBLIC FUNDS OF ENGLAND !

Like a man, who, when shut up in a room, with doors and window-shutters closed, catching here and there a gleam of light through the key-holes, joints and cracks, and groping about in search of something hidden, finds a friendly hand to come and pult back the window.