the same day, and in such manner as to cost in the collection, or, rather, payment, not more than four hundred pounds a year in any oné county; to make the rate and amount of this tax vary with the wants of the state, always taking care to be amply provided with means in case of war, when war shall be demanded by the safety, the interest, or the honour of the kingdom. as to defray the real expenses of an economical and yet efficient postoffice establishment, and no more; so that the postage would be merely a payment for the conveyance of letters, and not a tax. 10. To lay just as much custom-house duty on importations as shall be found conducive to the benefit of the navigation, commerce, and manufactures of the kingdom, viewed as a whole, and not to lay on one penny more. Now, my Lord GREY, here, at any 11. To make effectual provision, in rate, there is nothing of an abstract every department, for the main-nature; nothing theoretic, nothing tenance of a powerful navy; to dark, nothing covert. This is what I give such pay and such an allot-would do, if I could have my will; and ment of prize-money to the sea- if I were a member of Parliament, and man as to render impressment found that this, the whole of this, could wholly unnecessary; to abolish the not be obtained by the Parliament, I odious innovation of naval acade- would quit the concern as soon as I had mies, and re-open the door of pro- ascertained this to be the fact; as soon motion to skill and valour, whether as I had ascertained that the people had found in the heirs of nobles, or in the chosen men not ready to do all this; sons of the loom or of the plough; or, at least, as soon as I had ascertained to abolish all military Orders, and that the people would again choose such to place the navy next in honour to men. I would not consent to be the rethe throne itself. presentative of any body of persons who would not pledge themselves inost solemnly to support me in my endeavours to accomplish all this. And, further, I would accept of the post only on the condition that I should be at liberty to vacate it if I chose, at the end of one 12. To make a legal, a fixed, and a generous allowance to the King, and, through him, to all the branches and members of his family; to leave to him the unshackled freedom of appointing all his servants, whether of his house-session, if the Parliament continued the hold or of his public ministry; to shameful practice of sitting by candleleave to him the full control over light, and under the same roof where there his palaces, gardens, and parks, as are an eating-house and a boozing place. land-owners have over their estates; I will never sit, for any length of time, to take care that he be not worried amongst "legislators," who drop in one with intrigues to purloin from him after another, or half a score at a time, that which the people give him for belching, and picking their teeth. In his own enjoyment; so that he such a scene, how can attention and remay be, in all respects, what the flection exist? From such a scene sober Chief of a free people ought to be, thought is excluded by the laws of nahis name held in the highest ture. From the fumes of port and honour, and his person held sacred, sherry and grog and brown-stout and as the great guardian of the peo- tobacco; from the spattering of the ple's rights. frying-pan and the hissing of the grid13. To make an accurate valuation of iron, wisdom Aees as men flee from a all the houses, lands, mines, and pestilence. To account for so great a other real property, in each county country being brought to the state in in the whole kingdom; to impose which this now is, after ages will only a tax upon that property, to be paid want to be informed that its legislators quarterly, and in every county on lounged away the morning in bed, and "in consequence of the vast influx of held their deliberations in the night- and thrown over into his own garden! timé, under the same roof with a guttling He of Bristol was absent, when his and guzzling house, and that, on an palace was burnt; or he might have average, a fourth, or a third, of them experienced something more serious. were eating or drinking, at the very Instead of GUY FAWKES, who has, for moment that laws affecting the pro- more than 200 years, been annually perty, the liberty, the life of millions burnt in effigy on the 5th of Nowere under discussion. This is all that vember, the Bishops have been burnt after-ages will want to know about the this year! What a change! How causes that produced a state of things that lie, that infamous lie, which has such as that which now exists in Eng- for more than 200 years, been played land. To a body of men leading such off against the Catholics, has now relives and addicted to such manners, no coiled on the Protestant Bishops! I motive, not much more powerful than wonder how he of Exeter felt, while the I can have an idea of, would induce me transactions, which are related by the to belong any longer than the time Chronicle as follows, were going on! sufficient to enable me to ascertain that I wonder whether, when surrounded `in no change in their manners was to be his palace by SOLDIERS, he thought reasonably expected. So that the re- of Lord Grey's advice to the bishops, nowned OLD SERJEANT need not be to put their house in order! very uneasy about the danger to be "This city has been in a constant apprehended from my being in Parlia-" state of alarm for several days past, ment. Those who have the power of choosing members of Parliament gene- strange ill-looking fellows, and as it rally look for a little coaxing; and "was well known to the authorities none will anybody ever get from me. "that it was the intention of certain It will be service for me to bestow, and " parties to burn the effigy of the not a favour for me to receive. I have," Bishop, an officious little Tory with the rest of the people, an interest" Alderman, the Bishop's secretary, and in the general happiness of the nation; "several other obnoxious characters, on but I have none but a common interest; "the 5th of November, it was greatly and there is no moral obligation on me "feared this scene would be taken adto submit, for the sake of the general vantage of by the ill-looking fellows good, to endure the breath of the "who were lurking about the city in belchers from Bellamy's, who have, I" parties of six and eight; accordingly am told, even a smoking room!" All" the Mayor sent to Plymouth for a this must be changed, or there can be no regiment of soldiers, but none could good arise from reform. At any rate," be spared. All the inhabitants were it shall be changed, or I will have no- requested to be sworn in as special thing to do with it for more than one "constables, and as that force would session. So that, again I say, OLD SER-66 only be adequate to protect the city, JEANT BEST may make himself pretty" four regiments of yeomanry cavalry easy on account of me. "were quartered in the barracks to de"fend the county jail and bridewell. "So affrighted were many of the 66 66 wealthy inhabitants, that they re"moved their plate and valuables, pro"vided themselves with fire-arms, and "fortified their houses in every possible THE BISHOPS. PRETTY generally these " successors of the Apostles," as they call themselves, have been hanged and burnt in" way. The long-dreaded 5th of Noeffigy, since the rejection of the Reform "vember came, and the morning, as Bill. He of WINCHESTER was, as the "usual, was ushered in with a merry newspapers told us, hanged, on the top "peal on the parish bells, firing of of the market-house, just opposite his cannon, &c. The day passed off palace, at Farnham; afterwards burnt," quietly, and, in the evening, the usual 46 66 66 "display of fire-works took place; past twelve, when the whole Palace "but the spectators were comparatively" was set in commotion by a few idle "few; no move was made to burn the "boys rolling a burning tar-barrel to"effigy of the Bishop, &c., till eleven" wards the Palace, which was supposed "o'clock at night, when a large body "to be the signal for its demolition : "of determined fellows made their ap- "but it was only done to frighten and pearance in the Cathedral-yard with" make a deeper impression on the "the effigy of the poor Bishop, mitred" mind of the Bishop, of what might be "and lawn-sleeved, &c., also a large "the consequence of a second act of "quantity of faggots; a a temporary" hostility towards the people. The gallows was soon erected, and the" boys continued their course down a "pious scaramouch was soon hoisted" street towards the river, which soon upon the gibbet. Its appearance was "quenched the tar-barrel, and dissipated "ridiculously emblematical of this" the fears of the Bishop, the Tory Lord "notorious hater of liberty and re- "Rolle, and others assembled in the form. The head was composed of " Palace, to support the drooping spirits a hollow turnip, with a candle in the" of the holy and right rev. Father in 66 centre, in which were cut the nose "God, whose compunction of conscience " and mouth, but no eyes-showing," they had serious apprehension would "that though the head possessed light, urge him to apply one of the loaded "the bishop was blind to the past and "muskets to his head, and blow out present scenes around him. The fag-" the small portion of brains his skull gots being adjusted, they were set fire" contained. Soon after burning the to, and the light soon discovered the" effigy of the Bishop, the assembled "vitals, composed of the liver and lights" multitude separated, quietly went to "of a sheep, and a heart one mass of " their homes, and up to the present "corruption, which the flames soon "time, Monday morning, there has not "devoured, with the hollow head," been a single committal for riot or "mitre, and lawn sleeves, of one of "disturbance. I again repeat, much "the twenty-four enemies of reform, "credit is due to the Mayor for fore"and withholders of the people's just" sight, determination, and coolness, in rights; all this was done in the " permitting the effigy to be burnt, which "Cathedral-yard, in full sight of the "could not have been prevented without "Palace. Had any attempt been made "bloodshed. Will the liberty-hatingTories "to prevent this innocent ebullition of "now dare to say there is a re-action in republic indignation, I have no doubt" form in Devon, and especially in this many lives would have been lost, city, which till lately has been com"and we should have had a second" pletely under their thraldom? It has "Bristol affair. Much credit is due to "thrown off its shackles, and the people "the Mayor in permitting the people" are now as free as the air they breathe. "to vent their indignant feeling (created "An anti-reform petition has been by the late blind, obstinate, and wicked" hawked about the city for the last "conduct of the bishops) on this effigy "week past; and notwithstanding the "of a man who can never reclaim his "Tories have had the meanness to get "character but by voting for reform" upwards of thirty people to sign it "when the bill is next brought before" under the pretence of its being in "the House of Lords. The bonfire" favour of reform, and several other "and effigy being consumed, the assem- poor creatures at sixpence a-head, still "bled multitude, which was composed only forty-three individuals of the "of many thousands, gave three groans "lowest class have disgraced them"for the bishops and Tories, and nine" selves by signing it. No sooner had "hearty cheers for the cause of reform." the affrighted inhabitants of this city "The Bishop's Palace was filled with "recovered themselves on Sunday, than "armed soldiers, who kept guard all 66 an alarm was created about two "night. Nothing occurred until half-" o'clock by the galloping of the yeo 66 66 66 66 they point. You will see, indeed, that all my long-entertained suspicions were but too well founded. I never doubted the good wishes of Lord GREY; but always doubted his power to give effect to those wishes. The non-dismissal of the LORDS-LIEUTENANT was quite proof enough of this. But pray read the following articles, and think that you hear Lord GREY utter the words. From the Chronicle and Times of 9th November. manry cavalry, through the streets to ❘ of sense, and many of you men of in"Newton Bushell (a town about four-fluence; and you may now do much in teen miles from Exeter), an express preserving the peace of the country. I "having arrived that the whole town was am acquainted with no man who is in "in flames. This I am not surprised at, any way connected with the Governas it is the veriest sink of Toryism in ment; but the editors of the MORNING "the county. No doubt they have set CHRONICLE and of the TIMES have "the town on fire to divert the public communications with such persons: "attention from reform. Such is their I KNOW that they have; and, therechagrin at their fallen littleness, that fore, I pay just as much attention to "they would, like their mad fool-hardy the following two articles, as if the "leader, Sir Charles Wetherell, sacri- words had been uttered to me by Lord "fice the lives of thousands of their GREY himself! Read, then, with at"fellow-creatures to effect their hellish tention; pause on every sentence; you "purpose, by throwing the county will clearly see to what and to whom "into anarchy and confusion. New "ton Bushell is a town composed "of houses which are principally cover"ed with thatch, and nothing can save "it if set fire to in two or three places; "it is here the Tories have lately "had their meetings and dinners, for "they are completely driven out of this city; and their numbers have so “dwindled, that they would be lost in "a respectable-sized room; they have "breathed their last gasp, and their "writhing will avail them nothing"their factious spirit must expire, and We have always been slow to believe "like an eel out of water, will even the reports of conversions of bishops tually smother itself ini ts own slime.' and peers, knowing the strong aversion "MONDAY, EIGHT O'CLOCK.-An exแ press has just arrived, stating that the that these men must have to all mea"fire was extinguished before the ar-sures founded on equal-handed justice "rival of the military, and was supposed and more especially to that crowning to have taken place from a chimney measure, a reform of the representation. "having taken fire, the flakes from All coaxing-all attempts at persuasion "which fell on the thatch. The damage must be thrown away in such a case. "done does not exceed 100l. An unnecessary alarm existed in this case." The request to BARNARDINE to come down to be hanged, was not more unpalatable than to boroughmongers and bishops (one and the same), must be the application to consent to a really efficient bill of reform. We know that it is the interest of these men to affect a disposition towards conversion, be-, cause it throws their opponents off their guard, and what they want is delay. It is only in hell that the great poet excludes the entrance of hope. The antireformers feed themselves with hopes of re-actions--hopes of deaths-hopes 66 THE ALARM. TO THE READERS OF THE REGISTER. I BESEECH YOU pay attention, first to some articles that I am about to take from the MORNING CHRONICLE and the TIMES, and then to the proceedings of the Council of the Political Union of Birmingham, in a meeting held on Monday last. You are all men of riots and insurrections, which might" Earl GREY, 'on the adjustment of the inspire alarm into men possessed of "House of Peers.'" property. We ourselves are not with- An efficient Parliamentary reform out alarm, on account of the distress must necessarily lead to economy in caused by the stagnation of trade in church and state, and of this the bishops many parts of the country. In the ma- and boroughmongers are well aware. nufacturing districts, there are at present To a reform which will be attended numbers of men out of work and suffer- with such results they will never, we ing severely; and till the Reform Bill fear, consent, except under circumis carried, no improvement is to be stances which they hope may never hoped for. The anti-reformers hope occur. formers. 86 These are the sentiments that now collision of an angry people, and the selfish enemies of the people; and we are suspicious of the alleged conversions of enemies to friends. This we KNOW, to profit by the calamities of which they In the meantime, the vote of the are the authors, by the rejection of the bishops has at once and for ever alienReform Bill. The Times, we observe, ated from them the regard of the nation. shares our suspicions with regard to the It is one striking sign of the times, that alleged conversions of the anti-re- everywhere on the 5th of November "That the peers have not last the bishops were substituted for (says our contemporary) usefully re- GUY FAWKES. North and South, East "considered their opinions on the Re- and West, speak but one language with "form Bill, so as to insure a reception regard to them. "for that measure more palatable to "the nation than the last, has within pervade the country. Reform must "these few days become a matter of ULTIMATELY be carried; of THAT "widely-diffused suspicion! No proof, we have no doubt. But we dread the "indeed, of the contrary has yet been adduced, nor any facts which carry "much weight or authority on the face "of them. If, therefore, Ministers, once already deceived and dissap- that if the people DO NOT BESTIR pointed, once already instrumental, THEMSELVES in such a manner as "no doubt innocently, in the heavy "dssappointment of the nation,-if they "have not more materials for confi"dence in the self-reformation of the "House of Lords than have yet reached "the public eye, and still do not lend "themselves with instant vigour to a "re-adjustment' of the peers, the "concluding passage of the following "extract may be found to express a 466 feeling by no means confined to the author, who begins with some caustic, "though grave, reflections on the "bishops, and on the Scotch and Irish peers. (Here our contemporary in"troduces a long quotation from a "pamphlet, in the shape of a letter to to extinguish all hope in the borough- From the Chronicle of the 10th of · Meetings continue to be held throughout the country. That of the county of Warwick, which took place on Tuesday, affords a striking evidence of the zeal and spirit of the reformers in that part of England. The requisition for a meeting of the county of Norfolk is |