Br/20.3 • NOV111881 Sumner fund. TABLE OF CONTENTS. VOLUME 85. No. 1. Land-Jobbing. -Trial of Mr. Mellersh. | Cartwright Dinner. No. 2. End of the Whigs. To the People of Protest.-Lord Chancellor's Knowledge.- No. 3. Intense Humbug.-Change in the Mi- -George the Fourth. To the Right Hon. nistry.-Lord Grey's Defence. -Life of Jackson. -Rural Affairs. - Intended Visit to Ire- No. 5. Poor-Law Bill.-Abuses in the Church. -Letter from Mr. Cobbett to the Rev. John Wray.-Memorial of Mr. Wray to the Lord Chancellor. Letters from the Rev. John Wray to the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, and from the Lord Bishop of Lin- No. 11. To Lord Grey.-Letter of Mr. Willes, the State of Paper-money. -Change of Currency in Portugal. To his Royal Highness the Prince Regent.-Perennial Clover. The Poor Irish. -Money Mat- coln to the Rev. John Wray.-Intense Banking Scheme. Speech of Mr. Dixon. -Budget.-Poor-Law Bill.-Letter of Mr. Rogers. Letter V. of Thomas Mor- rison, sen. Copy of a Bill.-George the No. 6. Letter I. to the Earl of Radnor. -Το No. 7. Poor-Law Bill.-Get Gold! Get Gold! No. 8. Letter II. to the Earl of Radnor.- No. 13. To John Marshall. - O'Connell's Wel-1 come to Mr. Cobbett.-Arrival of Mr. Cobbett in Dublin; his Public Entry in that City. Letter on a Modified System of Poor-rates. -Address from the Trades of Ireland to the People of England. To the People of England. To the Right Hon. J. E. Littleton, M.P., Secretary for on Cobbett-corn; Answer. The Crops.- Bull-Frogs.-What next?-Paper-Money. -Letter VI. of Thomas Morrison, sen.- Poor-Law Act and Legal Tender.-More Gab.-Swamping of Lord Grey.-Poor. Law Bill.-One good turn deserves ano- 8. ther. To Manchester Correspondents. COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER. VOL. 85.-No. 1.] LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 5TH, 1834. [Price 18. 2d. that " immense opulence," so eloquently described by Mr. WHITMORE, in his speech on the emigration clause of the Poor-law Bill. At the end of this article I shall insert my two letters to Mr. MORRIS BIRKBECK, which will afford a striking instance of the ruin consequent upon listening to land-jobbers. But first of all let me insert the prospectus of a company, a joint - stock "The land hath bubbles, as the water hath; company, that is formed for the purpose "And these are of them!" LAND-JOBBING. TO THE FARMERS, LABOURERS, AND To those who get their living, not by Normandy, 29. June 1834. MY COUNTRYMEN, of making this new colony; or rather their advertisement for a meeting to be held next Monday, whereat to begin their works, which though their intentions may not be wicked, will, in whatever degree they shall succeed, be productive of ruin to every person who shall venture either person or purse in this undertaking; that is to say, every one who shall give his money for lands to be sold by this company; and every one who shall suffer his person to be carried to the damnable colony. The PERCEIVING that there is a scheme on foot, of a very extensive and plausible nature, favoured too by our wise advertisement, of which I have been speaking, is as follows: Ministers, for settling a new colony, and that a society has been formed for the purpose of enticing people to go thither, I shall devote this whole Register to the exposure of this scheme; and I shall, per- of his Majesty's Government, for founding a haps, publish a large edition, as a separate colony in South Australia, and authorizing his pamphlet, which I shall sell by retail for threepence; and in the hope that many gentlemen will have public spirit enough to distribute it at their own expense, when they see the ruin that it may occasion to many inoffensive and meritorious persons, I shall sell them at sixteen shillings and eightpence a hundred. I have perhaps more knowledge of this matter than falls to the lot of any man besides myself, having seen a new colony settled, and being intimately acquainted with all the circumstances attending such settlements; having known intimately of scores of new settlements in the United States; having seen return pennyless and in rags thousands upon thousands of those who had sought in the wilderness those "fine estates" and [Printed by W. Cobbett, Johnson's-court.) Majesty to appoint commissioners for the disposal of public lands and the management of emigration, there will be held on Monday next, 30. of June, in the Great Room at Exeter Hall, at eleven o'clock, a Meeting of the Members and Friends of the South Australian Association, for the purpose of explaining the principles, objects, plan, and prospects of the new colony; WILLIAM WOLRYCHE WHITMORE, Esq., M.P., in the Chair. Seats will be reserved for ladies. The chair B 1 Edward Strutt, Esq., M.P. John Ashton Yates, Esq. Treasurer, G. Grote, Esq, M.P.; Solicitor, Solicitor, Jos. Parkes, E.q.; Hon. Secretary, R. Gouger, Esq. Information concerning the new colony may be obtained at the office of the South Australian Association, No. 7, John-street, Adelphi. A work on the subject of the colony is in the press, entitled, "The New British Province of South Australia; or, a Description of the Country, illustrated by Charts and Views, and an Account of the Principles, Objects, Plans, and Prospects of the New Colony; " Ludgate-hill, price 3s, bound in cloth. About two years ago, I think it was, a very plausible and well-dressed gentleman, who had ""always, with increas"ing admiration, been a reader of my "writings," came to me at Bolt-court, and told me the following story; namely, that he had lived several years at WASHINGTON, and was well acquainted with official persons there'; that the chief land agent of the Government of the. United States was his intimate friend; that this land agent, in his surveys, noted down the particular parts where the very best land was; that he (my constant reader) had thus, by looking at the memoranda of his friend, got possession of the invaluable secret; and that he had brought the particulars to England and was ready to mark out and sell these very best of the lands at the common price, which the Congress demanded for all the lands indiscriminately. Having heard from me some little boggling with regard to the morality of the mode by which he got possession of this valuable information, he was a little embarrassed at first, but soon resumed his brazen audacity, observing, that his friend gave him the book to look at without reservation of the use that he might put it to; said that there was Oh! Mr. CHARLES KNIGHT will have the "CHARTS" and "VIEWS"! I never saw an American land-jobber pull nothing dishonourable in it; expressed out his portfolio without wishing my-a hope that I would further his views, self a despot, in order that I might apply as no man could do it so effectually; a pound of Russian hemp to the villain's was " well aware of my disinterestedneck. While I published a newspaper "ness; but that services of this sort ought to have their reward as well as other services; and that lands to "almost any limit upon the very best spots were at my service; OR," said he, "if you do not think it consistentwith your character and station to accept of "the compensation yourself, you," (putting a simper upon his countenance for which he ought to have been smitten dead upon the spot), "Mr. СовВЕТТ, have sons"! Gd you," said I. "What! save my soul from "the devil, by making my sons rogues "instead of myself." Getting up from the table I desired him not to trouble me again, and off he went. in PHILADELPHIA I had several offers of large shares of tracts of country for nothing if I would but recommend Englishmen to settle on them. While I was in LONG ISLAND one man of the name of ROSE, and another of the name of LEWIS, the last of whom was an Englishman, and had been settled many years in America, offered me a large share in lands which they had to sell in PENNSYLVANIA, if I would recommend their settlements in my Register, which was written in Long Island, and published in England. To Mr. LEWIS I gave a civil answer; to no other of them did I ever give such answer in my life; short of " roguish scoundrel" I might stop; but if I did not utter the words I never failed to utter the meaning. 66 Oh! he had his "charts" and his "views": here wide flowing rivers; there meandering mill streams; here natural basins upon a hill to hold water "ladies" with him. I suppose, that a to turn eternal manufactories; here beds pretty many thousands of pounds will be of salt; there beds of coal; so that, if laid out on the press to get this delusion I had not known what the roguery was, - I should have been lost in wonder, that any people in their senses could remain in a beggarly country like England. Now, though I do not believe that the projectors of this scheme, amongst whom there are nineteen members of Parliament it seems; though I do not believe that any one of them is a rogue to this extent; and do not believe in fact, that any one of them has a roguish view; I have not the smallest scruple to say, that, as far as relates to this matter, a set of greater fools never were assembled together under the sun. I will accuse none of them of an endeavour to delude people; to get their money out of their pockets and to send them to perish, or at the very least to ruin; but in whatever degree they shall succeed in their project I am sure they will effect these ends; and I know it to be my duty, however reluctant I am to do it, to warn people against the delusion. This is the more necessary to be done without loss of time, because there are places to be kept for "the ladies" at EXETER HALL! What the " ladies" can have to do with clearing lands I do 66 As a specimen of the newspaper puffs, which are coming forth to further the views of this society, I take the following from the "True Sun"; the author of which puff pleads hard in favour of the delusion. I insert it as a specimen, though it is only a little beginning in the great work, it is, indeed, this puff which has brought me forth upon the subject. The author of the puff is extremely anxious to have the into wide circulation. I cannot destroy the delusion; but I can do this; I can prevent it from ruining the greater part of those industrious and good people, who would be totally ruined by it were I to hold my tongue. Here follows the puff; preceding the meeting at EXETER HALL. "Lord Bacon calls the plantation of a colonyan heroic work.' He may "be supposed, with his wonderful fore"sight, to have had a prophetic eye to "that great and happy nation on the "other side of the Atlantic, which has "furnished Europe with the first, nay, "the sole example of cheap and equal government. Without emigration, "the United States could not have ex"isted. The names of Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson, are English. It was amongst a people, the immediate offspring of English emigrants, that Lafayette, to use the words of Washington, 'served an apprenticeship to liberty, till he had learned enough "" to go home and set up for himself." "The out-going of Englishmen to "settle in America has had an immense, "and most beneficial influence on the 66 66 66 66 polities of Europe. Nor is this all; "for it would be easy to show that a great portion of the foreign commerce "of this country, of that trade which "enables us to obtain thousands of " useful and agreeable objects not pro"ducible here, took its rise from mea sures of colonization. As a means, "then, of extending the empire of civi"lization over the globe, and creating 66 66 new markets wherein to sell the pro"ducts of domestic industry, it appears "to us that emigration, or rather colonization, is an excellent thing. These " remarks are suggested by the project now before the public, of a new colony "in Australia. The South Australian Association, of whose acting com"mittee a list will be found in our advertising columns, have been long engaged in forming the plan which is now to be carried "into effect with the sanction of Go 66 Esq. Benjamin Hawes, Esq., M. P. John Ashton Yates, Esq. About two years ago, I think it was, a very plausible and well-dressed gentleman, who had "always, with increas ing admiration, been a reader of my "writings," came to me at Bolt-court, and told me the following story; namely, that he had lived several years at WASHINGTON, and was well acquainted with official persons there'; that the chief land agent of the Government of the. United States was his intimate friend; that this land agent, in his surveys, noted down the particular parts where the very best land was; that he (my constant reader) had thus, by looking at the memoranda of his friend, got possession of the invaluable secret; and that he had brought the particulars to England and was ready to mark out and sell these very best of the lands at the common price, which the Congress demanded for all the lands indiscriminately. Having heard from me some little boggling with regard to the morality of the mode Treasurer, G. Grote, Esq, Esq, M.P.; Solicitor, Jos. Parkes, E.q.; Hon. Secretary, R. Gouger, Information concerning the new colony may be obtained at the office of the South Australian Association, No. 7, John-street, Adelphi. A work on the subject of the colony is in the press, entitled, "The New British Province of South Australia; or, a Description of the Country, illustrated by Charts and Views, by which he got possession of this vaand an Account of the Principles, Objects, luable information, he was a little emPlans, and Prospects of the New Colony;" barrassed at first, but soon resumed his and will be published by Charles Knight, brazen audacity, observing, that his Ludgate-hill, price 3s. bound in cloth. friend gave him the book to look at 66 Oh! Mr. CHARLES KNIGHT will have without reservation of the use that he the "CHARTS" and "VIEWS"! I might put it to; said that there was never saw an American land-jobber pull nothing dishonourable in it; expressed out his portfolio without wishing my- a hope that I would further his views, self a despot, in order that I might apply as no man could do it so effectually; a pound of Russian hemp to the villain's was "well aware of my disinterestedneck. While I published a newspaper ness; but that services of this sort in PHILADELPHIA I had several offers of ought to have their reward as well large shares of tracts of country for no- "as other services; and that lands to thing if I would but recommend En- "almost any limit upon the very best glishmen to settle on them. While I was spots were at my service; OR," said in LONG ISLAND one man of the name he, "if you do not think it consistentwith of ROSE, and another of the name of your character and station to accept of LEWIS, the last of whom was an English- "the compensation yourself, you," (putman, and had been settled many years in ting a simper upon his countenance for America, offered me a large share in which he ought to have been smitten lands which they had to sell in PENN- dead upon the spot), "Mr. COBВЕТТ, SYLVANIA, if I would recommend their have sons"! G-d- you," settlements in my Register, which was said I. "What! save my soul from written in Long Island, and published "the devil, by making my sons rogues in England. To Mr. LEWIS I gave a " instead of myself." Getting up from civil answer; to no other of them did the table I desired him not to trouble I ever give such answer in my life; me again, and off he went. short of " roguish scoundrel" I might stop; but if I did not utter the words I never failed to utter the meaning. there meandering mill streams; here 66 Oh! he had his "charts" and his "views": here wide flowing rivers; |