into English, Irish, Scotch; tellers, and Butler, Hon.-P.-Kilkenny County

Tennyson, Right Honourable C.- Oswald, James-Glasgow

but, the rule of the Gospel ought to be ble drama now acting in this kingdom; the rule here: namely, "Those that are but every man may be preparing for not for us are against us." It is the very awful changes and events, and duty of every member to be in his place making provision beforehand, as far as upon such an occasion: the question he is able, so that he and his family was, whether a precedent should be es- may not, at any moment, be left destitablished for trying the King's subjects tute of bread. There is no telling what by red coats instead of by judges and is to be proposed to us next, and no juries. Upon such a question a man guessing at what the Parliament will must be clearly for one or for the other; do; but every man of information must and, therefore, unless in case of illness see, that the elements of a great proved, or leave of absence obtained, struggle are all all gathering themthe people have a clear right to con- selves together; and such man will clude, that every member of the House not be deceived by outward appearwho was not in this minority of eighty- ances, and particularly by the majori eight, was on the side of the red-coat ties which the Ministers have had at courts of justice. This is the light their back. To outward appearance, in which to view the matter. Here in this scene of dissipation and squanwere no hairs to split. We all clearly dering, all is prosperity, all is solidity, understood what we were about: all is durability. So it was the very and the people will clearly see what day that NOAH entered into the we did upon this occasion. The ark so it was in France, only one citizens of London, for instance, month before the country mansions will see, that two of their members were in flames, and the noblesse either ere against the red-coat affair; and killed, or driven to seek safety in foreign they will also see, that two of their lands. I shall not continue this subject members did not vote against the red- any further at present; but, certain I coat affair. I believe the list of the am, that one of two things must take minority to be perfectly correct. Plenty place: the taxing system must give way; of time has been given between the or there must be a government of sheer taking of it and the publishing of it. We force. We see not the smallest dispoall gave our names upon slips of paper, sition to give up one single farthing's to one of our body who stood at the worth of taxes: on the contrary, we door as we returned into the House; so see, that the taxes are actually augthat there cannot very well be an error; mented by a mode of collection more but if there should be, I shall be ex-severe than any that ever was before retremely happy to correct it in the Re- sorted to; and, for my part, I do not gister. It should be observed, that the perceive any apparent intention in any four members who paired off, are not considerable number of persons in Parincluded in the eighty-eight; so that liament, to compel a reduction to be there were ninety-two members of the made in any department whatsoever. House against a law, which is to sub- They talk of the necessity of taking off stitute military men for judges and taxes, but oppose every effort to prejurors. This is the first public act, vent the granting of supplies; and the worthy of any attention, of this "re- Ministers lull themselves in the hope formed Parliament" and this "re- of being able to carry the thing along forming" Ministry. It reads an awful in just the same manner in which it has admonition to the people of this king- been carried on and brought to the preCo dom, who will do well to reflect seri-sent dreadful state. In this state of ously upon it, and to prepare themselves things all that I, as the author of this for changes and events, of which it Register, can do, is to warn my readers. must be deemed to be the inevitable of their danger. Paper-money isn thing forerunner. It is impossible for any of so ticklish a nature, that it may be man precisely to foresee that which will annihilated in an hour: it is, fact, ed take place before the close of the terri- mere wind: it wholly depends upon

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public opinion, or rather, upon public, have been actors in the scene, shall delusion. An exposure of its intrinsic hardly be able to bring ourselves to beworthlessness, and a dissipation of all lieve in the reality of what we have bethe errors entertained regarding it, must held. I remember, that I had, for seveand will take place before the end of ral years, a French COUNT, who bound this session of Parliament: all the no- books for me, in Dean-street, Soho tions of all the wild projectors will be and a very good bookbinder, and a very blown into air; and that Bank of Eng-pleasant man, he was; and I wish, with land, which has been a successful bub- all my heart, that I could say as much. ble for a hundred and twenty years and of all other Counts. I and my readers more, will be laid as bare before the may laugh, at this; but it is no laugheyes of the people, as any piece of tim-ing matter for some other folks that I ber lying by the way-side. Hitherto, could name. This was the COUNT DE there seems to have been a sort of tacit CAUMONT, who had been fool enough to convention amongst the members of make a stand for the Roi and the LetParliament, not to say or to do any tres de Cachet in 1788; and who, for thing tending to dissipate the delusion that reason, had been pursued by the which has been entertained with regard country people and driven out of France. to this bank. In this respect the re- His wife and daughter had the good form of the Parliament will have pro- sense to mount the tri-colour cockade, duced a great change. There are men and to repudiate the count: and being put into the House of Commons by this" de bonnes Sansculottes," were suffered reform, who will be parties to no such to remain and keep the Count's estate; tacit convention. Men who think, and, so that, when Louis went back, the indeed, who know, that paper-money is Count found himself upon clover. There an evil and a curse; and from these is nothing like women for looking after men the people will learn to what de- the main chance; and, if you observe, gree they are in danger, and what mea- they never look upon bank-notes as mosures they ought to take to provide ney. Ah, my God! how happy would against that danger. Precisely how it have been for England, if it had been many months or weeks, assignats might governed by the wives and daughters of last, it would, perhaps, be difficult to ministers instead of the husbands and say. I cannot positively say, that assig-sons!

was

nats will be tried; but I can positively say, that the present system cannot go on for any length of time. If the assignats come, then the affair will assume a decisive character; and every Some very important matter one will feel, in some sort instinctively, brought before the House of Commons that the END is at hand; just as on Friday, the 2. of April, by my hon. colyou see cattle and fowls, and par-league, Mr. FIELDEN; whose speech ticularly the latter, come and bustle upon the occasion has been reported in about, and begin to get away the newspapers, but so very imperfectto their shelter, long before we two-ly, that I must take care to give the legged animals without feathers can true account here. The subject is, behear anything of the thunder that is yond all measure, the most important before the coming, or see anything of the light- that has been brought ning. When that time comes (and I House; and it is but justice to the think it is likely to come about next House to say, that it appears to have November), the Ministers will have made a very great impression upon it. something else to think about than Co- He was heard but very imperfectly in ercion Bills for Ireland; and about the gallery, which arose, in a great keeping in force stamp and auction measure, from those feelings, which, at taxes. In short, in six months after times, almost stifled his voice altogether. the storm shall come, even we, who He was born and bred amongst these

poor people; he is personally well ac-hand-loom weaving formed a principal quainted with their sufferings; and in branch of the employment of the poor,and spite of his efforts to overcome them, was one of those comprised in the surhis feelings overpowered him very fre- vey of thirty-five townships, of which quently during the recital, than which he (Mr. F.) had circulated the result, nothing more heart-rending ever found and should take an opportunity of its way to the ears of mortal man! And, placing a copy in the hands of every it is from these meritorious and suffer- hon. Member of the House to-morrow ing persons, is it, that we take their morning. The petitioners stated furearnings, to keep up Museums for the ther, that the whole sum received by pleasure of loungers, and to supply pen- these poor persons in poor-rate, sioners and sinecure people with gilded amounted to no more than ten pounds chariots to ride in! Blood mingled eight shillings and twopence halfpenny with tears cry from the earth, and say, a week. The petition was most rethat this cannot go on. spectably signed, having the names of the clergyman of the established church Mr. FIELDEN presented a petition of the place, of the churchwardens and from Hebden-bridge and its vicinity, overseers, and most of the respectable praying for the repeal of the Septennial persons in the township, affixed to it. Act, for the liberty of the press, and the Mr. Fielden presented another, from adoption of the ballot; also, a petition Blachinworth and Calderbrook, comfrom Wingham, in Kent, praying for a plaining of similar distress; and the House of Commons more suitable to hon. Member stated, that a great proporthe dignity of the assembly and the im-tion of the poor persons in this township portant business that is transacted there; were in the employ of himself and his and this he (Mr. F.) recommended to partners; and the allegations contained be referred to the committee now sitting in the petitions he of his own knowledge. on that subject. The hon. Member then knew to be true. The income, for food presented three petitions, coming from and clothing, which the families visited the township of Todmorden and in this township received for each perWalsden, praying for the repeal of son for one week, was only one shilling the stamp-duties on newspapers; the and sixpence, that is, for food and repeal of the duties on malt, hops, clothing; and the poor-rate distributed and soap; the repeal of the Sep- amongst them amounts to only one tennial Act, and the adoption of the pound seven shillings and fivepence; ballot; also, a petition from Padiham, that out of 1,011 persons visited in this Lancashire, complaining of distress, and township, there were only three out of stating that the township contains a employ who were capable of working, population of 3,529 persons, and that the others being in full work. The 246 families,or altogether 1,381 persons, hon. Member here observed, that sehad been visited in January last; that veral hon. Members had at divers times all of these, capable of work, excepting expressed doubts as to the truth of the four, were in full employment; that extent of the distress which he had retheir average income in wages only presented to the House. He regretted amounted to one shilling and ninepence exceedingly that such doubts should be and three-eighths of a penny a head per entertained, because it was calculated week; that the rent, fuel, light, and to prevent inquiry, and to delay, if not repairs of the implements on which they defeat, a remedy for this distress. What work, amounted to sixpence and one had been stated by him was either true eighth of a penny per head per week, or false; and if hon. Members residing leaving these poor persons only one shil in the neighbourhood where this disling and threepence and one eighth per tress was represented to exist, would take head per week for food and clothing. The the pains to inform themselves on the hon. Member stated, that this was one of subject, as he (Mr. F.) had done, he was those townships of Lancashire where satisfied they would arrive at the same

conclusions. The hon. Member then" and the miserable aspect of some presented petitions from Langfield," of the inhabitants are truly distressing, "of Marsden, and Barrowford, complaining "and many there are that say they of similar distress; also one from the " have not the means of procuring soap forest of Rossendale, embracing eight" either to cleanse themselves, or what townships enumerated in the survey to" should be their linen. We are conwhich he had before alluded, and one" scious that we have not under-rated petition from the township of Hasling-" their income, nor, exceeded their den, all complaining of the same dis-" number.

tress. Upon these the hon. Member (Signed) "EDWARD ASHWORTH. remarked that the inhabitants of these

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"P.S.-Potatoes to dinner-half a townships are engaged in the manufac-" pound of mutton fat served five ture of silk, of cotton, and of woollen;" meals for five in a family, thin oatmeal the petitions were most numerously and " porridge for breakfast and supperrespectably signed, having the names of "bedding and clothing miserableall, or nearly all, the ministers of the "little children in the cradle, only established church in the several town-" straw to lie on, and covered with a ships, the churchwardens and overseers, cotton fent." many respectable professional men, The hon Member digressed for a minute and many of the most respectable to explain that this "cotton fent" is the manufacturers and tradesmen in the remnant of the web, at the end of every district from which they came, and warp, which is about a yard in length, he could assure the House that the and is the customary perquisite of the petitioners were labouring under the weaver: it is, in short, a yard of cotton severest distress. To show the wretch- calico. Mr. Fielden next presented a edness of these poor people, nearly altogether in full employ (a fact which should not be forgotten, and which was the worst feature in the case, because it was not want of employment, but want of adequate wages for that employment), he could not refrain from reading a letter which he had received from a respectable dissenting minister, though in humble life, in which is described the privation and suffering under which they labour. [The letter was as follows]:

The distress we have witnessed in "taking this survey is almost inexpres"sible. Had I not been an eye-witness "of the state of the labouring poor "therein contained, I should not have "credited their wretched and miserable "condition. In some families of six, "seven, or eight in number, we find "only one bed, and a lap or two of "straw The mistress of one family in "particular, of seven in number, said they had only one blanket, and that "nearly worn out, and nothing for the "cradle, except an old cloak; the "clothing of a large number of ❝ them is not worth more than six or "eight shillings, and one or two years' rent behind; the nauseous smells

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petition from Castleton, the town of Rochdale being partly situated in this township, and the manufacture there is flannel, woollens, and cotton, but principally the two former, complaining of similar distress, and stating that the earnings of the working people only amounted, after the reduction necessarily incurred, to one shilling and a penny and seven-eighths of a penny per week for each individual of the families visited, for food and clothing; that, of 2,427 persons visited, there were only 77 persons capable of work who were out of employ. The others were in full employ. The hon. Member here remarked that he was glad to see the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Fenton) in his place, and he would hand over the petition to him, in order that he might bear testimony to the respectability of those who had signed it, there being the names of many of his best friends attached to it. The hon. Member then presented petitions from Spotland, Wardleworth, and Wuerdle and Wardle, all situate in and near Rochdale, complaining of similar distress; and he went on to state that it was worthy of observation that the work in which