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part of his subjects, at least. This was from an insolent pensionhunter; but, still, he was speak

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held his crown in contempt of a certainly is, that the people are not, at this time, disposed to think that a Lord, or a Baronet, or a Squire, or a Parson, is more worthy of respect than another man, merely on account of his title. Titles and rank have lost their power in a surprising degree with

ing of another, and not of himself. The present king did not tell the rabble, even the rabble,

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in Ireland, that he did not go amongst them to be applauded. in the last thirty years. A man, He put the shamrock in his hat in formerly an Exciseman at this Dublin; and, he even returned very town of Lewes, and who,

perhaps, had been insulted by some titled persons, did, of himself, a great deal in the producing of this effect. More has been produced by the events of the mad war against France; but, the

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the cheers of the soldiers on the shores of the Isle of Wight. His love of popular applause is well known; and, in my judgment, it is not only the best trait in his character, but the best trait that can be seen in the character of greater part, after all, by the any king. titled persons themselves. At any rate, the effect has been produced. Therefore it appears to me unwise, to say the very least of it, to add wantonly to this generally prevalent indisposition to yield respect to fictitious distinctions. To desire to add to men's hatred of us may be founded, in some cases, in reason; but to add to their contempt of us, is, surely, a desire founded in no reason that

It often happens to mortals, that they choose precisely the wrong time for doing that which they do; and, I am of opinion, that your

Lordship has chosen precisely the wrong time for showing this uncom

mon degree of disregard for the opinions of the people, and especially

for that description of them whom you met at Lewes. No matter to

what cause it be owing, but, the fact

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of "education," while acts are passed, expressly and avowedly, to prevent the people from reading!

the mind of man has ever hitherto | Schools! Our plodding, pudding been able to discover. and meat eating forefathers held When the Six-Acts were under it to be absurd to expect the discussion, LAWYER PLUNKET dis-young birds to feed the old ones; covered, as a reason for further but this great blazing Northern and most horrible shackles on the light had discovered that the chilpress, that the people now under-dren were the properest persons stood matters of state better than in the world to teach their parents, they formerly did; that they had not only reading and writing, but got nearer to the government; that morality and religion into the barthey had taken, as we often ex-gain, and, moreover, to give them press it, a peep behind the cur-a relish for potatoes and water tain. A very good reason for porridge! And, on goes the work mending the government, for making it fit to be seen: for making it such as to set scrutiny at defiance; but, a very bad reason for passing Six-Acts. The real good of the thing was, however, that, while laws were to be passed to defend the government against this prying one ear and out at the other; but, of the people, now become too that which they seek, they well relearned, the education project was member. It is now too late to applauded to the skies! Not con- undo this education business. To tent with the Bible Societies, the unlearn that which we have learnt Lancasterian and the National is, as Mr. PAINE observes, imSchools, there was, in the hands possible. The main part of the of the famed Mr. Brougham, a common people are even better project for extending the cares of informed than the nobility, gentry the parliament even to Grannies and clergy. These have not read

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Read they have, however, and read they do. That which is obtruded upon them, they let in at

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the things which have enlightened | out of place will be no benefit to the former. The present difficul- him. He has been (at Liverpool ties and distresses have come upon I mean) too saucy to be forgotten, the latter by surprise, while they even though he were now conhave been fully anticipated by demned to silence, which he must every weaver-boy in the kingdom. be, or do one of two things, And, it is in this state of things namely, confess his errors, or, that Mr. CANNING would send us make a grander exhibition of his back to the days of the Curfew. In- folly than he has ever hitherto stead of making the laws overtake made. Where is his "sun of the age, he would drive back the prosperity," which was, in 1815, age. Like the miser in the play," hidden, for a moment, behind a instead of letting out the old foot-"cloud, only to burst forth with man's coat to make it fit the new 66 more splendour than ever?" one, he cries, "no, Sirrah! you shall Where is his vote that was to be taken in." This poet of "the" settle the question for ever?" pilot that weathered the storm;" Where is his measure that was to this describer of the "revered and " extinguish the accursed torch of ruptured Ogden," at which bril-discord" by making the people pay liant sally of wit the HOUSE sixpence for that reading which laughed so heartily; this Knight they had before got for two-pence? of the Curfew gave his besotted Where is now his resolution to crew at Liverpool, only about" drive at the whole herd in order twenty months ago, a set disser-" to get at one mischievous beast tation on the immortality of the" that he had in his eye?"

order of things as it then stood!

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Unhappily for the ancient fami

Of all the tribe of "statesmen," lies it is to men like this that they

there is no one that will now find

himself in greater difficulty than

have listened, that they have given

power, that they have committed

this hero of the Curfew. His being the safe keeping of their titles and

estates. Such men would natu- | Knight of the Curfew called upon rally act as they have acted; and all around him to "make a stand the consequences have been such, against democratical encroachand will be such, and none but ment." Make a stand! make a such, as were to be expected. stand! make a stand! echoed and re-echoed through the walls of St. Stephen's. But, all this while

It is curious enough, that, while it has been the fashion to endeavour to keep the common people the pretty gentlemen seem to have at a greater distance than ever wholly overlooked the encroachfrom persons of rank; to treatments of the loan-jobbers and the them as "lower orders" and nabobs, though these were of a

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peasantry," a base insult never much more formidable nature than before offered to Englishmen; those of the "democracy," aimI while this new-fashioned phra-ing, as they did, not only at the seology has been introduced, and seats, but at the estates themselves, applied to all the laborious classes, a very large part of which the including farmers and tradesmen; paper-money crew have already while all these have been looked got into their actual and known at with the keenest jealousy and possession. Your Knights of the kept at a greater distance than Curfew could most effectually ever, the race of loan-jobbers, make a stand against the unarmed stock-jobbers, jews, and paper-reformers at Manchester, but they money makers, and nabobs, have could not prevent one single fabeen hugged to your very bosoms!mily of loan-jobbers from graspThe wise guardians of your titles ing three noblemen's estates and and estates have made a noise, an five estates of ancient country out-cry, as if the world were gentlemen! This, too, being a going to be at an end, because the mere specimen of the general people prayed that seat-selling workings of the system, which might be enquired into; and the workings have now received a

triple force from the recently to defend the very last estate from adopted measures of the Knights the grasp of the paper-tribe. of the Curfew, to whom you have Under such circumstances it committed the guardianship of appears surprising that the nobi titles and your estates. lity should not endeavour to conci

Why, my Lord, here is a revo-liate the people, while they have lution; a real revolution; and, if the means of conciliation in their it go on for only five years, a hands; or, at least, it would apmuch more radical one than that pear surprising, if one had not which took place in France. witnessed the events of the last There are many of the nobility thirty years. Your Lordship that receive money out of the knows I suppose, that the old taxes; but, many do not; and, as Bourbon government was overset to the second order of them and by its adhering to the paper-tribe.. what is called the gentry, they instead of yielding in time to the cannot nearly all be upheld by people; or, even to this hour, you this means. All who are not up- may think, that a whole people, held by this means must come who had never read at all, had down. The Knights of the Cur-been roused into action by the few have passed the sentence, writings of philosophers! If you and it is a sentence that quietly can believe this, you may also executes itself. Poverty never believe, that the "trash" writings yet begat partizans. The new of the present day have done all manners of the ancient families the mischief and created all the have put the mass of the people approaching danger. But, it hapat an immeasurable distance from pens unfortunately for this hypothem. Haughtiness may be re- thesis, that the people, the paid with fear, but never was, and basest populace," as the Knights never will be, with affection. So of the Curfew call them, are all that there appears to be nothing quiet as lambs just at the time

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