and this only, I have had to endure [parliaments, we never can get, greater, and far greater, persecu- without that wisdom, that energy, tion than ever was, short of death, generous public spirit, that harendured by any man, in England, mony, that unanimous and hearty before. I am firmly persuaded, pull for the honour of England, and, indeed, I know, that the which can never be found but in a threatening storm might be averted, parliament fairly and fully rebut, I am far from thinking that presenting the whole of the peoit will, seeing that the two factions ple. divide the powers of the press Gentlemen, can there be harbetween them, and seeing, that, it mony, can there be content, can this base, servile, corrupt and all-there be cordial and unanimous stupifying press prevail, there will support of measures to save the and there must arise a state of country from desolation, while things, which, with Six Acts be-nine tenths of the people are in a fore my eyes, I will not venture state of half-starvation? In the to describe. However, this I will reign of the just, mild, pious and say, that, in my opinion, the ques-glorious Queen Anne, before the tion, the awful question, whether Whigs, those great foes of our the winding up of the drama shall freedom and happiness, had acbe gentle or fierce, peaceful or complished their direful purpose of bloody, depends simply on this: Septennial Parliaments, the lawhether, before it take place, bouring man had six shillings a the House of Commons be, or be week, a pair of high-lows four not reformed. shillings, a bushel of malt two shillings, a pound of candles twopence, a quartern loaf three-pence, a pound of salt a farthing! What is his state now? And, shall we revile him and call him pauper, because he will not starve in quiet? Shall we with the Whigs, represent him as a nuisance, treat him as if he were a beast, dishonour, degrade, and, in the persons of our countrymen, insult

In conclusion, Gentlemen, let me, once more, beg you to place no hope of relief on any application to the parliament, other than an application for a reform. To repeal Peel's Bill would be to come to an issue of Assignats; and, yet, if that Bill go into full effect, prices will come down to those of the reign of Queen Anne. Out of this fatal circle, drawn round us by Whig-septennial human nature itself, by proposing

laws to prevent them from marry ing and having children!

That you, gentlemen, may now. at last, open your eyes to the truth; that you may see that the poor have their rights as well as the rich; that you may act a part worthy of the descendants of your just and brave and free forefathers, or, that you may suffer all the pains of poverty, is the sincere wish of

Your friend,

And obedient servant,
WM. COBBETT.

DIVERS MATTERS.

will be glad to call us in to assist
it, which, on certain terms, we
shall, I dare say, be disposed to
do. The Hertford gentlemen talk
about the Debt as if they had
wholly forgotten national faith!
0, fye, gentlemen! What “rob
the widows and orphans!" ́ Did
not Baring say, that you ought to
continue to pay, as long as you
had
any thing to pay with? And
was not he with Castlereagh at the
Congress of Sovereigns of the
Holy Alliance!

My Disciples, look at the "Collective." They cannot repeal. Peel's Bill. They cannot touch the Debt. And yet, if they do not do the one or the other, every landlord loses his estate! What will the "Collective" do? Νο

I AM obliged again to postpone the account of the Monmouth din-man can tell. We shall be able ner to Mr. HUME. That at Here to guess by the time that the Farford was a poor thing, and not mer's Meeting will take place in London, which will be on the 19th of February.

worth notice.

The article which a correspondent has sent me about the LoanJobbers getting the Lords' estates into their hands is too serious for such a subject. It is a matter for fun; and, as I always said, we shall have a great deal better chance with the Jews than with the Normans. Besides, long before the Jews have got possession of the whole, one side or the other

Newspaper distress. I am happy to have to state, that the basest and most infamous of all newspapers has fallen off in sale more than one half!-I am much obliged to my correspondent for his information about the Traveller, or Tramper or Vagabond, Newspaper, I shall be sure to. make use of it in due time.

Moore, and an Edward Ellice! Really the soul is raised aloft by the idea! To bring down the high matter of those and other great legislators to the level of common minds ; to reduce their double proof spirits so that they may not take away the breath of us common mortals; this is one object of the 'undertaking.-Another is tokeep before the eyes of the people what is going to happen! To warn the farmers of their danger. To put mortgagers, lenders, borrowers, and indeed all upon their guard. Not a paper in London is there, which has dared to put forth a word of truth upon any of these matters. If the London papers had done their duty, the country could not have been in its present state. I am resolved to do mine; and though the toil I encounter be great, I must

THE arrangements for setting on foot this daily Evening paper are nearly made. It is intended to publish the first number on 5th of February next, the first day of a Session, the proceedings of which must be memorable! The fate of the THING will be decided during this session; for, if efficient measures be not adopted, the adoption of them at a later period will be too lute to save the THING, or any fragment of it. My principal object in this undertaking is to follow close upon the heels of the "Collective" with a commentary on the "orations" of its members. They now get the start of me; but, I in-not, now that the THING is aptend, God willing and Six-Acts permitting, to send forth the commentary along with the "orations." Oh! what edifying matter shall I have to elucidate! What sublime thoughts, what majestic conceptions! What an interesting scene! To behold a nation, now plunged into all the distraction of tormenting embarrassment and distress, consoled, comforted, cheered, relieved, raised up, and made happy by the counsels of a Liverpool, a Grenville, a Mackintosh, a Castlereagh, a Scarlett, a Pascoe write for THE GRIDIRON; for Grenfell, a John Maberley, a Peter I that is to be the title,

proaching its close, flinch from labour though it were to cost me my life.--Particulars as to the office for receiving advertisements ́ and other things will be stated hereafter; but, I must here notice, that the paper is not now to be called "Cobbett's Evening Post;" but, THE GRIDIRON.-If gentlemen in Ireland, or elsewhere at a distance, wish to have the first Number, it may be necessary for them to send the order to their newsmen almost directly. In that case, they will

FARMER'S MEETING.

AFTER having taken the opinion of several gentlemen deeply in

objection. It is too much to expect gentlemen to come from Scotland, Ireland, or even from Wales; but, if that should be

-terested in the fate of the Farmers, convenient, it would be particu

and anxious to assist in rescuing larly agreeable to all parties.their neighbours from the jaws of The proposed objects of the meetruin, I hereby invite two farmers ing, are, to take into consideration from each county in England to the state of the farmers; and to come to London to compose a consult respecting the circulating Meeting to be held at the Crown of some short paper, in the form of and Anchor in the Strand, on the Resolution or otherwise, calcuThird Tuesday after the day on lated to make clear to the farmers which the next Session of Parlia- the true cause of low prices, and ment shall begin.-I propose that thereby to enable them to take we shall dine together (I being a steps in time to preserve themselves farmer too,) and that the tickets and families from utter ruin.— for the dinner shall be half a sove- However, the Meeting being once reign; which tickets will be pre-formed, any gentleman will be at pared, and will be delivered at liberty to suggest the taking of the places hereafter to be pointed any other step that he may thinkout. The main thing is to know, likely to be beneficial.—I have as soon as may be, the names of the gentlemen who mean to come. We want no unfortunate men who are afraid of landlords or parsons. Those who are disposed to come will please to write to me, and inform me of their intention. If more than two choose to come at our table have not been filled from any county, there can be no by bribery and corruption.

not the vanity to think, that we shall form the most brilliant assembly that ever was heard of in the world; but, while we shall, I hope, show, that we possess plain common sense, we shall have the satisfaction of reflecting, that the seats