The Sun. — London, England, 1819-07-21 00:00:00

COI BETT. *sir tai Par the following article we are indebted to The 'limes of Monday last ; and as the RaFoam- Erts, at a late Rebel Festival, expressed a wish for the return of COBBETT to this Country, and thauk his health wilt " three times three," we vi>oceive the the Public also arc indebted to that Paver for having stAected these proofs of sincerity it) a man who " Wac curry tizing by it irtc, an;; nolitipg since ',twill serve toenable the ignorant people,who tire deluded by I:erolutionary Miscreants, to judge of their principles by those of their great Political 1401 WiLLI,\M COLIMA—T. " The busy din of preparation for the Smithfield rklerting increases. E,ch reform-loving dema gogue is arranging his pet inds and polishing five - -hope) his language, that conviction may flash n! :in the minds of the assembly, and an inime _dime completion of measutes, coolly devised and . nwutely pri)poscd, may be the glorious-result.— . The worthy Chairman of the day -is examining the records of his former triumphs at Bristol and Wcstioinster, and ex'racting the essence of tlie speeches then mode by him, to the eternal and in discriminate confusion of Whigs and Tories, ins and outs, infamous .Ministers and moderate Re • formers. His gigantic mind comprehends at once • the ,arions machinery necessary to perform the fuo i l i n ued o perations of the State : by a simple • %%heel, ycleped Radical Refoim, Le methodizes the tlhole, clears off the inclimbrances of office, •.I . CMOVeS the vulgar obstacles of law, and trans •.nintes the baser metals of Ministerial corruption mod popular discowent into the gold of political lturit y ; I A individual happiness. Nor is he prevent :yd by slowness of •!peech and diffidence of his own powers from pouring forth, ore rotunda, the mighty w. rhings of his inventive broin. L:ke the ss isdotn of Liss, hemes is the elf g ince of his laugnage. We may, •tb: , refoie, expect on Wcdnesd ay, an harangue which might make the world grow pale, though we may, -Leilaaps, doubt its applicability either to point a rnotal, or to adorn a •'ale. Any hint, therefore, from nt, !•6, - ,-;;!16-branch patriot, for the better arrangement of his subject, and the due en forcement of the great cause, is useless, if it were even necessary ; and absurd, it it were possible. Of the other speakers that intend to immortalize themselves by their eloquence on the great occa sion, one may, perhaps, be bail-bound (we mean the Hon. Member for Birmingham) and not able to attend. But what is the loss of one ? Are there not a Gale Jones—a Cobbett, jun.—a Major Cartwright—a Wooler—a Dr. Watson — and a long list of dignified et-ceteras, to deplore his absence, and supply his loss Many of these ate au fait in the art of speaking ; but a few hints may perhaps be communicated to the younger Cohbe't, which he may weave into the body of his harangue, and thereby prove himself the ge nuine descendant of a consistent sire. The meeting, too, may del ive some benefit from the same source, since we observe that Mr. Cobbett's.health was drank after the Stockport Meeting in three times three, coupled with the wish that he may speedily return to England, to support a Radical Re form in the • Constitution. His son, •no doubt, has been trained in the principles of his illus. , • t rious father, and will recommend to the," think• ing people " assembled in Smithfield, the adop tion of measures which the Patriot of Batley ever supported. From that great man's writings we will make a few selections, by -which his son and the public at large.may be informed of his further opinions on certain subjects.; the writings them selves having become scarce; and only . to be met with in the cabinets of the curious. He modestly tells us, (I'ol. Reg. vol. xxxiv, 30,' R. 979.) that ' he, and others of the lower orders, have 'a hundred thousand times more talent than the higher • orders ;' amid that they possess this superiority ' 'in all the branches of knowledge connected with • the well government of a nation.' Fortunate circumstances for this country ! most fortunate•if it be exerted in our favour !. On the subject of Parliamentary Reform, the following•is an exhi bition of his great knowledge, on which we trust h is- son will, not fail to dwell with - peculiar em• phasis, and all the warmth of filial panegyric; 5' In a letter AO Mr. ‘Vilbertorce, dated Jan. 25-, 1803, Mr. Cobbett says— • • • The persecution of Mr. Reeves is intimately • connected with your dangerous, and, fortunately, • abortive projects of Parliamentary'Reform.— fhose projects led, as I have already shown, to • the 'formation of the seditious- and treasonable a societies and combinations with which the Da ' lion was agitated during the former years of the • war ; and it is well-known that Mr. Reeves in ' vented and placed • himself at the bead of those • " LOYAL AssoctaTtoss," which, as Mr. Don ' des (now Lord Viscount Melville) truly. and • manfully stated, " did the country infinite • good," and.which associations never would have • been necessary, had it not .been fur those grin ' ciples of Parliamentary Reform on which the • seditious and treasonable societies were found ' ed.'—Pol. Reg., vol. iii. p. 100. • " In other passages, the rebellions in Ireland, and the revolution in France, are referred to the pernicious example of those among us who first set on foot those-wild and presumptuous pro jects' for Parliamentary Reform. " In his summary of politics for June, 1802, he observes, on occasion of a recent dissolution of Parliament, that The people, had been told, in two factions • addresses, that they are not represented in the • House of Commons ; that that assembly is no • longer what it used to be ; and that, until it be • tete,' melt, it is in vain for them to hope for any • good from that quarter.' He goes on to state, t that • the words representation. and elective frail ' chise .have done much tOWdl cis confusing the a brains and corrupting the hearts of his Majesty's • subjects ; and though be •has not the power of • dissipating the fatal delusion, it is yet his duty to • contribute his mite to the attempt.' He then presents his readers with a picture of the miserable state of the representation in one of the States of America, where the elective franchise was univcreal. even as Sir F. But dett "C6tiiii . 11 wislie(l It ;' assfirct Clam Chat the choice frequently fell upoli bankrupt, t,"%.vindlers, quacks, atheists, &e.. The cause of their preposterous choice is this—The massif the people of all nations are so fond of nothing as of power: Alen of sense knefw, • that the people can in reality exercise no power ' which will nut tend to their own injnry. Hence • it is, that in States where the popular voice is • unchecked by a Royal or some other Hereditary influence, that voice is, nine times out of ten, • given in favour of those fawnitig parasites, who, in order to gustily their owls issterest and aichi ' tion, profess to acknowledge no sovereignty but • of the people ; and who, when they once • get into power, rule the poor Sovereign cc itls rod of scorpions,' &c. " then quotes an American Pamphleteer, in proof of the shocking state of the Legislatures in that Republic, and concludes— ' Such, Englishmen, is the description of i • Legislative Assembly where equal representa ti n prevails ; where almost every man has a • vote at ,lections ; and es here these elections do annually occur. The' ambitious knaves, tent, • flatter you with high notions of your rights and • privileges, who are everlastingly dunning iu your ears the blessiogs of what they call the ' Elective Franchise, wish to add to the number of electors, because they well keow that they would thereby gain an accession of stiength,! &e.—(Pol. Reg. vol. i., p. 795.) " Sidney and Russell, nemes which are as fami liar as household words in the mouths of Reform: ers,. fail to secure by_ their deaths - the approbation of Mr. Cobbett. Many lmegine that Mr. Fox was' friendly to civil libeity, and his authority is some times quoted by men tchri would strengthen their arguments for amendment in the constitution by produrin,e his opielons ; but by a masterly stroke, Mr. Cobbett cuts dowers fur- ever the celebrity of Fox, rend the indefensible characters of Russell and Sidney. " In a letter to Mr. -Fox, dated November 30, 1802, Mr. Cobbett asks, • Where, I pray yon, Sir, shall I look for a • proof Of your dislike to the Rebels, the Traitors, the Regicides, and the would-he Regicides of England and Ireland ? She.ll 1 find it its your • loathsome calumnies on the house of Stuart, or • in your miserable attempt to defend the dia 1-teeters of Russell and Sidney."---Reg. vol. ii. • p. 719. • Mr. Fox, in whose life, moral or political, we • have never diScovered any one act worthy of • praise."—Vol. ii. p. 1420. " And yet with an amiable consistency, or at least a venial versatility, in October, 1804, in letter to Mr. Pitt, Mr. Cobbett says • 1 am, and ever have been, of opinion, that a • party is only to be opposed by a party, a Mini ' stry by an Opposition,'.' &c. ; and he then de clares, that in going over' to Mr. Fox,' he has departed from no principle that he ever acted upon or professed.'—Vol. vi. pp. 5.23-7. In this point we believe Mr. Cobbett, since he here re fers to public principle, of which he has candidly avowed that •' it means any thing or nothiog.'--- Pol. Reg. vol. xxxiv:p. 92G. " On former occasions Sir Y. Burdett was looked up to as the King of Reform ; but his reign in that department is at an end. Whether he has beets deposed for incompetency in the administra tidn, or deserted because he was not radical enough, we will not take upon us to determine. But in turning over the pages of the Register, we observe some remarks, which, being characteristic of Mr. Cobbett's 'style and sentiments ors the great question -to be discussed on Wednesday, ought to be pointed out to his sou.' • " In The Register -Tor • July, 1802, (vol. ii. p. ,) speaking- . -of the • Brent ford Election,_ Mr. Cobbdtt * • • • • • To read the bills and. Which have been published in the County of Middlesex, ( one would believe that the contest -was not be ' t ween two Gentlemen, beg. het wee', the-•Ma ' gistrates anti the thieves";. And that the , great body. of those wilt . ) have .espoused. Abe cause,of • Sir 'F.Burdett, have .done so,,with a•bope that • if he were successful, :there. would be. an ,end to • all legal *punishritent, and that crimes of every, • sort might be critutititiert in.perfeet,security.' •" In the•aame spirit, Francis: is repeatedly brar.ded• as , the- leiend . of the convicted traitor . O'Connor, and held irp to deteitation . ' as die' demagogue with his crew,' or gallOWs•hate ing citizens:* • • • •• !! In commenting. on a speech of Sir F. Bur de_tt's,.in which the Baronet had said, that we ought to . abstain from irritating language against the person at, the. head of -the .Government , of France,' Mr. Cobbett says— . • He (Sir F. Burdett) forgets his former opi ' talons ; he forgets his cowardly insults on the • ashes of the Stuarts, and those which he has, • during almost every daY, of the last .ten • years,- been heaping upon the Bourbons ;. lie • forgets, he surely forgets, his irritating lan ' goage against the • IEI%OII sovereigns of Eu ' rope, Sovereigns in 'real peace, in entity, • and even in alliance with his King. We will • endeavour to refresh his memorye'•&c. And then lie concludes—' The wonder is, not how a • man can bold up his head, but how he can bear 'to exist under the proof of such glaring, such • shameful tegiversation.'—Vol. ii. p. 767. I Sir F. Burdett, at a late (November) Meet ' ing at the Crown and Anchor, said, or at least ' is reported to have said, that he wished Mr. • Cobbett were back to use his talents in support • of public principle. ,The Baronet played the ,hypocrite a little : but' that is no matter---it is • the unhappiness of those who rely on•the Ba ' ronet, if there be any such persons left, never to be able to know what lie would- be at.'— Vol xxxiv, 926. - • " But the most interesting feature in the histo rical picture of Mr. Cobbett'eopinions, is the va• riety of designations which he has employed for the great mass of the.people,inthis country, and for those who exclusively call. themselves Re, fortners, under .which el,enotrrination his son will, perhaps, feel pride. . addressing the congre gated multitudes in. Smithfield on -Wednesday next. i " These Reformers, it appeals, are ,Ciffhe silly babbling shopkeepers of London and its twvir'ons.' The yours of Norwlch, those itiverS of peace and a 1111: ) e LAr.'---Vol. iv., p. 605. The base and s upid shopkeepts of. London and Westminster, bawling for peace and a large loaf.'---Vol. vi., p. 239. "Die road to Brentford is lined with ragged • wretches from St. Giles's, bawling out " Sir • Francis Burdett, and no Bastile :" and at the hustings there are daily some half dozen eon ' victs who have served out their time in the (louse of Correction, amusing the rabble with execrations on the head of Mr. Maiuwating,' &e.--Same vol., tr• 90. " In March, 1802, Mr, Cobbett, in a critical notice of a work, entitled A Word to the Alarmists on the Peace,' speaks of the admiration ' which successful villa:ly has never yet failed to excite, in the unthinking beings Who make the • great mass of a nation ;' and, in his Summary of Politics, for July, 1802, he calls the people of his country ' A rase ILll3llLh. ' Lie says, ' If we were really to lend the Americans aid, • then indeed the cession of Louisiana would have been a happy circumstance ; bat we %yaw peace, (note—thiS is spoken in 'derision) peace and a large loaf," as the base nibble of N..rtvieft replied to the argnments of Mr. Windharn.'---;. Pol. Reg. vol ii. p. 59. " However, when it suits his Furposei these • thieves and - convicts . , who haVe served oat their time, at the flonse of .Cmrection.;' ss ho hate the gallows us their, kte,;' Who are t it:thinking beiugs ;' - a base ;abide suddenly become friend and fellow-countryns . cn 5' a ' most, thinits;, log people ;' the Reformers, 'too; are ' the peo, ► ple ;' friends, weaver 'boys and otl,el cajoling appellations. " In sober sadness can we read such extracts front a stiolist in politics, a bankrupt in fortune, and destitute of character, without wontlering that a man who is every thing by starts, and clothing long.',' loug,' should have the assurance to deal out his dogmas of absurdity, and expect that theyshOuld be listed to with the respeCt anciently paid to the most solcuaorAcies ? Can we be couvinced, even by the atitheirity of Hunt and his compeers, that:, Englishmen - ss ill !islet - t() the tvoids, 01 be svayed by the argutnents, of men who set tip for detcnders Of political rights and p u blic j us tiee,while their pi "vale lives preS'Al one con! inuedlissue of vice,error, and inconsistency ? Th.: plea of ignorance may be alleged by .It. C,,bbett in extentiation of his in consistencies ; bat the t e acher of others should be quite s'lire that he is tight him Sel f -; (or we have high authority tar asset (log, that the ditch must be the portion of the ignorant instructor and his pupils. If Cobbett tvas wrong a few years since—and that he was so, the 'extracts above quoted mast : be considered ley 110 On-tiers as a decisive proot—is it very improbable that his panegyrists may be wrong now ? The higher classes have long known this ; to them, therefore, we need say little. To the labourers and journeymen of England, whom we wi:h good faith can call Friends and Coun trymen, we recommend a careful watch over the conduct of Reformers, and a scrupulous for bearance from comwitting themselves. Their occupations have precluded them front carefully , examining systems of constitutional amendinent, and investigating the intricate movmtel,ia of a vast machine ; but, their judgments sureiy are not to be perverted- by cant phrases and denmeratical watch...words. ! The base Rabble Cobbett, - will, we doubt not, : prove themselves a thinking People.' Neither. the -base and ,stupid'shop keepers of London and its ,environs,' nor • the ,ragged Wretches from -St. Giles's,' will,' we • are confident, be induced by the factious harangues est S m ithfield,demagOgne, to forget their duties-to ''.their country and theauselves,,.or.ftllow seditious violence to hurry them away to the viOlation of the, esta blished laws in order to amend, the Con . stitmoon.lo , . . S BOATS.-INIPOR r r CASE. LONDON SESISIONS. B ROOKSON V. THE WATERMEN'S COMPANY. This was an appeal to the Court to set aside the conviction of Thomas Brookson and others, proprietors of the Engineer Margate Steam Boat, by the Master and Rulers of thelVatermao's Coin patty, for carrying 3 greater number of passengers titan is allowed by the Act 'ot Parliament. Mr: 1360,01 D appeared for the appellants. The conviction, he said, took place in April last, when the boat of .his clients ryas on her way between. Gravesend and London. She had on hoard, it . appeared, 99 passengers, and it being then con tended that she was not authorized to carry more, than 60, a conviction took place, by awarding a ,penalty of 191.10 s.; that is, 10s. for each adir tional passenger beyond the specific number al lowed by the Act. This conviction was resisted, an I he thought v er y properly, upon several grounds. Into all of these he was prepared to , enter, if necessary ; but without going into 'the , Acts of Parliament, lie would at once take an oh , jection, in Itrnine, to the conviction. Upon the face of this, one offence was alleged to have been committed, and the By-laws of the Court of Al dermen, on the subject, had adjudged that a pa salty of not more than . 40s. and not less than 10s. should be paid by the owner of any boar, barge, wherry,-&c., for carrying a greater number :of passengers than is allowed. The Act. uf Went, 10 Geo 11; which extended .fo the largest class of boats, made the full pen-aty not• more titan 31. for the offence ; bitt here, instead of one, the conviction was for 39 offences. This he thought at once fatal.tothe proceedings. Mr. ALLEY, who SUppOrtCti the conviction, said, that common sense shewed that if the of fence was multiplied, the penalty extended. Tice Act expressly said, for every. passenger beyond a certain number, and if the penalty could be levied for one person only, the restriction would, be al together nug atory. This gas. the first experi ment, an ingenious one it was, as yelating to strati-boats,.the proprietors. of which wonld.vety willingly pay the full penalty for an extra passen ger, if 111ey weie thereby entitled to take atirtx cess of 100, whose .fares would cover him in the most ample way. . . BotnaND said, that steam-boats we're never contemplated by the Act of Parliament. The 10th George 11. and the 34th of the . King, spoke of '' tilt-boat, row-barge, or any (abet :1 boat or wherry,7 . the.l.J . gest.* wit!ch tv, s uf co::- sides able less tonrkge than .te, - .m.boats. ft cs'oUll be unjust, therefore, to affix the penalty late; dbwn lila very old Act of Par intent, fur 'll ll fence which never could have been forese. Here he cold , ' not help remarking, that when the, late Lind Stanhope talked of tue introduction 01. steam-boats,. and was" hold ennugh to a nticip lo . their Crossing the Atlantic, his observations well regarded as the revel ies of is madman. Ile 0 1 ,!: B. hoverer, was One of those who gav e cre l CO the prognostications his Lordship, an d 11 ;. lived to see the day when steam-boats had ac tue* ly crosser'. the Atlantic, and atrived safely in British port. If the Legislature, therefore, I". not foreseen the use of steam-boats, but left thl, cusus onqssus , in the Acts, provision should li ci e made to meet them, and not hase re cour 3 e other enactments, to the injury of a great aud` useful invention. The Act principally applie d c ‘i tilt boats and the like; cut rying but skty„ ryllet e ` l i S!eatn• boaq were capable of carrying hundreds oi pet suns. Upon the whole, he eoti rende I,• setting aside the non•descripCiOn of the boil there had been but one offense Committed. Wi the parties stho convicted his client had a c w rung. The ItctoebErt said they had acted right. ; r b : elasise of the Act was, " that if any ma ste i seersrnan, &c, of any .tilt-boat, row-b.argei any 'other boat or wherry, shall be worked, sSe' and take on bnard any one or More passengeri b'' ?ie. that:for every such offence they shall fo r ' feit;and pay,'Ac." Ile was aiecidelily,l4:l -, piOl ( ''''. that every additional pEibsw , ger,constiiitts4- 8 liner offence. Mr. At.t.allicti proceeded to prove the eAse. Samuel Sparrow said, that he knew Briroks' the Commander of the Engineer steam-pack et ' Oo the 10th of April, he saw her betwee,o Gravesend tint) London, havi,rg on boat d 99 I . )‘"' sengers. The tares, he believed, were betwee n 2s. and 3s. I\lr. Holland again read the clant:e from the Ac t, to'show that the boat of Mr. Brookson did 0 1 ' tall within the , description liable to the penalty. The Hecoentst said, there was certainly SW" . thing in this, Gird it sttock hint forcibly that tl;e steatn-boat' question parco.)k as much of tlt principle of - a ship as a boat: Mr. HOLLAND said, he felt conscious that „ 4 distress never would have been attempted 10 r levied in purstrarice at the conviction. The ReC6itintt and the Court then procee dea to examine the record of the conviction, whe u • i, was discovered drat it was there stated to bit e, an offence," rigid not offences." It the penalLY. extended, as it Might, in law, to every dual -beyond the prescribed number, it could l ' °c . of course be called a single offence. tron alone, therefore, waving the poiot of no d ' description of the boat (which might have boak . more fully considered by the.Conrt) -was fataLig the conviction, which must„ be.quasked, ;• • Mr. ALLEY hoped it would not go,abroad, 020, because of such an error in words, the proceedinP• were in tbeMsebies wrong, and that masters a ;these boats were to be allowed. to carry such A number of passengers as,might lead to great tDie- chief and danger. Mr. BoIa...AND also trusted, that so useful lin ct valuable a discovery as the steam-boats was nor to,tre exploded or injured upon grounds that We ll not Only not equitable, but illegal, . The COURT efilered the appeal to be. analog , anal the conviction quashed. On Friday liist, tlvo donkeys were found 111 Jc:6l)&4's wood, Kent, belonging to Sir John Cagg' adjoining- Chistett-park, tied with chaise-reins t v the,shrubs, completely JILII . YO to death, ha:''' 4 devoured every edible substance within react' I.r is supposed !ley were stolen and tied there •Or. some villains, who have been since apprehende d ' and have ; , consequently left the wretthed.a.ttitut ti ' to pedal thus miserably; , COURSE OF EXCHANGE, Tur.suar, JULY O. Amstet dant Dittb, it .`.41,211t ..%. , Rotterdam - ll 13 - '2 1.74• Antwerp l2 OF.x.Nl°„"` : • i Hattiburgh 55 8 9 i 1:!: Altona Paris, 3 Day's sight .. 95 o 0 C'' D i tto Boardeaux, ditto Frankfort ou the Main - Madrid , Cadiz - • •-- •• 97 P.; Ma i !, 10 Bilboa . Bfii Eflec“ Seville 16j Gibraltar Bartelona Leghorn •.•• • Genoa . 45 —Venice, Ital. Lir 26 Malta... —5O —Naples .... 40 l'alernio •Lishon Oporto Rio Janeiro ._ Dublin.... .....16..... C0rk..... 16 per Cent. Agio of the Bank on Holland.... 2 per Cent. BULLION. OP Pol.lop] Gold, in Coin 1.0 0 • per New Doi la ri Silver, in Bars • . 0 5 2 _ _ . _ . . ... . ill BIRTH. , • On the 20th inst., the lady of Captain Blansbardi o f Oa Hon. Company's J hip Carnatic, of a sun. ~,t, At Balgunie Cottage, on the 13th inst., the Lady of LI Colonel David FuEli,:s, of,a son. - • • • MARRIED. .1.. ;oaf MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—On Saturday the 17e. rivt-re mat vied at Paris, first at the Chu rch of the Assumplil: Rue tit. Honore, an d afterwa r d s at the Chapel of the Ambassador, and in thepreseuee of his Exeillency, - the .Comte Jr Nlundret of the Kittes Garde du.-C° r A ci. Knight of the Royal Military Order of St. Lwnis, Copt 11) B 41 7,.. of the Legiotr oftloithur; &e. to Lady'Maria Caroline of Hell Bruce, eldest daughter of the Earl and c o nntes g :.,.., AileSbut y. Iminetliately 'after t ceremony, the new-1111" tied pair left Paris for the Comte's elikiteau near Mantes.. On Sattirday last; at Mary-lbone Church, Thomas, Esq. to Miss Jane Pope, niece to the late celehr3•- Miss Pope, formerly of the Theatre Royal,-Ittury.lane.. Li Yesterday, at Mary le - bone C hinch, Ca p tain the , Robert Rodney, 'tirtord Rodney, to youngest daughter, and co-heiress of the late ThOnlisi nett, Esq. 01 Loch Ashurit, iu time CiAinty '6l SusseX. J, Dff.D. 401 )C, At Itothesay, on the 9th instant , George Cunnitiga"— Eul. Surveyor-General of *lie On - Aunts fur Scuthind• , ; A At Bermuda, on the lUth Lit, Pilchard Freu er ;i i ... Baird, young - est sun of Sir dames Gardiner Wird, of S aul ' Mitt. • • eat LONDON: Whited by.). B. CARS'FAIRS, of No. Q 9 Y Ormd-street, Queen-square; and publishe d ~;04 o SOON'S, of No. 7, South Moltottst reit, at (1: fl 5 I 40.0 Oth..e, No, 112. Strand ; where Adrettiscutenti, O Letters, &c. (poit-paid) natiat be zilfucisdh. ( 1 1E 11 3`' N If jj : I vite teh4 lift ' ill, F .Z Q 1 ~~:d~y N ' , p er to. , t 'I hi Ro t chap 21Q1 , •?, the a -