The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-04 00:00:00

MR. CUBBATT'S RETURN.

CROWN AND ANCHOR TAVERN.

Yesterday the friends of M►. Colibett met at
this Tavern. according to iirrvtons adv. infrequent,
to welcome his return to Hoehn& Tables we►e
laid for eso guests. but as the hour of dinner drew
near, a *whirl' and considerable inc►rase of comm.
pony made it neces►ary to extend the tables the
whole length of the room. and carts Of them was
filled up as fast as they 4 04161 he made ready.
A little afier live the dinner win, srrved rip, upon
which the Chairman (11r. billowed iinme-
diately by Mr. Cobbett, Htitl attended lay the
Stewards, entered the room, and took their seat.,
The curiosity of the c 111 l ir.iny to view the extraor-
dinary author of •the cheap Ifcgister was intense.
The d r was neglected for a considerable time,
while the guests were standing on the forms straits.
ing forfora look over one another's shoolders, and
shakiog the ceiling with their congratulatory
shouts. At leng•h they fell to, dinner was speedily
dispatched, the cloth was clearest, the water bottles
filled, and the Chairman mounted the table.

He craved indulgence for a few, a verb few mi..
outer, while lie explained the circumstances by
which the foreleg itart been called. A more nu-
merous limirnsblage of liberal and independent men
had never been known' in Xli'estiiiiiiater. The oh-
ject of it was to welcome the return of their fellow.
citizen, Mr. Cobbett, after an rile-encr of two years
from hie native conntry.—(This was followed by
what the players cull fluff distinct rounds of op-
pluuse.l—lt was his pleasant duty to detail lo them
what took place respecting its arrangements, pre-
vious to that, the day of meeting. The thought
commenced with himself, as every thing must have
an isedividual beginning; lie mentioned it to reverel
of the citizens of Wertminster ; they approved of
the project ; a meeting was culled by au udvertise-
mein. which they must have iead, awl upwards of
40 persons, before unknown to each other, imme-
diately offered to co-operate us stewards. The
usual customs had been btudiotoly avoided—no
personal iuvitstions had been given—no tickets be-
stowed gratuitously—no singers our musicians
hired—every thing they saw uround them was the
effect of the feelitigs entertained by the company
—except iu Mr. Cobbeit's case, there was nut a
single ticket given away. Au invitation had been
forwarded to Mr. Cobbett, at Liverpool, but it
had not reached him till his arrival in London on
the morning of the slay previous. fie imme-
diately accepted it, but the time was too short
for touch preparation, notwithstanding which,
nearly five hundred persons were turned away,
who had applied for tickets that day at the bar of
the tavern. He knew they would not blame the
stewards fur not letting up more company than
could be commintionslv entertained. They were
not assembled like former meetings of the kind
which had been held in that room, where there had
been promises that Members of Parliatnent would
attend, and iuvitations had been given to meet
them, and after all no such thing had taken place.
The straight-forward course of advertisement was
the only measure which had been used to bring
them together ; and as it was the highest compli-
ment to Mr. Cobbett, so was it also to themselves,
to come forward thus from spontaneous impulse.—
They were all plain and sincere men ; uo persons
of reuk ; all lions among what were termed " the
lower orders." It gave him great pleasure to oh-
scree the company; he scarcely saw a single bottle
of wine in the room ; (there were indeed not a
dozen on all the tables.)—(Great applause.)—
This, as it prevented them from clouding their un-
derstandings, would prolong the enjoyment of the
pleasantry with which they set out. They could
not afterwards he charged with drunkenness and
reeling home ; they were indeed about to enjoy
" the feast of reason and the flow of soul." He
would give them a toast, awl us they were in nu
danger of getting drunk, he would recommend them
to Fledge earnestly—
_ .

• „
" The Cunsiiiutiou of Endland. eon o i 000 ng of King,
Lords, and a House of Commune chosen by the unbiassed
voices of she whole people."

This was drank with acclamations, and speedily
followed by
" May the wrongs of the growly injoireJ awl suffering
people of Great Britain be productive of union, courage,
anti perseverance."
Mr. Wooler now came from the bottom of the
room, and was introduced formally to Mr. Cobbett,
by the Chairman. The company shouted as these
Gentlemen shook hands.

The CHAIRMAN then said, that they had wit.
nessed the realization of the toast in the example of
union just exhibited before theru.—(Applanse.)—
With such en union the Radicals might defy the
whole world.—(Applaese.j—He should feel the
greatest delight in proposing to them the health of
that Gentleman whom they had assembled to meet,
and who hid returned to settle for good in his native
country. He hoped they would allow him, however,
first to say a few words on the subject. That great
man had returned after having been driven from this
country by a corrupt, rapacious, and most intoler.
able host of Borouglonougers; he had been driven
away for advocating the liberties of his country,
and his crime had been that he had done it ably.
They (the meeting) were the third body who had
tendered hits their congratulations. At Liverpool,
though one of the most corrupt holes fur borough
influence in the kingdom, lie had been welcomed
by almost universal acclamation. The enlightened
Reformers of Manchester intended next to have
addressed him. The Ir•roughreeves of Manchester
interfered, and paid him the highest honour in
their gift, by calling out hosts of b0r...., foot, anti
artillery, to prevent the profile Ir 11) expres.
sing their regard for him.—((:rent
At Coventry lie received those yes which
had been prevented at Manchester. And yesterday
morning he accepted the invitation of Wesioniuster,
be that note which they had seen published. He
(Mr. Hunt) knew that lie should weakenthe sub-
ject if lie said one word of the talents or merits of
the individual lie was about to !impose to them,
more than the stewards lied directed to accompany
the toast. He would say for himself, however, that
conferred v !rim
he had

°Yet r the stewards lied conferred use hien the greatest
honour awd pleasure he bird ever eujoyed. by op-
De- pointing hint to give the twist, thr must ogreesble to
eye,
. htmsell that bed ever passed bii lips.
CVO
ales wTbo haslet' of our fellow-cid:ea Cltlobett
rther the eriteist and xraluus 'Wender of our rights sod libertum,
by *bun luminous cud Incomparable writings the public