The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-10 00:00:00

THE COBBETT DINNER.

the anniversary dinner to commemorate the birth of
Mr. William Cobbett,tiok place yesterday evening, at
th,e Crown and Anchor Tat ern, in the Strand. At six
eni?o rr
Oldham,
a numerous
party of gentle men sat down to
diti
andidminbaM tn the absence of r. Fielden, the I\le-
ilr Mr. Gorge Rogers took the chair,
!ad in tbe course of the evening real the fullowing ht-
ter of apology from Mr. Fielden _ _

lebltt:ing, " Todmorden, March 5, 1841.
'`Dear S:r,—l left London for here on Wednesday
and I now find that I cannot be back in town
1,0. take the chair at are dinner to commemorate the
of Mr. Cobbett, and I write to request you to get
souse other gentlemen to take the chair on that occa•
81". It will be an important one, and time will show
whether his predictions are not on the eve of fulfilment
pith regard to the downfall of " rag-money," and the
c_?nsequences that must follow its extinction. The ad-
vice he so feelingly and repeatedly gave to those in
iher in his own country, to avoid being destroyed by
s monster, by crushine it, although disregarded here,
a 7 11/wed by General Jackson, and his successor,
o Buren, in America ; and it now appears they have,
tafteY rate, scotched the snake, if not killed it, and
have thereby inflicted on it a mortal stab.
een
e arrival in Manchester on Wednesday night,
neard that news had been received in Liverpool that
say of theconfusi smashing of the American Bank., and the
tate of
ihn; and on the " rag-rooks" there were involved
I could not help thinking how Mr. Cobbett,
su he been alice, would have enjoyed the news, though
DO 0
ue would have lamented more than himself the
'uteri
right
ore
Will the innocent that would ensue. America
herself, and secure her independence ; but
how John Bull, with his debts, taxes, " coarser food,"
cad coercion laws, will pass through the ordeal, no one
n tell---We shall see. EVCIIiS will break down the
831telu, if the people will be quiet.—l am, dear Sir,
Your obedient servant,
" JOHN FIELDEN."
After the cloth had been removed,
T•
he CHAIRMAN rose, and said—The followers of
__‘;obbett, although not so numerous as those who were
seroltekelng Place and power, and although not making so
to t" noise in the world as those whose business it was
41E and not to think, whatever might be their un-
PoPularit
io oh. Y, no one could deny that they were consistent
riinkul, and that the progress of events was rapidly
fie'°Ping the soundness of the Cobbett principles.—
' ear, hear.) Every year they met they had further
pi,
1)°Ior the truth of his doctrines. They saw the public
:eels of the day giving a different solution to various
loiellitt that arose. One party at' ributing them to the
clee'.Bkes of Lotd Palmerston—another to the impru-
ko-fe of Thiers—a third to the timidity of Guizot—
tL" another to the ignorance of the Chinese—in fact,
Ir/were attributed to every thing but the right one.
Ana .1
it/ Cobbettite, who saw every thing clearlyr—dycee.
v4lear
ear)—he knew that all these things were p
'Y bygone causes, which Mr. Cobbett had la-
bad ured to prevent, and the consequences of which he
Z foretold. The Cobbettite foresaw that the weak-
(Trtlf the country was its debt—that the extravagance
e Government was daily adding to its amount for
the
tritertriterown Purposes, and not for the public good. What
and tel
Thiers and Guizot, and the Americans
to oh Chinese, and the native Indian Princes,
pro, vY and attempt to overturn the apparent
boetPieritY of England, but that they foresaw that the
l toh• was about to burst, and that the great truth
Prole bad been propounded by Paine was about to be
in thee: namely, that paper-money although strength
and chile :ginning, was weakness in the end ?—( Hear,
for, eera.) That period the Cobbetite was looking
and every moment told him that it was fast ap-
r.Oath:
legt Another month, or another year more
the
oei:,"sB as nothing in the history of nations, and
't result of postponing the evil a little longer, would
he it: render more potent the resistance that would
that I'L_°tieht against it. The Cobbetites saw clearly
liateet4e: French people were burning to revenge the
eoroit;:` Waterloo, and they saw that the time was fast
eot °
t-
" when the battle was to be refought. If it was
be done with the consent of Louis Philippe, it
seellleo done without him. America had also got its
'fie cause cause of quarrel, and felt the insults that had
ana east upon it by England in bye-lone times.
%di!! Was also ready to take up arms against England,
hett;suen they would find, as their great apostle Cob-
' teck:ld said, " The ship goieg to pieces upon the
that Mr. Fielden, in his excellent letter, had said
ehievents would break down the system, if the people
%et" but be quiet, but in the position in which
coieePe,°Ple were placed, be doubted if they
eleQ °e kept quiet.—( Hear, hear.) Their public
ceeZet'ers had gone on robbing the people, until cir-
ae,:aut.vs over which they bad no control would bring;
Eunquiet revolution. It was melancholy to re-
ee, that' in a country where so much intellect existed
07eaug the common people—in a country which had
li:s2leed one of the most intellectual men that ever
eve:ol' and who exhibited a distinterestedness which one
to I_lbtur united with great talent- -it was me
blancholy
riteeet that the warnings of that great man had been
talie.eted• The Cobbetites, at least, might say to them-
of e
v 7. that they had taken no part in that state
tett tuags--their consciences were clear, and they
s throughout anxious to effect such changes
• Brtld render such a revolution unnecessary.
broe e7lieved a state of things was fast ap-
letei.te"ug when the people, who were now half-
teo su, would be without food. They had a cur-
iae liable to he upset at any moment—they had an
etr,,g expenditure, with a decreasing means of.
rote "gluing that expenditure. Their whole fiscal star
4(4 getting into confusion, and the question would
emtv,tlY arise what would such a state of things termi-
tee How would it be when thousands were
tern' rd to starvation under their highly artificial sys-
food,". Was it to be supposed that people, without
tioo eould be quiet ? Whatever their clispost-
eo 8„ 'night be, the raging lion of hunger would say,
efeeel 'et and feed yourselvee—(Hear, hear.) These
titok.._` le real elements of society into which it would ul-
litto-13' he resolved, and it was one which their Legis-
thee-,l,'auld do well to reflect upon. If they did not,
ele;o7,'lslet depend upon it that it would ere long come
coore`ue to like a thief in the night, and involve the
than '''':l its a state of ruin blacker and more terrible
elcej:aseY kid any conception of. The Chairman con-
friehl by proposing the memory of their excellent
tm
Cobbett.—Drank in solemn silence.
he
had been entrusted with a toast
'dere ene felt much pleasure in proposing "The
tete' tuuse upright performance of their constitutional
the'h 114 Preserved Mr. Cobbett from the doom which,
ele['it le and perfidious Whigs had designed for him.'
`lttor e 11''.) That Jury had been chosen by. the then
tiltoiile3 ',General, who had been since dignified with
usteL•e°, 44 Lord Chief Justice of England, and be had.
careers .D 1 St exertions to have his unfortunate victim in-
Nee bed a prison from which be would never have
men ~" t.. Thank God, however, some of these Jury-
attion,743d Rem to their oaths, and they had now
cheap e them ' the Foreman of that Jury.—(Loud
e° ole8'„' • 'was well known to all of them, and they
,e
lion,;;;et 'too ;highly ighl appreciate the noble determine-
here i''need b him and five of his fellow Jurors to ad-
theoti°l their c eths, which he felt was not the case with
to tonic" SiR• lae believed they went there determined
their "set Cobbett, but although they had brought
ttee;i,vat ts and night caps and provisions, after
litlitteration the excellmt constitution of
theyis l-Uu Mr, Vilkinson prevailed against them, and
tlieen" Way, --(Cheers.) When Mr. Cobbett was
°Pinspebithat one caseon they brought no evidence at all
7.a_tet e(1 dear, hear.) It must have been a gra-
kr!• te" rer-eeiion I o these men that they had snatched
"l•ett from • n untimely grave. and had enabled
Wl • °he e much benefit upon his countrymen.
lee r
teearsa 1.02 st tel hot eat and independent minded
rq:11 them t England had nothing to fear.
,_ toast
Mr. ' was 4 rank with greet applause.
I,posern iry
wished the other five Jurymen were
eetariliee' and he N vas sure they would appreciate the
sire ooent that ha i been paid them. Trial by Jury
tooe great benefits conferred by the great and
teeth `'ng Allred m the country, and it had not been
did h altered sine e. • establishment. To be sure they
iu all ego theet,ic ':sety of being tried by. their peers.
Deere lier' because, if the poor were tried by their
pnntlii,,eue3T would b as likely to come off without
ge 4 • —via as
_ „nly Lot c°•lt Cardigan.—(.t Hear and cheers.)
tl°l:•llPlitie"edu`nuflunie the • peers in that case, but what he
was, tI not tried by
Nrtt P
ee
t
a icat ther poori
were
knew the im-
of
the at,
trial obrd
Juan
gaarn.cl Theyknew the importance
eu/diee funetions of the' Jurymen who were to decide ac-
taoe4 to the evidence . Now he had been simple
and t° suppose ea e wee tat people meant what they said,
to ' resolved to, observe the oath he had taken,.
-I)4t decide aecordir g to the evidence. The indict-
cited
tthatust Mr. Cob .b
tt charged him with having in-
t bole he eZ_People to v joei, .nce, and went through the.
iviitih"ndar of crin tea, as having been stirred up by
Crever Mr. C tt. There was no evidence
(1,`,/ebett, °`,.lny such int, mtion on ti.e. part of Mr.
p7tiorip, LHe admitt eel tiet the had written the pro-
odeee
neut he deni esi did inference, and they could
ed Heat, evidence
•to to substantiate the charge.
thet it was fact, it would appear during the whole
V` n -a,s, the 'A.ttorney.4 '...ienerel who was on his
pr herd's -1113% Cobbett, lot he kept theAttorneyo-
liitZve the
chat to the grindA, .ne, and defied him. t
tie or th 4rgeS he had made. .Now„, that reminded
h Ingo text ofHowl a 1111— I can do all
Otlf 84ith st a° re you ?—l'll bet you
*-.O%Vn • Paul.
hece on You can't„ h a put down hake-
,' oe e Pulpit ; but 7!, nt on " through the
eLthetie °Ur Lord J
e ere.) ier matter- won't " Oh," said he,
itnotl ,sus kinrisv.
bet. "—( Hear, and
N0w,1141,1 that obbett's 'case ;
f uP°ll the "al 'Mr' came off tri-
40te (H*context,
\CUL
I‘,l - his , ear He had been,
cr re early Aa cheery. et writings of
3 oath
sere '°bhett, that they
s,udh„e„sleolated lir' a be was
, admire:ort:inc_Lea,
t men wiser
`° "r• Why to make all classes
,o,
he parson
reo • wee As "Legacy toLabourers
infer.an
d "Legacy
ed to sieuvegh to glee a man 011 the
alaer him a virtuous and a useful

bet. of society. When he reflected on these things, he
must say he did feel not a little pride at having rescued
such a man from the fangs of the Whigs.—(Loud
cheers.) Let them look at the change that had taken
place in the system of persecution adopted by the Whigs
towati; those who e-e unfortunate enough to get into
their clutches. Formerly it was the law merely that a

man should be ine,lreergt.?d, and thcre was an end

of it ; but now there was a treadmill and soli-
tary confinement, and when remonstrances were
made, it was denied by the Whigs that they

had authorised it—it was the order of the Magistrates ;

and then the Magistrates referred you back to tLe Se-
cretary of State from whom the orders had emanated ;
and thus in the most shameless manner they bandied

you about from one to the other, all endeavouring to
avoid the responsibil ty. Why, he would a thousand
times rather have the Tories, with all their open pro-
fessions of enmity, than such men.—(Loud cheers.)
O❑ behalf of himself and the five jurymen he begged to

return them his sincere thanks.
Dr. WADE proposed " The labouring people, and
may they st e2dily regain their franchise." However '
humble that cuss might be they resembled the great
Creator, and were, next to him, most to be regarded, as
to that class they were indebtel for all the bounties of
Providence which they enjoyed. That class was now
become an estate in the country, and they would prove
themselves deserving of it. How had they lost the
franchise ? Through the rascality of designing men—
because in the days of Alfred they had the franchise,
and it was only their numbers that compelled them to
resort to the appointment of delegates. But
if the system of representation was freely and fully
carried out, every man would be fairly represented by
the delegate he selected. He had attended a vast
meeting of the Chartists the other day, and he was
surprised to see so many of them tee-totallers. It,
was a proof of the independence of that class, and it
was one of the first steps towards the regaining of their
franchise.— (Hear, hear,) As to the intelligence of
the working classes, he need only refer them to the
work that had been published by Lovett and Collins
while in prison—a work of which their great master,
Cobbett himself, would not have been ashamed.—
(Hear, hear.) They had their independence and
intelligence, and he would add to that their vast
numbers. What had population done in America?
Why, if the slaves went on increasing at their present
rate, they would shortly enforce their independence
and be slaves no longer. Such would be the case in
their own country if the people were but true to them-
selves. There were many things the people ought to
have which they had beer, deprived of. They had a
right to commonage lands and to Church lands, which
they no longer enjoyed.—(Hear, hear.) The Bishop
of London mistook his point when he looked after the
sewerage and the ventilation, and the drainage of the poor
man's home, while he was excluded from his just
rights.—( Hear, hear.) It was all very well to look
after his health, but justice ought to be done in the
first instance. It appeared •to him that the middle
classes were as much oppressed and persecuted as the
lower classes, and if they were but true to themselves,
and joined the Chartists, they would soon attain their
objects. He maintained that it was the duty and the
interest of the middle classes to join the Chartists.—
(Hear, hear.) If they did not, they might depend upon
it they would eventually be crushed by the oppressors.
His duty was to mediate and unite all parties rather
than create dissension and division, and for these reasons
he was anxious to avoid saying any thing offensive to any
party. Again, look at the manner in which the Poor-
law was now administered to the unfortunate paupers.
They separated these persons from their families during
their lifetime, and then they were to be thrust into
holes, like dogs, at the backs of their prisons.—( Hear,
hear.) Talk of Sodom and Gomorrah !—why, he was
astonished that the vengeance of heaven had not fallen
upon that country for the manner in which the poor
were treated. Talk of wars, and rumours of wars,
with America and other places! why, they bad seen the
judgment of Heaven fall upon countries which had not
been guilty of half so much wickedness as their own.
—(Hear, hear.) Dr. Wade concluded by proposing
the toast, which was drunk with three times three.
Mr. BUTLER proposed, " Our faithful friend, the
Debt ; and may its weight, which is ever increasing,
soon put an end to the plander and oppression of the
poor." He complained of the system pursued by the
aristocracy in promoting their own interests, and placing
the great bulk of the burdens of the country upon the
shoulders of the poor. Mr. Cobbett had pointed out
the infamy of the, principle of the malt-tax, which, al•
though it contributed only four and a-half millions to
the Treasury, took at least thirteen millions out of the
pockets of the labouring classes. The same might be
said of the tax on tea and on sugar, on tobacco and
snuff, and all the other indirect taxes. In fact, it was
from the labouring classes that the whole bulk
of the revenue of the country was collected. He
recollected when the interest of the debt was
only 16 millions, and now it was not less than three
times that amount, while the condition of the
people was still worse. Mr. Butler then referred to
the opinions of Mr. Cobsctt on the subject of emigra-
tion, and read several extracts from his works on that
point. After some further observations Mr. Butler
concluded by proposing the toast, which was drank with
due honour.
Mr. CLEAVE then gave—" Health and a speedy re-
turn to their wives and families to all those expatriated
or imprisoned, owing to their attempts to better the
conoition of the working classes."—(Cheers.) He
was rejoiced to find that the Cobbettites had not for-
gotten such a toast on the present occasion.—( Hear,
hear.) He had lately seen the son of 'Williams,
who had made a journey from Wales to
London, merely to see the surgeon of the ship which had
taken out his father and his companions, that he might
gladden the hearts of their friends on his tour home-
wai ds, by repeating what he heard of their condition
from the lips of the surgeoe.—(Hear, hear.) The last
speaker, Mr. Butler, had referred to a petition to the
House of Commons, but be believed they had little
hope of redress in that quarter--that House was a re-
presentation of the feeling of the middle classes towards
the Chartists, and be was surprised to find so hostile a
feeling on the part of the middle classes towards their
industrious brethren. They had seen the operation
of that feeling in the discussions that had taken
place within the last few days on the subject
of the Poor-laws. Why, even the man upon
whom Mr. Cobbett had built most in the House
of Commons, Mr. Wakley, had expressed his satisfac-
tion that the Poorelaw Cotnmissioners were to be con-
tinued for five years longer.—(Hear, hear.) Mr.
Cleave then referred to the dietary tables in the Poor-
law Unions, and denounced the system of half starva-
tion, which he contended was practised towards the un-
fortunate paupers. Mr. Cobbett was not mistaken
when he hoped that good would result from the Re-
form Bill. He believed the error, if any, was one which
would speedily be corrected, for the people's eyes were
beginning to be opened, and they would soon take
their affairs into their own hands, and when they did that
they must succeed. If they were to obtain their rights,
if they were to have Universal Suffrage, unmitigated and
unrestricted, with the assistance of the middle classes,
wed, but if the middle classes did not join them, they
would obtain their rights without their assistance. The
people of that country might be taunted with their
want of union, or with their poverty, but he referred
them to the rise and progress of the labourer's son, who
had worked himself up from the plough to a seat in
the House of Commons, and had obtained an influence
which ha I made him the arbiter of many questions in
that House.—( Hear, beer.) Ile regretted to see that
they were deserted by the soils and the colleagues of
Mr. Cobbett on the present occasion, but there were
in that room enough and to spare to carry out the
principles of that e. eat nese thratighout the length and
breadth of the land.—( Hear, and cheers.)
Mr. NEESOM had come there to add his 'need of
praise to one who was the dread of all tyrants and op-
pressors, and who had stood forward to defend the
rights of his countrynn 17. He (Mr. Neesom) had
been the victim of the base and perfidious Whigs for
merely attending a public meeting, and telling the
people that they must have their political rights, or
there would be no peace for England. Notwith,tand-
ing gagging Bills and oppression, he would repeat that
assertion. Mr. Neesom then referred to the case of
Mr. Frost, and complained of the cruelty with which he
had been treated by the Whigs.
Mr. CARPENTER, atter a few appropriate introductory
observations, gave the toast of " The Pre •s, and may it
speedily become honest."
The health of the Chairman was afterwards given.
Mr. Rogers briefly returned thanks, and the company
separated shortly afterwards.

DEPOT CIIANGES.—The General Command-
ing in Chief has ordered the undermentioned changes of
stations of Regimental Depots to take place early in the
ensuing summer. The Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
miralty will arrange for the conveyance of the Depot Ist
Battalion Rifle Brigade, and of the Ist Battalion Ist Foot
in the first ‘S ee k in May, and Depot 97th Foot as soon after
as practicable. The remaining interchanges will take
place as soon as tonnage shall be provided : —Depot Ist
Battalion Rifle Brigade from Liverpool to Cork ; 38th
Regiment from Cork to Liverpool; Ist Battalion Ist Re-
giment from Glasgow to Dublin ; 42d Regiment from
Dublin to Glasgow; 97th from Cork to Chatham; 33d
from Chatham to Cork ; 7th from Cork to Chatham ; 35th
from Portsmouth to Dublin ; 32d from Dublin to Ports-
mouth; 82J, from Portsmouth to Dublin; 24th from Dub•
lin to Plymouth ; 85th from Plymouth to Cork ; 59th
from Cork to Jersey ; 46th from Jersey to Cork ; 48th
from Cork to Guernsey; Bth from Guernsey to Cork.
We understand that Mr. Wray, the Receiver-
General of the Metropolitan Pol ce Foi cc, has entered
into a contract with Mesrrs. Baker and Son for building
a police court and station-home upon a piece of ground
in Bagnigge belonging to tLe New River
Company. The buildings will be erected at opposite ends
of the ground, wi.h a gateway between them for the prison
van to drive into the area behind. The prisoners, by this
arrangement,
will be brought into the police court without
being seen by
the public. The court is inteeded as a sub-
stltute for Hatton-earden Police Court.
Sir Robert and Lady peel give a grand dinner
next Wednesday, at their mansion in Whitehall-gardens.