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The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est filmA A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche h droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. ly errata id to nt ne pelure, i9on d 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 I CONSEBVUIVE SCIENCE OF NHIOM, (PRILimifART INRTALtfBNT,) BEING THE FIRST COMl'LKTE NARRATIVE Of SOMERVILLE'S DILIGENT LIFE IN THI SERVICE OE PUBLIC SAFETY nr BRITAIN. BY ALEXANDER SOMEUVILLE, "Oil wao kai Wviitlio tr tbi rL>r«ii ' iHontreal ; PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN LOVELL ; SToronto : R. & A. MILLER, 87 YOiVGE STREET. rOR BALK AT THE BOOKSTORES. 1360.. HN -;-'- MaU^ ^N^^W" CONTENTS. CHAPTER T. Geaeral. Perpetual Youth of Nations. Logic of R4;volutIonfl u) France ftU'l Kriuiin. Inilipcndenco of tlii) UuiUd Buiea not a iiovylutioxi. Conacrvativo Scionco. Omnd OoHtiny of llio Hrili.-ili ArUlocracj in the lUwsi' of Lords a.^ Leaders of HuTnanity and Hoci'il Progress : thoir lead now in th« direction of a complete dt-rtlopment of the Kighta of Man 9 CHAPTER II. General — contiuucd. A Orati^ful Keoord, for tho use of Emigranta yet to arrt vti in Canada, if, by Ood'8 dispondiiiion, they no«d medical trratraent at QiiL)>t;c. A Letter to the Quebii: Chronicle, Jucii 1859, on the crisis of 18;»2. Letter to the <^i*r6ec Mtrrwrj on what arc the functions of Cousorvatidm 18 OriAPTER III. General—continued. Military Testimonials from Spain. Bravery before the enemy a common quality of soldiers : kxnduoaa to comrndea and obeerful obedience to auperiory, my highnat praitie. Episode w^ith Mr. Oobden. Peace Society's seditious placards, 1852~3. A delightful recollection of Mr. Bright, The contrary. Freedom of the press ... ♦ 26 CHAPTER IV. General matters continued. Eitritot« from letters and reviews in testimony of UBeftil work. What I dirt in Britain at the expected " rising " which WAS to supplement and consumraate the troublos of Canada m 1831-38. The Bristol riots, and crinia at Birmingham, glanced at. Prescient Conservatism educates itdclf from the facts of the past ...» 3S OHAI'TER V. Seneral—ooiitinued. First of the eeriod of dark pawagca in popular agit». tion, leading to that in which the author save d the country. The Spa- Fields Leaders of the People in 1816. Thistlewood, the Watsons, Preston, Hooper, Henry Hunt, llichard CftxlUe, Hnrmer of the Weekly Dispatch. Plans to reTolutiuuise London, Plimder of gunsmiths' ihops. The Tower of London oummoaed. The triala for Ticaaon. The liz Black Acta 47 , Kf ~ 00NT1.NT8. CHAPTER VI. OenBrftl— continued. Certiftcatcb from Manchester teptifying to fidelity to hard work in Litemtiire. t)fo determin>.'d by Local Wanis and Lcgis- lati< i; Wisdom S7 CHAPTER VII. Quarterly Review of July 1H^^». Account of Edinburgh Riots of Ih.'U, by Mi:^s Eraser Tytler. Author' .'^ nccount of the .lame in u forim r work. Iji.s poaition us a vi rking' man in 1H31, An incident of the i»reviouB year in u stone 'luarry. lli,ji vindication of the rights of lat)ourer9 againitiiit Htand and flourish, while many mercantile eonctTUH of lens magnitude fell, and were extinijuished in the ruin of that year's panic. The firm which wjih thus endowi^d with a jriant's stronpth. uWid their power with instincts attributed to giantH. Their own bankruptcy mi|.'ht. in its t<'ni|iorary conHequonces, have been a t^reat^T dl.■^!^•t«;r to the man\ifaoturern who hold their American bills, or who had ixiastd them to the snmlkr bankn; but, wei'j^hed a^inst higher principles of com- mercial morality and of policy, the incuflent, with all its correlatives, atocnl out, a.-^ it yet wtandH, a proclamation that a lofty and o/.imprehen- give 8yHt<;ni of Oonw^rvativo Economy ban yet to Ik. apjdiod to ('(*mmer- oial Finance in Britain, ]t riugtrei'tod a cournc of invt^tigatiou to the Author, the evidence collected in which will bo sy8tematif*ed in some other volume. The Author hna a].«gic any absolute law, to decide between Free Trade and Protection* l «li " |l | i> HLH « 'l » > «ii | | > 'll WH VIII PRKFAOIi. It woiiM \)i> uliko pri'HmnptnouM and futile to ur^' ulwtnict prlnciplt's on hII t-diiiiiiutiitioH iilikt'. [i'tlii> Laiu-nNliirr masters of to duy wio' Mtuut«!(i MM flmir iiiiuiufiu'turinj: pri'dwrHw th won- in ITHfi ami ii) 17H7, thry would «fr»ii> piiv fi'OM Ui «(>mr <^n>ut hiirriNti-r t«» pjcail iil i\u' bur oi' tin- IIouh«' of OoiDiiioiH, iiM KrMkihc tlit'ii 'lid with ;i HUrcfSH wliioli di lt-iitk, and luirn I'itt in ctti^'y in St. Aiui'ft 8(juaro in MaiiclK.'HttT, and hroak tht; wiiidowH of I'itt h adh«!rt'Mts, for profMmiiij";, an lie and the Torit'H did in 17H7, to rvlax llio Tariff under whioli Froncli iiuinufacturrH were rxcludrd from Uriiniti. and from Hritirth colonial inarkt'tM. The Author tukos loavo to ri.'f(!r in this place to his Agricultural writ- iiipi, which an; but Itrictly liintod at in this voluiin', — nuhjirts uiore diroctly pfr,M>nal formin;; tht* tla-mo of its paj^'cs. Having hci'ii bred in tlu; toils and joys of ajj^ricultural and rural life, its as,Hoi;iationH have for him a (diarni bt^yond all tithcr rrrieultui*e in almost every jiarish of Eu;^land, and in portion.sof Scotland and Irebuul. Many thousiimls of readers followed him in his travels to iuijoy the ffnuM*y meadow, the footjmtli throujrh thewoodn; tht- .sonjrs of birds, the fields of growing:; wheat, the wayside fiowers, the village incidents and the (juaint chunjh-ynrds ; the parks and mansions of the landed iTcntry ; tli(! cottage dwellinjJCM and farmery buildin]t;s of the tillers of the soil ; their rout, tiiuure, wages, food, sind customs of work ; their vernacular tongue, wise, sayings, rugged ballad-songw ; their cricket matches on the common, and their liell-riugi ng, — tlie musio of the bells rising over the breezy ujilands to die away in shepherds' eai-s. The Author ho^)es to gather friendly readers for his travels in Canada. While introducing himself with this l)ook through city, town, and towu.>*hip, he will endeavour t<» be«;ome ao(juainted with the varying soils, mod«!s of culture relations of culture to «'liniate, to markets, to- natural re.sources of the district, and to the ameliorative changes already effected or likely to be acct)mplished. When he has Iwcome familiar with UpfKT and Lower Canada, he may — other circumstamx^s being favour- able — originate and edit a Canadian AuRicrLTtjUiHT, which will invite to its pages intelligent and experienced farmers, to interchange facts with one another, and which will at the same time convey to the Old Country such exact lut'ormation as may induce thrifty familie& possessed of capital, to seek this noble I'roviuce as their future homo* 'f^' •a>»-^^ «u4«W<^a «tt«««^•^-^■M(f^k. ^*-uy<, j u», v ww M " S M K 11 V T L L E • S BOOK OF A DILIGENT LITE. CIIAI'TEK T. ) SIC in BVTI, ng to dy itU ir- ill ne Hie 'iS. Oenenil. lVr|ietuftl Youtli of Nationn. Logic of Hevoiiitions in Franco au>l Hritain In'leppndence of tlic Unilcl Stalt's not a Unvolulion. Conserva- tive Science flriind Destiny of the nritish Ariotocrary in the Honun of Lurdd at Leadtr? of Humanity and Socinl I'ro^rt'H^ : th(;ir load now in thw direction of a con'iik'te development of the Rights of Mun. Youili, beuuty, vitality, strcnirth, are ever prep«nt with the htiman lamily. NutionK never decay but hy wiuranche6 of jwlitical power remain, and must of ntcossity remain, after a revolution, aa in France and in Britain, they retain vitality and may return to their place by the force of laws abundantly dispcrtMHl th^uu^h human nature, and acoomplxBh a reriult inexorable as destiny. That result is military despotism. A crushed monarcliy and aristocracy, with all tlie sympathies and adherencen of their misfortune, oan only be suppressed by a vehement and gloomy tyranny. And if they arise out of the trodden road-way of rebellion, as very likely they may from the popular abhorrence wliich sets in against the power tJiat is dancing or preaching ou their grave, they in turn, by the logic of neoes- f w. < ij «iia« « ii n i M 10 SOMERVILLE 8 BOOK pity, cut down, hiwik, cnisli, and grind into the nffendod rarth that rebel- lion wljicli, Cor a while, wius uppermost; and which, by the pressure now above it, may possibly spring to life ngain. The independence of the Tlnited States affords no eontnidiction to this dogma of Conservative Science. Those great colonial province? K!parat(!d themselves from a monarchy and government wjated four thou- sand miles away. The rejected servants of the distant monareh\ ])aoked their npp.irel and goods and travelled to Canada, or returned to England, or fled and left their all. This book will exemplify the expansive vitality of British institutions; guarding the examples, however, by the assertion, that the aristocratic^ element in those institutions -seems to be only workable in the nation where it is a natural growth out of old feudalism. But a voluntary sur- render of sotiM! poi-tion of personal liberty, as in Britain, is the true sign atid substinet; of freedom unywhere. The races and uations who surrt.nder no impulse of personal freedom for the common advantage, have a poli- tical horizon always contracted to their short sight; revolt or revolution lying just beyond it , a central despotism pressing them (nitward and over that line of vision into the darkness of chaos and clmiiee. This book asse. 3 that the human being is prime constituent of pub- lic wealth; anrT LIFE, u 3 that rebel- resHuro now rMiliction to il provinces rl l'()\ir thou- toEnjiland, iistitntions; siri.stncratic lilt; iiiilifin untfiry 8ur- )o triu! !|iiiiion. Their revenues are larger, their estates n)ore tVuitl'ul of future wealth, their traditions grander, their functions more exalted, their present enjoynuMits Uiore luxurious and refined than were ever before inlcrited by aristocracy. Those are their bonds of responsibility to the pe()ple. No House of Representatives in all this world shares such a reciprocity of confidence with democracy But the British Lords }xjsse.ss, as a legislative hou.se, a morid attribute which the elected representatives of democracy cannot collectively (.-xcr- cise, however amiable and generous they may be, as individual tnen. Thus : Industrial progression being the life of new communities and of the democracy in old ones, capital is the life of industrial and mercantile enterprise. Capital, though its achievements lie in the direction of t. /ilization and a tiigher human destiny, is in its imuuidiau. influem^es cruel and cx>wardly ; always trembling for its own safety, freijumtly in a panic, ever stilfish and sordid, if any sentiment of humanity bar its way, Deniocriicy is led in politics by its industrial progression, by the instincts and panics of capital. It is so in Britain. It is so every where. The House of Lords are not wholly detached from those influences. ■ < n*|tf »»!ifr " i< : tj i M i ii |TI »D» «. i r i ii r ii l iwM ii .. ^ .iii i ijiiili i iJ MIiiiiitii. , 12 somerville's book but they are far enougli removed from the ininuidiatt vengeance of offended capitfil to make terms for humanity. They have constrained railway companies to give the public a cheap train twice a day, and exacted compensation for accidents to life or limb which occur in the pursuit of gain. They have protected the otherwise helpless workers in fiMstoriea by compulsf»ry regulations of hours of work, and by dffenccjs against machinery. A catalogue of the enactments which they have initiated, and which the House of Commons havi- in their democratic or capitalist sections resisted, would be out of place in this in 'idental glance at their relative i)ositions. The legal decisions of the Huiise of Lords, as the court of bust ap|)eal, have a tlignity pm of unappropriated liberty discovered to lie in the course of new decisions. They have ceased to be conservative by resistance. They are con.servative by prescience, — the guides and guard- ians of progress. Many concurring events, products of a progressive age, have given to their legislation an impetus, and that impetus has> taken a bias which is their own, and which may at no distant time carry the age with it. That bias is to humanity, to the extension of the rights of man, and the rights of man's labour. What if they bring to a close the black, devastating, gigantic series of commercial panics and the har- ve.'^ts of fraud ? What if they enfranchise all the people, to include every rural labourer? What, if, under their prescience, and in ojiposition to Dioneyocracy and mediocracy, the national debt of Britain be ctonverted to a National Bank, every man, woman, and child in town and country being invited to become contributaries to its capital by their largest deposits and smallest savings ? When the grandeur and philanthn^py of such progress towards the rights of niiiii, as these, are popularly understood, they will be conceded to the people, but only if the House of Lords, through their territorial influence in the House of Commons, take the initiative. All functions of mou )y which require it to be kept together in masses of cash to sustain the i^-edit of its portions and its whole, p^nnt to tlw^ entire nation of Britain, or whole Federal Union of America, as the true contri- butaries of credit. Two events, mor(> than any other in the history of the peerage, have modified the legislative action ol' the House of Lords, and both have oufliet of blood, porcbauoe from the awift vcnv'i'ance of a sword-smitten Tidtion and the irrotritfvabh^ disaster of revolution. Is it a small matter if a considerable jKirtion of this book be owupicd with the narrative of those eventj<, and the rest with the development of tlmt c(»nsorvative science, to the practical sulutiofi of which the author has devoted an intensely dilijj^ent life? He vindi cates the f;eniu* of matter of faet, the comjuest of labour and capital over rude matt^^r. the acfiuisition of private projierty, the spirit of honest com- merce, and the accumulation \ii profit as consist^^nt alike with generous sympathies, a refining ideality, and an exaltx.'d faith in things not seen. The book claims for Conservative Science, the high function to t*!uch, not alone as Political Kconouiy. in its heartless divore^nnent from human sympathiei?. has tautrht how tx> produce and accumulate insf^nsate matter as public wealth, but how to diflfus».> as well as produce in completost abundan<'4J the stores of that wealth among the producers ; and how, among all tlie people of a nation to dispense the elements of human happiness. The book presents the reader with incidents of life sufficiently remark- 4»ble to relieve it from dullne^;s ; yet the author fears, indeiid he is pain- fully sensible, that in too many paires of the personal chapters he disturbs or wholly disjiols that chariu of modesty which liU'.rary art so easily attaches to personal narrative, if the writer's theme be other than his own viudicathiu, — tlie vindication leas than to fisstirt that he has been, though not a prominent, yet one of the most efficient and persistent actors in ItehaJf of [>ublic safety in times of exigency and peril, a teacher of Conservative Soieuei- to statesmen and people, the unpaid worker for his country always.. But offensive ae the frequently recurring iuiage of Ego cannot fail to be, it seems unavoidable. This, though more than a personal narrative, is yet- the first complete record of the incidents which conne<;ted the writer with the service of public safety in Britain about the Beform Kra, 1 832-3-t, and which gave him sufRcient influeiK^e with the leaders of popular commotion in subsequent years to save tlui soil of his native land from that direst calamity of nation*^ a war between social and political classes. It is his present object to relate the occasions of exigency and the measure of his influeiveo, with as much of his conservative economy and dissuasive argument as may seem to remain applicable to other times, ■other countries, aud more osp<.H:i:dily to Canada. Taking up what the title-page initiates, tliis is a '' Book of a Diligent Man's Life" ; a life persistently devoted to public well-being, to the removal (vf antagonism between the extremes of 8(x;iety ; a life of trust ia -?••«■>-••- 14 KOMERVILLE 8 BOOK tlie f;ood which rosidos in pvcryl'ody, in all Hocial olnssf s, all political inBtf- tutioiis ; ii life of fidelity to an oarly inheritance of Joil, sonietimori of proijnicnt impulse, always' of a(?tii)n and entha.sia.sni ; a life ot .'uffs^ rebuftis, cold thanks, of results kfi« than thanks; but of liit^h faith, un- wavering in trouble or in joy, that tlie tfupreuie G^kI knows the man wa.s, and .still i.s, working honestly for a purpose reeogivised in Heaven as- a neee.s.sity on earth, — the jturpose, a triumph of the future. And what is that purpose? It is to retrieve l*oliti«rid Eeotioray froir* a chaos of crudities, in its austere niaterialisnj, as hitherto expounded; to exalt it to a new vitality; endow it with new functions; to demand, that iMi guardian of public wealth, it obey tlie absolute logic of its posi- tion, and take cognisance of the prime element of wealth, the human Innuy: ;. that then it be guardi.-ui of the elements of human hajijuness ; conserva- tor of the conditions which diitcirmine a per{)etuitv of life and jKiwer to nations; and. by <»od"s yjcrmission, to d i. sen ver where lieth the begin- ning of that sublim. harmony, which new i.ssiting out of thr upposing^ forces and seeming tli.^(!ords of all physical, moral, and spiritual nature^ arises l)efbre the eye of faith in present glory to the Suprenie, indicating, by tbe law of j)rogre.ssion, a grander future to the human family on earth.. The highest achievement of knowledge is to discover how little i.* known. Ignorance lives contentedly without a boundaiy to its vision. The want of schola.stie education is a blank inde«!d. The author laboured for br*.^ad when eight years old, and was but seldwu at any school within doors; though in one sense all his life bas^ been a schooL If he j)ossefcised as large a measure of presuuiptiot> as, by a deficiency of what is called self-esteetn, he is un[)rovided with, it would not carry hiui^ for any useful object, farther than that threshold of society, where naked- ness of .scholastic attainments n<-w leaves him. The classically learned are not so lofty in their own estimation us they arc in hi.s. They read in the original when he must use a translation. But he has n>ad man- kind in tht? original, lie has read the inner heart of national life and well-being in its langnage of actualities. He thinks it probable that a forecast of the .sciences, now in process of development, was given to the ancients and may be disinterred in the mythologies, such as the atfinitics of planetary .systems, their n>pul,sinn aixl attnu;tion, the vivst orbits upon which families of suns and planets travel tln-ough the universe, the embracing of our[)arent earth with comets which have written the date and rrder of their contact in the gi-eat epochs which geologists uro groping in tlii^ dark to read. If the mythologies do not contain .some such hid- den lore, it is difficult to reconcile the labour lost on their study with any utile object of educali(»n, though the literature in wliich they areprci -ved is a key, — the key to society and public life. If the civil wars of Ureece OP A DILIGENT LIFE. 16 and Rome were applicable t<> moderu politics, and therefore educational for modern stiitcflinen, their hintory iiii«;ht uxefully occupy the years of youth ; but the j.H'sent writer takes leave to nm'rt, that tlie events abo\it to be related and the infennices to be drawn in this book, — the peiib of Britain diiriii^' eitrht-antl-tweiity >ear8, — are, beyond all coniparisoii, more instructive to statosnuMi, nierehants. philosophers, and ministers of reli- gion, than any pi^an lore. Still he reveres the eruditi^. soholiirs who brin},' to light the poetry and life of antiquity. He admires their sub- uiis.sion to that mental discipline which such learning involves, and he nijoices to Ixihold the sports, wlw'.ther gay or grim, of the university, — sports wliieh, modifying tlu; intelleetaal austerities, give vigour of body and mind 'o upjter-<;lass manhood. Will they add to their university education such instruction, so grave, so urgent, aa this First Uook of Heading in (V)nservative Science offers them? The author's antecedent's are inilionil discords and the one transci'iidant universal harmony. He has been Ploughman, Quarry man. Private Dragoon, iSergcant of Fighting Highlanders; Auth(»r of Histories. Biographies, Narratives, Tales (many of th(!se, utdbrtunately for his present reputatioti, published anonymously); Collector of Facts for Legislators, Commissioner to discover the caust; of English Tnceniiiary Fires ; from Lonil(»n and other aews[iapers to trace causes of sigrarian offences and social suffering in Ireland, 184:}, 1K4(). 1817, 1848; Inquirer into the condition of Agri- culture and Farm Tenure in England; Joint In(|uirer into the effects of Potatoe Bligbt on the Food of the People, 1845-6 ; Occasional Arbi- trator between Employers and Workmen ; Historian of Trade Strikes, of Wonderful Worksho])s, and of llemarkable Farms; Biogra, her of the greater Pioneers of Commercial Adventure and Industrial Civilization in rei-ent centuries and present time: Historian of " Free Sea " ; Poli- tical Economist; A nalysist of Disputed Problems in Socia' Mercantile and Financial Science, Analysist of the Philosophy and Practice of Baiiking in relation to the (.Causes, Currents, and Prevention of C(»mmer- cial Panics; Exptmnder of the relative forces of conflicting elements in Rent as affecting the general Store of Public W^ealth ; Historian of Fiscal Systems and Romantic Incidents in Schemes of Finance; Writer on Military Strategy, and on a Military Education of thc^ People as indi.spen.saide to the defence of Britain ; Accusing Witness of evil done by Atheistic and Inlidel leaders of the working ciasseij in Britain j 16 SOMKRVILLS'iS BOOK Inquirer into the logical relations of mma intellectual tangents in Seep, ticism. An obituary notice written by the author at Quebec in an hour of anguish, is reproduced here, because it has been a subject of ani- inadvtrsion, and in yet true in letter and spirit. It errs only in this, that the writer's imputation of a country's ingratitude refers to his well-known services to public safety in the yfjai-s of commotion and peril Bubsecj'ient to 18IJ2; and to his mnnifold literary works and larpe expenditure of time and money, all directed to give stability to his country's institutions, and to exalt the disiift'ccted classes to a practical acquaintance with a tnie Conservative Economy : "Died. — At Quebec, at 10 A. M., on Sunday, 29th May, Emma, wife of Alexander Somerville (formerly in the Scots Greys, and known in the lit*.rature of political utility as the " Whistler at the Plough"). The liOth of May is the anniversary of Mr. S<)merville's punishment ia 1832, when he was flogged for Siiving the people of Birmingham from massacre, and for refusing to disclose the names of other implicated soldiers, though oflFered pardon if he \.ould do so' by which act he and they saved the throne and anti-rel'onu Lords of Piu'liament from the curses of a sword-smitt!av. ^859, elevi^n months from the day of ([uittins her native city of London, she died, — her death the sa^ldest calamity of her hus- bands lite. " From the near approach of her death, which during nine months seemed uo more distant than the morrow, Mr. Somerville could not leave Quebec to pursue umploj-nieut elsewhere. He lectured on several CKJcasions, and, though solaced by the presence of some whose kindness defied the inclemency of storm ><, he failed to augmei. . his limited for- tunes. So long as he could conceal his proverty, it wa.s concealed. He preferred tlie early dawn to btiry a still-born infant, his band of little children the sole funeral company, that he might bide from Quebec, which he did not then know, the fact, that the poor rude coffin was made from a board gathered from the waifs floatintr on the river tide. " He n<>w discloses the adverse circumstanies of his emigration, to explain why he solicits subscriptions to the volume which this sheet announces for early publication.' ,11 U ii j ii Ulil i" , 11 to li nowHpnpor in ncknowlodg- iiUMit (if wimt tlit'v (lir Jucksoii. Dr. J'aiiicliuud, Or. Landry, and Dr. Uowunil, atUiiwn seuHe of jiiritice as loiij^ nn \ live were his name ouiitt«d in thiH m morial of frratitude. Ft Ih the more ntniessary that 1, u iSeotchman, — my wife having; been an Knirlisliwduian, and my children all Kut^li.sh horn, — make this i(!eord. seeing that all the physicians tutnied liere, except Dr. St>well and Dr. dackson, are Franco-Canadians. I l)elieve in ttieir hijjh attainmoiits, I know their kindness, and saw it maniftsted to all patients al:k(!. I know what hi>spitalh are in liondon and Edinlmrgh and elscwhtsre , — that at (^ucIh-c is equal to any of them. Also, let me add, that to the Kcverend (Jharlos Hamilt(»n, H.A., ineum- btuit of 8t. Peter's parish church, and the other clerirymen who, iu absence of the regular chaplain, ministered the savin;i truths of our Christian reliffion for so lon^ a time of sutferiiiir, F. record her thanks and my rnvn, in obedience to her dying rccjuest. Will you correct an error of the press which obscures the meaning of a sentence in the obituary notice of Tuesday: '' Anti-rei'orm laws of parliament" should have been printed "' anti reform Lords of parlia- ment," the Reform Bill of 1832 having lieen repeatedly thrown out by the II(.iusft of Lords. Ft was on the last defeat that the j>erilous crisis of May, 18;j2. occurred, when The Times newspaper threatened the army, on which the anti-reform Lords relied, with a street war (»f brickbats from the roofs of houses, a popular incitement e(jually criminal, and uiipracticfd as that for which the Editors of the Nation and other Irish- men were transporttMl in 1H48. I name this to show what the state of excitement was in Britain in May 1832, when the great Times, which always represents the sentiment of the day, be it right, wrong, or wickcid, took to th»; doctrine of brickbats. Five years after, when I had iMiCome practically acquainted with war in the field, in the street, and in every forui of devastation, with Sir De Lacy Evans in Spain, whose high testimonials to my share in it, are now with me, I published my IMssurinve Worninga tu the l\u)])h', on Street War/are, exposing the impossibility of mobs warring with regular soldiers, so long as tlio soldiers are faithful to orders, That they may be always faithful to orders, such perilous hazards should never be incurred by miuoritiea • ■n*.^.WMw« « *yM*^'*»^ " * |1 » '" 1'*i " l8>i*» — ■' '•«-**-^ » i » i ilOtl**! 80MK«VrLLE« B«>OK m diHproporti.MiHtcly mnall ccMnpftrotl to tho nriiion an vr«rc incnrrcrl by tho j»iitir(»ionn minority in Brjttiiri in lWil2. The letters ol' Warning to the Lor2, oontainod tho lallowin^i (luotutioti, u« ejc]ir(>«8ive oi'th<; loyal .i S(x»t« Orcy«, in which I jieivod : " Tbe Kiiig'H nnme ih a tower i-t' aircngih, WliicL tht-y upon tin- advpMt) faction want." We (loclarotl, that if euiled nut to aot at^ainnt window-hivaker.i and rioters, wn would tinuly ulx-y orderH. iind iuijilored tlir people to abstain from disorder. Our swonls had been rotijrh sharpened for URo n[Km Hirmin;ihani. Tlie commander hod been writ.t4'n to, " Could the men Ihi relied on?" and answered, so he ntated to a (-onrtof In«|uiry lifter my punishment, "■ They are firm an rockB.' Hut, unknown to him, our lettcTH had reaeliee read in my book. Autobiuiitaphy of a Workinvr Man, a eopy of which Ih in each of the;;arrison libraries of the fJritish wrvioe. Those evi'nts ^ave me influence in Hubse . ft yiii "■•^■^rtr »w«»^..H|»]Wr< (3^ '**»»»*-^ft<»»»«i^-'ii»:-- '■*fi.y^.»tl warnin^H t<» thii ItmilorH ut the ; our ciriunnntanceH. My elth'r*t Uiy |M».sted the letter conUiimng the memorial, and brokf his arm by a fall two minulnH after he had done ho. That (tmen wi\n not tlu-n uiider8t4>«)d. lU-ceivini; no reply, another hitter wa» p<»Hteaee of n»y country. I do not ni)W iniHunderHtand why I wan driven to America i^raiiiHt my deniro and contrary to all my phuH and etturts. IiOokin>^ buck on the people for whone political exaltation 1 had toiled till my })riiin was worn, and on a country whieh I had Hervetl tor the Hake of itH domestic tranquillity, too conseientiounly for uiy own prosjH-rity, 1 one day forgtit God, who had been my Htay in the hour of torture, and in the deai«'r priiKMplf, thiiri f«'iir »»f tlm uiH'ufriinrlMrtod fx-npUf one r (Iri'iul of Hoiiiii cxtcrtiitl cni'iny iiiiotlior diiy, I inn not in l\int. Hcfiw! n (.'oiiwirviitivi*. If'tlwy. whiin ijhIIhI Tories, never crrnl in {Mdicy, nut f'vcn in hrin^ritifT on thu fM'riloiiM crinJH of May. lH.'{li, tli«'n niuy jrovi^rn merit, l»y military (|rH|MitiMi. lit« riirlit, iinil Kriinc'' imil A Hytrin hv wctrtliy lit' iniitiitioii in Britain. Uiit I ttXHcrt, that (!oii^ - « ,«i^jA,*rt'«i*w*AJ.i|t^.. *-W-rt,W »- TP*'.^.*M-4».«4-»j«**: \*n-iir ■ m^-^^r- .A y\Jt »i49^K 'f '**«"«N«H or A t)!M<»f.NT MKr. 28 lay. And A it in that, ill |M»licy, tlitii iiiuy lll^tril^ bi' liMii liiih II Uft It' H' p^!^*tMtt, VII iMTM'fit i with Hu- rt, thiit tho cniiiily tif kill! couHti- iliiiiis whi' I do. luivtMit of id niil ut iif'St'jitcm- vory where. •ritiimje of ri I it ion of (1 of free s, I II over ell of my )M'\ty for from the ind Kadi- »o huiiui- (• primary should be 1 defence. ,)f armn, litical en- aiid you British Iptirturbor cken and H.'HidfH I'ont.nilini? for i» inililnrv idiication to tho youth of lUitain, «nd t.iiihinir a hniiii»ni».t'»m'H, I hav«< analy>*«d thr fniif*i' of coimiiiTcial paiiicH, nnd logically dfdu \ niinpli' iii<• Mavi-d from a |k riodicity of di-vaHtation, H4 lid oiilv to thr *<<»inm' of tir.! and KW(ird. Who nw Ihi'V that op|mm) Hii.h a r«!form of tht- lawM of bankinjr and of t-onimorcr in Hritain 'f Not tho 0(in»M'rvativt'» of tho pc-nipf, but w»n«'rvati\cHot' the Honiid in«tinot», t4t whom I'vtMi the tvrrit4iri.il IV-ern an in many ciiMtJ* hondiinn and virtiniM. I will not fitiL'ue you, nor occupy xpacc, with a nummary of the maiiv tiims. bi'torc my mcnl.il health broke down by cxcc« ill .1S18. ]>erforuied monj of the harassing details of aetiv(! serviec than ahiit)>t atiy eontemjKirary soldier His name appears eleven times in the Gazette prai.^ed by superiors for prodigies of departmental aehieve- tiamt, and rare wisdom in e.xeeuttve strategy, in the short .space of three years, and that at a time when great events gave gretit soldiers to Britain almost to abundance: No other eom)nander e(mld have done more, and feAV so mueli, in Spain, in beh:df of eonstitutional government, with his imperfect rcsfmrees. And yet, by the military estimate of old French generals of tlie first Kmpire, who stood beside the Pyrennees spectators of our comjiaigns, lie and we did marvels in Spain. When Sir De Lacy Evans returned from the Crimean war and received the thanks of parliament, in 18.^)5, he referreil, in his atldress to the House of Commons, to the coldness and calumny with which he and his British Legion had been received, through the poi.son of political antagonism, on their return from Spain in 18117. He affirmed, that, severe and difficult afl service had been in the Crimea, the campaigns of the P'itish Legion in Spain had been more severe and the obstacles overcome more difficult. ('an I be par*hNI^*V^V*4-*»^fcy»«'--' ^ '''i|'»^ ^ f , » |..>.^M-»Faa*^».^ '•-.- ,.^.J 26 HOMERVILi R S BOOK. '•.'J"'?'. MlI.lTAUV ('ERTinOATE No. 1. BrYANSTONK f^QlARE, Loiulon. Novonibor, 1H47- (Extract.) •' Mr. Somt:rvillk, — Sir. T shoiihJ Itf wantini;- in ovory feolinu of juHtico wen- 1 to licsitate, \iii(!or the cin-unii^tatiLi'.-j nUirrcd to, in hearing" nij uiKfiiiililicd tcHtiiuony to ymir hravi', zcaions, u.^eCuI, unci oxcinplary con in S|)ain Till! jMisitiun wliicli you tilled was no siiieeure, in that servioi;. The reporUM rospei-ting your eonduct and eliaractor in that corps wen.' uni- formly to your credit and honor. . . (Signed) Dk Lacy Evans, Lieut, GeneraL Military Testimonial No. 2 From Colonel (rohation. His tiame was for- warded })y me with othi^rs to the general of division as worthy tlie notice of His Excellency the lieutenant general for gallantry before the tili cnips: on that oc<:a.sion, %^ on others, the eonduet of sergeant Somerville was conspicuous, and deserved th«.> highest jn-iiise. He never neglected his duty, and ever evinced a desiie to secure ordei- and good conduct iiuiong the men, where liis influenee was eonniderable. On the line of march, lie wa.« enabltMl, from bis powerful biMlily strength, t- hetiv the fatigue with com- parative ease; and at, the luih hi>* eseitiou^ wi le uneeasing in promnting the comforts jirid providiuLi li'r tin.' ivauts of tlie nuiu. Hi.s conduct natinally attracted jny ()a)'tieular notie.e, and I huve satisfaction in uow recording it. Civen under my band and seal this L'tith day of I'^ebruary 18-41. tjrile>towti House. Stnikestown, County lloscimrnxm. Irclaud." ,i- n »«'»«i in »> iii ny ii rnm y r OF A PILIOENT LIFE. tr •, 1H47. (cMiliriiZ of in l\(.':>iiii^' cxcniplary . in Spain iec. The , won' uui- Oeneral. (ustabularjf ur-sorgoant logion, was » waw for- iKe notice ht; (Micuiy. tatc more i.(:ti(Ml ot' a t Mc I'lLsion, Iciious, and ami evor ilio nu.'n, h, h'- wat* witli com- jpfoninUng ,- coiidin't on ill uow 84.1. 11" VM Military Testimonial No. 3. From Licut.-Colonol Martin, K.S.F. (now, 1859, Governor of County Oaol, Prostou, LanraHhire). " London, December 6, 1838. '•' Mr. Somerville, — Sir, as to your cliarm-ler during the period I served in the 8th 11 ifrh landers, I alwiiy,*' consid»!red you a particuhirly steady and well-behaved man; extremely attentive to your duty, kind to your comndeH, and obedient to your .superiors: lor which reiuson I ecmsi- dercd it my duty to point you out fis a j>roper perstm fur pmniotion. Your viiuimau'linu officer. Coloutil (lodtroy, had a very good opinion of you. and also Colonel Rosfs. The gallant but unfortunate brothers Major Willia,m and Captain Robe.rt Sluring to stay tlnit mutiny at St. Stsbiis- tian, (li.sarming as 1 did the armed anarchy of a thousand a!igr\ num by the yx^wtir alone of a good name, the name of a non -commissioned officer who had drilled many soldiers and never ill-treaUsd (»ne. But I can- not now pass from those military testimonials without remarking, 'hat 1 attach less value to them as certifyiiiL' jtersonal bravery in battle than I do to their assertion that my '' efforts were unceasing at the halt" (on tbe long and killinii: marches amon'j: the mountains of >[ortheni Spain ), ■' in providing I'ur the comforts and wants of the nien'' ; and that I wa> '■ kind to my comrades," ''obedient to my superiors,'" and •' ever evinced a desire to ])romote order and regularity among the men." Bra- very before the enemy is a common (quality. All our Saxon-Celtic races are brave, whether Scotch, English. Irish, or Welsh. Anything to the i bomeuville's hook •'i!«j'' •"■-1/V'; contrary, I rojoicci to write and declHTc, is an exception to a very wide niUi. Hut unvarying, srli'-donying kindnesf to Holdiern, continued tlinuigh p<»rKonal toil and oxlinustion, unitt-d with tliat Idveofordi'V and tliat firm- ness which exact ohcilienco and tolerate no irregularity, is ncit a con)nion quality among non-oonmiissioned cfticcrs, nor anion-j; any officers. It is oftcner found anion;; the high arii^tocracy of Itritain. than among officers raised from the ranks or drawn out of the " hranticw " middle- clabs gentry. The latter may bo brave, but tlicy arc usually too i)roud w he efficient officers. Hence the British ."^oldier of the ranks evinces a marked preference for gi>ntlemen tA' liinh birth, and sneers illiberally at the unhappy oimradcs who are occa.-^ionuUy mlvanccMl t^) coninii.>- my \x under- ndod to •ocess of nan who ■B, asked him by Ins. He vim that lonsoien- rted, he never to speak tM the i-eilitinus placards of the IVaee Society, and Hubsetjuently iueurriuji; .>ouiothiuL' like perHcoution from tho MaueluMter party ol jn-aoe at any price, becau.sc I wrote to Lord Pabucrston. a.s llrune Mini.stor, diselaimin<; oonnectioti i r .-"ynipatliy with the placards, lli.^ liordship read my letter in the House of Conujtoiis. What wa.s tiie result as aftVctint,' my pecuniary interests? Yliwi) is one instanc*;. Some friends were ilieu eiideavouriui; to ;h;11 manuscript.^ and copyri<;hts of my books in M.uielie.ster and liivk'rpool by allot in>; them as prizc.-i to suUscrilRTS of five shilliiii:9. Mr. Ireland, co-proprietor and nianaL'er of the Man- chester Examiiwr now;-!papor, tlie journal of the anti-militiaists whom I had just offended, had kindly taken cliavi.ce of my interests in that city. When the time came to suy what had b<'en done, he sent me this letter : — "Ma.Nciikstkr. 'I'l Mark.'t Street, May <;, IS'jIi. " Dear Scoieuvii-I.F,, — I have thi,- d;;y forwarded the accounts. I. regret that so little h;i.«> been effected ; but I aa.snre you it lias -.of been for wjuit nf eflort. I do not hesitate In say, that, but for your letter read b) Lord Palnierston, several hundn'd shanks mitiht have been taken up here ; but that letter, be it risiht or wrou^. ha.s injured you very much. Youi's sincerely, A. Ireland." The full effect of thi.s iatiniation was that the manuscripts and copy- rights were parked with for an amount which, when costs of sale and debts to printers connected with them were paid, left me less than nothiuL'. With that result 1 returned to London, and ref.imed that species of literatun; of Political Economy which in its mont.y returns is as yet u barren v;ift of destiny to me ami mine. I also laboured at "Popular l'';!ll;icies about the Army and the Aristocracy," and at the ** History of Free Sea,' — the hitter ;'. dcfojice of British power in the Mediterranean, in corn^ction of 3lr. Cobdcn's hi.stxu-ical em»rs and anti- British fallaei«!S.- -for neither of which could T then find a pulilishor. The hostility of the MarKjhester party, as indicated by Mr. Ireland's letter, and as eiu-ried much farther by some whom I will not now name, rutHed my philosophy out of its usuiil good humour. My work " Internal Enemies of England " was the fruit of that di.sijuiet. It went off in a kind of hurricane ; sixteen thousand copies were sold in a month at one shilling each, so I was told. Ikit I Kail part^ed with the M.S. and copyiight to the printer for a trifle, as, before it went to press, it seemo.l doubtful to him as to me whether it could be circulated at all ftthcrwise 80 SOMERVILLE 8 HOOK thiiik pratuitously, hh many of my smaller works had lioen when T had a purjKKSt! to .serve or prineiple to vindicate. Mr Hri>.'ht was handled unkindly as well an Mj Cobdon. but rather n« a re[)resentative man than an indiviflind. My (jonscienee is at esise JUS reL'.irds Mr. JJriiiht. T had prepared another work, in whieli his sup- posed inconsistencies of character and of political action were gathered together and rather grott^8<^|uely grouped. Ft had been announced for publieat'-m as a pamphlet, when a g. who hinted Mr. Hright's " misforiune.' T had not heard of it. " Well." said he, '' j\lr. Mright i^ not sound aUtut the head." I had expected t<» hear of that :it some time. 1 knew hi.s b>ad to be like my own if like mine excessively oviTworked. On goinji home I told her whose warm heart lies eold enough on the rock ot t^hiebec thif day, ■' You must make up your mind to be disappointed about that ,£10 I promi.sed you : John Bright is suspected to be wrong about the head. As yet it is not published, l)ut 1 fear it is too true. ' '' Tt is a mercy, Sandy," replied my wife, "'that the manuscript is not out of your hands." " It is a mercy," I rejoined. '" May my hand wither rather than that anvthing written bv me should further afflict or disturb him." In that season of his eclipse, 1H55-5(I, a similar dimni'ss too truly approaching me, and from a like cause, overwork, 1 pni\ed (Jod tor his recovery , and as I breathed that desire of the soul, the sweet nuanory of an hour of prayer which 1 once had Avith him and his household eaine ov;^r me like a holy vision. 1 had been one of the platform strangers at an annual social party in the People's Institute at UochdaK: iti the winter (>f 1S-M>, at which Mr. Bright was chairman Other strangers, who like me came from a distance, were carried to oilier houses of the local gentry, while the chairman j)re8sed me to hi.'* house. We talked ph-asantly about books and children, no words of political acri- mony disturbing Mr. Brights inner circle. In the morning at first daylisiht. his household, comprising wife, one child, and five female servants, were in the usual manner assembled to worship, donnv'itic work in kitchen or elsewhere being suspended for about an hour. We sat in silence for a brief space, which was broken by Mr. Bright ojMjning the scriptures, from which he read two or three chapters from the Gospels, making some remarks, but not many; after which, lie spoke a few words of admonition, applicable to all hearers. When he ceased reading and speakintr, each of ns was left to private communion with God, in perfect silence, for a space of ten or fifteen minutes. All remained seated until '■:lt 0» A DlLIOEiNT LIFE. 31 Ing and iporfoot Id until hp, by oloHinir the Mhlo, in(»ii al'er, thi>} broiiLfht in bn-aktast, and the pleaj^ant ('ouviTsiitiun of thf prrvimis evciiiii^ wa.« n'suiiuMl. Puriiv^ tKe day wo visitod the K.K'hdai." .sihoolrt, of which .Mr. Hri-rht \» a lib.>ral and caroful ^ruardian. As a farther proof of the t^'ndernes.H I observed towards liiiri in his ilhiess, [ may name an article which 1 furnished to t)ie lllustmtrd London AV(/ « d\;,>, 1840, and 1S42. It was less than a fifth part of my expenses directly out of ]>oeket in bringing the Kilkenny " outrages" so conspicuously before the late Sir Robert Peel when he was prime minister in 184H, as to cause him to issue the commission of inislio|> of tlie cinirch, and ncwspafwr editor of the kingdom r.'ceivin^ a copy free by post or parcel or delivery, not u hundred copief* being sold in the trade. It was e<(ual within twenty «!iilliny« to the annMuil paii! by nu- ;br " VVarn- ing.s to the i'(!Ople " in prescnee oi" tlie dreaded " Tenth of April," 1848; money paid, with my wife's eheerful coneurnuee, .-lie believing in my niis>*ioi« before the world , paid out of my literary earnings to comfort the palpilatiri»j heart of West-End fashion and of Lond<»n city wealth, on tliat day when even Prince l«ouis Napoleon took a baton to help England t» less tlian a twelfth part oi' the money which I paid for travollinL'; expenses alone, to 5!ay nothing of lost time, and the eo^t of witnesses brought to London at jny expense in 1848, to save the working elu.sses from the disastrous con.setpu'nces of tlie great (yharti.«f Jjand 8ehonie and Labour Bank absurdity. (Hee (Jhartist letters in next chapter.) It was only about doul)le the amoun.t which I had expended iu that cause of the people up to the time when the Society of Amalgamated LOngineers with- drew from the bank .i'ti2 in a crow'ed street uf Islington, my children almost without bread tocat. Birmingham, which I had saved from the .sword in 18o2, made xMr. John Bright its member of parliament at this time, while still an invalid, hiti reccmimend- atiou being eloquent declaination against the aristocracy, and it did not contribute a sixpence I'ur my comfort, probably because it was one of the aristocracy who asked lov aid in uij behalf. But neither tlid that ^ J iiii. OF A FMl.rOENT lAVf.. S8 I of Mr. i d they 1 ' who 1 • luitive 1 ilerary 1 JOUitbl't 1 KiW 'od 1 ugliam, 1 ight its 1 imiond- 1 did not i ; oiu> i)f i id that upfHT HH'tinii lit' .*(HMety r<'H|M.(iid to tho uppfjil. True, 1 did iinthintj; to tub' .idviiiiiiij^o itt' Lord Kiuiiiiin! -t Iclter in the TimriH. Swing the W)ldiU!SH of tht' i;(mi\try, I ahr«uiii«Mi an attifutit; of dihdaiii. ^Ir. Hii^:lit's KMisf of propriety will appear iiii>r.' clearly in rhr tiict uiut liiH ptThonal hostdity to uie dates from iihoiit u quarter U^ ten o elock on tin; evening ol L' I Ht Kehruary Iholi. At twenty Hve uiinute.'~ to ten ho reptiaffd. in oart, his cido;iy of a previotiw cvoniii!:; when he extolled flit! in the Hoiuse of ('oninions a« an amiable p(Tson , a man who had rendered my country eminent Htirvicen, u man who was an honour to literature. When hi; ceased that eulogy, l^ord I'ahnerston rose, replied to his statements al>out the seditions anti-militia placardt*, and, reading a d(K'umeni, written hy me in wliieh 1 disavowed those pliieards iik spirit and in ohjcrt, eont^ludt'd h} saying. " That letter does Mr. Somerville muili cicdit' , at which, sairii;ht and the peace party, because 1 presumed to ditt'er from 'heut about the ndlitary defences of thr kinL'dom, remained a fact with life in it when I was writing for an Edinburgh daily newspaper in 1S57. An advertising linen-ilrajter of that city had paid some pounds a week liu- advertisements in that paper, but withdrew tlicni, giving, through ins I'oreman, a n-ason to the outdoor clerk, that 1, the temj)orary editor, having a grudge tigainst Mr. John Bright, hud assailed this hnen-draper, our patron. lip to that time 1 was not aware that one of Mr. Bright's sisters was this man's wife, or, if 1 ever heard of their alliance, had tbrgotten it. But the two wore thus related. What can this, the very dwarf of small incidents, have to do with a book in Canada? This: Since .1 begun writing tho present work in my Patmos near Quebei;, Mr. M. Davidson, of St. I'oye, has brought, at the trouble ot several miles of travel to himself, a copy of the Liver^xtol Mcrcuri/, containing a paragraj)h (juoted from the Edin- burgh Siujfsnum, uoticing the death of my wife. All that portion of the obituary ])aragraph niferring to my public servjces is omitted, and a heartless sneer substituted to the eifect that "' change of place aMi Mr. Somerville does not .seen to ha\e led to change of circumstances." The article which uilbrmed the Sa/tsnuui of my wife's death wad published here on the ilay she was buried, and it stated th.'it, owing to her illness of nine months and the presence of death at lur chamber-door all that time, J had been unable to proceed to oui- original destination, and could riot leave Quebec in pursuit of employment elsewhere. But there remains to he told something more, which concerns Scotsmen in general, and all persons who ])rofess an interest in freedom of the press and integrity in its writers. 34 RO.MKIIVILI.E H HOOK Tlw Sn)f»miin hnd fHlloil tlinf lirn'n-druiM'r, h\f nt'xt- ^iveii in annual prizes tn tho I'hildreti who aft<'nd certain of tlie puhlie nehoolf. in Kdinhiirtrh, 'for- ever." While the city rouncil had the yiift nndir prolnnu'td di'^etission, I dei'nied it a duty to sav, in iny editorial discretion, that the perprtn:itn)n of an unseendy feud h<'tween two eitizi-ns was an improjMir '/\\'\ to posterity ; that to connect its memory with annual prize.^i to ehiMn>n, darkened tlie wisdom of the city ; and that fo connect the memorial of the 'snake" slan Christ ami the |)i\int'! Son;;s of our worshijt, was a scandal to the n^lit'iows reputation of Scotr land. The >candal wavS consunimated. The city council accepted the gift. The draper's toreman declared they would not continue to advertise in a pajH-r in which the opponent of liis master and of JNlr. .John Mri^ht wjus a writer. I left the eniploymiint; takinir care, however, to o})tain a certificate that I left, in consei(Ucnce of " other editoria' arrangements iKiinir made," and from no otlier cause. The Si'iifsmnit mif>lit liave known from liis own career, and from the loi:ic of all human atfairs. that a pul)lic writer who is ever truided by a sense of ri<;lit and wrong, is very likely to fall into adverse circumstances. Knowing tliis as lu; did, ho might have saved his sneer at change of place bringing to me no improvoment of fortune. This chapter of cloud may scare the reader with the fear that he is to have nothing but sadness and murmurs of sorrow in the rest of the book. Not so. Mine has b Hii|iplc iiitrodiiftorv clmidors. ami li safety hy symputhisinf^ or uniting with " Uadieal mobs and thtdf excesses," — while (juestioninji;- how to treat this matter a ii(h'n\/ny iti your uiude of treating the subjict, and ospccially ho in making n u.-clni .arl nMi.cm thf Idlo, fox liuntin'4 |Htr- from hW(.'c(nnu; condemnation, and holding out an exaiiijilo for thiin to follows. [Tho title nientioni'd by Mr. ('ohdtn is ouiitt('d the streets of l.*ari.s itito a field nf battle; tlioy who tau,nht the working-men Unit a govornmout can feed and emj»liiy tlie people, instead of tcachiiiff them that ar« a fumlaiiiental th. emiditioii et' fieedum, it i; for people to feed and cloth tliem.selve.--, — ay, and to support and pay llu^ goveru'uent ; they it was, who, by apj.eariu'j to have (U-ceived the working- men, but who in reality were self deluded, that provoked the terrible outbreak which led to such hav(»c arul slaughter. >»**V«""-V''* -+•■- ■ ^.■fi»*n . .tT-t*- f^»»» —.■-..V— .ts*»».-.fi*^^-, w-»T«..' or A n- ,/s\, l.ilt, I' irc;itiiig til. idle, ^ out an 'olidfti is ri.duimig II liny the I'lnliso on v.t w^, iuid It 1 Kit most till' (ilMul |i> of the lilii t«i ho, uli'S. and Imiiht the i u.otoiid it i> for [l piiy the wnvkiuir tiMi'iblo 1% " Nothing' bill the ninilontion of sount! vti»wn of politienl foonorny <'un pn*«'rv«' itx from the diinpT of Mmil:ir cnlsmiitirH. '• l..'t your next nmii^HT !>.• thr • Si<-<^f of Paris' Show, in ynur (Wit t'aii.illiiir way, what ure niid Vfhal uM not the tutictioftH of u govern- mttnt of Tree men. "Beliove me truly yotirn, Kll'llARP roHI'KN. A. ^niufi V illr, Ksij." And the eertiCyiiip extraetn which follow weret.(T writer in i\w(^iitg on t/ir LouhamU E»tatt, litxl Mif, in'tr Iji'ilhurif, f) ■ Mk So.MKiivil.LK,--Sii- tiuit we should nddrens you niuy up|Hjar Htrun^'t!, but convihri'd ust we now arc that your jLint i'\ertionh (in I-SIT, 184S. 18l!>) prevented many huntlrurlh from huflirin;; art we have nufler- ed, we siiiccnly regret the eourtte we pursued U)wanlh you.' [Author WiW hunted out of ManeluMter for hlH life, and driven from employment there, loeause he taught th«- Chiutif^t?* that tlieir gn-at Land kS«'lieun' was fonnfU'd on oetmojiiie error.s].— " \V. A. How, H. T, AsIvAK1>. V. U. O'HitiE.N, Sille'H ' \Vaunin adjourned. " 7. Mr. Rlrhnnhitn of MunchoMer, formerly a Chartist Delegate, deputed, with Dr. McDowall of Munchister iimi Dr John Tayhu' of (Jlasgow, to plan how Woolwich Arsenal mighf bctakfii by the Chartists, KSIJU. " Somf.KVU-LK'h WaU.MXOHTO the PkOPLF, on StREFT WARFAii* ohangi'd my opinions about physieal -force movements." Committee of Glasgow Cotton-Spinners, 1839. 8. '• Your ' 8TREET Warfare' warned us in time. Those tracts' saved wme of u.s from the gallows, we now believe." John Graham, Esq., Glasgow. 9. " Somer^nlle's ' Street Warfare,' in 1839, did more to nrTeet the Physical-Force Movement than anything I know." % 38 80M£RVILL£'S BOOK Gimgnw Citizen {Newspaper), 1848. 10. " Workin*.' men, read thiy ' WorkingMun's Book' [Autobiog- raphy of present author, puhllsh^d to counteract the revohUionary move- mont of that year]. He tells you truly that Liberty ' is not born of revolutions ; that it comes not in shape of the demon j>aiS!sions of distrust, jealousy, violence to private property, nor aggression oa personal rights." Late aeneraf Sir J. (J. NopUr, 183!.). 11 When he connnanded Midland Districts: — " Somerville's 'Dis- suasive Warnings to the J'cople on Street AVarfare " had a go(td effect on the physical-force Chartis^<. That they were ably written, and evinced correct strategical knowledge. 1 .Lire to testify.'' Charles Knight, Exq., the eminent London puhlishcr, 1H4S. 12. "But there is an able, courageous, manly Reformer, — 'One who uas Whistled at the Plough,'— -who thus writes amidst the loudest din of tiie movement : ' Let Britain retjvin her first place. She will retaio •' if she avoid those prodigious calamities, wars with national m^jgh- Dours, and the more terrible calamities, revolutions [like that in France, ! 'er> in progress], in which the young, the vicious, th^ ■i^-ji ,^.-S^ii V*-' ^^Uf^' '(-tTi- ♦<■■•»* ■ V'i*»-*'t»*ak(' ol' civil liberty, the authority over its constitution and move- ments wa.'- divided, was new to me, and, I need hardly ^ay, to all my neighbours and comrades." February, 1855. His (iroct th<: Duke of Suthcrhmd. 19. '•■ I read, last summer, the Wjhstj.kr at TJfE Plovoit' with much interest. .1 can have no doubt that Mr. Somerville's works have been productive of much good." — ISol. The Earl of Devon, 20. *' Having been a subscriber to some of Mr. Somerville's works, T am well aware of their useful tendency." — 1854. Right Hon. W. E. Oladstone, Jf.P. 21. " Your object (in Worl-in'j Man's W'lfvens) in defending Christian faith, is a noble one, and too niueh needed, I tear," Late Douylas Jerrold, 1853. 22. " Somervilles dissection of Commercial Panics points to the one effective cure for those blackest ol" the plagues of nations.' [Review of Somerville's • Kogcr Mowbray. IMerchaut Prince ot England. '] London Exaniiuer, 1848. 2.-}, •' Mr. Somerville writes plainly and forcibly, and with a jtower oNnt^resting his readers. His narrative of the affair in the 8eots Greys is told with a paini'ui and ti terrible minuteness, which will not be with- out its good effect." 40 bomerville's book London Economixf. 1848. 2-1. '• Tho wi'll-known author of this work, wlin has attrnctcfl niuoh public ;i(t«'Titiun, and has ;u'(|iiir('d a woll-incrittd reputation, has done the public a liTcjit Horv ice liy publi.'^jiinfj;' lii> .\iilohi"irra]il\y. It adds one, in tlu- lii-st part, to the many j^vnuinc and aflcrtini; pictures wt; now po8.soss. oftho diflicultics with which the virtuous poor uiantulK rtrucgle in order to hrin^ up a fiimily decently; and it is fiill ot'ricli iiistruction on tlie manner in which those difficulties tliat all share, knir the hearts of the younj; and the old in one conunon bond of affwition and virtuous help. The rich who pretend to [lity such people, '^luudd stvidy tlie hook, and leurn fnnn it liow .superior in dignity, how far above thoin elevated in manlutod 8 ))e8t virtues, are 8tich cheerful, strugglirijr, virtuous, (iod- foarin>: familie.s." There were also testimonials of uulitary service in .Spaii! hearintr evidence ol a severe, ahnost terrible lidelity to duty as a st,>ldii:r. vvhieh the reader may have found in Chapter ill ; and the f'oUowini;-, referring to my return from Sjiiiin ;it the eml tjf 1^;J7. describing the purpo.se to whi<'li I mined my military experience ;:nd knowledge of civil war. The year ISHT w^tus one of American and British cnmmcrcial panic ; of compulsoiT sb.irt time in factories, ot trade (H>nd»inations, and of politi- cal conspiracies in Kngland. In the West of Scotland combustibit'S and explosives v.ere thrown intu factories and dashed through windows of private dwellings of the master clas ;. Ar.son was the residt in several instances ; assaults to the danger of lift! in many ; and as,sassination in open day in at lea.st one. Canada was either in rebellion or iii that condition of di.s(puet which sonic called .seditions commotion, and which required little more to be civil war. Tlu^ British Government beheld the perturbation of Canada with apprehen^ion, and despatched troops to repress the incipient revolt. English revohitionists beheld the distracti(m of (yan.'uhi with dismal joy; so did the loaders of the formidable combi- nations at GlasgiAV. The following was forwarded to the Quebec repre- sentative of the upper-cla.ss .Engli,sli in the second week of June, 1>S59, in proof of what 1 did tor public safety in 1837. It was cut from one of my books, which boars the title of " intermd Eneiuies of England," but, like all the fort!going testimonials and quotations, save the least useful one, it remained unnc>ticod. Alexander Somef.tille in 1837, year qy difficulty in Britain AND Canada, 25. In 1837, I had just come from a country deva.stnted by intestine war. I heard t!ie factory-people of Glaagow told by the English delegaten ;t„ -k--,-,- ,ii|i^.«l,t, t»P A DTLIGENT IJFK 41 w1k» representod tho di^iiffrotlon of Liuica-Mhiro, NottniirViatii, London, nnd other frroat hives of derau^rod indu>itry, of the ' ;iloiioiis revolution' thev uiiu'lit efieet with iiniis. thoutrh they knew nut ^hv use of any arm nor jiowcr of ilistij'liue hoyond their practiee of nianhinji in double files to their eotton-inills and from the mills home. [ lu'ard them urp-d to the trial of |>hyr. Jnlui Taylor uf (ilasi;ow, and (tthers, nil as iirnnraut of anus as they. 1 had seen the tertilr .soil of Sji.iin laid wast' I'V the <'ontendini' Britain, not forgotten of (lod and given over to that worst curse, a nation gone mad against itself, but long delivered from this distraction ' .May l'rovid«!nce cover you witli ever-enduring in lustry and peace ! May the God of our fathers be guardian of your irecdoui, and give jonr sons and daughters a perpetuity of their reason !" Th(.' weekly number of my Narrative of the British Legiov in ^jviiv was widely circulated in the great factories, and other aggrega- tion'^ of industry, as well as in lesser workshops. Many of the work- ptH^ple had relatives slain (>r who otherwise perished in our Spanish cam- paigns, {ind they looked to me for information as to tinn^ and manner of their death. In each mill two or three or more men took charge of the sale of my work. These men with otliers I met once a week. Believ- ing, a.s nearly tdl seemed U> do, tliat a " physical-force rising " would take place in P^ngland " if Canada broke out," and if imitated in Scot- land, (iron-working Wales was said U) be rip*; for it,) those men naturally afiked my opinion. I answered by depicting prostrated Spain, where an appeal to arms was so frequently made to settle political differences, each appeal to force resulting (logical sequence of violence and revolution) in military des- 42 somerville's book poti.sui. All rcvolutiojis hiul so ondoJ, and must of nwoHsity tenninute thus. The war of iiidcjMiiidcnce in Anii'rica. f told tlieiii wlieii they (jUdted it, wuH not a doTuistic vovulutioii. li wa.- tho sofijiraliou ol' a whole people iroiii a gov«'niuient seated four thoufsaud ullle^ away. The :^uppn'rtHed and dinplacod elements of old ^nvernuieut did not remain iu the United .States, to return to life and power a^ fhey do after the revolu- tions of France, as they did in l^^njfland in the seventeenth century, and must by necessity of circumstance do m Urltain in the nineteenth, if reviilutioii should turn British soiriety bottom u|»wai'ds for a time. Military desjiotism as the fruit of revolutions, is not alone a possible or probable result; it is an absolute, an imperative necessity tn the logic of events. It becomes a necessity either to keep dlscomtited royalty, aristocracy, and their adherents down, or, they being resiiscitat^^d, military despotism is a necessity to crush and grind into the earth the democracy, which had I'of^re trodden on them. " I depicted the ruin that must overtake them })y even attcTupting their int^.-nded insurrectiuu , how their pikes and liaiul-grenades, their gin- ger beer bi>ttl<\s of<>xplosiveclKunicals, would, with themselves, bescattei'ed as rubbish in thy first hour of artillery- fire, I pointed to the time lost for self ad>'ancement and mutual impiovement ; urQcd that by as.sociated savings tliey migljt form companies of associatt.'d c;»pitalists, and in time bo their own master employers, instead of wasting their substance on perilous donuigogues and unprolitable agitati(ui. t implored thc;m to renounce their tinder and match of civil war. and all their .schemes of revolution as alike feelde, futile, and wicked,' — Jakrual Eiiemiis of En(ff,anif, published 1853, pp. 23, 24. The Quebec journalist, who is a " barrister and couiisellor-at-law," as T. iearn fr>m a pamphlet re}irinted fnim his paper, out of all these docu- mentary extracts thought tit to notice only that marked No, 7, wlvich refers to the proposition of the T'hysical Force section of the Chartists in 183!^ to surprise Woolwich arsr.nal. lie (|Uot^>(l that oite to enable him to shariK/n on it this point,--that my politii-al life had been ''spent •as t,he sissociate of Ejiglisli (Chartists who earned thirty shillings a week by agitati(jn."" 1 very humbly asked permission of the editor to rejoin in the fewest possible words, that no man had estimated the plans of the Physical- Force Chartists as more impracticable and wicked than I ; yet that for Bi'itish workmen, woxneu, and children to be sabred l>y dragoons, bayonetted by infantr}', blown t(» phuuis t)y artillery, at the ('hartist crises of 1S37, 1S3;», or 1842, would have been more thiui a punishment to them, Tiie slaugliter which certainly awaited them had they begun, would have left iu the heart of the naticm a li\ing caukor of hatred betweca cUsses, and among the wnrking-people a^jainst <^nia>%'M.i:«^.hi^.M(*l,».4A-««t)dMukk.W.^<«t OP A DIMGKNT LIFE. 43 all exlstinir institvitioiiH. to eriiJicnto wliic-h pliilosopl.y and all other armiirnrit would hv ii]»pliod in vain. 1 jioititcd out what the Into Kivrl ol" Elli'SiiuT!.' hail said in approval of my work •■ IN.jiuiar Fallacifs aoout tlu> Army and the Aristocracy," and that he at least, with the ina<.'nilieont. inheritanee of the .I3rid;j:ewater estates, was not an atiitator on thirty shiliinijs a week. [ pointed out what the late General Napier, who oonnnanded tfie Midland Districts of Eniihind diirinir the Chartist trou- bles of IH'.id, had said in apprn\al of '• Sonierville's J)issuasive VVarni >gs to the People on Street Warfare. ' Also tliat u Jnilitary ofiieer (.1" rank in Qiiehe«!, IJritisli and I'rutestant in iiis sympathies, had attended my lecture relatinu- to J^innin!j,hat>.i aiul niy court martial of 18;i2, and that at the eonclusi'^n he approached me with a friend, also a n.ililary uentlo- Dian, and asked to fhake hands with, as n.' was p]ea.sed to say, "one who haitantts armiyosing the Minority in Jjowvr Cdnnchi, brnught nbont [What i.s brought about?] hy the Muladmiiiistration of Justice, and the Tyranny of the Majitrity in that Province; and the Remedy there/or.'' ll(i is also Secretary to the " (Quebec Literary and Historical Society," If, on a ijuestion of history so grave as whether an eminent statesman and a great gcjnoral officer wert; in complicity for unconstitutional objects in 18l:{2, he can regard historical accuracy as so worthless, and Quebec society so blind, that he may a.ssert as fact or probable itiference, that which nothing under dis- cussion justified nor suggested, and if, out of twenty six items of evi- dence, hi*, through some incomprcbensible eccentricity, could suppress all but one, and that the least useful, admittiuu that one only to throw it at the head of a stranger whom lie deemed too weak and too hopehi.ssly depressed to vindicate himself and the public interests of truth, how much of his political assertions, his literary and hisiorical effusions, may the public adinit or doubt ? 44 SOfEBVILLE's BOOK I^lt tliis is a bo(»k of tlio ^(mkI wlii<.'li reMides in trnTybody. Goud will be f<»und in tb'8 councilor ;it-ljiw. In tlu^ course of tb(! dovel- opnients .if political imd le^'iil life, ho will lie a jud-ro, jHi^sibly eiiouuh chief-justico. dispensing linal doom upon tlio trnn.s>neHS(.rs of two raccH, twoliiM^iuaiies, and the several creisls of Canada,fniin his exalted seat on the rock of Quebee. 8ir Charles Wetliitrall did not reach the higher judicial benches: lie was only llecordei of liristol. IJut Mr. Copley, who waH with him in the defence ol" Arthur Thistiowcod, p>iitlenian, James Watson the elder, surgeon. JaUKs I'reslon, shoemaker, and Thomas Hooper, shoouuiker, arraiirii''d at Westminster JIall on a chartr*! of liigh treason, June !>, 1S17, beeame Lord Chancellor and a very eminent peer. He is now the venerahh; and venerated Lord Lvndhurst. Our Quebec counsellor-at-law, when aumsing a dull liour about the snjall agitators at thirty shillings a week, about Mr. lliehardson's visit to Woolwich Arsenal in 1H39. and my " J)is^nasive Wartiinga to the Peojth' on Strei't Wari'ari' " of' that year, which General Xapier approved, went on to say that the affair ren)inded him ol' an ineid(.'nt reported in some trial of a man who went at the head of a jnol) and summoned the Tower of London to surrender. The Quebec eouusellor-at-law here ]>luudcred by chance up(m the first event of a seri<'8 the most protbund in modern eonstitutioi.al history. The man who sumumned the Tower to surrender was Thistlewood, al'terwards hanged lor treason. In my WothiiKj Jfin's WltnrKs uf A'ril ibmt: -i AtheUtH and infu/ch, re*; Lendns of tliv Ft '/)lf^ this event is desenoed in the series of " Dark Passages in the Popular Agitation ol 18Ui "' ; one of the least reputable passages being the conduct of Mr. Charles Wetherall and Mr. John Copley, through license of their feis. in bespattering Tory Ministers with false accusations which history can hardly wash away, to the effect that they themselves made thi! traitors wIkuu the}' sought to punish. The high trea.son of 1810 did not consist in the uiere summoning of the Tower by a man at the l'<:!ad fif a mob. It was comprised in the previous subversion of certain soldiers of the garrison by actual gift.sand further jiromises to them and to all the army in Ltuxlon. The summons of Thistlewood was the announcement that the iusurrectitm !iad begun. Subfirdinate men were hanged for their smaller share in ihat day's work ; the leaders escaped through being arraigned on the charge of high treason, and through the ingenuity and reckless denuneiation of the government prosecution by Mr. Wetherall and Mr. Copley. In this, these barristers and counsellors-at-law exceeded even the wide iieen.se of -counsel : they imputed the deepest baseness to Lord Liverpool's govern- ment and its Attorney General ; and agitators of that day — popular writers such as Mr. Cobbett — took up those accuisations and intensified lkuf-»4f^tl*nM, t>.4'«<\«^ *^i., »i,,«**..--.-*,4Jri«i»4^u^.ji,. OF A DILIOBNT LIFE. 15 pulilic indisnation to such a fonvs of velicincnci^ that, hiheus corpus was Huspiiiiili'd ; thi; '• Six A.:ts " of Siiliii'.uth ami CaslKiTJU.'h woro p:i:>W to iS'd\: the )-rc.sfl, and to |.i(.hibit piiMic iiioi'tlti!.'.''. Thi^tl(:w^.l(l iiiul other a.ssoi'iat<3rt roturuoil to subvi^rt f he army. They wor»' liaiijrtHl and hchoadod. The Manchcstor Mass^iciv of IHIO, not yet forgotten or forgiven, occur Te harangue tlu; grand jury, and incidentally the ordinary jury and auditors, against the Ht^forni agitation, the now Whig government desind him, in October ISHI, U) refrain from a public entry, a.s the autlun'ities of Hristol had appealed to the Home Secretary of State to prevent it. On the 2(lth of that month the King prorogued Parliament, and, beinir (avonrable to Reform, wivs applauded a.s seldom a Sovereign of Britain had been belbre (the popularity and charming courtesy which surrouiuis Quecu Victoria always, being a now and subsequent attribute td' ntouarchy). .\t the Kiuira approacli, many of the anti-reform mcmi>er.s of the [louse of Conunons and the greater poition <>f the anti-reform Lords, rushed in disorder through the lobbies, fl(M:>ing the King's presence. The report of that discourtesy, to give it a ndid nauu;, added to the excit^iinont of the country. Nine days afterwards tliat most untcaehable of obfitinatc Tories, Sir Charles Wetherall, entlaiiit waf» mtulo, iirid siistaiiu'd by proof, that tlio riiilitsnv hud Imhmi ft'Uiisx in tlio first instaiuje. The colniu'l miiinniiHrmt!' cnimiiitto'l suitiih' muli'V tho irnjtutatidn ul' ii('|.'k'(!tt'(l tlutv 'I'hiH cvinit. when the crisi.- liuiu' in M.iy of thf lolluwinj.' ycsir. ihrna^h ii 8U('C(Mrful auti- ri^lorm moiinii iif \,i>v(\ liynUiurst (fonncily Mr, Copity and co-Morkor with kSir ('harks VVothi'rall. a.^ wo haw JuhI socn). l»d t.> vitrilaiit [ire- cautinriH aoiuiMj; military CMDniiandiTH t'vrrywhi'ri'. and i-siU'Cially at, BiriniiiLihain, lo liavc swords sli;ir|i, and iimmi sure. Lord LyndhurHt, by his hostile iiioti.li> in tho liousi; of Ldvds on INIay 7th, IS.'iii, bronizht^ on the. eri.ii,s. That troasr be relied on. The Kiuii's letter to tlu! Anti-Keform Lortis, and their cessation of hostility to tlie national will, was the direct result, and the msw Magmi (Miarta became law without bloo'l.shetl, — the blooil from my devoted back exeept(>d, I have been told by a gentleman who knows liOrd Lyndhurst intimate- ly that he looks back witli sornnv on the extreme course ho pursued io urging on that crisis of peril in 1838. lb.' that as it may, his lordship, durinu' most of the intervening years, ha.x been a practical cotiservative ()f distinction, it the definition of couservati.suj btou, Hoopfr, Henry Hunt, Richard Carlilo, Haruaer of tiio Weekly Dispatch. IMans to revolutionise Lumlon. IMiiiider of gunsmitha' Hhoi>s. The Tower of London summoned. The trials for Ircadon. The six Hlack Acts. This chapter proxcntn one of t]uy arty. It is the ehapter nf Knglisli political history which first brought Mr. James Flanner and the Wenkly Dispatch prominently before the world, ami in which the event of HUinmoning the Tower of London occurred. It is reproduced from iSonierville'.s " AVorkiug Man's WitnesH against the London Literary Infideb*,' puMished 1857. The, Sj)a-Fi' i «t» y »*>tHi* * t»k«4 : 4^**:^ '. '*^ ^l H*'« i;M 'i^'^*' 48 80MERVILLKH noOK fnmi fivo-nri«I- twenty yonrH of wur to now comlitionH of pence. In tliut quarter of a century the iipplieMtion of niuchiiiery to the disphicenient of inaiiual labour hud been lars^ely extetuled. Many ihouHandw of MoldierH, HaihtrH, artiziuis, and hil)ourers, lately eiiiplfiyt'd by the exi^'ciiciesof war, wi-re then diseharjrcd. A^'riculturints Were in grief about the harvest, iiiaiiuf'.ieturers about tlieir unsold j^oods and extin;;uished prolits, tlie lieiipjc! about their seanty food and low wa^,-es, and niagit^terial power belield the fVc(|Uent disturbance of the peace with alarm. rr»)in ('ornwall to Inverness there was conitnotion. The least distressed ui' th»; people petitioned for parliaincuitary reform ; the uiuMuployed and starvinj; detnonstrated their suft'i!rinjj;H in riot ami in the plunder of shops con- taining' food. in London the '' Spenceans " passed resolutions a^^ainst private jtro- perty in land, a,Ljainst large farms, and agiiinst niaehiiiery . Mr. \Vat.>laa of the approauhos to the different niotio|Hilitan harruuki, the tirHt intoud- fd tor iittiick U^iujf thut ni^ar Uey;ont'H l*urk, then (H't'iipied by iirtillerj. Tho ^unn wcrt' to Ih' (^aptun.'d and hroui,'i»l into Oxftifd Street. Tio- catiiliy, and St. .laniess I'ark, under comuiund of John ITarriycMi, general nf balterics and lieavy ^uns. Thisitlewood wiwti> In <*'iniuuinder- iiMihief; the el(k;r Wat,H<)n seetMid, llarriwju thir •♦kctched out, bein;.' the niinisti"y intended to .succred the f^^viTMnuinl then existini;. I*rint«'d papers were distributed among ttolilier.s, ofl'erinfi' them a hun- dred u:uineaM down, or tlimble pay for lifo, if tlu^y tttok side with the insur^enUs. The iu(mey was to Ixi obtained from the ' Old Lady (Hauk of Kn;.;land), an mnm an the " Ohl ^Man " (the Tower) was in their possession, i^ coriw of jijaily dressed feinale.-i was to be raised to ap|Mtiir before the soldiers, with the double purpose of fawinating by thoir blandLshmeuts, and preventing them, with the appeal of '' You would not kill women, ' from .shooting the insurgent males formed behind the female line. This part of the S(!heme was more esyteeially inttunled for tlu' cavalry and infantry stationed at Kni_:. htsbridge, whose (jUarU;rs could not be invaded by the chemical stench and destroying tire appli- cublo to Portman Street and King Street barraekf*. Rarrioades were to be creoted at west end of Oxf()rd Street and Ficeudilly, with two })i(!oeH of iij-tillery behinm, in the ttelief that they were spikes for a railling to be placed around a rabbit-warrc.n. Thistlew».iod gave Casth; money to pay JJentley for 250, of which 1U8 wore afterwards found iu the house 30 Hyde Street, where Watson, junior, had \m surgery. In pursuing the narrative of disclosure as made by John (,\istlo, the co-conspirator and co-atheist of Thistlewood and the Wutsous, let me repeat to the young readi-r that this revolutionary conspiracy caused tlie Act of Habeas Coiym to be susfXiudc^d ; the lilxjrty of spoec,h, of pi-int- ing, and of public nieeting.s, to be seriously restricted. It made the v^ry name of Iluforiu o thu wealthicyc rT-T-r^-.-T'-tp H*-*'* -* — •**^aM•^-«•-« 50 SOMERVTLLE'a BOOK oliiMU'H of Hooifty, withotit whoHC wncurrciuu^ antl nid no parliainoutary ret'orm ciniM bo nccoinpliMhod. Tht> «!oiiHpiriitorH Mat in connril nn a chcHt, a form for n tahio, at No 9 Orpyxtoki' JMin-o Fottor Laiui, Lon- don, from 1 1 A.M. to 6 J'.m., on t\w 'M of Novumht-r, IHlll, (Siimliiy). They wore, Artlmr TJiintlcwood, p'ntlcman. in ti^'litly lilting' piintaliv)ns, lIosHian hoots, hlu«: ilrcHw doat, and wliito cravat; ThoiiiuH ProHton, Hhot'makiT, in liirt Icatlicr apron, |)oor and lame; the WatHons, father und Hon, woll dresHod Hur|.'»'ons, hut poor in [KR-kot, vuht'mcMit and elotjucnt in Hf)ett'h , John Ihirri.son, hdtonnM-. a disoharp'il artill»Ty- nian, with a pitivanee; and John CaMth;, a johbinjr smith. Hoing nf*ked ■what they nnid rchitinj; to the barnurks, Caxth' replied: — We, VVatwm, senior, und I, naid we had been to look at the avenues, und ihoroiiL'hly investi^rale botli the Purtman Street aM wovdd be in the stret t.s, and many drunk. We were to sto]) all [>ersons we met, and nuike them join us ; to stop all gentlemen's carriages, aiid carts, and take out the horses ; to mount the horses and fbnn a cavalry with them. After I had set fire to the King Street bar- racks, and had seen the whole in flames, I waa to meet the elder Watson at the top of Oxford Street, and Harrison was to join us with the artillery from the Prince Ilegent's I'ark. As soon as he had joined, a volley waa to be fired, to let the others know we had got possession of the artillery 1 hour, (iiue, ^re to linen 'h {h »nd bar- latson [illery was Illery i or A DILIUKNT LIPK. &l What WW* to be «lono with t\w nrtilh n- ? Two pIci-cH yxon^ to bo t4iki'ii into th») Piirk to tire on tho niMilry it iiny 'tt'thiui ^-hniiM att.iiutt to «'uiiit> 'icitiHH Thf'V wiTf to }«■ yroUcU'A by i» ]»inly "f [likciinn lotl there titr rh:tt |»iii|i'isi' Alllhi' iivcnut- mh th»! wtiy f't'im rortniiiii Stn-ot w»'r«> to br bairinMltd, {>< |)n'v<'nf the iiSHt'iiibliM;.' of any niviilry timl nii;ilit be (Mit (.r«|uiirt('rs. From Oxford Stro«'t wo w«iriitop> ^\l^\\u I'ark Ijano and biirricatlc the tlirtorciit ('ntraiMM'M to thi> Park. 'I'lu- turtifiik*; i;ati! ut Hyth' I'ark corniT wa« to bf biirrirndod and chaitHMl. A |>arty wn.- t<> bo li'tt \\w.T<' to firt' n|ti»n the ^lohbtTs if any iMi\iiiii'«'il that way. We wtrc tlicn tn [irnciitl 111 ("iiarin^' ('r else were to be appointed besides the six generals you have nanu'd 'f Yes, it was u}.^reed that we should appoint a committee of puhlic safety. Thistlewood propo.si^d that this should Ik; dftne, in onh^r that there miiiht be a <.;lot, Castle said: The money was to be paid when we got possession of the Bank; that was settled at a consultation between Harrison, the two Watson.s, Thistlewood, and niyaelf. I'he whole notes in circ Illation we7'e to he distroyed, and all pnyniaits were to he paid m ,!..-- ie., j i» >> . - = .•...^lM.t^«^f'.^.r',...«*t^.7',lHl.V.t-^«.'.W'«. 52 80VIKRVILLE S BOOK c.a,sh. It. was afjreod iipnn tliat we could fiml plf-uty oP plate in the noUe- ruc.i'8 hou.sch. aiul we were to eoui money, witli the iiupn^siuti of a eap of lib.'i'ty. '['lie generals were to give an order i'or tiie valin.- on '1 histlewood. If the order wa« not aeoe}»led, the things were to lie taken by force. Somerset House was to be our heail-(juai'ters JiOaving the pikes, tJu^ eonspiratfu-s. and plans nf revolution, let us endeavour to catch a glimpse of Henry Hunt, whu is to be chief orator at the 8pa-Field,s meeting. To nnch liiui mo slmuld iirst tind ifuihard Ciirlile, wJi'i has not yet ueconn- the ci.'lelirated athoist. He i« a jmirney • man tinsmith, workingin (niun (.'onrt, llolbuni Mill. lltTC lie i,s. in the shop of Messrs xMathew.s and Ma.steniiaii. In [lersou. Carlile i," phort<'r than the height called middle stature ; he is broad in hndv. rotund in head, robust in health, tiuiitl in complexion, hisM''':^^' th.^^'^^^'^^ Povonshire j the purport of bi^ uiVh., iwn uard iiuies, and injustice inilivlcd 01) wor'ving men by kings of natiois :ii>il )"jjf<:i"-' ^'■'■^■-~}imi'-u' -w''.ii»* huium. ang and soldering his tins, he composi'S a complimentary acrostic on Uic uamo of Henry Hum. and sends it U\ Wiiliani Cobbett for insertion in tlic Polificfii Minister. Mr. Cobbett resents the indiscretion of a working nu)n preferring to [iraisc Hunt ius a patriot instead of himsolf, by exposing the bad grammar of the eiiusi(»n. The tinman writes again, \Xi\» time a letter, not in j-raiseof any ont!, but of bitterneiis against all riding powers, from tlio I'rince llijgent and Earl of Liverpool, mj;n of the tinsmiths in Union Court. Tins be carries to the JjtdejJviAictU W/t' , a popular j(mrmd of the time, whoso editor rejects it with the euiark, '' a hnlf-omployed mechanic is t(^o violent." He pens another lett'^, and caiijes it to Covent (Jarden, with the purpose of presenting it to Kv, Hunt in person, at the Bedford Hotel. Henry Hunt, gentleman jcdriot to tlie wiirking classes, arrayed in blue dress- coat, white waistfT LIPi:. 63 e noble- i\ cap of bwood. •J force. I, lot us f orator ilichard jiiuriiey- is. in the 5 .^llorti■^ iitund iu i;.,!..- ' ■»' iiillK.led iU'll'Stit.' insert i(»u inn 111' ;i liinisoir, es a;j;ain, piiiist all ilown to '^ to the r rojectvS He pons ipixse of Henry \ (Irefis- loet and M.ickotj ii'FieldiS dinixer. M)ple ol' aps any iHH-ative within [ty (lod. Iieral of i)s now > h'>\XYS iihting proud, I tribune Henry Hunt. When heh.is hesitated two hours, he enters, and is atfrnnted for hie* presumption. In thirt sketch I have followed Mr. Carlile's own description, dven me about 183H-:>4. At tliat time also I kvn-nod from otber sources than Castles own evidence, that he had spoken truth at Watv«on's trial in 1817, about tlie conspiracy to subvert the army. If you would discover the reaion of Spa-Fields, iro northerly through Cli;rkenwell. jneaUty of shoemakers, watchmakers, workinp jewellers, and tancy caliinetnialiers. On the wcsten. slopes between Sadler's Wells, lU>erv(.ir above, and Baiinitz-iio Wells Koad below, yon find an intricacy of sijuarcs, crooked str»!ets. and lanes, now densely peopled, and occnpy- int; the tiround wliieh was Spa- Fields, olden locality of archery butts, milk c'lws. l)uttercnps and daisirs, dances on the irreen, working mene assfiiilili. s. ;iiid a famcl rnnil tavern e;illed " Merlin's Cave," A thin cornel- pnlilic lious<^, pniclied for want of space, lictween two narrow streets, is the '' Merlins Cii\e ' of this day. Un a chilly Thursday, loth of Ndvember, 181G, maiiy thousands of working and out-of-work men assembled in front of the ' Old Merlin." Tha^ nieetini:' lieing a succe-^s in res])ectof numbers, another, to be held on tlie 2d I if Ilecember, was then designed, to give hirtli lo the insurrec- tion. Harrison ceased to attend the secret committee. Flooper, a shoe- maki'r. and Kearn.s, a tailor, took his place. The latter made greats- coats to each of the conspirators, to hide their weaimns. Fiid.iy, 2nth November, the guns and sabres of Exeter 'Change, and large kniv(\« in the shops of the Strand, Fleet Street, and C'heapside, were estiniatf.-d. Pistols and ammunition were purchased. On Sunday, 1st Oeeeniber, the ekhir ^V^itfion said his son James had brotight great news : lie had discovered that he could hhuii^Ai' hv'mi>: fi/tct'n (housntul mvn to join them, and that he knew where there were fiftii thovaand statu! of arms beloncr. ing to the pjast India (-ompany. T!iistlewi>f)d remarked that they must alter tlieir plans ; and it was settled that Presion .should collect as many thousands as possible in the uiorning. by jjfoing round to the public houses, giving intructions to their conhdential frieud.s, and iippointin<>' thom captains. Young Wats attack the Tower. The pistols were then loaded, and the cockades prepared. A piece of wliite calico was patchtxi upon their ensign, and thin inw^ription written for it by VVataon the elder, '' The bra vti soldiers are our friends : treat them kindly." 64 somkrvilt.e'h book The public meetinu- was advertised for ono o'clock oti 2d Decombftr; but to avoid the presence of Hunt, the conspirators resolved to begin at tweho. Old Watson ;iddresst;d the assembly in lanj;niij,^e not to be mistiiken ; such as, " This day wo are called upon tn take other n)easnres than to sijiu petitiijns, and Kn^land expects every man will do hi^duty," Young Watson, it must hv. conceded, though a fnol was not a knave and a coward, who. like certain leaders of the IMiysicahForce Chartists — Lon(ion and provincial— in 1848. exasperated tlu: ingnorantly disaifect- ed niohs to violence, while they skulked out of danger thenisehes. lie had resolved to challenge the hazards of insurnjction in his own pi-r^jn. Succeeding his fatlier in the waggon, he inflnnuMl I lie people by talking of Wat Tyler, Avhai fiOrd Mayor Walworth did to Tyler, and what Li.rd Mayor \\'ood .should not d') to hiui, Wat Tyler the younger. JTf, came to a climax llius : — " ."^f our old idiot Sovereign Lord the King, and his ministers, will not give us wliat we want , what then ? shall we not take it ? (cries of Yes.) Are you willing to take it? (We are.) AVill you go and take it? (Yes,) If I jun)p down among you, will you follow me?'' (Cries of we will, and vehement choc^ring.) Tliereuj)on In leaped frnni tlie WMggon, his father, Thistlewood, ani"e Edward Hone, shopnuui, John lloberts, fi[){»rcntice. and Jlichard Piatt, a young man thevi' tm busines-. W'lih a pi.stol in his hand, ynung Watson entei'td, and, stanjpinu' twice with his feet, exclaimed, '' Arms ! we want arms." Piatt laid iiold of him with botli hands, and demanded to know who he was. " He looked Hrst at Mr. Beckwiths shopman, (Piatt's evidence,) and then at me. He cocked his pistol and raised it, and was in th< act of directing it against my breast, as 1 supposud. t remarked, i'rom the turn of his hand, the direction it was to take ; T therefore .struck out my left hand, wi.^hing to catch the muzzle. I'ponujy doing so. lio bo lusiisvires i.s duty." a knave iirtisls — (lisaifect- \ es. He y talkiui^ luit Lmci ITf caiuo iters, will (cries of , at 1(1 take (Cries of voocl, and ther man a ty of tbe porter for f head of )f tin; uiob [portion of fill, direct »ai:li Cow low Hill. |b's^lioxii(.5rays Inn l-ane for a tnjop of hussars stationed there. The mob continued to plund(!r all the gun- smith,-' shops in tlii; way down the Minorics. the incidents of attack not greatly dishmilar from ihost' in Skinner Street. Thistlewood advanced to the railings on Tower Hill, and suuuiMnu'd a srinories, and the helter- skelter rush of the mob, caused Thistlewood to vanish. At half-past six in the evening, he, with the two Watsons, Preston, ami Castle, were in Watsons rooui, I l>ean Street^ Fetter .Lane, Thistlewood said they were going into the country, He was now satislied that the people were not ripe' enough to act. At eleven o dlock that night, Charles Meyell, one of the horse-patroles, was on the road near Mighgate, four miles Irom Lond(Mi ; he saw three men approachinu', and, having Insard of a rol>bery committed by footpads in .Kssex. ^aid to tliinn, " (Jentlemen, I b(.'g your pardon, where are you travelling to ?"' On which one re])lie.d '• To North- ampton.' The patroh; remarked that it was a late hour to start for North- ampton. He who had ,-poken held up u bundle to show that they were travellers; in doing which, he exposed tlie butt-end of a pistol which he carried in the breast of his coat. The patroU; seized it, and also the man, who proved to he tlui elder Wutson, and called to some watchmen for assistance. Thistlewood and young Watson, the two C(mipaHions, ])re- seuled and .snapped their pistols at MoycU, but both mis.sed lire. They ^^_,*,„*.^*».p+«-H-..< 56 80MEaVII,LE'8 BOOK ran awny, iha patrolo ufter theiii, leaving Watnon in charge of two nion. Hearing a scuffle, he returned and tound all on fhe ground, one of the men trying to wrench from Watson the blade of a sword with which he bad attackod them. On Mttnday, June 1), 1H17, tho older Watson (his fon not captured) was arrainged, with Thistlewood, Preston, arid Hooper, on a eharye of high treason. Watson's trial was taken tirst. He was vigorously de- fended by >rr. Wetheralland Sergeant (^>pley, as has already been stated. At the close of a trial which lasted eight days, Watson \\as acijuitted, and the rest discharged from custody. The verdict aci(uitting \Vat.'^on. and the discharge -^'the other ]irisoners. is -'ported t<» have been raptur- ously apjiluuded by the juultiuide as.sem(' -d in J'alacc Yard. The liberated men were conveyed to the house of a notorious eii'^niy oi' the Bible and (.'hristianity, in Wych .Street, and there joined by Uariner, attorney foe the defence, — wlio on that success founded the Wcekh/ Dispofrh^ — W^«W)ller, Sherwin, and other persons of simiUir ."^ ntinients. Thistlewood addressed the crowd frf)ni the windoM*. saying, " My feel- ings have been much overjtowered by being so suddenly ,set at liberty after tlie anxiety I have experienced. I have tried to do my duty. My life shall be devoted to your cause.'' (Vehement cheers.) 'J'hat life was soon after hazarded, and lost upon the scaffold, with the lives of several more, involved in the '■ (Jato Street conspiracy." The last thing heard of James Watson the younger, was. that he had " retired on a ccmp^tency " derived from the sale of atheistical and immoral books. Y<>s ' there is money to be made at everything, but in serving the cause of truth a)id honor and th( public well-being with unswerAing lidelity. I have devotx^d my life to that cau.se; and the result is that I am an exile, with my six cluldren, on the Hock of Quebec, father and children with- out a native land. ! Such i,^ an abbreviated narrative of the attempt to sedt:ce the '_'arrison of the Tower of London in 181<>. which the counsel lor-at-law of Quebec referred to a.s having heard of as a jest in some trial somewhere. These are the facts as they came out at the trial ; but in after years I learned that the progress made with the soldiers was more advanced and more danty ; and to the character which I earned in years of inten.se application, before n)y health gave way, This relates to industry, and fidelity to employers. Literary Certificate, No. 1. " Examiner Office, 22 Market St., Manchester, 18th February, 1819. " My Dear Sir, — I lose not a moment in replying to your letter just received. I can honestly say, and Mr. Ballantyne (chief editor) cordi- ally joins with me, that you never disappointed us in any work you undertook to perforn) for our paper. I was rather surprised that you was able to furnish us with tl)e ' Letti'rs from Ireland ' [during the famine of 184.6-47] in the undoviating, regular way in wliich we received them, considering your distance from lunne, and the out-of-the-way districts into whi<*h you penetrated, and all the chance of remote j>osts ; not a letter but came to our office with unfailing punctuality. And this is true with regard to all the work done for us. Your conduct was always strictly honourable, punctual, manly, and straightforward, and we feel at all times pleased to see you and converse with you. We often admired the power of application and f.-riility of ideas wliich the large aiuoui-t of work you were in the habit of doing proved you to be master of. .It gives us the utmost pleasure to bear thir testimony to the industry and abilities of one whose writings will, we are sure, survive when much that is ountemporaaeous with them will have been swept into oblivion. (Signed,) Alexander Irelanp." oiiiiBi M iiii«*imii^iitn 58 somkrville's book Literary Certificate, No. 2« Circular of Alexander Ireliuul, Es({., co-proprietor find manafiror of the Manchester Examiner and Times, 1850. Extract. ''I need not opciipy yoiir time in rocoinitinf; the sorvic(^s which Mr. Somorville. in hi.> variou.s writings, ha.s rendiivd to the public on hxwh- tions of tinancial soienco, coninicrcial reform, and in disseniinating sound views on other social questions- ; nor in reminding you of the great personal exertion.s and sucrifico.-s he has made in <")nd»atting the doctrines of the IMxy.sicd- Force Chartists, and in cxj>i»sinu; th(5 delu.sivo Land Scheme of Feri;u.< O'Connor. Suffice it to say, that a trood deal of the eriliarr;i.s.smcnt under which he now labours has had its origin in hi.s etfort to spread in this district sound politico-econoniic views by moans of National Wealtli Tracts and other publications, thnniirh which he has lost umch valuable timCj which to hiru, as a literary unin. is citj)ital, besides contracting an aiuount of obligations whicli threatens to over- whelm liiin. • For your satisfaction, I nniy state, that during the last three year» 1 have becTi intimately accjuainted with iMr. kSomcrville, and can vouch for his untiring industry, perfect sobricjty, and g\ eral fruL'al habits of life.'' This being signed by ''Alexander Ireland/ was endorsed by the folio win ti : '' VV'e are actjuainted with the circumstances detailed above, and believe the statement to be a correct one." Signed, John Bright, M.P. ; George Wilson (chairman of the late Anti-Corn-Law Leagu*;), Robert Hyde (Ireg (manufacturer, formerly Ml*, for Mantdiester), William Kawson (now deceased, treasurer of the late Aiiti-(;Orn Law League), Salis Schwabe (Mandu'ster, German merchant, now deceased), .Henry Ashworth and Edward Ashworth (manufacturers of Turtim, near Bolton). A sum of about £U() was obtained by Mr. Ireland through that circular, and paid by him to one of my printers, a Quaker, who also retained the entire impression of the work which he had ])rinted. Some influential manufacturers obiect,ed to mv svstem of Kcono- mic Science, They asked, '* What has Political Economy to do with human happiness? Why subscribe money to assist our enemy '? Mr. Somerville tells our workers that the human being is the primary ele- ment in national wealth ; that * the ministrations which exalt man's spiritual nature and purify his life are elements in the sum of public Wealth.' This ib a system of public nonsense. We should extinguish it while yet in the hud, rather than give Somerville funds to extend it." And they aeted acxjordingly. The tracts were commenced thus in 1848 : I OF A DILIOKIST LIFE. ny To Bi'lkverti In PoJiflraf Agronomy. — SomeRVIM.e's National XVKAi/nr Tracts im; an t'ffurt. by (>»> nhit has W.'iisfhd ul f/ie I'UniffK to n'tid.'r I'nlitiral Kcononiy iiitclliiiiblc and a^'n'oabli- to tbow (',laafnd on the personal interest which believers in IVilitioal Economy who do not them- selves reijuire teaeliinm, tjiay feel in it. to iiidu'*c them U) purcha'^e thes that your powers will be employed for their advants«ge. I ajtn, dear Sir, youi's very truly, T, Perronkt Tuompson. To Mr. Soaaerville, author of the National V?ealth Tracts." IMMr-tn^llMiMMivvUi^U' 60 gOMERVII,LB8 BOOK LiTKUARY Certificate, No. 4. [From John Bright, Esq., M.P, for iManchostor.] " LoNiMhV, May 29, 1848. " Dear Sir. — I nm very prlad to learn that you areintondiiif; to bring out a Series of Tracts, by whieh you hope to make the principbs of Political Economy familiar to the bnlk of our population. 1 believe the upbdMiug of those priiici])le8 is of vital imjiortanco to all da.sses in this oountry ; and that, if there be any one chus.<« which has a stronger interest in their ob.-^ervanee than another, it is that nxist numerous jiortion of the peojile whose existenee depends upon the reward, or wages, received for their daily labour. " If you Hueci-ed in convituing thetn that non-intcrliirenee by law with labour and witli prices, whether of labour or of othi-r eomiiiodities, is the true policy both of governineut and of (Kiople ; and that the honest way to comfort and competence, aiui the only vuitj vhiih i» oprn to the inil- lionx for whose Imtrurtiou you write, is by industry, frugality, and freedom, you will have rendered a service of the greatest magnitude to your countrymen. " I hop<* your Tiiicts will have that wide circulation which I feel great oonfidence they will deserve, — and am, very truly yours, John Brkiht. To Mr. Aiesaiider Soiuerville," In the foregoing, Mr. Bright said: " If you succeed in convincing them (the workers) that non-interference by law with labour and with prices, whether oi'lJionr or of other conmuxlities. kc' In these word.'* he confounded two very diftVT(!nt things as one. He meant by hibour tho person, — the jK^rsonal heahh, life, and limb of the factory worker, as well as the skill which brought forth the products of the spindle and loom at which the worker was employed, I separated the person of the worker from tmrk and akill. This was the commencement of what may be called my economic heresy at Manchester, In the rise and progressive supremacy of the mill syst('miri Lancashire and the West of Scotlaiid, the sa<:ritiee of human life has been too great in the face of a world of witnesses lor the human being to bo reckoned as a part of national wtalth by mill-taaster poli- tii'ians, Too many thousands, and tens of thousands, of displaced hand-loom weavers havj pined to death ; too many hundreds of thousands of short-lived mothers, in the seventy years of unrestricted hours of labour, have staggered dizzy-headed among whirling machinery, the Hiilk running from their breasts as they ttjnderly tm»'S, stupifiiHl l>y druL'-rordi!tls and drnppini.' into inorciful i/ravcs, — <^rav<'H alwiiy?^ ojx^n, di'«'p, wide, ready to nvfiv*' tho many thousands of fiietory infant lives per annnin. over the amount of habv doaths dxui to ordinary niortality. Too many niillionB of the off- sprin}; of fju?tury workinii tnotiicrs — fathors <;rowii Uk) hiij^ to l>c admitted to work — have hwiu stupefied in brain and cramped in limb in their child! ifo t« snrvivfl to adult ajre ; or, if survivini!; to be fathers and motliers fif a eeneration still lower in the descent of doeropitude. have died r)f old iur< of human happiness as oon.stituent« and objects of public wealth. EVilitieal economy vitalized to a (■oneervative Seience, teaches that Public Wealth comprises personal nunjberSj health, f(H)d, clothing, housing, furniture, lndu^^trial education, books, and all aoeessories to intelloi'tual vigour and enjoyment ; the ministrations which purify and exalt moral and spiritual lite; tho instruments and agencies of pro- duction, as tools, machinery, locomotion, exchanges, mimey, and credit. The latter so intimately relatixl to the ministrations whi(;h puril'y and <^xalt moral nature, that even the trade-mark oii a bale of goods, the value of a bill of exchange, or of a bank-note, and the credit of a whole nation may be affected thruugh confonnity or neglect of tho.se ])uriiying ministra- tions, Security from eueniies is another elcnujni in Public wealth, and security includes freedom to produce, to jK>s.ses,s, to buy, to sell; freedom from the foreign invader, from the donuvstic monojwlist. A nation's domestic production nuiy be affected to temporary derangement, even to extincti(m, ])y the importation of commodities from foreign sources. Political Economy does not, under all or any circum- stances, teach the admission of foreign goods to the subversion of domestic production ; aor does it forbid itu It consigns to the wisdom of government and legislation, the task of judging whether the foreign import will be a benefit or a disadvantage. If an article in common use be imported, society may derive a benefit through that article becoming more abundantly supplied; but if a jwrtion of the population bo consigned to G2 80MKRVILLB'8 book ponury. and to such dotoriorntion or ('xtiiMifioii m not to b« inrailtiMe for ualioiial di'f'eiuc or other supniiiin oxi^'tnc'v , I'nhticul Eijonoiuy ifinindfk thf IcgiBlator that tho hi uiaii hciiii; is thf jiriruary <'leui<'nt in aati(»iml wealth. But the sniujjTf^ler miidilic's all tirtval wLsdoiu. lV<»t;;j;Un- buirin. Politii;ul Kcnnoniy in that conservative' wcienen which teaches how to taite leH8orin from uuitttMH of fact ; such aH the depopulation of the FTii^h- lauds of Scotlaud, the partial depopulatiuii M' lichind, and ihe deteriora- tion of the ci»tton-W(irkin^ p<.ipulatii>n ut Hntain belnw the phyHie.al standard of heiiltliful lite, tl standard at which iiieji ean bear iiruiM for public defence. It takes cognizance of iIki .startlinj^ fact, that the anta- gonism between the maHHCS of the working [)ojmlatise of this volume to sliow how wealth is to be diffused without offence to Ofjuity, and how harmony is. to be establislied and sustained between capita! and labour; therefore by what prottess the workiov': multitudes of such a country as 'Britain nuiy be safely cutru«tcdE with iirius and bcnctioially trained for uatioiial defence^ I OF A DJMOKNT LIFE. 63 CIlAl'TKR VTl. QiinitiTly Review of July, l«r)!>. Account of Kdinbur^fh riots of 1H;U, by Miss Pruspr TyUor. Aiithor'a account of llu' Hume in a forini-r work. fli-. iiosition ft8 a working irmn in IBIU. An incident of the previous y>?ftr in a .stone quarry. His vintliciitiori .>f llie riglits of liibourer.s n;JUl^^l the tyranny of utone riinsone. He meets his fellow stone-hewer of IhJO on liieruiuj* of CoUlingiuuu I'liory, 1857. In a j)n!vi>/ a Wurhing Mtin, a.«i the first popular tumults wliich I had witnessed, and which, occurrinu; shortly before .1 entered the Scots Greys as a recruit, had given a tone to my thoughts by whi(rli I have been ever .since governed. The aicount written by Miss Fraser Tytler may be read with mine. The two openiuff sentences of the Quarterly Reviewer, and some remarLs of the Lady-writer, point to the political riots of that time as to indexes of convulsion which were not far removed from revolution, — a fact that 1 also assert of the whole Rei'orm era. ISIU and 18;}2. I assert, how ever, that in May, 1H32, Kevolutiou with all its appalling sequences had arrivwi, and that I, under God, alone averted its horrid presence. Of the historian, the Reviewer says : — " He returniKl to Kclinburgh to find troublous times. Here is a little bit o? hisioni as imp(»rtant in its Avny to us, and as pregnant with conse- quejiees. if we could see them all, as events of higher dignity and anti(|uity. The painter is Miss Ann Fraser Tytler; — 'In December, 1880, there was a change of Ministry, Brougham being made Lord Chancellor, and Lord Grey, Premier. All the Whigs Ciune in. My brother lo,- 1 his office, and in consequence was obliged to let his hous(?. It was fortunate he was beginning to gain by his works. He haundas, St. Andrew's Scjuare, was dyinir at the time. His dau^diters had bark laid before^ the door, the bell tied up, and even the houHe illuminated; but all would not dt). In vain the man stationed at the door warned the mob th.-it a dyint^ person was in the house. They only shouted the louder, and battered every pane of c;la8S in their fury, even in the siek man's ehamber. The sanu' scene was acted in Melville Street also. Mr. William iioiiar lay in the simie state of danger. With lK>th the adtation was t^o p-vnt as to produce delirium, and both died the following niaht. Many said we were on the brink of a revolution. Nothing was talked, read, or thought of, but those subjects,' Somcrville's account of the same occurrences, Auto,, p. 118, ed. 1R54: '* The majority of one for the second reading of the lleform Bill was celebrated throughout the kingihim by a mi.Kture of illumination and darkness, lighted windows and broken ghu^s, bell-ringing and pidhibition of belbringing, by rejoi(;ing and rioting strange to behold and still more strange to think, upon. There abt>uuded in all extravagance the .Lil'eral joy that Reformers were triumphant, associated with the most resolute tyranny to compel Auti-Reformci's to put on signs of rejoicing when they felt no joy. In Edinburgh the Lord Provost, as head of the city magistracy, and the rest of the Anti-Reform corporation, were solicited by the inhabitants m or A DllUlKNT LIVE. 6ft tune, 1 OVCIl ioiiod Tl.oy fury, ■Ivillo With died tion, |R54 : was nrid lition inore iteral Uute men land tuts to proclaim « ncnoml illuniitintinn. Tln'V rfPiiMcd ; hxii Heflincr. Hsovi>niii>: BppnmrliiMl, th»' j/i-niTiil pnspnrationi for n di><|'lny "I'liL'ht, and iib«^orvinjr tlntlin-iiffiiiiiL' nsjH'otof tlic HtriM-t multitude, tlu-y nstxotiN'd, mid jmu Inim- ey IIm'iii only tlio pnhlishcd ii'itbority I'ann- too lntf. Thcy knew not li in;.' of it and n niainctl in diirkncHs OtlirtH d«H'p in political gritf at the miijority of niie, n*Nolvod to kfi-p tln^ir Iiouhoh in jrloonj and to nit within and monrn. Untortunnt<'ly for those of dnrkn»'«i'^ urid norrow who lived in |[i'riot Knw and Alieri'ionihy IMacc ( .'parions lines of first olasH hi'iHos froiitinjr the nuKadamized i^ndway nt-wly laid with lnose stones and the (^^nccn Street ("Jardms with their iron railinu's), the Lord I'rovost lived there. Stones were thidwn Ilis irlass was hroken. The sound of cnishin;: glass and liieility of nhtninin;: missiles to throw whetted the afjpetitc of the ten-thousand-headed mob; a little taste of window- breakinjr to it boinR not unlike n little taste <»f worryinf.^to the wild beast; And so to tlie work of destnietiun the mob rolled like a nca, and roared like storms upon rocks iind seas It proclaimed itself the enemy of Antil{(>fonners and of alass. Like tides abmit Cape Wrath where contrary winds meet oonflictin^r currents this human ^ca, storm risen, roundfd the Koyal Circus, Moray Place, Queen Street, Charlotte Scjuarc, St, Andrew's Sijuare. through the |ir(«l(in<.'e(| stn.'cts which unite tho western and eastern boundaries of the New Town ; and. with wrath where it flow(!d and wreck where it ebbed. })oro upon its surf the seaweed that knew not whither it was carried. I was a piece of th(^ seaweed. I was now for the first r.ine tossed upon the waves of a populai comuietiun. At the bcirinnintr there was a pleasing sensation of newnes.s. Kven the first Honnd of breaking glass was not uiunii.sieal Combativeness and destructivoness were charmed. But as the stones went dash and the glass fell sma.sh , while (!rat with Reforui light; down with Tury darkness. And uiiilluminated Toricis, master and servants, male and female, aged and young, even infiint Tories in their mothers' arms, came to the windows with lighted candles, all they had in their houstained leave for a month, and with six other men lett Edin- burgh on till! 3d of Augu.'^t to go to St. James's fair at Kelso, Ibrty miles distant, to be hired as shearers." Of that nursery ground which I had entered as a labourer eight njonths before, but with the hope of learning arbori(;ulture as a jirofession, it was written in another paragraph of the Autuhiognqthy, when indeed I had no forecast of a necessity to give pro(jfs of my personal character among strangers in Quebec in the year 1859, p. 117: ' To nio individually the employers, father and sons, were just ami oven kind. Whoi I was about to leave them finally (the end of harvest and n)y return to Edinburgh giving no hope that I could struggle longer on six shilli>igs a week), the elder Mr. Dickson gave me a written testimonial of character, which, considering what other men said of him, .surprised mo. He was accused of saying less in favour of his gardeners than they deserved : of nie he wrote tluit I was steady, indefatigable in study, always at hand when wanted, and ever willing aiui obedient. I knew he could say nothing to the contrary, yet hardly expected him to say .so much." And another paragraph describing my manner of life at that very time wh(;n refl<>ction was shocked with " Radical mobs and their excesses," is as follows ; '■ Wo lived mcfigrely in the bothy ; oatnu;al porridge, of small measure and strength, iii the njornings, with soar dook. a kind of rank butter- milk peculiar to Edinburgh ; potatoes and salt, occasionally .» herring, for dinner ; sour dook and oatmeal for sup[)er. We never had butcher's meat, and seldom any bread. To have enjoyed even enough of this food would have recijuired all uiy wages. But I confined myself to four shillings, occasionally to three and sixpence per week lor food ; the eiirlii time s," is lisure itter- ;, for llier's food I four the OP A DILIGENT LIFE. 67 remainder T exj)on(Jo(l on bfioks, Htationorj, nowspapcrs, and postajjo of letUra. Postajj;o wjis a heavy tax at that time to jxTHong wlio like me t«ok pleasure in writing. My washing wa.'* sent to Thrie]ilaiid Hill to my mother and >ni huni^er and jihiliisophy as then. [ devoted nuieh time, fretjuenfly sitting' up half the night, or rising at dayhreak in the summer mornings, to readin}:^, writing, arithmetic, and olhei studies." T had before then read Plutareh and most English tran^latiuns of the classics, from which I derived a proper horror of individual tyrants and of the mohs of ancient times. It maybe a pardonalilr otfence, if one at all, should I hert; state, that the natural impulse to serve otlier people, or vindieat(.' a principle affect- ing genera] interests, irresjnictive of personal consequences, was as strong in my yiiunger life of rude labour, its su])SPi(uently in the literature of Political liconomy, and in the seasons of national peril, or intermediately in my military enthusiasiii to maintain order and be a leader of (;omrade» in th(! deadly conflict ol'battle. For the space of a year and a half before going to that Edinburgh nursery, I had Imhui earning the wages of a labourer in rttone (juarries. The locality was the soac^oast where Berwickshire and East Lothian verge. This jmissage from the A iitohioym phi/ of a WvrkkKy Mun may also be read in connection with that from the Quart(irly Iti-view which t«ld how Mr. Tytler was affected by the advent of (in-y. Brougham, and the Whigs to power. — .A.nto., p. 110. '' One bleak day in Novendier, 183(), the wind strong from the north and the sea rolling heavily on the rricks at the Fandoocot quarry, where twenty or more of us were wedging out blocks of stone to be conveyed to the Cove, two miles distant, by sea, a small boy was observed standing" behind us shivering in the cold. As he did not Sf)eak, ontters sW8 as that, A previous newspaper informed us that Sir Honi-y Parnell had made a motion for impiiry into (he expenditure of the Civil List ; that the Anti-Reform Government, of which the Duke of Wellington was head, had opposed the motion, were deteated and had resigned; and that Earl (jlrey, a Reformer, had be(Mi summoned to form a government. We Imd charged Mrs Lowe to send us the earliest newspaper which brought the next result. We read the list of the new ministry. Some of the names were unknown to us, and some familiar names that wr thought should have been there were onntted, that of Hume especially One and all tiiought it wr<.ing that Joseph Hume should not ho a ni<'tnber of the new iiovern- ment. We were unintbrmed as to party eonnections and difli'ereuces, ignorant of the atomic nature of .some politicians, the gregarious uature. of others." Such were the ciixjunistancc^s under which the outgoing of the Tories and incoming of the Whigs became known to me. I was as ill-informed about party uiovemerits tlien as I ha\e been regardless of them ever since. Then, as at any time subse((uently, when opportunity has served, or when a cause has seemed to demand tliat the opportunity should be made, I have demanded that political cries should become facts and lead to beneficial results. Reverting to the Auto., p. 112, 1 extract the following in proof of this: " The stone-masons were intolerable tyrants to their labourers. Each mason hewer had a labourer allotted to his block of stone to do the rougher work with a short pick, technically to scutch it. When tho tide was out 1, with other quarrymen, wedged and raised out the pon- derous blocks of rock from their primeval bed. When the tide displaced us we scutched with the ma8«)n hewers ; I preferring to be with my intel- ligent friend, Alexander Forsyth, ' Alick,' as he was familiarly called. One day, when we had read in the newspapers a gi'eat deal about the tyranny of the Tories, the tyranny and haughty pride of tlie aristocracy in general, and some masons had, as usual, been loud and vehement in OP A DILIGENT LIFE. 69 Each > the 1 tho pon* lacod ntel- lled. the k racy it in i r ; denouncing tyrants and tyranny, and crying ' Down with them forever,' one of tlicm took an instrument of his Mork, a wooden straight -ed^'e, and struck a labourer with it over the shoulders. Throwing down my piok, I turned upon that nmson ; told hiui that ho long as I was ab<»ut those works I would not see a labourer struck in such ni' .iner without ques- tioning the mason's pretended right to domineer over his assistant. 'You exclaim against tyranny,' I continued : ' you are yourselves tyrants, if any class or urdor of men be." The mnsun whom I addressed replied that I had no busines.s to interfere, as he had mit struck me. ' No.' saiil 1^ or you would have been in the sea by this time. But I have seen labourers who dared not speak for themselves, kntKjked about by you or by others. By eveiy mason at these works, here and at the Cove, I have Been labourers ordered to do things, and compelled to do them, whicli no working man should order another to do, fiir less have powi'r to compel him to do. AnJ I tell you it shall not be. The laliourers gathered around me; the masons conferred together. One, speaking for the rest, said he must put a stop to this : the privileges and trade-usages of masons were not to be (|uestioned by labourers. Further, that I must submit to such reproof or punishment as they might think proper to intiiet, or leave the works ;. if not, they would leave the works. J'he punishment hinted at was to be held ovor a block of stOTu', head and arms kept down on one side, feet on the otluir, while the mafion apprentices should, with aprons knotted hard, whack the offender. I said, that, so far from submitting to reproof or punishment, T would carry my opposition much further. ' Vou have all talked about parlia- mentary reform,' I said. \We have denounced the exclusive privileges of the ami -reformers, I shall begin refirm where we stainl ' T denmnded that, when a mason required to have his block turned over and called labourers to do it, they should not put hands to it unless he assisted. The mason lu-wers laughed. That further, if one of them struck a labourer at his work, the labourers as a body should do mithing for that mason afterwards, 'i'ln-y again laughed derisively. And further, when we went to a public house to be paid, the masons should not be entitled to any room they preferred, or to the (.)ue room of the house, while the labourers weie left out.^ide the ect. The utassm i)f of tho iiasons •8 hold brrnod buried in tlic ruins of Coldinfzhaiu l*riory. Then' T found hiiu !it work witli iiiidlot anil chisel, — a now reproduction of Old .Nforfality. He bron^dit uj) the incident I h;ive just reh'.ted. and told nie tliat since it hud app(;ared in print, people winietiines in((uirod of him " What sort of (;ii;ip was that Handy i^onlerville before he took to making books'' And to his own in(|niry of what had I done in scven-and-L'.venty years, I repeated >e<'ri what ho partly know, that my whole life in that space of time had 1 a repetition of my defence of the labourer in the J'andooeot rpiarry. I had iiKvavs somebody's cause in hand, and, as a natural result. wa.-> not f d took richer, tluiiiirh. upon tlu whole, it was a, life of satisfaction, at times o ilt<>d exalt<>u joy. 1 liud savea nmmn^iiam from massacre in IHoi, ami tool the punishment of others on myself. If I did not save the throne and House of Ijords from the vengeanfo of a sword smitten people, T sav(Hl both from a heavy io^d abiding cnrso By the influence thus obtained, I had saved a cabinet minister from assassination, and Limdon from convulsion, in IHiU. 1 had saved the excited (.Miartists from d(!struction, and executive power from the ill fami' of destroying them, in 1837,1880, 1842, and 1848, T had disarmed a thousand angry mutineers in Spain. The effect of my vindication of certain wronged I'armers in Ireland was perhaps more romarkabh? than any of thtiso, as we shall see hereafter. 1 have said the Orkneys, descendants of Sea kings, my niatt'rnal ances- tors, lie in thai ruin of Coldingham Priory. I know little of their history, except by tradition. My father was a native of the parish of Muckart in .Perthshire, born to field labour , my mother of Ayton in Berwickshire, born to a like I'ortune. I was tlieir elevemh child. Heavy care and ceaseless work brought permature decay on my father. His wages in all tny recollection were never above smen shillings a week. When I grew to manhood 1. found myself old as a worker, — 1 hardly know when I did not work, even wlu i a child, — my education defective, no trade acquired, and no strong hand to lay hold of mine. The reader has seen me in the .Edinburgh garden-nurseries. Vexed at my poor prospects, I enlisted in the army. t, and publi ithind [•syth, tewed and [tting s, lay .k^U!^ i^»l^- ~:x 72 someiivillk'w U0«)K CFIAPTEll VIII. The Story of my enlistraent in the Scots Greys. Editiburgh to Brighton. I know not whether to call it a chiincc of good or evil for myself, but a chanco of L'rave import to the British nation it turned out to he, which, on a day lafe in the autiiinn of 1831, brought me in contact with VVilUam Niven, a Dublin Irishman. I sousiht not him ; nor i Hit h lity of lie. We met in the vicini Edinburgh. His fricnil-^, who Hont a small monthly rcmiltanco oj casn from Dublin to maintain him in the bothy of the Inverleith Nursery, in addition to the wages he received tliere, had refused liis request to augment the allowance, and he resolved to stay no longer in the nurserj'. This resolution arose chiefly from a suspicion, well founded, as it turned out, that ho had been deceived a.s to his parents; and that they were in a condition far sujierior to confining him to the allowance of twenty shil- lings a month to help his six shillings a week iu a nursery, or even to enforce upon him the humble profession of a gardener. He now resolved to bo a soldier. Fie told me his troubles, and I told him mine. We re- mained together severfd days, and much to his satisfaction I at hist agreed to go with him to have "just a conversation, if nothing more," with Cor- poral Anderson of the recruiting party oi' the 2nd, or Royal North British Dragoons, the regiment popularly known aa the Scots Greys. [ had, however, made up my mind to more than a conversation with the cor- poral. Iiidi'cd, the only hesitation I felt about enlisting as a soldier wsts as to the regiment I should choose. In Scotland, young men smitten with military ambition, and giftiid with not less than five feet ten inches of upright bulk, talk vauntingly of the "Greys "; of the horses with long tails ; of scarlet cinits, and long swords, the high bearskin caps and the plumes of white feathers encircling them in front, the blue over alls with the broad yellow stripes on the outside, the boots and spurs, the carbines slung at the saddle side, the holster pipes and the pistols, the shimlder belts and the pouches with ammunition, and, in the wet or in the wintry wind, the long si^u'let. cloaks flowing from the rider's tiecks to their knees and backward on the grey chargers, whose white tail? wave with them behind, — of these tliry talk proudly, and depicture in their inward vision the (igures of them- selves thus acooutereil and mounted, the an^y chargers pawing the earth beaeath them, suiflSing the battle from afar, the trumpets sounding, the OF A blLKlENT LIFE. 73 Bfjiuulnins fhargirig, NajKilcon's columns broken by the (.'liurgo. Onir charge, witli Napnliu)n oxiK'd, and Eurojio at p he rosts on tlic hii.'WHt fu'ld with listojiing siicairrs hv<'Uii<1, or when hv listens iu tht! (.haniH-d urowi] in the village Muithy to tlu' veteran wlm is tlu' vil- lage smith now, but who was a farrier in thf regiment onre. that theCIreys did not do the whole of Waterloo; that they did not win all nor any of "Lord Wallinton's " battles in ih' JVninsular w.ir, in so in..iii as they were not in the Peninsula, that the lli^^hland regiments were not the regiments ^' always in front of Wallinton s liattles'' tell the young Scotsman, or the old one either, the hist(»rieal truth, that tlu; 42nd Highlanders were not slain at Quaire Bras, on tlio Hjth of June, through their imjietuons bravery, but through the, irregularity of their movements, whereby, in forming sijuare to reeiive eavalry. two comjiaiiies were shut out and s/i:/i'cr/r achievenicntsof the 8<'oteh regiments — those rej>orts still ex- isting in tradition-— through the Seuteli soldiers Iming '» 4ie unit ms if her heart would ha'e broken, when she saw nu; tho first day withuot tho moustaehios." Having listened to thi^, and heard i-d half the day, who' he should have beeu l(M»kiiig out tor reoruits, for e,ich of whom he had , ,j n " <! objeet to; utid as mMtluT .reined to have any beard from which moustacdiii'S might grow, he could only congratulate us on (he order that had cniuc out aL'ainst (hem, as we should nut have to be at 111'' expen,-;e of burnt, cork to blacken oiiv njtpcr lips, to be uniform with those who wore hair. Tlie order, however, was soon after rescinded ; jind hair upon the upper li). for those who hjid it, burned ((trk upon the skin Ibr those who had no liair. w< re once more tho rejjimental order, V\'(! assured the oorjioral w>- were in earnest, and did mean to en- list. Whereupon he put the formal ; law. The lo some [hie that like one |\i, took Mean- hd have 1 return mod an » burgh iduoss fast ?ind slow, and to put my body Into different i.ositions llu\v<'d, and \ is .'^iniihirly exaniined; hut came out dtid-^'ed unfit for s<>rvice. He wa.- friciitly clia)_'riii.'d, and did not reiMvc .iIh t^piriis sf t(H>t guards. There the uiedieid it»s]»M-tr»r pa,>*sed him without ditticulty Ho joinosl rclat- tive, whom he had never known, and whose real ooiidition in life lu' had never been corrortly told of, commanded tliat je^iiiienl of guards ! He was at onee dix'hiiriied from it, and jtrovido'i vitii a <;'ood outtit to Canada, nnd till promise of patronage if he re air ' ilure and ilid uoi re^- tuni lii'Uii!, But the shijt he sailed in nevci laehed Canada It was wrecked mm the western eoast of Ireland, K.id he, with some of the crew and |)asseii^i'r.-. rwK'hed Cork, tlie otlii.'rs beioL:: lost. Money was si'ut to Cork to fit him out ii^aiii. He tonk the m Miey,l)ut declined the Atlantic voyaii'e, ami returned to Scotland. saw him several years a_u;o, and heard all these and other particulars finm him: but know littl(M)f his sub- quent history : iior i> it within m\ [U'csciit dc^i^ii to diuress far into the memoirs of second jiartics. Within a tew hours of hein;:: certified lit tor .service by the medical in- ppector, 1 was attested licfore one of the city magistrates. The rep- nient was ijuartercd at liri;,diton, the eours<.' of journey to which wa.s from Ediiibur^ii to Leith Jiarbour , from that, tivc liuiidred miles by sea to London, and from London fifty nules, tlir«i\igh Surrey ami Sus.sex, to Brighton Several recruits were jiroceeding to their respective regiments by way of London, ])ut only another and myself to the Scots Greys. Thi^; other was Andrew rrelaiid, a cabim^t maker, from Jidinburgh. A youth from the labour of the plough and the spade, in the parish of (rar- vald Ivirk, in my native county, named William Tait, enlisted with the Greys a few days after me, Imt was rejected for being half an inch under the standard of that time, five feet ten inches. He was young and pro mised t« grow an inch or two more, still they would not have him : a succession of years of low wages and little employment had given tliem as luany men a.s they retjuired. He eidisted into the Royal Artillery, joined the 4th battalion, and became one of the best non-eonimisaioued oiEcers of the service. A staff-sergeant from Edinburgh took charge of all the party to London. We embarked in a sailing smack called the Eagle. During nine or ten days and nights, the sea being moderate, I stood in the forecastle uud had I •P!^ 76 fiOMERVII.MS nOf)K wiikiiifj; drcimifl, or lay iiiii<.r»;j; tlio Hlitiin s;uls in llic jralltj, ;iii«I liad other drcaina, some Hlti'pinj:, sumo wakiiiy, tlioro hoinu: I'Ut little diffi-rt'iicft Ix'tween them. St;viii*al sonj^n or faivsrelJK were Ik'uuu, and two or dm.'O reached a kind of lini.sli. ()uo that took the lead of the re«t bej^'an, — *• 0, ripocsd thee, speed tlico, EukU shi)), And bear me fast away ! For," Ac, Ac. Ac. lUi\ ih<' ^'(f^//^ earrit'd UH into foi:>«. and next into contr-ivy windi*, and bcifan to heave and roll, until she heaved all the poetry mit ol" luy head, and rollod soul and body into the bottom oi' the {.'alley, with tlie eouk'rt kettle.s, sailorn' loeker.s, and otluT ' raw recruits ' ; they sonielinieH above Die, I scMiietinies above tlieni ; neeasionally the Nta pourioij; down the hutohway over all, and all of us at once fl(iiiiideriji<_' in the water of th« interior, which drowned out the tires, and left no dry ^pot to lio upon, |)er(li upon, or clin^ to. One of the sailors, afterwards (;:»ptain of a heith trader, and Hubsecjuently drowned in tlie Thaiues at London, had been familiar with nie in the early part of tin pas-sage, as he was a Dunbar man, and 1 ulniost one. He spoke lightly of the storm at first, and joked at it ; but be ultimately altered his tone, and told us we had izot amonu; breakers on the da)i;ierous saiuls )iear Yarmouth. Both he and the ear politer came to the galley, and took their money ar\d wati;he,s out of their lockers; and the carpenter rod other sailors who had liibles, fastened tilt 111 aroinid their waists with handkerchiefs, and .seemed to prepare Ibr the wor.st. Nothing liapp»iied that was very dangerous. Nothing to ine looked half .so alarming as their eonduot on the day after the storm, when, proecoding tu the mouth of tlu; Thame.s, they tlirew olf the Bibles and the handkerchiiitH that ti<'.d them, drank more whi.skcy ami s\vr»ro more ouths than they liad done during tht; previou.s ten days whieh the |tassage bad lastv.d. At night, on the eleventh day of the passage, wc came to anchor at Oraveseud, and were overhauled by custom-house officers Next day, with the wind contrary, we got to Oreenwicb with diflieulty, about two in the aft(!rnoon. The sergeant landed us ther(>. and marched us to VVeslminst-er, di.stant eight miles, mo-'t of the way througli streets by way of Deptford UTid the Borough, across Westminster Brifigo, The rendez- vous for all rw-ruits {mioeeding to tlnnr regiments by vray of London is in Duke-strcct, Woslaiii)St whoro wo won- hilUttiMl, Wo roturtiod to the flij.rn of the Ship, whore >urirh in my hest dn^ss, with which to have a refr threats, wo\dd imlnco me to a change of garments , tior would [ drink with them. Some mischief that had h-htllon me on a previous occasion was a.*; yet too fresh in my iiion)ory. Tlu: determi(':ition also to hea Ulorit(n•iou^^ soldier, and hy good conduct rise ahove the raiik.'^.was too strong iu me to he overcome hy th(i persuasion of associates .so hrutish and intellectually hlank a.s most of them were We were tletainod two weeks in London, for the want of an osicort to lake us to the regiment at Britrhton I ofh^red one day, at the oiFiee in Thikc street, to go with my comrade to Bright,on, and assured the authorities tliore that I would take coDimniu.l of niy^e-lf and him. aiM,l delivtr ourselves safely over I)ut they ordered me to hold my tongue 1 thought, inny so doing I would sa\e his Majesty's service the oxpni.se inal troul)le, and ourholves the delay of an escort. 7'Ji'i/ only saw in this an attemjit to get a fair vjpportunity to de.-.ert. Such a thtniglit %vas contrary to ali thoughts passing within na At that time, having fairly l<'ft home and gone so far, 1 would not have accepted my fnjodom hud it heen oflFensd. And we were anxious hcyoiKl cxpr(^ssion to re!U;h the reginuMit, Of all that nu'klea'^ ffiug of r(.»eruit.s, nuTuhering from fifty to a hundred, assemhled there, Irelaiwl and I were the only two who were to bo in the cavalry service. Wc had Is. 3d. por day, while fhey had Is.: the full pay of cavalry and infantry heing Is. 4d. and Is. Id, respectively, — there was a penny added to each, called beer-money, which, a^ rtcruits. we r 78 p*(»Mr.RV'M,f,r S IKHilt imt tvc'civo. Wv wore triiul)l»'«l iiion- l)y hnviiiir .Id. ]Mr (Liy iiFm> ve the others than it wun wt)rtli lo n» , umJ all tlif iiinri! unii'tyi'd Imtuiiho we Mought, uninii;.' that disorderly M-t, to n'^ridutt.' ••ur own eoudui-'t, and wpciid fiiir own uionry VV»' h;id to ^o out iniioiij: them evtry urieiiiMoii, lit llie heel.s of a istiifl serireanf, to ^'itj l're«ih lullrtfi. ino^t coiiinutnl} m ihn Hulxirhaii parishes; to ( 'helwa one day, ('and)erwell the next day. ro|il.il- the next day (lainjisiead the uext, und^oon. To i>o throujiii tlie ntreetn w'itli Hueli ;i disorderly and ragj:ed <^Mf^, was inexprerisingly annoying to hofll (i[' llH. At hist, one morning, a private of the 7th I)riit,'(Hin Cluards, who was on noruitinji dnty in liondon, pot orders and a rniit ' to umreh ns to !J)i<;hton. It was a morning ol' liartl t'roht, -^ith the >un shininu hri^ilitly on the Surrey IKtwris; and an we vralked sina "tly idon^. I fi'it a li^htnes* d thi^ ot s[iint whuMi T had not enjoyed tor weeks heloro. I liat day, and next, I hiiilt, Mpoii (iiiH-y, and t'ast.'llated the bnihllngs of ho|if in visiofis of winit I wonld have attain, d to when h-avinj:' (he ren;irnent, I iiii;.dit be a captain, possildy a colonel, Imt certain!) not Kbs than regimental sor' to ^ive th»!in up to be rmrned, and submit to be fuiniyiited in tho hospitid ourselves, and be shut up in (lUarantiiie, to savt- the rej^iimeufc t'roin the infection of cLolera, Symptoms of eholera liad appeared in thu north of I'ini_'land, in Sc enter tht; barraeks. and all foot trave.llers (rom London, whoeould be preve'nled, wen; projiibited from i nteriiiji the town. I would not sell uiy clothes, beirii; resolved now, more than ever, to yo into the regiment witii u resjieetable appearance. V\'e accordinLfly, by consent of our escitrt, washed and bruslied ourselves befort' approaehii\f5 (piito near, both of us expecting to meet nuin whom we knew. At the gate the sentry asked us, hurriedly in a wliispei, if we were the recru.fs tiny had imani of, who had bagpi|)es with tliem , ' for if you be," he said, '' don't brini; them in; everytiiing you bring in will lie burned. "^ And then, in a tune of dnty, a.s if he had been (jiiestioning us also in dia- charge of duty, he said — '• Itecruils are you ':* Parson.* l( had been rumoured that recruits were coming with bagpipe^, and pipes not being egiment;illy allowed, tlie uien on guard had secretly agreed to warn the recruits liefore they came within the gates, t(j save their bagpipes some f the wives of the soldiers were hovering about tiir the purjKise oi'smug- ghng the pipes. But we were not the }iipers Instead of the men rusliing out ci the n.touift ab they usually do wbou Iirli'mg 111- the |i be, * » \mH\r III (lis- been Iboii)^' II the Isnuie imug- UliOU or A UII.KIRNT LTWM* 70 frcnh re<«riii turn tor tho lurnuk yiiril to lrtod to Iimvo a))|H'arod. A laiv'o roi»ni in tho hospital, a^ I'ar ajiart finni otlit-r nmniM ii.>« cinild bo Ibnnd. wan disposed as tlio cjiolora ward. In tbis (lio pationt Millor had bot'n plai'od ; and in tho sanio wird with him, bo writliiu'j; in apiny with crain)/H all ovor his body ami ravin;.' in doliriuni, wo woro j)laood, thodtior l>olt^pital '»rdorlio.s can\o to us with biispital drosses of li^ht blue woolion, aiol ordered us to strip off our oloihop and put thoni on Wlion wo had \ no so, ho jrot a pitoh- fork and took ourclothoH away, as if afraid to touoh thoni with hi« hunda. He WU8 ordi!reossibly reoollocting for the first time that we might have watched him yestorday, said, as if tn • ;ttle the matti'r, '• There lio the a«hos of your clothes. It wa.s a pity to f irn good clothes. I oould have got a pound for your coat," addressing me. '" But there was no help for it : cholera is a dangerous thing, and military orders nMnMf>-H^fit>yw> : M ttm'"'' r <-. W -^ ■ -^ .rt^n-KWH***-*'****' •****'" ' f 80 SOMEUVILLES BOOK must bo obeyed. I'm sure it caod to my h'-art, so it did, to burn sitch gudo daos "' 1 turned .«liar])ly on him, ami said lie did not burn tliem. Whereat, in a hurricane of oaths and iiKsoverations, he Kwore that he did ; and, .still in a jwssion, and with the toni- nl' ;i wnmgly accused man, he went away, and oiu^e more locked the door u|M)n us. He soon returned with a small bottle containin;'; brandy, and, without a word nf ajiolojry or explanation as to his previous asseverations, told us that brandy was recommended af» a preventive (or the cholera, jrave us each the bottle to drink from, and added, •• Noo, was it not better to sell your (jlacs to g(!t brandy to keep awa' the cholera than to burn them ? Hut minil, never moot it. If ye hope to be trude snduers, and respected by your comrades, never tell on another <;omra(Ki if he ahnulj nuituu^t: tt hit nchetne o' (his .s'o/7. If it were keun'd that I dirl it, T would have a court martial and be flogged as 8ure as I'm a leeviuL!: sinner and a sodger. As ye hopiid over-alls. Next tho bootmaker oame with the boot.s ; and thoiiirli he vfas a eivilian ami not u ^M'wr, ho detmied it tu ho his duty to si;om lofty and severe, almost terrible, in his manner of oomniand- in;j; ii.x how to put a foot into a new boot. — how to tiraw the boot on ; and tellinjr us, horoioiilly how we nvjuirod to ho dnlleli:ibilit^ , and how ho (jould a.S!fatH, two pairs of flaunol (IraworH, four pairs of worsted soiks, two pairs of trloveti, a pair of gauntl..ts (jrlovcs reacliint: bi tin; olbows), a eurry comb and brushos. a horse s maneH?ondi, spon>ro soap, bath-brick, savo-uli, with knife, spo-m, razor, conjb, shavin)j: tackle, twn towels, turn-serew, picker (for horser.' feet), button stick, button brush, rot-stone to olean buttons, boot bru.shos, blackiiiL!, clothes brush, brush bag. horse's nowj-bag, corn sack, horse cloth (the cover for the stable), account book with printed regulations, saddle bags. nulit!ir\ cloak, and two pairs of straps of ovoralls ftrowsers), which he procoi'ded to kIiow mo how to affix to tlie butbms. Ilis manner was quite diffoKait from the cniliaa bootmakor. ' Now, tiiy man.'' h<' pro- ceeded to say, "one of the first thinjis a young soldier must learn is the proper nianiicr of dres.sing himself, and h(! luu^t do it ijuickly. You will ocfjasionally tind that every article of your elotluns and acctiutiomonts must be put on in a mitiute of tinie, and your horso accoutred, turned out, atiil 'inmnted in another minute. 1 am .sericus with you: such a thing will bo rotjuired to bo done, though not always. But to be able to do it ai any time, you must practise yijursclf to put everything on and off in the propt;r way, in the briefest space of time. E'or instance, your straps; there is a right way and wrong way of fast^'ning them, and you are proceeding in the wrong way. Here, turn the outside of your foot tipward, button the :itrap to that side first. Turn the inside of your foot up next, and now bring it under your solo and fasten it to the inside. Now you do right.- !rhe other one do in the same way. Tkntn right , you will boral when ooming out of Waterloo, and had gradually risen to be troop sergeant- major. I received nominally a bounty of £2 12s. (id. ; but only 10s. of it in cash,- -the remainder went to help to fur'nisli mv outfit, A cavalry soldier reipiires two pairs of cloth overalls in a y<^ar, and he is only allowed by government one pair. He is allowed Gs, a year for boots ; all his slnjes and n^pairs, and an extra pair of boots, probably every thii'd year. Evtu-y article whicli 1 have named, iiiekuling saddle bags and corn .sack.^, must be paid for by stoppages from his pay, wiih the fiillowing exceptions : one pair of cloth overalls, one st.able jacket, and one dre.ns coat annually : six shillings a year for boots, one pair to la.st three years, and three shillinus for gloves, and a new cloak every six. years. Besides the sum of £2s. 2s, tjd,, which was .ippro])rlaled for the bounty, I was indebted to the regiment abuntv, n liitii, at the end ol" which lit' will U^ a yiiuiif.' uiau, and may leavo the service if he dialike it, or r«miaii) if hv does not clioortt' to leavi;. Havintc received the. route iur Birmingliani th(! preeise date \ do not now rtuuernlxjr, wo wfro all astir hy th"- wound of (>arly truni}X(ts one Mioniiiip, and iuari.;h<'d out of the Ininaek i^atos ; the band phiymtr. horses praneinp'. crowils ae<.'onipanin^, with ha^pifze piU>d upon wairm>ii.s. lolliiw»'ii;iland before that time; and tJiough that was but ajilimpse, compan^d with what I liave since seen, it wat* fresh, vivid, and impressive. I retain it to this day distinctly , and can at will, sittiui.-, by the hearth, looking dreamily into the lire, or vacantly upon a bank, draw out the whole line of country belbre me, — the villages, road-side inns, hali- way h(mst!s where we halted to rest, swinging sign-l>oards, village greetis, broad commons, cro.s.s roads, finger- po.sts, tra- vellers jounu'ying with US, and telliiiL' wnere a jiibbet once was, or villa- gers shrinking out of sight, with the recolleetiou of the Swing riots of 1830 .still fresh, — with the dread .still upon them of the special commis.sion accompanied by soldier.s, which had consigned a few to the gallowa, many to the hulks, and had probably mi.ssed the chiefs who fired the rick- yards or led the multitudes to break the thrashing-mills, — some of these chiefs now looking upon w^ from a distance, without, any desire to come nearer. Ottier viihig(;r8, wb sre no riuts nor Swing fires had bt;en, and no fear! for tnxtps of cavalry was iclt, came out fo be critical on the hors(.'9, and to approve of tlie long swords, the caibim's, the bright scarlet, the black bear-skin on the ni'ti- heads, and the white feathers on the bear-skin. They .stood, and 1 can see them standing now, on the play- worn ground beside the pari.sh stocks, in front of the churchward walls. IJehuid them the churches, venerable ami grey, not always with lofty spires conspi(Miouhly uprai.scd to heav»'n, but oftener lowly and half- concea led among the trees, as if retreating theii- for hum})le worship ; the trees with the dead of many generations under their roots, bearing on their branches, ime might suppose a,*-' fruit, a young generation oi' mina- ture men in round white hats, smock frocks, leather leggings, and laced- up boots, and their grown-up relatives in the same dress standing on the ground, as if they had drojiped from tiie trees when they grew large and heavy, All were out to look at the soldiers, who, taking cross-country 84 somervi.-le's book roads, went tlimngh villn^'OP tvhm' soldiers are 8c]'l'>Tti H"Oi;, •.-.rc wIkto a repjisnent mnuntcd on frrcy horstjs was never ^een helbn, "Wfttnoii also iirid ha^)ie^ M'ero out. AncI liinn'uiDg \it\U' niuids, the future brides and mothers of rural Eniiland, climbed on tlie j^ateH and fitiles to see, and, hearinfr the boys in the tr.-es call. "Soldier, give I that long sword ; wilt thee, soldier '•''" eried " Soldier, take f on that horse with the long wliite tail; wilt thee, -oldier ?" Anil gentl< men and ladies tVoni the mansion)- that stood within the wooded ])arks walked out tc) look upon the unusual sight So Jid grave vicars, an • ination. wc had roast beef and 'ij'ple puddings for dinmr at the i;.)use where T wa« (juartered ; the first roast b(jef which 1 had tasted during my life, and the first apple pnddmgs of whi«?h I had any recollection. At Guildford, and Windsor, the fiire was English, but 1 do not remember whether it was entirely new to me. At Tliame, in Oxfordshire, when^ we stopped on the Saturday riight, Sunday, and Sunday night .1 was hilleted oti a house where we had roast goose for dinner mi the Sundny , — that was my first introduction to rotist uoose. Bicester, Banbury, and Warwick, were ournext (juarters. At Warwiek T Wiis made ucirnaintcd for the first time with Yorkshire pudding. Soldiers oii the line of march are freed from stoppages on their pay, — they receivo l,heir daily pay entire They are also allowed tcnpcnce per day for dinner which is paid to the landlord of the house by the sergeant- major; and the landlords are bound to f\niiish a hot dinner for that «um. TlKiir usual custom is to provide ;< dinner for which thai is not 7!I 1 !i(!rc a h, the PH and I that horse in the I fixave y. lOok r c mio aVjroiul luid old en thoy iniirrh- lest side dmiDS ; , Christ- icy were ey knew Ipay, — |ice per puennt' r that if not OF A DILIGENT I.TFil. m sufficient jwyine it It in chiiracteri.stic df the imikctpors of England to givt. soldics ad dinner, irrc'jjHjctive of the price at whitli ilios at.? bound l>\ la\y \m furnish ii. Fioni Warwick we marched to Birnun<.d»ani, and, as i.« tlie custor "Ti goini^ into barracks, got nn allowance of nutrehing money for that (ii.y. Every noldier in the service has at some tini. (^miplained ol this, (ioing into cold, empty >)arraek,-<, where no (me liaf preceded them to [.lepan' tiro or food they do nut, i(;ceive the i-xlra idlowaiue, where, vi' all ])laee.H, it is inO!:»n will he respected by the worst of them, tliough for a time they profess to despise him. As for tiie offieors, if a soldier keeps out of the guard-house, by returning to barracks in time when he has leave to go out, by being always ready for duty when rerdinary series of events arisen close upon one ariotlier, which ctmld not have happi'iitd at any period of time betore or since, and which may never again occur to any soldier. But 1 have not yet arrived at the point of my narative where they begin, An old cavalry soldier in Edinburgh, Alexander Whiti;, a penvioner froml.-^v jioyal l)ragoon.■^, gave na; .soni' wordf; oj'coun.sel, to be ol>--crved in the stable and the barrack-room. 1 M'fer \<> tliem now because 1 have found them, (»r similar rules, useful elsewere than in a ,«iable or barrack room. One was, to observe when the soldier ■^ wife, who miglit be m the siime room with me, was about to go iiii; .iiter to the pump, or w-v.-. in want of water. 1 wa,> to take her [laii and ,--.ty. ' Xu) , mi.stress l(:t m.. go to the p'ump for yoa, aud go iuiStanUy. Another rule of conduct was 86 80MEUV ILLE'h BOOK to tintiolpaU; a mmrafle who «iii.'lit ri'i|tiirr his dotlx'H bru^ it tor }ii' 1 bef'oro hv hful tiiiK! to it.-ik the fiivmir. And «<> in tho fitabli', if r had IjacLic <»f a comrade .s Iiorsr iti his iih.m;n(:0|*h».' on jjriiard jx'rhiipv, to be as kind to his liorso us to my own ; and at iiny tiuuv if 1 had niitluiig to do luysolf, to pit f(n'\vard my hand and liolp some (inu who had. The same roadinoss to (iljlifre may be practised in a workshop, in a !it( fiuv niheo, or any otlior office, and is as neciessarv Ui be observed there a> io a stabUf. But T fc^ar tliat if th*re be nut a natural inclination to be 'iKUiiin,!^-. the desire of aeijuirinu the ^ood v\ill of associates will fail to make one always agreeable. Alnmst all men, prolcdily all, who have risen above th(! social level upon Avliieh th(!j were born, or wh.; hav<^ crealed new branehes of trade, or have b-eii inventors, or have made disooveries. have })een men who were ever niady t<> }uii forth their liandf to help a eompnin'on in his work, or to try '<> do .somethinu' more ihar what vva'^ alloto.l t'vti tlient in do }iy their emi)lov<. rs. The apfiniitiee or journeyman, or other person, who will not tlo nion tlian is ullotted tohim beeaiisv' Ik; is not liound to do it, and who i.s continually uug Driigoon. Lrt nil.' iiitnuliuo ydi.. to the dnily lifo tvo sht'tits, and the ruj/'. so tlmt the cnlfirs .I'tlicruir shall a|i}n'ar thfou^dHtut tlio tuldn of tin- sluu'ts like .streaks o! marble, 'i'hey must take the. point nf a knil'f. and lay the cd!_n's i,t' the folds strai«i:ht, until they l""k artistieal to the eye. This must he iinishod hy the tiun' the " \varuiu;i ' is over, which is a ((iiarte: of an hour after it sonnrls. ,\t that time the stable trumpet sounds, and all uiust hasten dmvn to .-itahles. The litter must hrshakiii ont; all that which is dry is tied up, the other is eleart'd away, and the vStable swept hy two tueii who take the sweepinir (or one momiiij:, while twf' others take it another morning, there bfiiig tw(;lvf or fourteen men in eaeh stabh;, The dry litter is tied up thus: tour neatly plaited baiiids are laid out on the dtones behind the hors(^s , a few huiidfuls of dean straw, combed and carefully preserved liy each man for his own use, are spread upon the four bauds. The litter \> laid on this straw, and the bands lirought round and fastened. The I'undle. is then .sft on end against tho post, at the horse s hind (juarter. ( )ne of the bands is carried rotind the post to keep it steady The top of ihi> bundle is lur-itly j)laired, and the eomb used for tlie horso's mane and tail is taken, and the outside straw is comlx^d. If the recruit ha.s not been active is getting downstairs, to have his turn on the lioiJiCd space to do tlii.s, other* will be before him. Yet if he he m good favour witli the other men, they allow hiiu to get his straw put up sooner, knowing that he is going in an early class to the riding school. If he be not in good favour, or not yet beyond the })fcriod of having trieks played upon him. be may be seen laying out his plaited bands and handluls of tancy straw on the etones, horses on ea(;h side of him kicking with their hind feet within a yard of liis head, — able at any moment to kick across the whole space on whicli he is doing his work. A man tickles one of them to mak*; him prance and strike the stovies, or toss back tlie litter upon the recruit. As 88 HOMKllVfLLK's BOOK if ill a riigc, tlio iiiiiii profcsscH t<» hv (larncht ainl loud in ('orniiiiiMlin^ hia horsf; to .stiiiul still , and asks if it nicans to kick until it ktiiK-k,-< Jolmny Raw'H brains nut?— do»>s it not know that Johnny Kaw is behind it/ linnicdialoly o|>|iosi(.i', anotht-r man (';iiis»s hin liorsi; to |»luii;jf, and also deniaiulM if it iiiimus to kick until Mr, Haw is killed V and if it U; dctorniiiud that Mr. Jolin Raw is imt to uo to tln' ridiii'4 school that day? n .John dis'ovcrs tlio trii.'k, and complains to the corporal nv scri^tiant, wot; uiii^o him. The only tliancc lu- lias (if gettini.': "\« t pt isccution (jf tliat kind, is to take no notice of it. If it is not to he a field day. tin; nu;n and horses not ^oin;.!,- ti> tho riding school <.,'o out in watering order, into tho country, a mile nr two, for exercise. The youngest recruits 1:0 to the school first about sevon o'clock, on trained liorsen ; the youngest uniraimid iiorses go to the school in till- same class, with rougli riders on tliver his scarlet jacket, or strike one of his teeth out. We had a horse which struck up liis fore feet and killed a, recruit, when b(ung led through the stable door. 1 do not now follow the recruit tvi the riding school. Tlo returns in an hour, and others of an advanced cias.s succeed ; they return at nine, and another class takinii- and ..heeling round and across the .school, Tlio.se who went at eight o'clock had pistols with them, and one or more of their pist-likc day id tlie oUIlg miist I'liing OK A DILIGENT LIFK. 89 to the stable, be must niHh up ntairs, put off his glovts, jacket, r>ap, stock, and boots, and put on bi? j^tahK; shin'S. Ilt^ may soe his hicnkfast of coffee and hri'ud ready, — but not yet, no, not yet, Johnny ; you can have no breakfast yet lie uiust return to the stable, use a straw wisp, a brush, and cloth to his horse lor at hsast halt' an hour. He must pick its feet, sfKtn^e its hcK)fs and it« nostrils, dress it neatly, and feed it ; then he may <^o to the room to lo»»k after his eoffoe. He is a fortunate youth if he does not soniotiiues, or often, be a party to such a eollonuy as thi.s ; — Soldier A: ''AVhat is tlie matter with that recruit'/ What is lie talkinf; about?" Soldier B : " He says they have taken all th<; thicA- of the eotfee, and left him the thin ; he says he likes the thick best. Isn't that what yoa lik(!, Johnny ?'' Johnny llaw : "No, it is not, and you know it; yoa have left me no coffee to drink ; nothing! but the thick jrrounds. 1 shant ha\e it." Soldier B : " Why, liavc you not tuld us that you prefer tlie thick ? Nothing seoms to satisfy you, Johnny." And Johnny must submit to oat his dry bread. If a non-comuiissioiicd officer come and ask, '' What is the matter with that recruit?" the men answer before he can, ' The matter with him ! he is only gi-umbling as usual." The non-commissioned officer most probably replies, " You must not grumble, young num; we must have no grumbling." If he lioids his tongue and sutFers all gently, or il" he imitates the oii() witliout nu'«i, oruliiioj^t without it, Im laid upon a plato. lie whoHc lia<'Iv is ttinml liai* In-cii Ht'irvtly told lliat tluH platt; will hi' touclu'd, wk: .shall cay, the .sixth in turn Accordingly, when the man who touches the plates with his knife suys tor the wixth liinc, " Who Hliall have this?" tho rcjdy ih, "Joluniy,' or '■ Oruity," i>r vvhat- ovtv they may call him. Tlif recruit proeouda to pick his hone, or to turn it over and over to oxamino it'- nakedneHM . iijioo vkhieh -ojne one ^ay.s, " Johnny, what i.« the matter lad ? V'ou do n(»t j^'et on with your dinner, — what is the liiatter. Ind '.' It' lie .say^;' they iiuve <;ivrn him a hone with no meat on it, they reply that he is alway.< lirunihlin}.'. If he conj[tlainH to the ollicer vlio come.s to enf|uire if there be complaints, he will not improve, his cireum.st,ance,s. A corporal may then Ix' ordered to see that the men deal faii'ly with the reeruit ; ])ut the men will vex him (juite ax j^rievously in mme other way. IC he can .-wear horribly, and introduce an oath never heard hefon in the rr;.vime.!it, or if he find niean.s of p'lting drink to .'JOine (>f them, lie nniy escape farther persecution. If not, some of his brushes, or his scisgora, or i:(»ap, or hathlaick, or biacLinj^Mlisappear.s. lie hears a soldier say, "Who havS lost a brush ?" And he replie.s, " I have." The soldier {,'oes on : " What is it like ?' Poor Johnny proeeedfi to describe it, The .soldier asks' ''Would you know it if you saw it?" Jolinny says, " Yes." '■ Well, then." says the other, " go and look at it, and tell us if you kimw it " •' But where is it ?' a.*ks Johnny, " Where is it?" rejoins the other, "how do I know ? go and tind it." The proba- bility is, that Johnny never sees his brush .igain. It has been sold for three pence for a pint of b(.er, and he is sup]>lied with a new ore at a shilling, which adds to his debt with the troop sergeant-major. Dinner over, the recruit prepares for afternoon foot -drill and sword exercise. This lasts two hours ; and when it is done, and he is dismissed, if he be not too tired, he may walk outside the barracks and see the towii until six o'clock. Then is the stable roU-cull, at which every man must be present, if not on duty or absent with leave. The regimental orders are read for next day, stating if it ho " watering order first thing," or u tielil day. The horses are rubbed down, fed, littered, and the bands with th" hanilfuls of fancy straw are put carefully away until the morning. The reeruit may now go to his room and fold down his bed, and stretch himself upon it to rest; or he may go into the town until eight .I'elock or nine. If hn.ll(1KNT \Af¥.. 91 twi«'i> 1 altnost dcHpiiirod ; hut *ooini.' th<'n' \v(isn«> nltcrrmtivo, I rcpolv«'d to do my host I was fiirHinat.' in liavinir few tricks playi-d upon inc, nnd no jM'rscciitlon in iitiy shapo in the Inrrack nx'in. A\ itii a finv other rrill-Scrfieant Keith. Thirf was a renmrkahlc man. While he gave tl>e words of ciiin- juand ".vith a tone of autlnnity, Ids voice was as mild and kiinl to cm ly rceruit as tin- voieeof an attii'tioiiato brothor. lie in ver otijiny otca.-ion .swore oaths, never phewtd hinisi'lf out of tenijter, though more than «'iico 1 have known liim turn away Ids faee for lialf a minute, to hide the vexation wliich some of the v«>ry awkward men. wli(» would not or could not iiudcrstananner tluin the philosophic Keith. Nelson is now (1847) a comnds- sioned officer in the; regiment. In the month oi February I met him in Clonniel, with other officers, S(mie of whom I knew; but though we wore . fmjvu^utly in tins same hotel together, and held conversations on diffiaent topics, none of them knew me. While they were on arduous duty escorting flour and provisions through the counties of Wateiford and Tipperary, during the famine sea.^ou, 1 frecjuently hired a ear or a horse and accompanied them, I rode the greater part of one day with a Serjeant who had been drilled as a recruit with me; but 1 did not introduce myself, farther than that T had come from En;j;land as the representative of the Manchester Examiner newspaper, to exandne and repoi t upon tho state of the country. [8ub8etj,ueutly I was known and well received ia the social circles of some of those officers.] In the riding school I was under the tuition of Serjeant Glen and Ridiug-Master Gillies. With the exception of once from the latter, I never had an unkind word from anther ' them ; but that exception is to me a memorable one. The first horse which I got for riding-school exercise was an animal of IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ >^' \ c\ \ 4 % ^\ o^ •s SOMERVILLE 8 BOOK good appearance, respt'c table behaviour, and deep sagacity, — Farrier Simpson's borse. The farriers are not often on horseback, except when marchinfi;; accordingly their horses arc allotted to recruits. Farrier Simpson had a strong regard for the stately troo^r upon which I was to learn to " mount," " dismount," '' mount," (for these mountings and di-'i- mountiiigs are repeated many a time, until the recruit is perfect in his Btyle,) ''march," "trot," "canter," "gallop," "draw swords," " leap the bat," cut at " heads and posts," " turn," " circle," " front," " make much of horses," "dismount," " front horses," "stand to your horses," "mount," "march," " trot," " canter," "gallop," "load," "firo," " draw swords," "charge," and a hundred other things which would not be intelligible if here repeated. And having that regard for his favourite horse, Simpson impressed upon me the duty of taking kindly care of him. He needed not to have done so: I had ad much natural regard for a horse as he could possibly have had, in addition to which there soon sprung up an intimacy between this one and me, which was more than was usually seen between a recruit and his school horse. In some cases these animals, when well trained themselves, evince a contempt for recruits, of which a close observer of equine nature cannot mistake the cause, — the cause being the ignorance of the rider, compared with the learning and conscious superiority of the horse under him. Others understand the recruits upon tlieir backs, and sympathise with them. Mine was one of these. If a word of command were suddenly given when trotting or galloping, he would not only evince that he had been listening for it, b; instantly obeying the order, halting if it were " halt," turning if it rvere " turn," wheeling if it were "wheel," or anything else; but le would detect at the same instant if I had made a mi.stake, or had not heard distinctly what the command was, and he would yield as far u ) he could consistently with his notions of duty to bring me to the true knowledge of my duty. He did n^t, like some horses, take a pleasure in halting from a gallop with a jerk baeJcward, to throw the rider over his head, should that rider not be keeping his ears open for the word of command. He sometimes felt by his mouth that I had not heard the word of command, or, if hearing it, had not communicated to him the intimation by the bridle reins or pres- sure of the knee to obey it j upon which, if it were " halt," he halted, but bore his shoulders forward, to save me gently from the shock. The game too in turning : if it were a sharp, indistinct command, given when we were at the canter or the gallop, he threw his body round with a sweep, though keeping his feet to the proper turning distance, to bring me round with him, if he felt that I was not on the alert. Soon learning the kindly nature and excellent educational abilities of this horse, it was natural for me to have a warm regard for him. If he • tvrt w^ ii iiiii ii III til .11 I ■-».iti.-iFi?A*it. ... ■■ . 1. .. ^ ^p.,-. | - - i ^T i f ■■(-rffiriii i nf ii 'niii i jiirtMri iii K ii " i [ing it, pres- lalted, The whea ?ith a I bring ties of If he OF A DILIGENT LIFS. 93 had been a biped with the gift of speech, and not a dumb quadruped, he would have been a philosopher of the best order, — teaching the world the truths of nature in language of benevolence and love, — subduing the enemies of truth, and displacing ignorance, by gentleness and the power of gwdneas. Farrier Simpson and I became acquainted and respectful of each other, through our mutual respect for this noble animal. As a recruit, I had little time to be in the farrier's personal company, yet we met occasionally. The forge waa from two to three hundred yards from my stable. I sometimes told the horse that he might go to the forge. If he seemed to doubt what I sjud, I lifted one of his feei, shook the shoe to intimate that it was loose, undid the chiiin of his collar, fa.stcned the end of it up, and let him go. He went direct to Simpson, and selected liim from among the other farriers; of whom there are one for each of the six troops, besides the farrier-major. The farriers are privates ; the farrier-major wears four stripes on his arm, and ranks with the troop sergeant-majors. The only non-commissioned officer above them is the regimental sergeant-major ; to whom the soldier says " sir," when ad- dressing him. No one else, beneath the rank of a commissioned officer, is addressed as *' sir." At times I sent the horse to see Simpson when he needed no shooing, if I had a spare hour. At such a time I followed after him, and gave the generous creature the opportunity of being with both his masters at once. I do not know if Farrier Simpson was a man possessing much intellect ; but he was a man of average good sense, and, speaking of the horse, he used to say to me : " It is kindness does it all. I like you because you are kind to my horse ; that horse likes us both, because we are both kind to him. You may do anything with either man or beast by kindness." The practical philosophy which I thus learned in my recruit- life in the Scots Greys, bore fruit with me when a non-commissioned officer in the more active and severe service of Spain. How seldom have I found my political confreres of civil life, who declaim about military tyranny, treat me as kindly as did my drill-sergeant in that regiment of dragoons, or as I treated my fellow soldiers in Spain when I drilled them. Nothing occurred to interrupt the good feeling which thus began be- tween the farrier and myself It became his duty, as farrier of D troop, to which I was then attached, together with the trumpeter of the same troop, to give me, each of them, fifty lashes with a nine-tailed whip on the bare back, each tail of the nine with six knots upon it. Simpson gave the first five-and-twenty lashes ; then rested while the trumpeter gave the second five-and-twenty ; proceeded with the third instalment of five-and-twenty ; again rested while the trumpeter completed the hundred ; and was about to proceed with the remainder of two hundred, which waa r I H SOMERVILLE 8 BOOK the uniount of the aentenoo of a regimentjil court-manial, when tlie wm- nutuling officer naid, '' Stop." This unpleasant affair did nut interrupt the friendship }>etwcen the farrier, whose duty it was to give nio the f ist and third instahnent of five-and-twenty, nor with the truuipet^^r; but with the trumpeter I was notliing more tlian an accjuaintance, not a friend, tr^impsou began as if mindful of being a friend rather than a farrrier, but th(! loud command of " Do your duty, Farrier Simpwon !" reminded him that he must " cut in." My triid and punishment occurred on the 29th of May, 1H;}2. It was ordered, proceeded witli, and completed, all within a few hours ; a cir- cumstance altogether irregular to military rule, and which, coupled with otlier irregular matters, le^. a general court of inquiry to report against the commanding officer, and draw upon him an official reprimand. The following psissage may seem a repetition of paragraphs in previous chapters, but it occurring in the Autobiography published in England, where all the facts were known, I reprint it in Canada, where I am a stranger assailed by calumny, — which seems to be a native of every soil. In conse(j[iience of this Autobiography not having been written to be published in my lifetime, nor so soon as this year 1847, had 1 died be- fore, 1 find in it names of persons which for the present must be omitted. Yet in respect of every event or incident which occured to myself during the eventi'ul summer of 185i2, this is a faithful and for the first time a nearly complete report. Besides what my own vivid recollection serves me with, I have referred to the official documents presented to the War Office and to Parliament, from the .sitting of the court martial on the 2yth of May to the termination of the business on the 25th of August following. If 1 linger somewhat tediously on the details, the reader's time may not be wasted on a narrative of the most exciting scenes of the reform agitation in Birmingham ; the rejection of the bill by the lords in parliament; the resignation of the Grey Cabinet; the Duke of Wellington alone in powar, and relying alone on the army ; the King bewildered ; the nation with one voiv,e crying, " Stop the supplies " ; all the county representatives of England except six, a majority of the bo- rough members, a large minority of the lords, and the entire nation save the fractional parts called anti-reformers, already declared for the bill ; the newspapers of the highest class, in London and the provinces, daring the duke to prevent the passing of the bill, by the army ; the political union of Birmingham drawing upon it the eager observance of all Britain, and Britain of all Europe ; the anti-reformers daring the political union of Bii-mingham to move, and pointing to and naming the Scots Greys in tlicir town ready to prevent them ; the Greys booted and saddled night and day ; their sworda token to the barrack grindstone and sharpeued %u. Of A DILIGENT LIFE. ic oom- ternipt he I'lSt '.t; but , friend, iftr, but led him Itwaa ; a cir- led with . against 1. previous ilu<^laud, 3 1 urn a ^ery soil, ten to be died be- omittcd. If during it time a )n serves the War il on the August reader's Ist'x^nes of 1 by the Duke of ihe King lea"; all the bo- tiou save he bill; [g, daring political Britain, bal union Ireys ia \ed night larpeued for work ; their jxiuches roplonishcd with l)all-oartritIg«* , and thri/ — hhall I Hay. tliukinfj on what was to V^e done, and wliat it wiw to be done tor? — thoy wero aniuMl against their country, against the houw of com- nions, nrid ay;ainst tlicir kintr? Yc'', they did think, — but they did Hoiutttliing iiion;; and it was the uiioiistakablo rumour ctf that Houutliiiig more, i'r«»n) the stables of the barracks of Binainghani, thr!itician. All my econo- mic writings since th(^ event of 1832 have been directed to the true interpretation of that one distinctive crime of my military life, though it hfis been 9eJdt)m referred to by name. But as the following chapt^^rs were written to relate the truth, and all the ti, ' , which the uewspaj)ers trading on my }>unishment in 1832 did not, for their own commerciid purposes, allow me then to publish, — indeed, some parts of the trutl) could not have been published then, — the tone of the narrative is neither in deprecation nor approvtU of what I did at Birmingham. I relate the simple facts. M\ 96 soukbvillk's book CHAPTEli X. The Political Crisis of 133-3. The first Kcforni bill was introducod to tlie House of Comraona, by Lord John Russell, on the first of March, 1831. The divisions in its earlier stages, wore, on the 22nd of March ; for the second reading of the bill 302, lujiiimt the second reading 301 : on the 18th of April, on the motion of General Gascojne, member for Liverpool, against reform, "that the number of members be not reduced," /or that motion 299, agtiiufit it 291 : majority against the reform ministry, 8. Three days after, the ministers were again defeated on a division of 164 to 142 upon a question of adjournment, whereby the voting of supplies was postponed by the anti-reformers. This last division recalled to the public mind a power which resides in the House of Commons, as a defence of that branch of the legislature against the lords and the crown, — the power to refuse to vote supplies. The effect of this division was, in the first instance, a threat to the reform government that the anti-reformers could and would stop supplies. It« effect, in the second instance, was to make the nation cry aloud for a dissolution of parliament, that a new election, even with the unreformed constituencies, might decide which party in the hou.se should have the power of withholding supplies. A third effect was, that the nation, not lo.sing sight of this constituional power vested in its representatives, ur^^jed it« application upon the House of Commons in the following year, when the great military commander of the age held the government in his own hands. His grace's declaration, in 1830, that there was no need for reform, thot the old sy.stem of representation worked well, and that there Should be no reform while he had power to resist it, had given an impe- tus to the public determination never before known on a strictly consti- tuional (juestion. Every act of the anti-reformers added strength to that national determination. Their acts of opposition, thoi'gh constitutional, wore often violent, sometimes nndigniiiod, and at last they ceased to bo constitutional. On the 22nd of April, parliament assembled in both houses, under an impression that a prorogation and dissolution would immediately take place. The anti-refonners deprecated dissolution. Animated debates r^^ ' ^n-jcf-^' i l>«itil«|llf n or A DILiaiNT LI?K. 97 arose; and tumultfl, such as have Bt!ld(»ui been witnessed with«n the walls of y.arliament, ensued. In the midst of the most undignified and angry discussion known to the British legislature, his majesty, William IV., arrived at the House of Lords, and summoned the angry Commons to m(K;t him among the angry peers. Fow of the anti-reformers were com- posed enough to answer the summons. Those wlio did appear, heard frcmi his Majesty's ranufh that parliament w:is prorogued, and would bo dissolved, in order that the sense of tlie country might bro\J!^liH ; Itut the ounticH, which, up to th«' pu«siny of the Itotorm Bill, were the repositories of iiiohI of the pi])ulur }M>wor which tlicri cxistod, re- turned Hovonty-aix iiicnibcrH out ui cijrhty-two pledged to vote for the bill. The new parliament met on 14th of June, 1H31, and on the "J-Hh, Lord Jolin Russell introduced the Reform bill to the House of Con)n>on8 a turouil time. At the division on the third reading there were, — /or the bill ;^45, against it 23t); majority for the third reading, 109. The bill then ptiHtted the CommonH, huidly cheered; the plauditH oft repeated, and caught up without the houKC and carried thri.»ugh the htreets tli in the kiiipl< Bi'l, procec'ded to that city, and nuide a public entry as recorder. Riots ensued, b(^inning on Satur- day, continuing the whole of Sunday, and suppressed only on Monday. Thf Mansion House, Excise Office, and Bishop's Palace, were plundered and set on fire ; the toll-gates pulled down ; the prisons burst open with sledgehammers, and the priwrners set at liberty among the mad |Kjpulace, The mob increased in madness as it increosed in niagnitude, and as the fuel upon which its fury fed increased in (juantity, — plunder in shops and houses, and liquor in vaults and cellars. One hundred and ton persons were injured less or more in Ufe or limb. Sixteen were found dead ; of these, three died fr'uu the wounds inflicted by the military ; the remain- der died of apoplexy, inflicted on themselves by excessive drinking in the bishop's pabee and in other housi^s which they plundered. On the Hist, the political union of London met in the Crown and Anchor, and, by jidjournmcnt, in Lincoln's Inn Fields ; Sir Francis Burdett in the oliair. It was agreed to form a national union, with branch societies, ecch having a delegate at the central Iward. At subse- quent meetings, resolutions for universal suffrage were proposed, and led !'H 100 ROM IR villi's book to the broiiking up of the union ; all the nicniboM not being faTourablo to Huoh a nicaflUTti on principle, and many who wort' favourable to it on principle, opponing it as imixwHiblo at that time. " If the modorut* reforni of thn bill, which h:ul boen twico rejected by the legislature, was ho diftieult to obtain," they aHked, " what muat universiil Huffrago bit ? " The working eliwses of London, however, led by persouH not eminent for dincretion, resolved, that flo far aH they eould defeat the Reform Bill, they would do HO. They forme » ,w' .1. . L i | lli H i>i|»i >li < ) » '»>'J l lt a»-VVT«''<»°^ " < '> *l'l"W«' '''^ or A niLiur.NT Liri. 101 &anib<;iv l>cinglftl to 115. Upon this, Knrl (irev moved the adjottrn- ment of the commiitoii until the lOtli. On the 9th. the reform miniHtry rc«ifi;no hi.'. indiBpenHable. I'p to this time, it ^ns grnorally believed that Enrl fJrcyhad obtained the king's aswent t4) the ercution of new peers t«) carry the bill, if nooei*- sary. The fact was n«»w publiebcd, that this extreme measure had neither been granted by the king, nor jwked for by tlie minister. The sovereign summoned and consulted Lord Lyndhurst, the Duke of Wellington, and Sir Robert Peel. Tlie precise nature of the consulta- tions did not transpire, though explanations were subse<(uently made, wliieh led to the belief tbat Hir Robert Peel refused to be pledged tt» the king to carry, or projwsc, any measure of reform, having so recently opposed the bills of Lord John RuhscU ; and he did not see l)cforchim a possibility of currying on an anti-reform government, with the majority of the House of C'otumons pledged to reform, as it then was. The Duke of Wellington, it is reported, declared hini.-*elf willing to be one of an anti-refi. (n cabinet, though not holding any jHilitical office Dur- ing nine days his grace was in constant communication with the king; and all that time no government was formed. The House of Commons met, and, on the motion of Lord Ebrington, passed, by a large majority, a resolution of undimini.«ihed confidence in the late cabinet. In London, public meetings were luld every day declaring, by unanimous resolutions, that no taxes should \m'. paid until the bill passed into law. Meetings of the mo^•t formidable magnitude were held in all the provincial towns, at which petitions to the House of Com- mons to withhold supplies of money for the public service, were adopted. The constitutional power of the commons to control the peers and the crown, by refusing to vote supplies, and the unconstitutional power of the crown, or of any subject under favour of the crown, to overawe the commons and the country with the army, were the topics of eager dis- cussion at every meeting, club, dinner-table, and fireside. Nearly all mercantile transactions were suspended. Intimation of an encampment of all the political unions in the kingdom in the vicinity of London, was seriously made, — to remain there until the bill was carried ! The anti- reform newspayers dared them to make the attempt, and spoke of the army. The reform newspapers, including the leading journF' ^ of London, spoke of resistance to the army. The IHmcs, faithful to its mission of de- serting the weak in the hour of need, prepared to turn tail on trembling Monarchy and Aristocracy, and mumbled, in its idiotic uncertainty, something about " brickbats." Constitutional lawyers of the highest eminence, the Lord Chancellor Brougham, one, and a gentleman afler- iiiVitiwy»»|(teiiijiUirt'ifi»>ii>iiii^t*Wrti««i*n'™ f 102 somirvim,?/h book wardn iiwards of five thousand people within tin* ^ates, most of whom were woll-dn!.«s(!d artizauH, all wearing' rihhons of light hlue knotted in their brea.stH. indieatiufjr that they were nieniborH of the political union. Next Sunday, the htirraek gates were clowd. No civilians were admitted. We were marched to the ritling sch;K)l, to prayers, in the afternoon, and, duriuir the remaining part of the day. or most of it, were employed in rough sharpt'nint: swords (m thegrindstf>ne I was (me of the "fatigue" men, who turned the stone to the .irniourer and his assistants. It wa8 rumoured that the Hirminghum politieal union was to march for London that night; and that we were to stop it on the road. The troops had been daily and nightly hooted and saddled, for thretMlays, with ball cartridge .Mcrved out, ready t(» mount and turn out at a moment's n<»tiee. But until this day we had rough-sharpcmed no swords. Not siiuic before the battle of Waterloo liad the swords of the Greys undergone the same process. (Jld soldiers spoke of it, and told young (tiU'H. Few words were 8p)ken. We had had more noise, anil probaltly looked less solemn, at prayers in the morning tlian we did now grinding swords. The commanding officer was asked by the army authorities in Lond(m if tlie men could be relied on, and answered, bo he afterwads said, " They are tirui as rocks! '" The negotiations then pnding between the king and the anti-reformers were unknown to the eountry. and in their details still are. Most of the transactions beyond the town of Rirminghani were unknown to us. though, from general rumour, we knew, unfortunately for our profession, that the country was alarmingly unanimous. When closed within barracks, we had no communication with the townspeople night nor day, and knew nothing of their movements. WV did not apprehend an immediate col- lision until the day of the sword-sharpening. The danger now seemed imminent. Some, who had held private and earnest conversations on i i << i r i t iii >mr «i>r . ii« >i i a^ i ri i i t)i j ) , fj iiy thr Ifiniso of (\)riiin(inM, wuf* Jo j;ivo circulntiMii to a ro|M»rl that wc v/vw. not to be dc|KMid<'d ujMtn to pill down puhlic iiHH'tiiips, or provi-nt tins |>t'Ojilt' of BlriiiiMuhuin tVniii joiirncviii^ to London, to pni^Jiit thoir {X'titions and miplxirt tht' House iif ('(iininitiih h^ their premMie*', il' they choHc tn under - tjike thf jiminey Weeaust-d l(ltrr> (oIh- writUii and >»eiit tn varidUM parties in Uiruiiii^rliacn and liotxlnn t<> tliat tfTeet. S«iiiie were addn-.».-«-d tti thi^ Dukf ot Wt'llini^tMii, ><(.nie to the kin^;, rMtuie to the War ( Hfie^-, to fjord mil, and some wen* dnipp<' ufxui a delib<:nitiv«' puhlie meetin^i;, or kill the peopKof Uirniin^diam for attemptiii;: to leav»- their own t«'ople, u^' th<>y valued Huectws to roforin and tViend- ship witli the army, )int to allow rioting, window-hn aking, or any outraj^ on projK'rty ; else, if refusing to tire or draw .sword> on them, in tin- event ofourheinj^ Itroujrht before n court-martial for sueh diHolx-'dionei' we should have no justifieation.-— wo should be ootKhmined and shot. *' If you »lo nothing but make ,«<|k.'» ches, sign iH.!titionf*, and go jK'aeeahly to present tluiin. though you go in teuH of thousands, tlu (Ireys will not pre- vent you." One of the hitters contained that passage, and eoneluded thus:—'" The king's name is a tower of strength, whieh they \\\Mni the adverse faetion want." Till- belief with the public, however, was fhnt the king had turned anti-reformer . and^ jxtssibly, hv wavered. There is too much reason to fear that the ((ueen-consort was influenced by the anti reform ladies of the aristocracy and operated on her royal husband. Hut these are se- crets of the royal household, not to be soon revealed, pi-rhape never Afl to what might have been done in the event of an armed m(»vement of the people, as discu.ssed or suggested by many of the leading London newspapers, it is not for me to spt^culatc upon now. — at leaift not here. Such (irobabilities were speculated upon then. ll.i[.[»iiy the nine daya of u nation withimt a government — all classeH fervently excited, and nearer unanimity than wiu* ever known of tlu^ Bri- tish ti.ition — came to an end. Sir Herbert Taylor, private secretary to the king, conununicated the following letter to Earl Grey: — " St. James's Palace, May 17, 1832. "My Dear Lord, — I am honoured with his majesty's commands to it''.. ■ V, 104 80MERVILLE8 TiOOK acquaint your lordship that all (lifficultip,« to the arran|^eincntK in progress will be obviated by a declaration in the House to-night from a Hufficient nuniW of peerH, that, in consequence of the present state of ajfairg, they have come to the resolution of dropping their further opi:K)Hition to the Kcfonii Bill, HO tlmt it iiiay pans without delay, and an nearly aupoHsible in itH present fhapc. — I have the honour to be yourH sincerely, Herbert Taylor." The bill went through committee accordingly, and on the 4th of Juno finally piwsed the House of Lords, on the motion of Earl Greyj the nuiiibers being UH)/or, and 22 against it. Th(! troubles of our regiment about reform, and particularly my own troubles, did not end with the clrcumstancciS in which they Ixigan. The fate of the bill was settlid by that letter from the king, announcing that it waa so in ^Wjonscqfienw of the j)resent state oj affairs.^' The news- papers continued to discuss the constitutional (juestion warmly. On the 2lHt or 22d I wiis on guard. When off sentry I found myself, early in the morning, alone in the guard-house, the other men, save those on sen- try, being asl(u3p. 1 had read during the night, in an anti-reform paper, a vehement denial of the Duke of \Vellingt:)n having yielded to reform from a (li.stiiist i . the army ; also tliat the rumours of the Scots Greys at liirmingham having expressed or held any political opinions, were fabrications of certjiin of the reform papers. I took the opportunity of being alone, to write, a letter U) the paper which had affrmed tViat tho soldiers had expressed political opinions, to corroborate what it had said. A pass.'igc from the letter was publislied. As it led to all the subsefjuent proceedings before a court-martial and court of enquiry, which I am about to relate, 1 give it here ; " As a private in that regiment, I have the means of knowing fully the opinions which pervad(! the ranks in which I serve. It was true that a few gave their names to the roll of the p(jlitical union. But let no one think that those who refrained from doing so, cared less for tho int(!restsof their country. I, for one, made no such public avowal of my opinions, for I knew it to be an infringement of military law; but 1 was one who watched with trembling anticipatitm the mov(!mcnt,s of tho people of Birmingham. For while we ventured to hope that any collision between the civil and military force's wou'.d be prevented by the moral energies of the former, we could not help having si fear that the uujrrin- ciplcd and lawless, who are everywhere more or less to be found, might take the opportunity of that turn in the national affairs to commit out- rages on property ; in which instance we should ctrtainly luive considered ourselves, as soldiers, hound to put d>}wn such disorderly conduct. This, • ■«».j**^-i«i»lrT ,■ i W > ^ pii,| ri. »< i .t»fwi . Ji»«isi«^a* yir^i»Vi^iit^)J imr tt i iii» ^ # v iSdmi it^iu^vM^ or A DILIGINT LIFK. 105 Hufficlont u'm, thoy on to the i poHbible LOR." 1 of Juno ^rey; the f my own an. The cinol» of a despotiHra. The Diike of W(!llinf^)n, if h« hooa or hears of tluH, may aHsun; biniBclf that military govornraont shall never again be net up in thi« country." This WiW published on the 27th of May, 1H,'j2. The word.s printed in italics shew that the opinion relative to the duty of HoldicrHto protect proptsrty ami Hupprew riots expret<«ed then, hafl been the opinion which I have ever wince exprowed. To write, or say, or think (i\ soldier has no busincKS to think, they tell him), that in any carHi we were not to do what we were ordered, wa« a grave offence, nothing short, of mutiny. I wad aware of that i\vc,l i rouionstrated with the soldJerw who had joined the political union, and puccot^ded in perBMu/ling thcni to recall their adhesion to it With the same regard for my own safety, 1 did not go near the political union. Had the time and the circumstancct^ come for us to act not iiocording to orders, it would have been an occasion great enough to risk all that wc were risking. It must have been a national necessity. We should Ivave either been shot while crying, " Ftir the king, tin; con- »titution, and the people ! " or triumphant with a nation's thank-s upon our he/wls. It ended, liowtiTCr, in the less dignified visitMion of a floggitig. But thtt I have not yet looktid ujx)n as a diHgrace. I might have felt dis- grijce.d had I allowed it to fall upon otlier biickn tlian my own. [The reader of 1859 will please to observe that this is tm exact reprint of a aarrative given to die world twelve; years i^.i."i.] Il ^ing fully [was true But let Is for the nil of my \\\i I was of the Icullision ic monJ uujtrin- vtiyht ]>nit out- This, 106 80MERVILLE8 BOOK CHAPTER XL The Military Crime. I may here direct attention to pome usages rf the cavalry service*, that yon may the uioire clearly understand the first occurrenci • whieh befel me in consequence of the publication of the extract of a letter read in iho. last chapter. A large number of men have two horsew, with fhcir accoutrcment.«. to keep clean and to feed. The six troops of a regiment consist of fifty- five men each. The commissioned ofiicers scU^ each a servant from the ranks; some, two. Those servant.s leave their Ijorses behind them in the troop stables, and attend only t(7the horses of their masters. The regimentsil sergeant-major, six troop sergeant-majors, farriers, ten or twelve sergeants, tlie bandsmen and bandmaster, are each allowed a man to take care of their horses. The men thus selected have their own horses to attend to also, which gives them each two. There are young horses in training, to replace old ones condemned at the previous yearly inspection, but which are still retained to do duty until the young ones, usually purchased when two years old. have reached the age of three years, or three and a half, and have been trained. Thus there arc spare horses; some old, some youijg. They are allotted among the men, so far as thej go, each man having one of them in addition to his own. There are also men in hospital, sick; their hcjrstiH are, in like manner, allotted. There may be some men in confinement , their horses are allotted. Each day. eight, ten, or twelve men go on guard on foot; their horses are left during twenty -four hours to the other men of the respective stables. And as it occurs every day that some of those who have two horses go on guard, they each leave two to be taken care of in the stable. On the line of march there are fewer spare horses than in (juarters, as the farriers and others are then mounted ; yet there are always some. They are led by men appointed to the duty ; which, on the march, is fretjuently imposed as a punishment. The men who turn out latest in the morning, who are im|)erfectlv fiolished or brushed, or who evinoe signs of having been tipsy the previous night, have the spare horses given to them. And as all horses and accoutremerits must be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day's march, before the man can attend to himself, he who has two feels the duty to be punishment in reality. lUltMriiu i'ii.„i^ ,«., .» nr«ti w«iv» <4>,rtj i; . yV>^i-'i-^lt»J^.^im^lttM»Ji,MtJ,p.^irlKft, -.-■-.■1 ji.'j-. J^a^-i^ltjji^.^ OF A riLIQENT LIFE. 107 Another way of punishing men when marching, is to make the offender dismount from a favourite horse (if he be so mounted), and ride on some odious trotter, which may be the dislike of all the regiment. It is some- times a grievous punishment awarded to men who give offence, to be separated from favourite horses, and have ill-tempered, ill-going animals allotted tected ; that the sergeant-major, adjutant, riding- master, and commanding officer would be " down upon " all of them, until they were driven into some fault, and caught in it ; that he himself was suspected more than any other man, in consequence of having been to the political union, and being known to have some talent and practice in lettxjr-writing. He proceeded to assure me that he did not write that letter, nor did he know who had written it ; but that he knew they would be " down upon " him. He said he wished he was as safe as I ; and was sorry that he had not been as careful to keep from the political union. To which I replied, that he and others who went there were blameable for indiscretion ; but I was not so free of blaine in respect of indiscretion as I had been. I then confided to him the secret that the letter was my production, and that he need have no fear for himself, as I should avow it rather than let him or any one suffer on account of it. I did not then know who the suspected men were ; but before the Court of Inquiry, at Weedon, the commanding officer stated that I was not one of those at first suspected ; that during the Sunday evening, in a conversation with the riding-master and another officer, it was suggested thai I might have been the writer, or that I knew something about it, as I had been seen reading newspapers ; but that he himself was not inclined to believe that it was I, and only believed the act to be mine wlien I acknowledged it, on the following Tuesday. Had the commanding officer been careful to say as littli; before the Court of Inquiry as the riding-master said, it might never have tran- spired that I was one of the subjects of their conversation on the Sunday sveniug. But he told the court, that, though Buspecting others, he \[\\\ M 108 bomerville'b book yielded to the suggestion that I might be the -writer; and observing in the paj)er a notice, that, to prove to the public that the original was a genuine Holdier's letter, it could be inKspected at the newspaper offict^, he endeavoured to obtain n specimen of my handwriting to send to l 1^1 , tfti4J Bttr) , ^ «i » . ^ |M^ pp^fT^^w^^"^ OF A DILIQKNT LITX. 109 the fair fortune of being paflscd by with a glance. It had become a weekly occurrence for the captain to glance his eye U> my accoutrements, upon which the troop scrjeiint^major said, " That man'8 thinga arc always clean"; and without further insfwction they passed to some one el»e. Until this memorable Monday morning no fault had been found with me. Having been practised as a rider in my boyhood, I hod little difficulty in the school, except to unlearn some unmilitary positions. Every direction given I studiously obeyed. When I was in the first clnj's and " back sticks" were used to make the recruits sit upright, I wa« always called out of the "ride" and left to look on ; the riding-master saying that I did not require that department of teaching. Indeed, from the official documentary evidence laid before Parliament and the War Office, I find him bearing testimony to the fact that I had been always obedient and active for duty. I had advanced into superior classes, leaving recruits whom I found before me when I joined the regiment, behind. I had been sooner sent to mount guard and go out to field days than most other recruits. These matters I mentioned now, to shew what my position really was at the 28th of May. On taking the horse to the school, I was surprised, that, instead of some rough-rider taking him from me as before, to allow my return to the stable to attend to my own horse, the riding-master ordered me to " fall in," and join the ride which was abtmt to be formed. I did so, and was the second file of the ride ; Sergeant Glen, the head rough-rider, being the leading file. Mr. Gillies, the riding- master, peeing me without spurs, demanded why I had come to the .school without boots and spurs. I was about to reply that I had been sent with the horse, and had no intimation that I was to ride. " Hold your tongue ; don't answer me," he exclaimed. " Dismount !" I dis- mounted. "Mount!" I mounted. " Dismount 1" I dismounted. ** Mount I" I mounted. "Dismount!" I di.sraounted. All this was only the work of a minute ; but his manner was so difierent from anything that I had seen in him, and he lashed his whip with such vehemence, that I did not know what to think. The horse nervous, ill- tempered, and alarmed, reared, plunged, and chafed. I attributed the riding-niaster's ill-humour to the fact that I had come without my spurs ; and on being ordered to go to the barrack-room and d;oe8, I darted out of the school, to run as if life and all that life is worth depended upon the speed of getting booted and spurred. He, seeing me run before I was out of the school, recalled me in a thundering voice, and demanded if I did not know how to go out of the school otherwise that I had done. He told me to get a switch, instead of spurs. I then walked out, instead of running. As soon as I was \ ' \ I > 4tfi^ no bomerville's book clear of the door, I ran ; and though the distance wa« three or four hun- dred yards to the room iu which 1 had quarters, I returneu in a very few minutes. Arrived with my cane, I took the horse from the lianda of the (.rderly who attended the classes to fire pistols behind the ears of youna; liorses and young men. and, standing for orders, got the word " mount," and mount*»d; "dismount," and dismounted; '' ruount," and mcmuted; "dismount," and dismounted; "mount," and mounted. Once more the commanding voice, the loud whip, and the maddened animal kicking the boards, mingled together. I could not, and no dragoon that ever bestrode a trooper could, have calmed a horse thus irritated, and "rrought him into line with tlie seven or eight others all at once. I could not do so ; but I did my best. To make the matter worse, because I did not do so, the riding-master, as I thought, whipped the horse. There was after- wards some doubt about this ; and probably ho only cracked the whip. The eflFect, however, was to make the animal plunge, dash backward on the boards, and be unmanageable in circling, turning, and wheeling. At fii'Gt we were to move slowly ; but my horse was in such a state of irrita- tion that it would not go slowly. We then trotted and cantered, circled, wheeled, turned, and many other things ; the horse sometimes halting and rearing when it should have been trotting, until it disor- dered the whole ride. The riding-master vociferated that it was my fault ; and, as if to make me manage the horse better, ordered me to ride without stirrups. The stirrups w^ere thrown across in front of the saddle. I now saw that he was determined, for some purpose or other which I could not even suspect, to give me a tumble. This I was determined should no*^^ happen. It may do in the amphitheatre to ride fantastically ; but it is more than play in a military riding-school to ride without stirrups, on a saddle, with a horse foaming and enraged as mine then was, the riding-master now worse-tempered than the horse, and the rider now thinking that he had most cause of the three to be out of good humour. I rode without stirrups, and kept my seat ; though more than once, with sudden rearing and swerving, I felt myself unsteady. We got the word " halt," and formed in a line up the centre. Upon which, T being the file No. 2, the riding-master spoke thus : " Number two by himself, the remainder steady, a horse's length to the front; march!" This I obeyed as well as I could make the hurse do it, by taking three yards (a " horse's length "i to the front. Then by myself I waa dismouted and mounted some half-dozen times at least; which being done without stirrups, I had to breast the saddle each time. It exhausted my breath, and almost my patience. Y,- . "t . .. >.(lKJi;i>fv.[>»««fc«f»»»«v^ijt;«.«.j»i,«(5|jif*p.LaL."-i-iig-'-»l«-' W»i .«|»g-twn '^| OF A DILIQEtn: LIFE. Ill The ride woint on a^ain ; my horse wjcminply more resolute in reurinji; and «wcrviii<^ out of the ride thuii over. It niadti !i sprill^ from the side of the ^hiH)! towjirflw the ci;ntre ; and in the vexation of the moment I diHiuountur duty ? Mount!' I said, '* I caniiot, manage this horse." He thou .said, ** Guard, take this man to the gU!U*d-house : l>e is a prifloner !" They eame ; one ut," »aid he tjikinjr r. newspafK^r wliicii lay ready at hand, " you are foi d of aowspapeifl, I understand, " (or of writing to new.Hpap€r«). I Haw w'la^ waH coming; and having heard from the men on gaard,and from another who came to the guard-house with my breakfast, that there wa« a greut commotion in the regiment about the letter, and that several men were accused, and were likely to be made prisoners and broui;ht to trial, I resolved to confess myself the writer. The major, exhibiting a Hlip of paper, said, " You arc fond of writing to nerspapers, I believe?" This paper contained some verses, as I believed at the time, with my name attached. They were but silly in poetry, yet, having something sentimental about them, they had been printed in the poei's corner of a Birmingham newspaper. A gentleman belonging to the Staffordshire yeomanry, who with other gentlemen came to the military riding-ecbool to take lessons, and for whom I had several times accoutred one of the troop horses, inquired one day if I had written the love verses which had been in the newspapers. 1 said " Yes." He prt»ceeded to inform me that, his sister and other young ladies had admired them, and desired him to get copies in the soldier's own handwriting, for their albums or scrap-books. I shall not^ I cannot, do any lady the injustice of believing that a copy of sentimental verses, sought by herself and placed in her scrap-book, was taken out for the purpose of assisting in getting the author punished. But having been told that the copy was placed in a lady's .scrap-book, and that the other ladies roqi.ested each a copy, while I had made but one, it was evident, seeing that the major Itad one, that some person had taken it from the lady's sci p-book io be used for the discovery of evidence in this case. From what the major subsequently said, it appeared that he that day sent it to Londcm for the hand-writing to be compared. He said, again, " You are fond of writing to new.spapera, I believe ?" I replied that I had written very little to newspapers. He then, taking hold of the newp- papcr which contained the extract from the political letter, said, "^ I have something else to say to you : do you know an-" thing of this libel which has been published about the regiment ?" I replied that I did not know if it was a libel ; but I had written a letter, and I believed part of it was published. He then asked, sternly and formally, if I had written that letter, and I answered "Yes." He procefided : "You do nA think that letter a libel, but I think it worse: it is treason." Some fui'ther emarks wore made, which I did not state before the Court of Inquiry to be more precise than " to the best of my recollection." As the majw to- jji ii * » H iiiii r « »»o«a»-*<>w^aCT>pM| or A DILIQENT Liri. 113 (lay lat I have Fhieh fnow was Ithui llunk kher |ry to gjive a sfimewhat difforcn* version of this oxainination, T nhall, in tlio ncxi poiii^rraph but one, (juotohi» verHion. He drew nie into a political oonver- sution, an(!, amoncr other things, asked if T did not know that I was sworn to tho kinjr, paid by the kin^, and ktund to support him. I replied, that T was sworn to the kin^', as the head of tho nation and the constitution ; that I did not know who would have paid me liad tho House of Commons refused to vote the supplies, as it seemed likely to do a fortnisrht ap;o ; that as to the oath of allemanct>, circumstances might have !'.ri9en in whicih it niifrht have been a question to whom the king individually, or the conHtitution and frovernment — the oath was taken. (In relatitifj this to the Court of InaHHa)^«;, unvv.n in the room prohably a niinut*' wlum [ wMit tor him. Limtonant RickettM wai« in the room, and tlui Horjcant-major brought him in by my order. I prewtnteJ the ' crime ' U\ him and — ' " ' Thin is your criuio; I am Horry it kIiouUI hav upfM>ared,' That .le connnencement of the conversation. I sai J I did not expect it of mo young a Holdier. IIo hwtked at me, and I tliink the word* lie .said were, ' I am tu^rry for it.' 1 do not think lie 8ai(l anythiiijii; niore, except that he nuintioned something about hia horso being unruly. I think he said he ^ could not mnnayv t/u hone'' ; thoHO were \m v/»)rds. I said, ' It is highly improper conduct, a high di»»)l)e- dionoe of orders, and I regret it very nmch.' I wa» tarry io»ee. Ac did not earprcss wme contrition : I thought a soldier would have Hiiid more. My olijeci in Heeing him iran, if hv hod upokcn v^ell /or himself to have relemed him. He did not say that which I expected. I said it waa an i)«t of insubordination, and, a.s near a.>* I can recollect, I said, ' it cannot be overlooked.' Ho said nothing more. " Tlw neWH})aper was lying on the table : I took it up and said, " I am afnud, uij lad,' I think that waw the expression, ' you are fond of writing in the newspaperw.' He seemed surprised. I then said, ' Is this letter from you ? He then stopped a short time and said it was; that he hud written the letter, I then read the letter, or extracts from it ; and 1 think I commented on the letter, saying, I was sorry to see a young soldier writing in a newspaper, and particularly on pclitieal sub- jects, which I considered was not a soldier's duty. He then said, he did not know : he thought he had a right to write in the newspa|)ers. I said, ' You have no right to comnientupontheconduct of your regiment, and say what is not the fact : you have written a libel on the regiment.' I said, '■ That is not the business of a soldier.' " I read some more lines, and came to a passage about what the Scots Greys would do in ca.se they were called out to act. It is a long time since : I cannot recollect the words, but they were to this effect, — that to quell a mob they would do so, but would not lift up arms against the people. I said, ' This is strong conversation,' and asked him what ho meant by it. I said, ' You ought to know your duty better than to express any such libel ou the regiment,' and I asked him what he meant by it. Then I said, ' Do you recollect, my good fellow, that you have sworn allegiance to the king, and you are paid by the king ?' Then that began a conversation, the words of which I do not recollect, except having f-een them in the paper, — something about his being paid by the king, aiud that only so long as be was for the people, or words to that i. .J^kVl•«Vi,4,««f^*^fc^i^i4^s^ly-^/wi,^.V^,5fV^ .. ^fmi^'^mmmmmmf. or A DILIUBNT LI PI. lis QiuBtton, by the prueidcnt : " Ib that ytnir own nvollcctiitn. boing wfruwhod in iiuy nmnnor, that lu» did uw) fhow wordn in purtiruhir ?" AtiHwer: " Yes; he »aid he whh l)<>uiid to tli«> kin^ -m lon^r u« he went with the people, or wordt* to thiit effn't. I thtn fold him that I wu« Borry t<» Hce so youn;^ u Holdier conmu'iice in thut inann'jr. Aj^ain, I said it miu* not the huHini-ss of any Hnlditr to meddle with p«»liticM, and I re^rett4'd very much tliat lie had libelled the whole roy;inient. That I think, ended the oonverHation. T then :uu^e. It had Ixum the eonversation throiijrhout the whftle of the burraelc yard ever Hinoo Sunday ; no one eould make out wlio it wiu*. Various jxjople were RUj.';zeHtcd ; one man in particular, and everybody believed it waa liim but myself. .... We were Htill in doubt an to the writer, until the man confesHcd he was the writer in my nxim. My idea was that it was too well written for a Holdier. One part, I thought, might have been written by a soldier: the rest, I said, could not have k'en writtr«Mliiig chapter nil to the part wliicli ''we" had a(!tth of May, I do not now (nioto it. His Btutcmentw already «|Uoted in thin chapter, refer to the proceed inps be lore a court-martial waH ordered, or even thought of Thi* major hayH, honeHtly, (it would have been well if livery other witncHS had t/)ld all whiili they knew nm honcHtly.) " My object in He<*injr him was, if In nhouhl hitve sjtoh'fn will for hivucif to have reltnnfd him, but. he did not Hay that which I expected." I C(Mild not, with punirthnietit im[)endii)^ over other men, do otherwino than tell bin; that I wart the writer of the letter f<»r which they were suspected. For thin confcsHion, if his words have any meaning,' at all, [ was sent back to the jruard-housc with the; sergeant-major. In about tea minutes after leavinir me there, the sergeant-nuijor returned, with a slip of paper upon which was written my " crime," or indietment, and said, " You will prepare ftir a court-martial immediately; that is your crime." He went out; but aj^ain returned in a few minuten. and told me that if I had a y witnesses to call, to name them, and ho would order their attendan(!C. My thoughts instantly turned to the person.s who had been in the ridinjr-si'hool the day before and had witnessed th«) extraordinary conduct of the riding-master; but I could not recall all the circumstances in a moment^ a"! the probable evidence of the diiferent men, — some of whom saw one thing, some another, according to the part of the ride they were in. I therefore said that 1 would require a few minutes to consider who might be of use to me ; to which the sergeant-major replied, angrily, " We have no time to lose in that way," and left me abruptly. He did not return, T was taken before the court^uijxrtial at eleven o'clock, and had no witnesses. This person's conduct was very different, when, on a subsequent occasion, I demanded his presence as a witness before the Court of Inquiry. 4. ■•h**» m tti>'if ,, m«'" i or A DiUUBNT Lll'K. 117 CnAPTKll XII. The Gourl-MurtiKl ; Hentonce, Two Hundred Lashci. Tho f(»llt)wing in a copy of the unlcri' upm whirli the courtnuirtial wm forinod : — " M(UININ(J Rr.OlMKNTAL OllDERH HY MaJOR WvnDHAM. niHMINa- HAM Uakracks, 2\hh Muy, \H'A2, — A re;riiucntal court-tniirtiiil will a«8ciri)>le in tlio iuoH«-ro(iin, for the trial of mich prisoiuTH un may bo brou^^ht bcforo it. I'roHidcnt : Captain Fawcctt. iMoniborfl ; C'aptiiiii Clarke, Lieutomuit Soniorville, Cornet Furlong, Cornet Mac(|U!»rrie. Tho troops to parade in ntable drcfw, with Hide arms, at half-paHt four o'oltx'k." " A true copy from tho regimental order-book of tho 2nd Dra- goons. (Signed,) St. Vincent Williuui UickettH, lieutenant and udjutuut, 2nd DragfKMiB." It wa« atated on behalf of Major Wyndhani, in tho Court of Inrjuiry, to be custoniary in the Scots Greys to order u parade of the men iu Hide-armn, to hoar tho pntceedings of court-martials, at the samo time that tho court waa ordered to aHHomble ; ancl that con8e(|uently by doing ho, on thl.- occasion, it waa not to be inferred that he antici- pated tho finding and sentence of tho court. I might have proved by tho oldcHt rtoldiors in tho regiment, whoiu I had sumuionod to the inijuiry, that the custom waa otherwise, and that in no case within their recollec- tion had a regimental courtrmartial been assembled immediately, by orders issued during the day ; the custom being to i.ssue tlu; orders on the pre- vious evening. My purpose in summoning witnos.M'>* to prove those cus- toms, waa to show, that, though I had been in coniiiicment for the crime in tho riding-school from Monday morning until Tuesday forenfwn, no court martial was ordered, nor intended to be ordered for mo, until after I had confessed myself the writer of the extract. And it will presently appear that Adjutant St. Vincent Kicketts admitted the irregularity to be greater than this. I had also witnesses to prove, that, though nominally tried and punished for the riding-school offence, the major, by his address to the regiment after I was punished, showed tliat it was for the letter-writing, and not for the other offence, that I had been punished. But it became unnecessary to call those witnesses after the mjyor had made his statement : he had made the case against himself as clearly as I could have proved it. 118 HOMERVILLE H HOOK Much time wiw wbhUkI in the ('ourt of Inr|uiry itfK»n tho qiuwtion of ilic hour at which t\u\ rc;;imontiil court-inartiiil nHWiinhloil It had been rcjK»rtt!(l in the nowf-papcrs that it .iHsemblcd at cKiven o'chtck, or at half- [tiiHt (ildvon. Thin wan a piiiiit of litth; iiriportanrc ; but Mujor-rioncral Sir 'IMifdnjut Bradford, and the othcjr ficld-offuicrH forniinj^ the ( .'ourt of Jnijiiiry, made it one (»f my cliargcH aj^aiiiHt my commandin;: officer which waH " not proved." Thisy tftok a variety of newspaper reports, without questioning mc as to their ef)rrectneHH, or whether T had authorised them U) be published, and, forniinfj; t}i(!So into a series of char;^es a/ter t/ii Cimrt of Inijiiirjf cluHid, rejxtrtiid U[>on them to th(! commander of the forces, Lord Hill, and t-o I'arliament, that they were " not proved." The oidy cliarf^es which 1 in reality made, were two : first, that I had been entrapped and almost cornjuslled into an act of disobedicuiee in tho ridin^'-schortj, in ordtsr to j^et me into tntuble about another oft'enee of which I was only suspected ; and sec(»nd, that I was tried and sentenced for th(! disobtidience of orders whidi I could hardly have avoided, while I was punished for the olfence of writin}^ the letter. The petty crim<> for which I was tried was thus worded : — " Kor hitdily unsoldiiir like conduct on the morninfj^ of the 2Hth instant, in dismountiisf^ without leave, when takinjr his hissons in the riding, school, and alwjlutely refusing to remount his horse when firdered to do so." When tho officers had assembled, I was sent for. The corporal of tho guard placed mo oetween two privates. We marched in that position to the officers' m(!SS-rormi. A tabh; stood in the centre of the room. Tho pnwident sat at one (md, the four officers sat two on each eidt;, dressed in full regimentals; and I was placed and stood at tho other end. Tho corporal and one of tho guard withdrew. The other man stood, with his carbine (a shortgun) at the position of "carry," by my side, as sentry over me. His name was 1'homa» Hcott, 1 summoned him to th(! Court of Inquiry to prove that tin; official minutes of tin; court diil not niport all the procecidings. He was an unwilling witness. It was dangerous for liim, or for any of my witnesses, t^t give evidenct! in my favour, but he established most of my allegations of unfairness on the pjirt of the officers who intj(!rfered with my (juestions U) the witnesses for tlie prosecution, — the qu or A mnaicNT unc. 119 tho c» ii't^niartial. Tlcre is thoir official rcjiort. TIk; onJor ujion wliich it wuH forinod, tho imiueH (tf tho officers, and the criuic, arc already (lUdtcd : — " Tho prisoner haviiif; been n«ked by the {»reHidont whetlier he objeet» to any member tif the court 'f unHwcrK : " That he objcotH tf) Corned Maccjuarrie, kh beiii^ u minor. [Tl\c word ml:iu>r not correctly nsported : Htjo the remurkH. J " The objeetion of the priw»ner Ih overruled by the nieniberM of the court. " The prittoner pleadH guilty fo tho eliarge. " Fir»l nndenrc. " Lieutenant ami riding-niajster (Jillien, Im inj; ddly KAvom, HtatcH totlio court,—- " That the priwoner, on the niorninfr of t!ie 2Htli iiiHf., when takiii;.: hi« leHHori in the; riditi;: Wihool, turn»:tl in out of the riile and threw hiriiHelf from hiH horne. Evidence awked hini Imh reawon for ho doin;^. lie, pri- soner, told (ividcnee, ' Uccauw; h(! could not rid(! the horHe.' He, evidijuee, told him it wan hirt duty t^) teach him to ride hiu JiorHe;and he, evidenex;, ordered him to mount the horse aj^ain, which tho priHoner refum^d to do. Kviden(!e tln!n Kent ior the cf)r|M)r;d and a file (»f the guard to luke t,h«' prirtoner t<»(!onfineinent ; and, on their arrival, evideiHM; again onhiredthc priwituT to remount \m horwe, which he again rel'uHtd. " Sergeafit John Olen, being didy nworn, stiiU^H to the court, — " That on the morning of the UMtli inst. he wan in the riding-Hchool, in the name ride with the; prisonc^r. Kvidfriee saw tln' prisoner turn out of th(^ ride and disirKtunt bin hor.s«', without ncciiving any order from th(5 riding tnaHter to do so. The riding-maHter went up and awked hiui why he did ho. JJut evidence did not hear llu^ reply. Tin; riding uiaHler thcii ordered him to mount again, wliich he did not do." *' Qiirntiiiu hi/ the prifumir : I>id you or did you not hear my auHwer? " Avswrr : L did not heiir it. " Wmh your impresHion, wlujti you ,sa\> nie i«A l<< .W l » i fai | ii»i i ff Jll 'l Wl li!} iil ^ il il i i^ ^ 120 bomerville's book " Question by the court : Did you ever before see a soldier refuse to remount when ordered ? " Answer : Yes I have ; but the man was punished for it. " Third evidence. " Corporal Adam McClure, being duly sworn, states to the court, — " That on the 28th inst. he was corporal of the barrack guard, when one of the men came to the guard-room and desired evidence to take a file of the guard to the riding-school, which he did. Evidence, upon going to the riding-school, saw the prisoner standing near his horse. The riding-ma8t<;r said, in presence of evidence, that he would give him (the prisoner) another chance, and asked him to mount the horse. The pri- Honer said, * No ' ; evidence then \iook him to the guard-house. *' Question bi/ the court : Did the man appear to have been drinking ? '^Answer: No." Defence. " The prosecution being here closed, the prisoner is put upon his de- fence, who states to the court that the horse which he was riding was one upon which he never was before ; and being unqualified to sit steady upon the liorse, the prisoner found it to give way to the reins frequently, which he could not keep easy." Opinion. " The court, having duly considered the evidence against the prisoner, are of opinion that he is guilty of the crime laid to his charge." Character. " The prisoner calls upon Lieutenant Gillies, who, being duly sworn, states, in answer to the prisoner's question as to his general characte** in the riding-school, that until the present time he has considered the pri- soner attentive to his drills. " The prisoner fur the i* calls upon Sei^cant Glen to sptiak to his general character, who, being duly sworn, states that he never before saw him refuse to obey any orders, '' Question hi/ the prisoner : Do you consider that I wa.^ as attentive in the riding-school as the other recruits ? '^Answer; I consider you to have l»o€n so." Sentence, " The court, having found the prisoner guilty of the crime laid to his charge, the same being in breach of the Articles of War, do, by virtue thereof, sentence him, the prisoner, Alexander Somerville, t« receive two hundred lashes, in the usual manner of the regiment, at euoh time and % -^ti**^ uii>M . 'Sfilntttiy iMkiiu- ''•• |^"-i : I if i ' ' i fl" 1 •" ii 'T i Hl • • f "" ".''I 'lir i Vn i i ifr yiyJ ' OF A DILIGENT LIFR. 121 refuse to court, — liird, when e to take a upon going orse. The ■e him (tho The pri- 1 drinking ? ipon his de- ing was one steady upon ently, which the prisoner, [duly sworn, Icharacte^- in sred the pri- his general Ire saw him as attentive feme kid to tto, by virtue receive two oh time and place as the commandinji; officer may tliink tit, — M. J. Fawcett, president. Approved, C. Wyndhara, Major, comuiaiidinj: Second Dragwns." These are the official niinutes. They do not set tnrtU all the prf^eed- ings of the court. I liorc otliT a few rcuiiirk.^ upon wliat tliey omit. My objection to Cornet Macquarrie was not tliat lie was a '• minor"; hut that he was " too young," being under eighteen years of age, ah T and most of the men in the regiment at that time believed; and because he was only learning to ridt; in the school himself; also, that this was the first court-martial that he had been upon, and he could have no expe- rience. Mueh sensation and niihaj'py feelinii liad prevailed in the regi- ment before I entered it. and still prevailed. ari>-i(iu; from an order, issued by the Duke of VVellingtcm. wliicli cut oil all tlif years and months from the service of those who had entere soldier, young or old, had }.X',en ; and that the horse had been driven to n»adn««H, Conscien- tiously he could not answer that question against me ; but he had twenty-six years of service and was about to be discharged upon a pension, and could not afford to give an answer in my favour, I put several other questions to him, to elicit evideiirt; upon the extraordinary conduct of the riding- master, but he did not an^twer them. The president, ('aptain Fawcett, interfered, and, addressing me angrily, said he could not sit there to hear such questions asked by a prisoner, (.!aptain Clarke said he thought the prisoner had a right ti-(iiHWt rnkm^ium kt*-««»-fa»U » iii il ' * ,}i' i,f * i1 .■iailt<»*t | g| ; ^iaa'-ri i f < litgiaa .i. 1 ni r -i-frirt > I'l ■d il ' IM I l iw "-. n'- i r ^ " -, '■ f .lifcf - r ^;t*i- 4.^'-;^^-lL.-;.-iA.f ,^J^''StJiU-mL OI" A 1)!LI6KNT LIFE. 123 ** By Private Sornervilh : Do you remember (yaptain Pavcett having made any observation on any ijuestion put by me to tl e witness? Yes. " State what it was, (This was ropepttKl by the court, t<> whom Scott answered) : ' When Somerville a.sked Sen^tiatit Glen what imj ression it made upon him when hn turned out of the ride, I cannot t(;ll what Sergeaut Glen said ; he was some time before lie answered it. The ques- tion wajs answered. Captain Fawcett said, ' You have made a great deal by that qiKstion 1 ' " This answer oeoawioned looks of surprise in the Court of Inquiry. The lodks seemed to interfere with Thomas ^oott's memory ; though they mii^ht not have been ho intended. His atissver caused a sensation on one side of the table, where it was not exiiected ; and he seemed aftervvards to be afraid of renewini^ the sensation, for he took a long while U\ answer the subsecjuent questions. He answered some of them, however, and I. quote a few more. The answers printed in Italics are worth notice. *' What else passed? I carmot exactly recollect: it is a long time «ince. I cannot say whether it was, ' You have made,' or, ' you aave- not made'; I cannot say which was the e.>;pressit)n. " Do you remember Captain Fawcett saying that he did not sit there-, to hear such questions put ? No ; / cannot my (htt I do. " Do you remember Captain Clarke making any observation on the' questions put by me to any witness ? Yes ; he told the i)risoner he wan- allowed to put any questions he thought projier, through the court. " What ocoasioned Captain Clarke to tell me I had a right to put any questions I thought propi r ? That is (i question I cannot answer. " Was it an observation of Captain Fawcett that occasioned the re- mark of Captain Clarke ? Fics, it was at the time that Cajitain Fawcett told you that you had made a great deal by that questifm, that Captain Clarice spoke to you. " Did Lieutenant Somerville make any observation on any ({uestion I put to the witness ? I cannot say ; if he did, I do not remember it, " Cross-examined by Major Wyndhavi : Had Sergeant Glen com- pleted his evidence previous to Private Somerville putting the question which produced the observation of Captain Fawcett. ? He had answered the question. " By the Court : Had Sergeant Glen said all he had to say before this- question was put ? I cannot exactly say whether he had or not. ** Was he done speaking ? Me was done speaking. The object of these questions put to Thomas Scott was to make it- appear that I had interrupted Sergeant Glen in his evidence before the court-martial, and that thereforu the president interfered wiih me. Thisi r |ia«t*».dMWi:iven on the inquiry, by saying that so many things wore said at thectiurt-niartial lie could not roniemher them all ; that " Somerville wah talking to them almost all the time he was in." Whereupon there came the following quei^tions : — " Bji Mojnr Wjiinlhiim : FTow did he conduct himself during the trial? r caoMot !insw«'r tliat ((uestion : I do not underi^taiid it. " Ih/ tlu ( \mrt : How did he behavi; in the room V Was he proj)Cr and respectful, as a soldier should be under thecircuniHtances of being beibns a court-martial? I never was in any courtruuirtial before this. '' Jh/ I'ririiU Somerville: Did Captain (-larke say that I had a right to put what fpiestions I thought pro]ter, immediately after the observa- tion oi' Captain Fawcctt ? He did. " Hi/ the Coxrt . Vou have said that Somerville spoke nearly the whole time of his trial. To whom did he speak ? and was it in a loud tone, or otlierwi.se ? He spoke to the members of the court. " Was it in ^ loud tone, or what manner, or respectful ? Yes, I think respcitful. '' Do you remember any of the remarks he made to the court ? I do not remember then» now," The. manner was respectful, -it might have been earnest and firm. It was the same then as Major Wyndham stated it to have been when I wtu) orderc) forgiveness of your 8in8, colonel, have nier<:y ! oh! have pity ' I am a had man, I confess it. Mercy! have mercy irood colonel ! Mvory man will eall you a good colonel, if yectful word, nor tone, nor gesture; but I »>ndeavoun'd U^ prove, by the witnesses for the proseotition (not having becMi iillowed time to call •witnesses for the defence), that 1 was driven into an act nf (lisobedienee. It was not an open court, with an applauding auditory present, nor with reporters writing for the world to read. I vins^ a clos<' prisoner, with a sentry over me with a loaded carbine, not a iriend on earth knowing my situation, except tho.se comrades in the regiment who trembled for them- selves. I kii';w that punishment was before me, but of what kind I could not a.ssure myself. Indeed, I did not think of the ininishment when before the connnauding officitM- or the com so much as I tlion^^ht of the meaness of the treatment which had brought m(> to be a prisoner. The ecntenee of the court-martial was not known until the afternoon parade, at which time the minutes were read. This is customary with ail court-martials. The corporal of the guard and a tile of men were sent for when the court was done with me. I was placed between them, and marched back to the guurd-hou.se. I had now time to think about the sentence, which was still unknown; and, forming what 1 believed to be the worst anticipation of it, looked forward to two months' S(jUtary im- prisonment in the bhick-hole, or possibly something less. But, that I might TU)t be disappointed, I phujed before myself what seemed to be the worst punishment they were likely to intiict ; judging, as I did, from what T had heard of the jmnishment of other offenders, who had committed wonse acts of di.'iobedieiiee than I had done, without any provocation or excuse. The first intimation which T received of the kind of punishment which I was to suffer, was by overhearing the corporal of tlie guard say to a- trunijieter, named Charles Hunter, who seemed to be asking leave to. spi'ak with me in the black-hole, that lie could not give him leave ; but he would go out of sight, and Wvudd not .sec that Hunter got access to me to do what he was going to do. The other men on grxard got an iiitimation . i ; I 181 bomervillk's book that, though it WM contrary to ordcrH, they ivere not to Bft what Charley Hunter did. Accordingly, JIunter got the key of the black-hole, oponed the door, enttired, and, taking a bottle which waH hidden about hiB clothes, told me that it contained liall'-apint of mm, and to drink it all ; 1 (should probably have need of it at tlie parade in the riding-Mjhool. I asked what he lueant ? He said some of the men in my room had put {wMice together to buy the rum for me. 'But what do you mean by offering jne rum ? You have not w^en me drink liquor of any kind : why do yom ask me to drink .hat rum? ' "I do not know thnt you mayreijuire it," he replied ; " but 1 advist' you to drink it. 1 eaw old Owen (the sergeant of the band) go across the barrack yard a short while since to the ridiug- Bohool, wJih the green bug in his hand. l'erha})S they only wantto frighten you ; I dare say they won't do more than tie you up; but you know the green bag means something." "What does it mean V I asked. 'Do you infer from seeing it that the cats were in it, and that 1 am to be flogged?" "Mot flogged, perhaps," he replied; " but they will try to frighten you. Drink this, and \w phuhyy " Not a drop," said I. '' If tluiy flog me for that cbaige of disobedience in the riding-school, 1 need no rum to sustain me: I shall have strength enough to bear it." "But do; come, drink : it is a common thing. All soldiers try to do this for one another. I have known men to drink a pint of rum, and go and take their punishment like men." " Not one drop for me," said I firmly. "But you will require it when you can't get it." •' I shall not require it." " But I have known men txt xivg out dreudtully when punished. If they had got enough of rum, it would have supported them, and they would not have sung out." " Not one drop foi- me, Charley Hunter. I Bhall not sing out, I promise you, if they cut mo to pieces, but if they do lay a lash on my back, they will bear of it agidn. Take away that rum: I shall not drink it; no, nor the half of it, nor a drop of it; I shall not touch it. Charley replied to this, "Well, there's no use losing it: if you won't drink it, I know who will." He took some himself, and gave the remainder to one of the men on guard standing by, and who had promised not to see what was done. I heard the warning trumpet sound ; and soon aft»;i the trumpet for parade sounded the " turn out." A few streakh of light entered by the .chinks in the door of the black hole : I could see nothing more of the outward world. 1 heard the band play, and knew by the sound that the troops were marching. By the music of the march, I knew when they reached the riding-school. When the music ceased, I wait- ed anxiously for the door of the black-hole to open. The key rattled in the lock ; it opened. Two of the guard entered, laid hold of me, one on ■»t» *» I nm n ixM i*fc um OF A DILIGENT LIFl. 127 1 tnch side, and led mo out. I told them thoy nwd not lay hold oi* nje ; I would go (juu^tly. All the men tit'tho ji^uard Have thowo on sentry wore fonmxl nt tho bl:u;k-liol»! dtntr. I was pl.icfd in the wntrf of thoni. Tho roffiniental sergenutuiajor gavt the coninitind " Quick ninreh," nnd w<^ Htvppod (»fF. The large foldinjjj-dtx»rs of the ridingnehool wore thrown open, and, when we enten^d, were elosetl Ix'hind uh. Tlie retMnient wu» fbruicd four deep round the wiiilw, fucinir inwards. Wv proceeded to one end of the school. The oouiiiian ord upriirht a few inches in front of hiw Hhouklor. The officerK; stxxxl in an obloiic;; Bpaee within the linos of men. The regimen- tal .surgeon was als*) then;, the hospital sergeant, and two hospital urderlies. The sergeant of the band stood with the rgeaiit and his orderlies. A ladder was placed upright against the wall, and several strong ropi^s, h> If an inch thick or thereabouts, with nooses to them, hung about the ladder, and lay on the ground. All the.se things J saw while advancing to their vicinity, at the upjjer ond of the school. When we arrived there, we got " Right about turn," and then the word " Halt." The guard withdrew a few paces, so that I should be fully within view of the regiment. The adjutant then handcid the written minutes of the court-martiid to the commanding officer, which the latter held in Ids Jiand while giving the commands '• Attention" and " Draw sAvords." When the men bad brought their swords to the '' carry," he gave '' Slojw swords," then '• Steady," and, lastly, " Pay attention to the proceedings of a regi- mental court-martial." This done, he read the minutes as 1 have (|UOted them in the last chapter, his back to me, his face to tlie regiment. On conclusion, he turned to me and said, " You will take your punishment: strip, sir." I proceeded at once to unbutton and take off my regimental jacket. The sergeant of the band, with great alacrity, came to assist. I said, in an under-tone, that I would take my things off myself. One of the orderlies took ray jacket and cap, another my stock, and laid them on tlie IS8 UOM£UVlIiL£ M BUOK form. I hniidod my 8hirt to the 8*irt;«ant, who fiiHtonod it round inj middle. One of tho orderlitw to<^)k ii rope with a noon; on it, und, running th(! noose upon the wrist of my riulit iirm, put tlic other end tlirou^h ii rinj.,', which wum faftt'iKMl in tlu' wiiil, at the diHtanco ut 8»!vrrul yards lVsely and tightly against the ladder. Two other soMirrs eanuj with two other ropew with nooses. They lilted my rii^lit fiHtt and put one ol' the nooses over it. and ran it up tightly u|ion my am^le ; and then lilted my left foot and ran the uooho of the other rope tij;htly upon my left anele. They each put hiH ropo tliroufih a riiitr in the wall, near the ground, and brought tlie ends round the upright ladder, and each td my legs, Heverul times, until I was bound K) last that 1 could not move. The reginii'iital stjrgeant major, who stood behind with a book and pem^il to count (!ach lash and write its number, gave the coniruand, " Farrier Simpson, you will do your duty.' The- manner of doing that duty is to swing the "cat" twice round the head, give a stroke, draw the tails of the "cut" through the lingers of the left liand, to rid them of skin, or flesh, or blood , again swing the instrument twice round the head slowly, and come on, and so forth. Simpson took the "cat" aH orderwl, — at least I believe so: I did not see him, but I felt an astounding senuation between the shoulders, under my neck, which went to my toe-nails in one direction, my iinger-nails in another, and stung me to the heart aiS if a knifo hud gono through my body. The sergeant-major called in a loud voice, ' OncJ' I felt as ifit would be kind of Simpson not to strike me on the same place again. Tic cauie on a second time a few IucIkih Inwer. and then I thought {\w. Ibrmer stroke was sweet and agn 'Ml/It! compannl with that one. The scrgeant-ma'or counted " Two." Again the "cat" was swung twice round the farrier's head, and he came on somewhere about the right shoulder-blade, and the loud voice of the reckoner said " Threes The shoulder-blade was as sensitive as any other part of the body ; and when ho came again on tl;c: left shoulder, and the voice cried " Ftmr," I felt my flesh quiver in every nerve froui the scalp of my head to the eml of my tcicss. The time between each stroke seemed so long as to be agonising, and yet the next came too soon. It was lower down, and f<;lt to be the sevenjst. The word •' Five " made me betake myself to mental arithmetic : this, thought I, is only the fortieth part of what I am to get. " Six " followed ; and so on, up to " twendj-jivc:' The sergeant-nii'jor then said " Halt I " >- • »■- 1 IrjnniKIIMiiUp aifMlir » i«l—i»«l»il>» " 1 or A nilJlJKNT lAVK. 129 Slmpwn Htood hack, aiui n yowufr \Tmn\)oUr, who hfttl not flo^^od bi'fort), tof>k his «'iit ami iM'fjtnii. lit' h:itt on one fjidc and then on the other. Some oiu) — I tlo not know whom — bade him hit liijrher up. He then j;ave them ujK»n the hUsttired ;ind swoUen phiccfl, where .Siinp^on had been pniflisiiii;. The pain in my inn^s was iiuvr more H«!vere, 1 thoiiji^ht, thiin on my haek. I felt an if I would hur>it in the, internal parts i)\' my l> >dy I eonld have eried out and, 1 doubt nut, would have taken U'sa harm from th<- puni^hment had tbtit finnntiia which phrenoloj4i«tH say is strongly developtd in my eranium permitted uie to bniak my resolution. I had res;ut;, and my iips, which I h;id also bitten, and the blood from my lunirs or wmu; otiur inlx^rnal jKirt ruptured by the writhinii a;rony, I was almost choked, and became black in the face. The liiwpital sertteant, seeinfi; this, brou«.dit the l)asin of water and put it to my lil)s. I indij:nantly withdrew my head ; and the revulsion, or chan;,;e of feeling, sonu'what relieved me. It now br'camo yim]>s(m .-< second turn to irivo twenty five, f)nly lifty had been inflicted, and the time .since they begsin wti.-i like a Inn^ period of life : T felt jw if 1 had lived all the; time of my real life in pain and ttirture, and that the time when existt('<{, wiiii'h luiidea huiuireHHible, as to rifiu with the weight of ii ton ikatened to lue. I lelt aa if drng^^etl down by t4ins of heavineaa. Wlien freMh lotiona wublia over J{ritain aa newspapers ean make it." I aaid no more; but the patients were carried to the Court of Inipiiry, fitly milen, to prove that I had '"u.Hiid tbroata" on onterinled ; I hiive a eircumatanee to mention to you, relating to ua all.' I thitik, I aaid — ' I have discovered at last the man who wrote ilio letter.' I think I m'ul — ' I am h!i|ipy for it, because the odium oannot fidl on any other person. I think I wtnt on to say — ' I re<.,'relted it very mueh, and I am aorry to see anylaidy write in the newspapers, or publish a libel on the regiment, and particularly so young a soldier as the man just punished.' " J. then went on t^ aay, that I bad been written to on the subject of the state of the regiment, aa much liad been said about the p;ht to prove. I limy li«T(^ luld till" t«-Htini(iiiy which Major Wyirlliritii hon*, both to my general chara<'t4T uiiil riding .i„. _w»i»«%X<«s-v ■rv^'*<^ ■* 132 S4^^)merville's book CHAPTER XTII. Diicliarged from Hospital. The public first hear of my punishment. The scusation. Prdiii the ovidciHie of tlio h(ts]Mtal-.s«>rgoaTit before the Court of In- quiry, •which I {^liail hem (nioto, it will bo seen that I was only .six days in th<' lio^ipital. tliat I wont cut as cured, and tit for duty; and thai he endi^avourod to u;ake it appear that I had been but voxy slightly puni.shed. I had :) purpose to serve Vty cscapinf; from tlie hospital as soon as possi- ble. Wliile there, I could not conanunieate witli ilic public or with any friend, being closely watcluid ; and T had resolved that my punishment 1 hould be made known !ts soon as I could publish it. At the same time, it was desiralde, on the part of those who had «!aused its ififliction, that I shoiild be us short a time in the l;osj)ital as possible, that it might sc.mu to be a liirht punishment; for already, though unknown to me, there were disagreeable rumoui's about it circulating iu liirmingham. iJut I was neither cured nor sent to ' tf-^^M'-. ^ .^ mJ ii ^V fwm ni •u */ ' * ■> >^ ^itM^^ ■wr«iwM«M"r« OF A DILIOENT LIFE, 133 Advocate, was examined as follows," (The caution was not to divulge anything which occurred in the court.) -p' i . : c *■ " By the Court : How long have you been in the service ? About twenty-aiy years. " By Major Wyndham : Did you receive Private Somerville into the hospital, on the 29th May, after he had received his punishmuut ? Yes. " Describe the appearance of his back. I considered that he was very slightly punished. '^ Was there much laceration, and did he bleed ? He bled a little in one place; but there was very little laceration to what I have seen. " Did you dress his back ; and with what? I dressed it with goulard water : that was the first cloth put on his back when lie came into the hospital. :ij.j t > -;>rjr;"j ;• 3 : r " Was there, or not, any blood to be seen, except from the first cloth? None that I saw. " When was he discharged from the hospital as fit for his duty ? On the 4th of June, about two o'clock in the day. " How many days was that after he came in ? He was six days in the hospital ; because he came in on the 29tli, between four and five o'clock, and was discharged on the 4th of June, '* Has he since been in the hospital at Binningham ? Not at Birming- ham: at Coventry he was, as I have heard. " Croxs-examined by Private. Somerville : Have you been medically educated ? and have you bad opportunities of frequently witnessing the consequence of military flogqjing ? No, I have not been medrcally edu- cated: I have seen several instances of military flogging. " '=^ "Is it not generally expected that the parties who are appointed to administer the lash in such cases, will do their duty ? Yes, certainly. " Do you believe that the parties appointed to that duty in my case, failed at ail in the execution of the duty they had to perform ? I could not answer that. " Was there any indication, from the appearance of the back, that one hundred lashes had been inf "cted ? By the appearance of the back, I would suppose it had not been so. '" ^"'' ' • '* ':•■•'» ' ^'' «; •»^-'-'- , int..vi;3a " Then can you undertake to say, from the appearance of the back, that one hundred lashes were not inflicted ? No, I could not say that. " From your exp^jrience in such cases, how many ordinary military lashes would havi; prodced the efiects you saw ? I have seen fifty pro- duce such an eflfect. " If you have seen fifty produce such an effect, dio you, as a military I \ -.,^1 ti 1 ■*-V#^**i»«rt*^- / •iWP B01flBYILXJI*8 BOOK x&ua, believe that the persons appuinted to punish me did their dufy ? I could not say. • u. •-',♦ m i»'i""i»rf-^ " : r • vvlivr:.: *' If you have seen fifty lashes produce the effects which, in my case, were produced by one hundred, do you believe that the persons adminis- tering the fifty liwhcH, which produced the same effect, exceeded their duty ? I could not say. ^' Do you know or believe that the persons who punished we hiiv< been accused of neglecting their duty ? No. *' Describe the width and depth of the effects of the punishment which I received ? I oould not exactly describe that. It was on both of the shoulders. I oould not exactly describe the width. " Describe it as near as you can. Ten or twelve inches, from one side to the other. It wavS on the shoulders chiefly. " How often did you remove the cloth from my back, yourself? Once or twice myself, — I could not exactly say the number of times. When the doctor came round in die morning, I generally moved it off, and put another on. *' Then why did you say there was blood only on the first cloth ? Be- cause the first lotion which was made, I emptied it from the vessel it was in, and there was no stain of blood in the vessel. " By the Judge-Achiooate : Can you tell whether the same amount of punishment produces different effects upon different subjects ? I have seen one man get the same aiuo mt as another, and not appear to be to much hurt. Some m^i's skins btre more tender than others' : to the bent of my judgment, that is the cause. " Do you notean to say, that if a given number of lashes be inflicted in different instances, with the same severity, yet in some oases the effect may be more perceptible than in others? That is what I mean. <' Is it possible, from the appearance of the back, to judge with any d^ree of precision how many lashes may have been infficted ? I oould not judge myself. ■* ,.t .»,.,. , " Have you seen n^\ny cases in which the infliction of one hundred lashes has produced more visible effects than in this instance ? I do not jremember any case in which one hundred were given. " How long have you been hospital-sergeant ? Six years jbpia^tal- sergeant; five years corporal in the hospital, before that, . huu .'? (The witness was directed to withdraw.) ,=»[>«!; i.. v n , , i'T-*^ " It was here stated to the court by Private Somervillo, that it was his wish that it should be recorded on the minutes of this Inquiry, that he did not go into tue hospital at Coventry iu consequence of the effects of his military punishment at Birmingham ; neither had he ever said to any person, that his going into U^ hofj^pt'iftiitliilJ "MWintiiiiwfc.- - i^A*J*Mi*«.i-ir*»afcU4ii^'-^^-;"Wfi#,;(.34.CiU ..'i..'^ ^.ii'.".;. 'i. r.MCA. i.'t.. '■: . i ^i i i ili ll ' r i ) I ' l '^ W J h' OF A DILIGRNT LIPl. 135 My object in stating tbis to the conrt, was to free myself from tbo imputation of being the author of all the reports which appeared in the ne\vHpapers about me. The assiHtant surgeon, attended by some of the principal medical gentlemen of Coventry, Citine and looked at me. and fthked »ome questions while 1 wft« in the hospital there, for the purjwde of disproving the newspaper report-^. As several days of the sittinsrs of the court had been occupied in re- ceiving evidence to rebut newspaper runiours which J had not authorised nor originated, but for wliich 1 wan held liable, and which were continually renewed and repeated, though 1 begged and iiuplured the conductors of those papers to refrain from making sueh statements. T was desirous of freeing myself from the n-sponsilibity of them, an fur as I could. More- over, at that time I did not believe that my ailments in the Coventry hospital were a consequence of the punishment but I have fdnoe had good reason for changing that opinion. I tind tiie following evidence, on this point of the case, in the njinutes of the Court of Inquiry : — •' 26th July, 1832. Alexander Stewart, assistant-surgeon to the Scots Greys, was then called in, and, having received a similar caution to the other witnesses by the judge advocate, was esimiined, as follows, by Major Wyndham ; — *' How long have you been assistant-surgeon to the Seots Greys? About elev(!n years. " x\rc you now in the hospital at Coventry V Yes, 1 am stationed at Coventry. " Have you been so during the last two months ? Yes, " Was Private Somerville admitted int^:* the hospital at Coventry at any time since the 4th of June ? Yes, he was, — on the 2Sth of June. " Was he admitted into the hospital at Coventry with any complaint connected with any corporal punishment he had received? No. " When was he discharged from the hospital? He was discharged the 8th of July ; and he was seen on the 10th, and was excused from a certain duty, — riding duty, for instance. " You are quite sure it was not at all connected with his punishment? Certainly not. " What was the matter with Private Somerville? Boils." I did not then believe that ufiy illness — an eruption of very extrao?di- nary boils on my back, beneath the place punished — arose from the punishment ; and Mr. Stewart, I doubt not, gave his opinion oonsoien- tiously But, since the year 1832, I have had opportunities of stui'.yiug the question, particularly in Spain, ajid now believe, that, in almost every case of corporal punishmout, there are tsecondary symptoms ; that w i h 136 bomerville's book the violt>)ice to tho mu8CulHr or norvouH sys^tom. or to both, or to some qu:ilit,y of the body which is a iiiystiry to an unprufl'Ms^iona] person like me, nnd probably so to the profession, c.-'uses a discaHcd state ol' the fluids of the body; which disoaHO takes an inward direction, in some eases settlinjjf on the lung.s, or other internal ortjan, enfeebling, and ultimately destroying tlie life oi', the patient , or it takes an outward direction, an in my (sase, breakin;^ thrnugyi the .skin in boils, tliereby saving the life of the patient. 1 was iliseliarged from tlie hospital at Birmingham on the 4th of Juno, at two o'clock. I felt «>xcessively weak in body, and somewliiit agitated in mind. I proceeded to the troop sergeant-major, and obtained the arrearof pay which has without the gates, nor to go to the house whore I had received so much kindness from the landlord. Nobody in the crowds knew me, but many of them inijuired eagerly for Somer. vilh; ; •' What are they doing to him ? " " Why don't they allow hiiu to come out ? " They thought the gates were closed to keep him in, and that all the regiment were detained within with him. None of them knew that they were talking to him. Mr. Chilton, a button-maker, and Mr. Massey, now iu the office of the clerk of (Jie peace, ascertained who I was, by some means, — the particulars of which I have forgotten, — and 1 spent a part of the evening at the " ^rse of one of them. In the course of a few days, it was deemed advisable to send me to my troop at (Coventry, A young horse belonging to my troop, which, like me. liad not yet joined, but which had been trained at headquarters, was allotted as mine. I was ordered to get ready, in full marching order. A private, named Merry, who occasionally rode between Birmingham and Coventry with orders, was sent with me. Thus, mounted on as stately and spirited a grey trooper as was in the regiment, and attended by Merry on his excellent trotte" I was paraded and inspected one morning, and sent to Coventry. We had eighteen miles to walk, trot, canter, or loiter over ; the time at our own taking, no orders given. It was a morning in June, the sunny June of England. The corn-fields, and the hedge-rows around them, were green ; gardens flowery ; the windows and the cottage doors were bordered with blooming roses; the birds made music in the trees; honey-bees made honey, and hummed in chorus with the birds; the busy haymakers made hay ; the eye, the ear, and every sense confessed that June was oue of the books of a great, a universal poem ; the leaves open, and pictorial on every page, at every line, that the meanest creature might read that the very breath of liviug Nature, the soft air perfumed ■'*i*li'Vf%^M«lfi 4;V>i;>V^»rwi*tWPfV:.«.^'g>»1»..Tife»trt.w»^.lll« JW» r>!* » "^^ OF A DILIGENT LIFB. 139 in meaclow hay, was pm^try. Sunshine wan brilliant everywhere, save on Bonie ypot where lay a shadow ; hut most of tlie 8hadi>ws had diwipjK'ared, the sun bointr ho hJjfh. And so with iiio, the exhilarating intlueneo of ihe lunnncr seenery, <>njo)ed lor thti firnt time that year, and hopt; that rose »nd shone high over all troubles, — not that 1 had any reason to hid hope ascend, but b»?caust; it was natural that it should arise nl'ter a tinn> of depression, — left upon nje hardly the shadow of a trouble. I was only reminded of them occasionally by some mower in the fields, who, seeing two dragoons ri din j^ leisurely along the road from Hiimingham, consulted seemingly with his fellow mowers, threw er, for publication, omitting only that part of it in which J requested that the whole might be kept private. It was published in that paper, was copied int,o the Times and other London daily papers, and was made part of the ground-work of the Court of Inquiry ; the statements in it being taken as the charges made by me against Major Wyndhani. Most of these were a relation of private conversations with the major, and with soldiers who told me what the major had said, which I could not prove ; and which I should not have dreamt of preferring as public charges for the Court of Inquiry. Yet this gentleman thought himself ill-used, like some others, when I com- plained of his putting me in that position. " Oh," said he and they, " have we not caused the Court of Inquiry to b" held, by publishing these statements!" ''Yes/' said I, "but the court has declared the greater part of them to be not proved. Private conversations, to which there were no witnesses, were not intended as public charges to be proved before the Court of Inquiry . I was not personally known in Coventry for a eonsiderable time, save \o a very few persons. It was amusing to liear the remarks that were made, and the questions asked of me about myself, by those to whom 1 was unknown. I usually made a joke of the subject. More than once this nearly ended in mischief, by those who thought that I treated a better man than myself with contempt, — that better man being myself. " Soldier, sup with me; come take my glass," one would say. " Take my pot," another would say, *' and tell us how Somerville gets on. IIow is it they don't let him out of barracks, eh ? You don't know ? You do know ". you are one of those who are ashamed of him, I suppose. Drink his health 1 You won't drink his health ? Here, Jim, hold my pipe ; let me pass you : I'll make tliis soldier drink Somerville's health. You won't drink it ? By the pot in my hand, you shall have this potful to his health, either in you or on you. Will you drink long life to SomervUle the soldier, and freedom of opinion ?" " No 1" " Then you shall have it about you. Will you drink his health ?" " No." " There it is, then. Now what do you say ?" ,.*!»»«.(-, •'''■'>'*^'M-*~^'l^ni^,i.^'>r'ii<«i.nti-n»'t^'i'^ OF A IHLIOINT LIFB. 141 Tbls (tccurrod nnedny in a publio-hnuM«\ to which T hiwl sono to read thf news, A |iot of l>t'or was tlirown on my clothw^ and partly in my Pace, (liflHinirinjj: whit^i troiisors iiml warU't coat most t'oiilly, 1 Mtartc'd to my fecft to shako it off. They thoii-rht I wius ;.'ointr ^f> Ht'ht thnii, ioid they cautioned mo not to try that , tor if I wonhl not drink to th<' health of tho best man in the rctriinent. they would not otdy throw the ale over mo, but porliaj»8 give mo a thrawhinf: as well; and that I had bettor be off with what I had prot, lost 1 fared worse. 1 Npokc to thorn to thifi effeot: •' I shall go; but before I leave you, (m we shall never meet again, if I can avoid tho niccting.) let tno inform you, that yon have spoihvl tho ch'thos of (bo man tor whoiii you profess rosptrt ; you have thrown boor in his face , you have ooniniiftod agross inditrnity u{x»n him. You profess t<» admire what you call his iissertion of tho freedom of opinion ; and boeause \\e. has chosen to have his own opiiiion in your company, and to resist dictation aw to whose hejdth he should drink, you commit a gross outrage upon him." '■"WTiat!" they exclaimed together, and one after anotlicr, "are yon Somorville? If you be, let us shake hands; lot us befriends; wo did not know you." " Off hands !" J said : " no shaking of hands with me. Your insult would have been equally unworthy of men who deserve to be called men, had you committed it upon another fterson. My notions about the freedom of opinion, which you profess to admire, ditTer from yours. If you would promotx; the freedom of opinion, do not l)ogin by being .social tyrants." And so I left thorn. [Note of 1859. — I think tlie amiable counsollor-at-law of (iuebtr, who arraigns me a.s destitute of a " soldier's honour," may take this incident for private use.] One Sunday evening in July, about sevea o'chx'k, 1 nnieivod an unex- pected order to get myself and horse accoutred, and go to Birmingham, I was to take none of my kit with me, only my rolled cloak and sword. By this I knew I was t^> return soon. 1 went off, and had a pleasant trot to Birmingham, alone, in the c<.wl evening. T say alone, because nobody acoompaniod me ; but tho turnpike road was peopled, especially near Birmingham, the tine weather of Sunday having invited the people to walk and loiter about. As I trotted {)ast, the enquiry was renewed by every group, '' Have you eome from (/oventry. soldier ? how does Somer- ville get on ?" But I did not halt to answer any question. On entering tlie barracks, things .seemed changed. The regimental sergeant-major called to a man to come and take my horse, rub it down, ieed it, and attend to it in tho morning. And then he took mo to his own room; invited me to take refreshment with him; told me that there was to be a Court of Incjuiry held at Woedom ; that I had been sent for, to ch(X)se and arrange my witD(^sises , that I waa to give him (the ecrgcant-major) ■ ■■■>»^'*>f ^ft*-"! .■ 142 somervillb's book a lint of tln'in to Iw taki'ti to the ord(!rlj -room next day, bat, tlmt ho ho|K'(l I Mnuld not put iiiiii in the liHt: he wan 8o ncn'ou» if called upon to p;ivo evidence in the n>oHt triflinjj cnw,', that he would ewteeni it n^ntat favour if I would not sumuMtn him. I replied that 1 could not possibly do without him. lie hade tne not deeide too .soon; to take until to- morrow to eonnider. I considered until the morrow ; but it wan to tell biin tbat be must go : I could not possibly exeuso hiui. lie said bo could ^ivc no evidence tbat would do uie p)od. I Haid, an to tbat, I should run the risk of it : biir n;ime must be on the list. I looked forward to the proof of the fact by hiiu, that through him I bad ni»tbeei» allowfd to (^all witnesses on th«' eourt-martial , and be knew ibat this was my purpose. He tried cnjollery «|iaiu, but I would not ha cajoled ; *' Vou shall be one of my witnesses," said 1. Having given in the list of liiose whom I re(|uvred ou the Monday morning, my horse was prepared for me by the man to whom it waa given on the previous evening; I mounted, and rode to Coventry. All were to be at Weedon Barracks, in Northamptonshire, on the following day. Conveyances were provided for the men going as witnesses, none being mounted. I was at liberty to travel in any way I chose. 1 went by the Jiondou mail-euacb, with the late Mr. Kiehard Marriott, of Coven- try, We left that city about ten, a.m. .1 got a nuud)er of letters just before we set out, which I read on the coach. One of them was of peculiar interest. Its arrival at that time, and the arrival of the writer ia England, after being long lost, was so remarkable as to prove uiost truly that " Truth is strange, — stranger thau fiction," as will appear ia another chapter. vav<.|i«. . ww»i>|lii~4^.»..,i,^V^i4<t«.piw.Ai<>*»''.-l; ■■ >wp.)f JMMit.^-.-., J^.«j|«.v^<»4Jj*i»«il|(i^rtiij^ , OF A DILIORNT LIKK. 143 CHAPTER XIV. At tluB moraentous crisU siii^'uUr rfi-Hpp.'ivrftncc of u long-lost brotlier. Thii chapter, thoiigli it docs not treiit of Scoltjili pcii.sunt lifo m its umiri object, affonls agliinpsc! of th« ttutbor'a pareuta, unii uf tlio iniegriijr mul piety of Imniblo life in Scotland.' T had a brother natnud IV'ter. Fnnu tin: tiiiiu of my hcnliiiir cows at Braiixto!), in mj tontli yoar, until 1832, I liatl not soon liiin ; and, during nearly luilf of tho intorvcning years, none of our laui'ly know in what part of tlie world lie was. nor if livins: or dead. There was tixi iiiuch roa,H."»n for our not kn iwing wliero ho was, during the latter years of his ahwnee. He and I— l)'.- with a trade, 1 only a liihourcr — were unlike our other two brothers ; for that one ugh my poor father said many a time, seeing that I had a natural bent to constructiveness (for I y/ns continually making .some- thing, constructing and rigging ships, making water- wheels with machin- ery attached, making new gun-stocks for old gun-barrels, and so forth) — my fatlier used to ^ay, that if 1 liad set my heart upi)n any trade, he would pinch himself down a little lower in living (heaven knows he lived lowly enough !) to get me thro\igh my appreiUiceship ; that it would be unfair, because Peter had broken his indenture, to think that 1 would do so too. Then he would proceed thus : " And. maybe, VVull [Willinni] may help, though he has done a great deal for us already, and it would be hard to ask him to do more; yet, with the Lord's blessing, we might warsel [wrestle] through, and get yon a trade ; and, I dare say, jou wadua be uumindfu' o' your uuld mither and me, when we are 144 BOMKRVItLKR noAK worn nut." "No," I nn«(l tn reply, ''I'll work at ' rny iiiri hund,' at li«'r's riding-horses morning and evening, kept me at home. Nor would .[ have known much, or anything, of his mechanieiil talents, until years after, when I had an opportunity of seeing them, had it not been for an accidental meeting with Mr. Weatherson, millwright, of Chirnside, Berwickshire, some time in the the year 1829. I was then cutting timber with old David Whitehead at Reuton. David had no great pretensions to exeeluMice as a joiner and cartwright. Most people who saw me working with him, thought I was a journeyman ; and not knowing ihat I made sparred gates and doors, and mended carts and ploughs, sawed the trees into deals, and so forth, without having learned the trade, they thought that master and journeyman were much alike. And truth to tell, our handiwork was not greatly diifcrent. We put timber enough in it, and gave it strength ; but for elegance and tiniiih, it was somewhat behind the ago we lived in, One day I was at Tammy Grant's [" Bank-House Station " of the great railway from London to Edinburgh now a days], and fouiulMr Weatherson. Somebody named me a8 1 entered, pronouncing my name, as it is usually done in that part of Scotland, Simerel. " What Simerel axe ye ?" said Weatherston. "One o' my father's Simerela," I replied. ''Onybody could tell that," said he ; " but what are ye, what do ye do ?" Some one present said I was David Whitehead's man, — that I was a joiner. '^ JJawvifn man /" he exclaimed ; " ye are a nueer joiner, I'se be bound." He mused a few . lit'Aj^^r''^-'' OF A DIUOENT LIM. 14& Diinulfiti, M if Hearcliinp in \hr IninlKir of nicnmry f»>r a reoollrotinri that bad not Im'«!Ii in wnv for a hm^t tinir iind jrc'ttiny hold of the r«ro||« ction Miiid, " kSiin<'r«>l I thort- funt lu'«>n mm if tliut nmni' tluit coidd work. 1 iiiid on« Vniv Simeri'l kotiic \ch»> svnt> with nit- fl'iitr ih a familiar HuliNtitulc for I'ctcrJ. I'litr wiis a lad tliut (.-oiild handle bin t^Mib. Tliat I'ato Hiniort'l [addrfHsin^x jioiiio third pnrti»h| whh «n«! of »lu'. lawt njillwri^ditrt I cvor had in my ^'ho|^ and that is miyinpr a pn-at dital. He uonid pnt hit hand to anything; I could mnd him to mend an iinid mill, or f)ut up li iirw mill; and, thouv'h h>> wuh urn* of the younp>t litindH I had. ho would miikr it ^io liku clookwork., and u'<'t over all diffu^iltioM, thnii^;h I WUH not thawvit'H Hort o' joineri". You ! you ht«^ likora plouiihmaii than a tradc-^man,— and yi't, whtjii I look at y'tu. thiTo in nome likoneHH in the faco ; but he wan n tail, thin lad. and didna look so like an if ht! Huppit brow; threr timoh a day. m you do."' " What b«'<'amo of that I'att' ISinuMi'l Y" 1 u^ked. "Bocamft of him I b«'ptedto bo UHod^er, — thatn what bocanu' of him. He and some niait ladh like him. got among the tillcry Htjilgern at (,'birsit I'uir, and listed, — that's wh became <»f him." " Me was my brother.'" said I. "Your brother! I'ate Simercl your brother I" " Yes." *' And you a joiner, working with Dmrvit /' '' I am not a joiner : I have only been a labourer, breaking stoneH on roads, or digging ditches ; and I have been two or three months a sawyer; and now 1 aju helping Lhvrvif, but that doOH not make nn' u joiner. ' " No, lad. it does not, and never will. Come to me. and I'll niak*; ye a mill- wright." "No/' said I, " It will not do now: I am too ohl, — I have grown pa8t the right time."' With more convcrsution of a similar kind, we parted. Peter, after being in tlie Royal Artillery about three years, part of which time waH passed in the Island of JJarbatloes, •signified a desire to leave the service, and return to tlio trade of a millwright. We got inti- matirKii of it at home tbrouirh a letter froni AVilliam. generous then as always, saying he would provide the funds to purchase his discharge, and to defray the attendant cxpen.ses, amounting to something over £21 ; but stating that Peter would also require tools, and some stocks of ilotbesto start with. Our father and mother, two sisters, and myself, all who were at home, set joyfully and anxiously to work, to do what we could. We wroU? to Peter tor a list of the tools he required ; with which, when received, our father went to Punbar, to Mr. Miller's ironmongery shop, with all the money he could get together. I engaging to go without new ai-ticles of olotliiog I was to have had, that there might be the more -« ni w^ni ji ' t ittgiiy j wmmn-''',^m'»^:mf^x>imii?. 146 somerville's book money. Both my listers, after out-fieM work in the day, wont to work with my mother, got out the linen web of shirtin'j which the latter an- nually provided by her own spinning, and, sitting late at night, made a stock of shirt):) to be sent to Peter ; also worsted stockings. My father sat by the tiro, with biK glasses ou bis vtaierablo face, his eyes almost too old to see to knit stcckinga. yet persevering, taking several liours from rest at niglit; after his out door work, betaking himself to them at every dinn"- hour, that he might liasten them to a finish, and, as he plied the wires, he would now and again make such observations as these : — " He will surely nettle himself now. 1 will send him a volume of Young^s Sennons, in the box with tlie things ; and the Marrow nf Modem Divtnit}/ ; it sliould do him go he Kim in the Gospel, — there is a great sermon of Young's on that teX',. — and ' , it a ring on his hand,' that is, give him the sign and out- war i u .rk x)f the ki^jgdom of grace. And put ' shoes on his feet," that he may be sustain? c in the faith, and fail not to journey to the end. ''These are ill great texts in Young's hands; and if 1 send them fo our poor prodigal Peter, they "may take effect upon bim. But even if not, it is our duty to do all in our power to bring back him who has gone astray. A paient will do more for one bairn that errs and goes astray, than for all the rest. What a high and glorious example have we poor mortals to do this ! The faithless unbeliever looks abroad upon the universe, and sees worlds after worlds greater than this globe of earth, and many in number ; and he reasons, as he has grounds to do, tluit they are inhabited by other races of the Lord's creatures ; and then he says, in his unbelief. What reason have we to believe that God gave his only Son JUS the daviour of this single world, almost the least of the worlds? But these worlds come from the one Almighty, the one Parent and Cre- ator ; and if one world bits sinned, while all the rest have been sinless, might not the Father have given more to redeem that one lost world than to all the rest? Will not a more mortal give more to bring back his i^>«MtkJ<^W<'«t. w.» ^ ..>%-^ ^Mr*-^j^n» ^ . t i^,tt^» k i V i ''j i « i* *i i«i iii < *r i'riiU l h'"' * MiMrt |< « * » '»»t».w**«*»w'»*i V r^^»>»*****»«-' H^* - iVT WMVniMW^NI ■***<*H ;i ' OF A DILIGENT LIFE. 147 ' oung 8 liave we poll the f earth, lat they says, iu is only orl(l8 ? id (^rc- .sinless, 1 than .'k his bairn that goes astray, than to all his family ? Would we not give all that wo possess to bring back Peter? Ves; I se 8- ing that he was a British subject. It was doubtful if that would have Baved him had the Brazilians known that he had been more a smug- gler than the ship's carpenter. Vie lay heavily ironed, in a dungeon beneath a convent, which served as one of the state prisons of Brazil. No human being visited him all the time, but the gaoler (who broiigh him beans and oil, his only food) and a priest. Finding his prisoner to be no Christian, according to his definition of the character, the priest f w^^f ^T^,' '■ mi fi n ' M i l ' jnm w imwii^jwin iH OP A DILIGENT i.IPE. 149 iftner to e priest paid little attention to him for about five months, but left him to his beaus and oile, his dark damp cell, his long board and nails, which were never trimmed, and his Scottish Presbyterian Protestantism, which wa» supposed to be too hopelessly bad lor a priest to touch with argument. At last the priest became attentive, he brought books, and made consid- erable progress, under Peter's tuition, in learning to read English. When he understood some of the language, he got his prisoner released from irons, and allowed him to go to work with such car peuteriug tools as they had. Peter made several pieces oi' cabinet-work for the convent, which gave much satisfaction. They would have retained him to work for it as a cubinci-maker, had he not continued to express a desire to escape. It was quite possible that an order might comj any day for his execution. The priest became his friend, and undertook to have a letter conveyed to Kio, t-o a commander ol" an English ship of war reported to be there. That ship turned out to be the frigate Undaunted, eowimanded by Lord Henry Thyiine. His lordship, on hearin{' that a British subject was im- prisoned in the interior of the country, demanded his release. An order was made accordingly. Peter and the priest j)arted ; the latter telling him that he was " a much bad Christian, but a much good cabinet-maker," hJ& it was dangerous to remain in Kio Janeiro, and hopeless to attempt the recovery of his property, and as the Undaunted y/as in want of hands he joined her, and was rated in the carpenter's crew. The Undaunted being soon after ordered to England, he and other hands who had not served long were transferred to the T'yne sloop of war. This vessel returned to England in the summer ot 1832, called at Portsmouth for orders, and was sent round to Sheerness. I'eter, on getting foot on British soil, for the first time after go long an absence, turned with eager curiosity to the newspapers. The first got hold of was the Morning Herald. He had not glancec' at it five minutes, when he saw an account of " Somerville, the Scots Grey," in which it was stated that he was a native of Berwickshire. This was not quite correct, my native county being^Haddiugtonshire ; but it was near enough to sug- gest to Peter that this must be his brother Sandy, whom he had left at home herding the cows thirteen years before. He wrote on the instant, inquiring if I were his brother, telling me who he was, and that he was Just landed in England after a long absence. This letter went to Bir- mingham, was sent after me to Coventry, and I got it at the very minute of starting with the mail-coach to attend the Court of Inquiry at Weedon Barracks. 1 opened the letter after being seated on the coach, and read it again and again. 1 neither saw Peeping Tom on passing his comer, nor any street of Coventry, nor garden, nor meadow beyond : I continued I.- r<.v»^u-4t^ 160 bomeryille's book to road this letter, and to (question its Hubjoct on all sides, to assure myself that it was iiot, like some letters 1 received about my Scots Greys case, — a hoax. It was not. The Tyne, it was expected, would be paid oiF; instead ol which, she was ordered to be refitted for sea immediately. A S({uadr()n of ships was tlien fitting out under Sir Pulteney Malcolm, for what purpose was not publicly known. They put to sea; Peter once more on board without our meeting, as he and I fondly hoped to do. I have ({uoted the ff)regoing from a former work, as affording a glimpse of my venerated parents, whose piety and stern integrity are character- istic of the peasantry of Scotland. My deviously varied lifij has, I tear, been untavou::tole to a continuous fid ty to vital piety. But before God 1 dare affirm, that the more worldly sentiments, a severe integrity and acute sense of honour, implanted in me by the example of my parent^«, have been ruling principles throughout all varieties of my fortune and contact with the world. I am poor in pocket, and worn in mind by struggles to maintain my integrity, by struggles to pu; debts incurred in the service of uc(|uiring and transferring to my f(>llow countrymen a practical knowl'dgo of an Economic Science which possesses the princi- ples of life, humanity, beneficence, conservative prescience. 1 may here reprint an extract from my Worliiruj Maris Wifvtss against the Injiifels, printed at Ediv. burgh in 1857. It refers to that old book of Oxford University, the Marnnio of Modern Diviniti/, njentioned in this chapter as sent by my father in 1823 or 1824 to Peter in England. "During the last five-and twenty years I have louked at book-stalls for a certain work; but in all those years, neither in London, Liverj)ool, nor Manchester, places of my residence, could I find it. One day in the year 1857 I walked in the streets of Edinburgh, lost to all persons and things around, carried away in a train of thought about God, the nature of the ,soul, and the waj of salvation. I felt troubled about the insuffi- ciency of my own faith, and prayed that God would open to me some source of knowledge which still remained unknown. After a time I found myself at the east corner of Nicolson Square, in which direction I had no business to have walked, yet there I stood, near to a stall on which were spread old books and pamphlets apparently of small value. One that seemed very old and much worn 1 lifted, and, opening at page 302, road the head-lines, ' The Efficacy of Faith for Holiness of Life.' Turning to the title-page, what did I behold but the book which had been so often looked fur and not before found, [Referring to the return of my brother.] ** After a time we met in Scotland, and journeyed to the old thatched cottage at Trieplandhill, parish of Innerwick, where our parents lived, aiid filled their hearts with gladness. About the end of the first hour ■,friifi^iiifaaid oif ; tely. A C'olni, for iter ont;e to do. haractor- s, I tear, it before integrity e of my y fortune mind by incurred trymen a lie princi- of conversation, Peter having rapidly indieated his South American .ra- vels and imprisonment, our father said, '' How wonderfully sind merci- fully God has preserved you ! But what did you do, Peter, with the books we hcut you? Oh, man, the Marrow of Modvni Divinity yfonld. have been a saving spiritual companion to you in those wanderings." Peter admitted that it was not his companion. lie had left the books ia London in 1824. It was a copy of that work which 1 had not wholly forgotten to look for at old book-stalls in London and elsewhere for tive- and-twenty years, which I at last found in 1857, as already related. This copy bears the date of 17r)9. The work wa.s published at Oxford in 1646, and probably some years earlier, itt; author was Mr. Edward Fisher, a scholar of '^^"J'ord University. " Did I by chance go to the corner where lay that book ? I would rather believe in the efficacy of earnest j)rayer. Let the atheist rail, and call this self-delusion : / know it is not delusion ; / know that a new hatred, a deeper loathing of sins which once were not odious, follows every new effort of faith aud prayer." w against old book tioned in England, stalls for pool, nor y in the ions and nature le insuffi- e some time I irection stall on il value, at page f Life.' ad been jK ( II I 1 1 n 'li M . f ii i r>ii n ii a iii >« i >i W' ,- '«- 152 someavillk's book CHAPTER XV. The Court of Inquiry. Discharge Purchased. I return to July 1832. In the county of Northampton, near the geo graphical centre of Entrland, at the bottom of a gently elevated hul, stands Weedon, ttio large to be called a village, too small to be called a tA.>wn. On the elevated ground overlooking Weedon, there are extensive barracks, in which one or more regiments of infantry are usually stationed. On the south-cast side of the elevated ground, towards the little town, there are stores containing .shot, shells, rockets, arms of all kinds, and gunpowder ; and underneath the hills — where none but a few persons pos.sessed of secrets know — there arc other stores of gunpowder and arms, and places which may be victualled for emergencies. At the Bull Inn, outside of Weedon, the coach upon which I was a passenger halted, and Mr. Marriot and I got d(twn. Here we met Mr. Wooler, from London. Here also were gc; ral officers and their attend- ants. All the house was in a bustle, — busiiiess had come like a flood j and I, who was the chief cause of that business, was flooded into the back-kitchen, among boots and shoes, brushes, blacking, brooms, and men brushing the boots of generals and aide-do-(!amps, who were about to dress to go in grand military form to open the Court of Inquiry upon me. Mr. Mairiot was in possession of my case, and was closeted with Mr. Wooler. Some of the .servants seeing a soldier standing in the way, and not knowing what 1 was there for, called to me to lend a hand ; and as it was more agreeable to be doing souietliing than nothing, I stripped oflf my regimental coat, turned up my .shirt-sleeves, and proceeded to polish the boots of two or three colonels or generals who were about to polish raein the Court of Inquiry. [Note of 1859. — Of tl ;ots I pol- ished, one pair belonged to an officer named Ctimpbell, aid-de-camp to Sir Archibald Ciunpbell, a menjber of the Court. I have been told that the aid-de-camp was the Sir Colin Campbell of subsequent years, now Lord Clyde. It would do my heart good if I thought it quite a fact that I had done even that humble service to such a true soldier and true man.] When I had lent a hand to brush their boots, I proceeded to my own. And then we went to the barracks, about half a mile distant, and the court was constituted. But no further business was done that day. Here are a few of the particulars not anticipated in a former chapter. ; » '■■(;.• • .•*-•- -t^M*n ■■■^i j w ' t- /l^ l^J ^ f '>^*■'r*■'^1''**»V^<^^^^W^^^^>yy^■y*^^ .Mhi M t M U ^' : ;i4 -;{ ^ ^^' ^^ nrM'4 -'' j,^A<4..Jii^. ^ t ,J i il ' ii U.^ iHHf - | - > ia .iJti '4 ' t«lll»»« OWlitliLM «.M^ m i I < | J iM j i. V,, ,^ K| » Mli r iiii» . i jw »»^»»^ ■ I« (l > l |ii 1 W llllixtlf ^ OS" A MLIOENT LIFE, 153 ,r the gco ,'ated h'.il, be called a ! extensive ' stationed, ittle town, kinds, and ew persons and arms, ieh I was a vti met Mr. leir attend- ee a flood; ;d into the a, and men e about to y upon me. ;l with Mr. the way, hand; and I stripped oceeded to e about to .ots 1 pol- lampto Sir lid that the now Lord [act that I rue man.] my own. t, and the ay. Here r. *' INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ArtSEMBLINO OF THE COURT. '' Horee Guards, 12th .July, 1R32. *' Sir, — By desire of the General Coinniandinfj!-in-(.'hioi', I have the honour to notify to you, thai it has been decided thit a Court of Inquiry, ■composed of the offic«yrs named in the marjinn (president, Lieutenant. General Sir Thomas Bradford, K,C.B. ; uiombers, Major-Oeneral Sir Jasper Nicholk K.C.B., Major-Gcneral Sir Archibald Campbell, K.C.B., €olonel BurroU, 18th Rt'^'imeut. Lieut. -Culouel Townsend, 14th Light Dratro(tns), shrill bo asseniblfd at Weodon, Nortliumptonshin;, to investi- gate the case of I'vivate Alexamltjr Sotiierville. of the Boyal Nurth Bri- tish Dras^oous, who has lately been tried by a regimental oourt-martial, and eorporally punished by the award of the said court, and on whoso behalf a petition has been present^M.lto the Ffouse of Commons for redress in consequence of the said trial atul punishment. "A printed copy of that petition, and a newspaper (the Times), con- taining an extract of a lett+T from Alexander Sonierville to a ' gentleman in Gla.'igow,' are herewith transmitted; and Lord Hill understands that these statements contain the principal, if not the whole, of Somerville's allegations against his conunanding-offieer, upon this occasion. Lord Hill desires that the court, of which you are thus ap|K)inted president, may deliberately proceed to the inA'estigation of all the eireumstances of complaint set forth in the petition and letter alluded to, as well as of any further circumstances, though not stat^^d therein, which the complainant may be desirous to submit for inve.stigation, and whi<:h sh;dl relate to his present complaint. |.-i, " The nature of the ca.se will at once satisfy the court that Major Wyndham, of the North British Dragoons, is, upon his part, entitled to a full bearing in support of the measures which he thought fit to adopt towards Alexander SomerviUe ; in other words, that whilst, on the one hand. SomerviUe is to be allowed everj legitimate means of establishing his case, Major Wyndham is, on the other hand, entitled to the same privilege. " Lord Hill understands, that, in consequence of the importance which has been attached to this case in Parliament, the Judge Advocate General hi U) officiate in person at the ensuing iuvestigation. Mr. Grant's presence cannot fail to regulate and faicilitate the progress of the inquiry ; and Lord HiJl can hav*' no hesitation in requiring that the <50urt shall, upon any aad every question not of a purely military nature, and upon which doubt shall arise in the course of the proceedings, conform to Mr, Grants opinion. His lordship, however, thinks it higldy desirable that « note of each poiut Uiat shall be thus disposed of by tlie court, upon the L 154 somerville's book authority of the Judge Advocate Ueneral, should appear upon the face of itH j»rocoediiig8. " Major Wyndham and the complainant will probably each rcrjuire the assistance of one legal or other adviser in court; and although it is not customary to permit the presence of gentloitien of the learned pro- f(!ssiou at military (Courts of Inquiry, yet Lord Hill desires, that, in this in.stance, the u.^age in like eases niay be d«^parted from, it Wing at the same time understood, that no legal adviser, or other adviser or advocate, is to assume the right of addressing a military court, and that the parties theniHelves only who arc at issue, have that right, namely, Major Wynd- ham and his accuser. " Major Wyrjdham will be ordered to produce to the court of which you are president, the procedings of the regimental court-martial held in Somerville's case, should a reference to them be deemed necessary in the course of the investigation ; but Lord Hill dtsires, that the production of the proceedings alluded to, may on no account be regarded by the Court of Inquiry as a right to take any cognizance whatever of the Ponduct of the regimental court-martial, unless the Judge Advocate General shall, upon his own responsibility, declare that the last-mentioned court is by law subject to the review of a court not sitting under the obligation of an oath. This being purely a question of law, and not of military ex|iediency, Lord Hill gladly leaves it exclusively to the Judge Advocate General's detnsion. [By this, Lord Hill debarred me from establishing any case against the court-martial in a manner to appear in the oflScial rticords.] " The court (jf which you are president, having received and recorded such statement as the complaiiiant and the accused shall offer, and such evidence as they shall respectively produce, will carefully consider the whole case, and report, for Lord Hill's consideration, their opinion ; whether Major Wyndham, in dealing with the case of Alexander Somer- ville, of the Royal North British Dragoons, acted upon any (and what) occasion in a manner unbecoming his station and character, as the temporary officer in command of that regiment, '* Looking to the nature of the discussions in S'jmerville's case, which have already appeared in various public journals, and which are but too well calculattid to convey to the public mind an impression highly uafe- vourable to the mode of administering public justic^i in the army, Lord Hill is clearly of opinion, that justice and exp*^diency alike recjuire tlat this should not Oe an open court ; and even the legal or other advisers of the parti<^8 at issue should be excluded, unless they expressly pledge them- selves to the court in writing to publish no portion whatever of its proceedings until the case becoiues again a subject of discussion in \—^*-j^ iifyiii.*if\imi»^X.l^ .i,frt**-'i\»*itik.^^i<^.VH-(r*^fc \-.\'r'_* •"•""•**•»••»•<■••'««»<• '•4titfmt»>»tl0>k r OF A DILIQBNT LIFE. 155 Parlii>ment., after the Court ^liall have made its report, and also mitil the JikIrp Adv""Jr ing hif CM.se, to making a verbal statemt^nt of it. the court yielded to his refjuest, for time to prepare it; and, two hours having been mentioned, the court gave him the option oi' appearing before them again at the expiration of that time, or at ten o clock to-morrow ; which latter tdter- native being acceptAid, the court adjourned till ten o'chxik to-morrow. 150 8()MF,RVJM-i:'S BOOK " T}nirs(?'n/, 1 fVA Juhf. — The court met, purniiant to adjonnimcnt, Tho prt'Hident reii inded Major Wymlliani and Private Soiriorville that their advisern could not bo allowed to addri'KS the court j)ornonally. " Mr. Wooler, tho advisor ol' Private Soniorvillo, then in<(uirod if he WHH not to be [)eniiittod to adilniHM tho oourt on jioiutn of law which niiyrht arise in the course of procc■eding^ adopted; nnd Mr. Wouler wan infnniied by the .Judrb;dly or in writing, to his clit-ut, by whom the sante eould ))0 broiij;ht forwani to the court, and that tho court would always aftbrd tune for the observation to bo so comuiuni- catod to liis client. " Mr. NVooler then boiiirod to adilross the court merely for the purpose of inforniitiL!' them that no gtafrnun/ vmild he producfd ; and, that he hid (idrUed I'riiiate Somrrville not to make iini/, iithir vcrbaili/ or in 'wrifiiif/. imisniusch as Private Souiorville was not before the court as an accuser, hut was ready to answer any <|uestions as a witness, lie observed, that it wa.s not proved to the court that Private »^onicrville was a party to the documents before the court, and that Somerville ought m)t to he burdened with the petition of Mr. Smith to the Hou.se of Commons, nor with the letter to Mr. Craig which appeared in the Times ; that he, Mr. Wooler, conceived that it was for the court itself to take up the inquiry, ai»d investipite the case ; and that such was the object of this iiKpiiry, and the instructions to the court, as he understood them. " Till dndjze Advocate General thereupon read extracts from tho in- structions, tf) show that it Wius int(md('d that Private Soinerville should appear as a complainant, and should support his complaint by evidence. " After sonu^ further discussion to the same effect, tho court observed that it was necessary Private Somervillo liimsolf should state liis intention. " Pri\ ate Somerxillo said that he declined makitiii any statement, either writUm or verbal, as an accuser. The court was tlien cleared." 1 de'clinc.«>#j-. Of A MMOENT LIFE. 157 eomiuuni- public V>elieve(l to be !iuth(tris«il l>v n»«, but whu^h I tlid not uuthorisc; which, on the contrary, with mww. iiutull portion of trutli in them, wore aniplitieil anJr. Oraig wliii.1) .ijipfared in the Times.'" I earnestly sought to be ri< altoiielher ; and it waa only on my as.snring my legal adviser, that if he did not ropndiute them on my behalf, I would so niyself, that, he hpoke a,s he did. My wish was, to make a formal eomplaint in writing, and lo call evidence in support of it. I was overruled by the very extra- ordinary advice to tender myself as a witness, subjecting myself therey)y to a searching cross-exaiuination, which lasttid many hours , during which, I gave replies which were taken as charges against Major Wyudhain, and so dealt with by the court in its report, which 1 would certainly not have put into a writteu statement of charges. The minutes proceed thus : — '' Aftiir a short time, the court re-opened, when the Judge AdviMjate General again explained to Private Somerville, that the court having adjourned yesterday for the purpose of giving him time to prepare his statement, it was necessary for him to state distinctly whether he had prepared such statement. " Private Somervillc then said, that Mr. Wooler had fully stated what he intended to ,*iitiun h«> had exprcKHt'd, Mi«^ court would adjourn lor two bourn, to ^ivc }iim time to como to a Hnal dt't^Ttiiinatioti " Mr. W(»oh^r tlicn iMi^jjod leave to aHk one quoHtiou ; and leavo b<'lnK givon, h« rctjueHted to know, whetlior, in tho event of I'rivate iSouierville Htill declining;, iifl Ix-forc, to pi-oceed as no awjuw^r, the court would di,ssolv(! itHelf? '' The Judj^c Advocat*! Oenunil stated, that, in the event alluded to, tho court had no other courne to take than tliat of adjourning itH Nittingfl, and referring to the authority nn«ler whieh it acted, for further instruc- tion k. " The court then adjourned till two o'elock. " The oiMirt having re iiMseinliled, and the jxirtieH having beon Ottllfd in, the president addreHw^d Private 8onierville as follows : - " I de.sire to apprise you, Alexander iSonierville, that the <|nestion I am about to put, is addresHed to you^ and you must, \fi>nr»f.lj\ rrply to it." Th(! court had .seen, by thiH time, that I waH j«;ting under an adviHer whose opinioriH differed from mine; but, aH he threatened to abandon mo and the case, and return to London, if F did not aot upu7)a.-4*;a=M i'-j .'W fi*Nfcw,.*.*^tiv.MH."~.. ^-^ ..».;U. 0? A DILIOKNT LIFK, WJ uilMHi^H in iitt<»ndance, atid T haw no nirnnH ofohtnininn juniioc, uniUr the OftltT t»r thr t'oiniiiamltT in tliii-f* «X('c|it in protcHtin^ ii^'ninht any juljuurnmcut ul' tlu! court until (lit- cadH ol justii-c lins full) answcrtil. "A. hOMKUVILLK. " VWdon, lOOiJuly. 18:52;' '' Thf proni cotirt would Ul adjournod until Monday tin* JiJrd iiiHtant, at «'l«von ocKxik ; and till oourt (ulj<>urnr«>ople attracted to tlio roadKide to look at the " Scots (rrey a« waH makin;j; all the noiw) in the country," who was, on the coutraxy, doinu; all within his power to keep the noise, witliiu bouncla. *' Monday, July 23, 1832. (Kxtraet.) — " The court having aKsembled at eleven o clock, the .Judge Advocat/c (Jeneral read the additional instructions* from t.ViC general com- niandjng-jn-chief. dated Hor.se (JuardK. July 20th. '' Major Wyndham and Private Soiuerville were then called upon to furnish lists of the witneti.ses thiy respectively pn)|M)ised to call." The court mxt until half past tour o'clock, chiefly engaged in my ex- amination !ind crosiri-exami nation ; also in heariuj^ part t)f the evidence of Lieutenant Gillien, ofieof my witnesses. On Tuesday, 24th July, the examination of Mr. Gillies was resumed at ten o'clock. Mr. Ifenry Simmons, a civilian, who took lessons in the riding-school, wjus also examined that day, on behidf of the other side, at) it was neces.sury that he should return to bis biisinesii .at Birndngham. VVheu that- wa.s done, Mr. (Jillies Wiia again examined by the court. Sergeant John Glen was also called by me on that day. Also Privutee Robert Brown and Thomai? Darling. On the 25th, at ten o'clock, the evidence of Darling was resumed ; and the day wa« oanipied with it and that of Regimental Sergeant-Major l^cl/jon, and Adjutant Ricketta. 160 somervtlle's book On the 26th, Private Thomas Scott was cxninined by me; Mr. Davfd Cnpo was examined by Major Wyndhani ; also Troop Sergeant Mtij or Aitkin, Hospital-Ser^'eant Sykes, Assistant-Surgeon Htewart, Privates Robert llnlx-rtson and Charles Huist, The last two were patients in the hospitiil when I was taken there. On the 27th, Troop Sergeant-Major Gardiner and (/Orporal 01 'Lure were examined on behalf of Major Wyndham; and the major tendered himself as a witness. 'Ihis was unexpected by the court and by nie. The minutes iiitrodv.ee his evidence Jims: — "Major Charles Wyndham, Royal North British T)ragoons, then tendered himself as a witness ; and^ having beeri reminded by the Jndg(;-Advoeate nf the extreme responsibility under which he was plaeed in regard to the answers he might give to sueh questions as were put to him, was examined by the Judge-AdA'oeate." lie was also cross-examined by me. I have already given the most important parts of his evidence He admitted nearly all that I wanted to prove. On the 28tli, Adjutant Ricketts was re-examined. On the 30th and 31st of July, and 1st of August, the court deliberated, and made up a lengthened series of eharges from the newspapers, and from iny verbal stateintsnts, under u long and harassing examination, which, in the absence of the written and concise statement, they were obliged to do ; upon the^ greater part of which eharges no evidence was offered. They accordingly set them down as " not proved." The following are the princij)al parpgraphs of the report, after dispusing of those several chargt^ selecte<.l by them : — '■ The court is of opinion, that Major Wyndham acted injudiciously in entering into conversation with, or making inijuiry of. Private Somerville,^ on the subject of the letter in the newspaper, while Private Somerville was before him, as a prisoner, (diarged with a n)iiitary offence; and that this was especially inconsiderate at a period, when, from the excitement which prevailed in the neighbourhood, and from the nature of tlie contents of that letter, the object and purpose of such conversation and imjuiries were peculiarly liable to be misinterpreted. " That Major Wyndham, when he heard a recruit offer the highly objectionable opinions, which are recorded to have been expressed to him by Private Sumervillc, respecting the duty and allegiance of a soldier^ acted injudiciously in not suspending all proceedings against Private Somerville in relation to the military offence wherewith he was charged, and laying before the general of the district a full statement of the case of Private Somerville, and of the opinions so expressed by him, in order to obtain, from the general commanding the district, instructions appli- cable to the occatiiou. OF A DILIGENT LIVE. HI " Tliat the method of procedure which Major Wyndham followed in brinfriiij: Privat«' Soinen'illc to a trial, — the effoof, of which was. that Pri- vate Soiiiervillo was warned for trial, tried, and punished within the conipaas of a ver\ few hours; and (^specially that he was broupjht to tr J only an hour and a half after he received notice of it, — were unduly pre- cipitate, and, in that respect, not justified by the general usas^e of the service, though in ae(;ordance with the practice of the Scots Greys [No], and, a,s the co\irt believes, of oth(!r reav!ilry." The remaintler of the court's opinion is embodied in the coneludlnp; paraiTiaph of the nieniorandum referrinfr Ut the approval of his majesty the King, which is the last quotation T shall make : '• Horse Gi-ahi>s, Otb August, 1832. " The report of tlie Oourt of Infjuiry held at Woi don Jiarracks on the 18tb day of July. 1832, and contintied by adjournments to the 28th of the same month, for the investigation of the complaints made by Pri- vate Alexander Sonierville, of the Second or Royal North British Dra- goons, iigainst Major Wyndham of that corps, together with the minutes of its proceedings, having been submitted to the Kinii, his majesty has been pleased to signify his approbation of the mode in which the ecmrt has executed its functions, and his entire concurrence in the observations and opinions contained in its report. " His majesty has further been pleased to express his deep regret that an officer of the rank and distinguished service of Major Wyndham, and who had ever maintained a character so free from rej)roaeh, should, on the occasion and in the instances mentioned in the report, have evinced a deficiency in the care, discretion, and judgment re<{iured of him as an officer in the temporary command of a regiment. " His Majesty has, however, been pleased, at the same time, to express bis satisfaction that nothing has appeiu-ed in the course of the inquiry to authorise any conclusion which would reflect discredit on the purj)oses, feelings, or motives of Major Wyndham, or which would subject, his honour to just impeachment. (Signed,) "Fit/h«iy Somer.set." [The lamented Lord Raglan, who sunk under duty in the (^imea, 1855.] On returning to the barracks at Coventry, 1 continued to do duty up to the 24th of August. Several parties came to see nw, attracted by the celeii/Hty which the case had now attained, liut I deeople have heard of the annual proi^'cssion through Coventry of a lady on horseback, to represent Lady (iodiva, who once saved the 162 SdMERVILLE's BOOK citizens from a grievous impost sought to be inflicted by her lord. When the real lady rode through the streets, the male inhabitants were (command- ed to remain strictly within doors none but females IxMng allowed Ui see what a satirificc the Lady Godiva was compelled to make for their city. There was, however, one Tom who opened his window to peep as the lady pafvseJ; which so greatly offended the citizens that thry placed his efiigy in the window, where it stands to this day, Known as Peeping Tom of Coventry. In 1832, it was resolved to hold the festival in celebration of the passing of the Reform Bill on the same day as the anniversary of Lady Godiva's procession. From Nuneaton, Ilinckly, Leamington, Kenilworth, and other places, processions, long, dense, and noisy, with shouts and music, came and joined the political union of Coventry. It occurred that I was on sentry at the front barrack-gate when the procession passed. Not one of the many thousands knew me personally, but each band ceased to play as it came near the barrack gate ; each trade or section of a poli- ticiil union halted in front of the gate, as pre-arranged by a master of ceremonies, and three cheers, loud and long, were given for " Soraerville /or ever /"' They had not the remotest suspicion that T was the sentry, w.tk my carbine on my arm, standing in the gateway looking at them. " For ever !" they shouted in connection with my name. I had not been many months shouted for in that manner, when I was scauted. sneered at, maligned, libelled, and foully lied upon by some of those who, at that time, led the multitude to set up an idol one yt-ar, and knock it down and tran)ple on it the next; and all because I would not lend myself to the literature of sedition, of political antagonism to the army and "' Igher classes, nor to any set of persons, or purposes, that did not accord with my own sense of right and propriety. [Note of 1859. ~I allude here to violent Radical newspapers, as the Loridon Weekly Dispatch ; and I think the Englisli oi' Quebec should acquit me of the charge that t waa a partizan of " mobs and their excesses." I was offered payment for the use of my name, and peremptorily refused it again and again] In one of Cobbeff s N<(jisti:rs it was announced, about tliis tinn . that he was coining to Coventry, on a journey to the north of England, and to Scotland, to lecture ; and that he hoped to see mc and talk with me. When he came, Mr. Ilorsfall, of the Half Moon, took me t^) Mr. ('obbett's lodgings, at one of the hotels. He had been overwhelmed with calls, and had given orders not to be interrupt,ed, as he had writing to do; but on hearing who it was that now called, the set the orders and the writing aside. On approaching him, he shook me warmly by the hand, looked at me a few seconds, and said, " You have, at the least, an honest- looking Scotch face in yt5«ar favour." I sat down with him, and ho ll M > l |ii y i^!JfiUl.<«i ^ ,....V J. .'a»^l ^ k - .i|)«i < >» ^^w »«.wr <. +^. #fc*'nH-- ^*P'- »^lW W Iifc*»^«iy«i OF A niLIOENT hlVH. 163 eepiiig '•her proceeded thus : ." Now, you are going to London : let me give you a few words of advice. There are thieves in London who steal money ; there are swindlers in London who tnakc vietnns of the unwarj' . bnt there are worse people in London than thioves and swindh^rs ; there are editors of newspapers, — take care of yourself if you fall amongst editors. You are property for them. Each will try to get you o.clusivcly to himself. They will traffic upon you. If one gets you in his den, and you do not always after go to that den, he will rush upon you some day and tear you to pieces. Take care of the editors : I know them well. Go to Mr. Rogers of St. Giles's ; Mr. Nicholson of Fenchurch Street, Mr. Williams of Watling Street ; Mr. Swain, the tailor, of Fleet Street, and (an' thcr, whose name T have forgotten). And take this paper (he wrote their names and addresses); it is signed with my name, William Cobbett; any of them will give you good advice." About the 22nd of August, I was summoned to the officers' barracks at Coventry. Lord Arthur Hill, the lioutcnant-eoloncl of the regiment, whom I had not before seen, wa,« present This officer, though the name and title sound similarly, was in no way eonnixted with Lord Hill, tho general commanding-in-chief The latter was the celebrated general of division Sir Rowland Hill, second in command to Wellington in the Prninsular war ; the former was one of the sons of the Marquis of Downshire. Lord Arthur put several questions to me, in a kind manner ; to one of which, whether I was desirous of obtaining my discharge from the regiment, I answered, ye.-i. He siid, that having heard this formally from myself, he would make application for it. The rule of the service in purchasing a discharge is, that the soldier must be recommended by his commanding officer beibre he can purchase. The purchase-money of mine, £80, had been lodgt-d at the War Office for several weeks, and many applications on my brlialf had b(!en made for it. The last form being now complied with, it was sent down to the regiment on the 24th, to ha given to me on the 25th of August. At ten o'clock on that morning, T put off ray . egimentals, and dressed mysflf in a suit of plain clothes, which a tailor, one of several who eom- peted for the " honour " of Oijuijiping me, had niadti I gave ray regi- mental boots ajid shoes to my old schoolfellow, dames (irieve, and also several other articles of my '• kit." To most of my other comrades I. gave something. They all shook me affictionately by the hand, and looked att^^r me until 1 was out of the barrack gat^.'. Mrs. Shettle, of the Three Tuns, a house near the back gat« of the bar- racks (now one of the nearest licensed houses to the railway station), who had evinced much kindness, T may almost say motherly regard, for me, was, with her husband, kiud enough to request that I would leave some article i^»ii ^»ft»«A ^ »I>»IW I !■» 164 romerviii.e's book of my military equipments witli them, as a keepsake, I gave them my t'on^e cap. Fourteen years at"t*;rwards I lound it there, better takea care of tliiin I could have preserved it. iVf'ter that lapse of time I called at the Three Tuns, and saw tl)e same eountenance beaming from that same scat, in its intelligence and benevolence, — u countenance remarkable even amongst the finest heads of intelligent women. I sat down, talked, drank a glass of ale, rose to depart, and bade Mr. and Mrs. Shettle good- bye, yet they did not call to mind that thoy had before known me. Turning back I said, " I must introduce myself: I find you do not know me." But that preliminary observation wa.*- enough : both recog- nised the stranger ; and then tlxTC was shaking of hands, and treneroua remembrances. And I wa* told how the iorage cap had been treasured; how I had been often spoken of in the family circle, and so forth, I had in 1832 disclosed more of my sentiments, and more of the facts of my case, to this lady and her husband, than to any other persons in Coventry. This lady, like eveiy other person who new me intimatt^ly, knew that I despisi-d the tin-kettle school of politics, and that I was misreprest.'nted by tin-kettle politicians, because miHtinderst(X)d by them. I left Covoitry at eight in the morning by the Quicksilver four-horso coach, anil arrived in London in the evening. OF A DILIGENT LJK. 165 CHAPTER XVr. From London, Ilome ; aad from Home to London, 1832, 1833, and 1834. There were two orders of mind with which I came in contact, at tho time when I wasdischarjsed from the Scots Greys, that I found unwilling to understand me. or incapable of comprehending my motives in any- thing I had done, or refuised to do, or then did, or then {)roy)08td to do- Ont' of thene n\ental orders comprised several kind, wt.ll-meaninj^' friends. Tlie> had before them the facts, that \. a working; man, with little school education, had become a t^oldier, imj) oved my education, had occupied a dangerous etnii"^nce in the public view, under perilous circumstances; defended myself before a court-martial, in the absence of all earthly friends, when every word of defence uttered was an agjiravation of my alleged disinclination to pay obedience ; tliat I had suffered one of the most excruciating {lunishni Mits which can be inflicted «)n a human body with a firmness and propj-iety of bearing which even the commanding officer bore ready testimony to, at a time when not inclined to say much in my favour. Those and other things led them to uelieve that I must have self-confidence, forwardness, and " face " for any public exhi- bition of myself. They could not comprehend how a person " who had been in the newspa]>er.s so much," should have any objection to go to public meetings of the political unions to receive votes of thanks, carried by acclamation, '' for having helped to carry the Reform Bill " ; which acclamation was in their ears, and clapping of hands in their eyes, the most agreeable of sounds and sights. The other order ( ^' minds comprised those who could assign to me no other motive, since the public had subscribed money to purcha.se my dis- charge, and to add to it a gift, than tliat I had, from tlie beginning of the case, before 1 was punished, and when I was punished, designed to make it a means of obtaining money, j^ome of these })ersons could not see why I should endeavour to stop tlie collection of uutney on my behalf^ or nifusc it by any means through which it could bo obtained. Others of this order of mind set down my remonstrances against the collection of money on my belialf to hypocrisy, — to a deep plan of victimising the public. One set of those persons, the conductors of the Weekly DUpatchy published that I had remonstratiid with them, and with others, ?^ain84 tho proposition's to give me money ; but that I was well entitled to i^ ; that it was the spontaneous gift of the public ; that less than public duty ^^ 166 somerville's book would be done if a liberal subscription were not made ; and that it waa not for me to interfere in the matter,' — that I must leave this part of the case t^ thowj who believed I had done a public dervice. Yet that same set of persons published, in the same paper, at no distant time, wlien they knew nothing more of my motives ex«;ept that 1 would not allow t\f.'m. to make traffic of me, that I was an " impostor/' a " victimisfir of the public, " and so forth. The expenses wore £30 for my discharge, and £40 for lawyers' fees incurred at the Court ol' Inquiry, and paid to Mr. Marriot. Mr. Ilarnior, who sent his partner Mr Wooler from Loiulon, was ainply paid us prldier," I said, "It must not be done." I was told that it might p(»ssibly be done without my consent ; to which I replied, that if done it would be without my couvsent, and that whoever did it migh^ rely upon my taking measures to prevent its exhibition. (See also my protest against the Peace Society's misuse of my case in their st^ditious placards in 1853.) The next affair which some of those parties eo\ild nut comprehend, was my answer to a proposal that I should have a benefit at one or more of the London theatres. Several of the performers engaged at the Now Strand Theatre, amongst whom T remember Mns. Waylett, Mrs. Honey, Mrs. Chapman (sister of Miss Ellon Tree;, the late Leman Rede, and Mr. Chapman, more particularly, offered their gratuitous perfbrmaiuics (so Mr. ]lede informed me) for a night. Mr. llede offered to write an address. I was assured that probably not less than £100 would accrue to me. But T gave a firm " No ! " to the proposal. Another was, to lend !ny name to a literary speculation of some kind. I was ambitiom3 to bo connected with literature ; but as the parties prtv- posed t(i write in my name, 1 declined their offer of payment in terms which they, looking on me a.s an adventurer getting money wherever 1 could get it, could not understand. There was at lejist one more pr(>po9al, that I would allow my name to be used in a new.spaper, which I firmly declined, somewhat to the annoy- '•'^^* .\^fv:*-^^^,vvmi'^nt^^'^*4^li ..,-■«+.*..- .*i4i5j,w^ts^;^^w;-A f wrn t^ptimn »m-rtm ■ ■fn'iiw^t* I' a^nni^ii OP A DltMRNT Urt. 167 ance, I believe, of thoae who madfl the offer; respcctinir which, I flhall not now do more than make this allusion to it. [Note ol 1859. — So I Baid when that passage was written in 1H47; but, in juatice to niy.self and for the honour of newspaper literature, I leel bound to name the Wtelly Dispatch^ Another was, to allow certain parties to organise a pystf^ni of eolleeting PiibHcriptions for me throughout the J.atropolia and the kingdom ; to which I also gave an instant and j«isiti\e negative. It wn.i not so easy, however, to put a stop to some of thoin.> wlio took np that business on their own account, and put the money in their (»wtt pocket>i, I had not, up tx) this time, seen any great public dinner or festival, nor heard groat men make speeches, During my stay of wix weeks in London, one of these dinners, at which between two and three thousand p.t a meeting of the London Political Union, in the public room in Theobald's Road. 1 was attracted to it to hear the speeches of Mr. John Ijawless from Dublin, and other crack men of the day at that time in London from the provinces, I was observed ; some one called me loudly by name ; there was shouting and clapping of hands, and a cry for me to go to the platform, I at once left the body ot the hall, as some thought to go on the platform. Those who came to escort me thither found me in the passage, forcing my way to the dfwr. I left the place, despite their attempts to detain me ; and it was not long until I found them saying in print that 1 was an " ungrateful jx'rson," and alto- gether unworthy of their good opinion, because I would not go with them upon a platform. #!h. tfl^lV(ti^t\'T^--" | %jj!J . i » i|l » L - J.l 4 t «! 168 SOMERVlLLU'a ROOK wF With thcvf two exceptinriH, I attendi>d no public raeetinpt in Londoo at that tiiuo , and in uo ram whatever did I accept an invitalifin td any privato house. 1 have read in newspupt^rH that I lived itt Luudon in the housoH of private fricndH, at the ex[K'UHe of private pernonB, at this time. I not only did not live with tlu-iu or upon them, hut in no case what- ever, during those six weekn, did I visit at any house, public or private, BH H guest. There was not, in all the nictnipolitan wilderness of streetH and huiises — and it is a wildernes,s to those who arc alone — a more lonely being than I was, at that time. I saAV my name every day on th(j bills of newspapers, ^^aw and heard people reading those bills v.i street corners; heard my .ase and myself dis<;us8ed in the parlours of public-houses, 'HSCusioLally by persons who professed t<) know me intimately, none of ^A ii'.ub .i-rsons I had bef()re .seen in aJl my life. I felt that I was not the l ■ (\ of iif'n that everybody expected or believed me to be. They depleted U- ;emselves a person of tia-shy exterior, fluent in address, able and ready to talk and ;ipeak anywhere, at any time; and so well skilled in the ways and usag<:sof free and easy society, as to take a hand at cards, play billiards and bagatelle, or crack jokes, crack nuts, or crack heads with equal readiness. I found that those who siiould have known me best, — who, in their newspajter professed t« have my closest intimacy,— gave me credit privately for no higher (juality than that of petulant insu- bordination to military orders. That on(,> act of disobedience, which of all occurrences of my life T most regretted, was the only thing they saw worthy of respei.'t in mo I was introduced to Mr. Harmer, chief pro- prietor of their establishment, who gave me an audience of ten minutes, not quite so much ; who never again spoke six sentences to me ; to whom I had not the opportunity of speaking ten words; and this was the entire amount oi" our intimjicy or knowledge of one another ; though, so long aa it served to advertise and sell their paper, and raise itj or in the managen)ent, knew anything about me. The only individual connected with them who had any means of knowing me })ersonally, wai< Mr. Wooler, at the Court of Inquiry, at Weedon ; and, for reasons not necessary to be repeated on this page, he was not likely to report favourably of me in London, [Note of 1859. — I have expunged some remarkii about Mr. Wooler from where they stood in my account of the Court of Inquiry, He is now in his grave, where I may soon follow.] A.S already said, I was one of the loneliest beings that wandered through the metrojwlitan wilderness in 1832. There was not one man or womaaj t)F A T)U,inEN"r LIFE. 109 t5tit of the million and a hall of pctiplc in Mi(lill«'S<'X and Siirroy, to whom I could coniini! my thou^'ht.s. TIr' lew t«t whom 1 iwuh- an udvanco, neomt'd to look upon mowitli l(!('liiif.'s ol' disi.jipuintniout, as a man so dif- fi>n'nt fiHim tlio ideal " Soiiicrvillc the t^ol.licr," wiiorn tlicir ru wspapors and their own ima^irv fion« had ma(U\ that I ielt disappointment too, uiid shrank from them. Oho day I p>t a letter bejvrirm a well-known post-nuirk in 8i'( '*'tnd. My resoliiti(m was at once taken to leave London, (roin^' by way of Birminf^hani, .1 wav thoro solicitird anxiously, and was piN'ss<'d \intil it wan painfid to refuse, yet I ditl refuse, to r ut any other. F havt; read in newspapers that I was; and have even read a speeeh attributed to me, whi<'h eirev^'isianee: i.« th<' oidy excuse 1 have now lor taking mitice of this tupie. When 1 reached (ihusgovv, I was as !«nxii.... to avoiy passed in humlretls. The fact of the " ^cots Grey tl ' got his li(;ks" being there, became known, and a crowd of people gatnered an.tuiid tLe door. I was obliged logo out ami take off my hat to them. They shouted with au eiithvi- ti'mhin which niaile me blush, and wish 1 was beiu^ath the stones of the street; yet, upoti reflection, I saw such a hearty good-will about them, that 1 felt, what must now be eonfe.«.sed, a gratihed vanity. Within an hour I was seated under the hands of a hairdresser. He was full of what he had seen when the crowd was at, the stationer's .shop, and described that " chield Somcrville.'' He told what ho thought of him; and each cust«, u\y kiicoH inciiiiinj? to »n»ito each other; yet the weakucsH coiinttMT.w'tt'il Ity a fVcliiiij; which inclinctl tiio to HUiito my head ajiainst ii f^lone wall, had one U'cn near eium^ih. Ilaviti}; heon housed and fed for thi' I'xiiiltilioii lor a forliii>j,lit. and the termti heinfr, n.s it now apjieared, a jtuhlie «liow, with my keeper loadiuj^ jue by the arm, 1 could not renist. Makinj;; way, with ^eat diftieulty, to the frout of the most crowded auditory whidi had ever been craniiiied within the wallf<. while honit- oiu; ei.^e wa.s sjteaking, my keeper, without waitin;^ tor that npeakcr to bi' (Joi\(!, holding' mo by the arm with one hand, lifted liis uthirr haml, mid, with a voieo well known in (Jlasuow for its stri-nj^th tiiul loudness, cried, '• This IS the luaiil" What more he int*;nded to t*ay, I know not, The vast multitude rose, heaving to and fro, and burst forth in shouts aud •..lappiiiii. which seeiuf'd to have tio endinji;. It was renewed again and a}iain, until I i'ell back into a seat, my limbs powerlirts, my head swiuimiug, [Note ill lS5l). — That was Glasgow in ISH'J. May I have a meeting half as good to reccuve me when 1 give (Jlasguw an aeeounl of what 1 have se«'ii iu (Janadu and in the gix'at iVnieri'jan Union. God grant nic f?ueh a day!] 1 nev*>r saw the gentlemiin wlio had kept im; a foitriight for the show, after that night, for eight yeais. But 1 was obliged to hear what good- natured I'riends told mt, that, with all that recklessness which led him to rojirint some feeble verses (»f mine, and call thi^iu " worihy (jf liyron," and hail nie, before he had seen uje, as "another Byrou," ''another Burns.' and all that fudt;c ; with the same recklessness, he began to writt; me down as bo(jn as ttie ex.hibitioii was over, and never allowed an oppor tuuity to sli}> to do 80 from that time forward. 1 left Glasgow next day. When the lati; Mr. Thoman Atkinson, ol' excellent memory, Mr. IIcldervMck, and other friendly gentlemen, disco- vered that I had left that city without oalling upon them, they wrote to me, at Edinburgli, rcigictting tJK* circumstance. I had not been allowed to go out without my keeper. >Jr Atkin.sou said that he was .«orry 1 had placed myself in the hands of an individual, and expresslapprr»vo of that |>r(»ji'ct, tor various reasons; jmiJlv btruuse I huw uothiii^ oriticini: in tho hocial life of a imltlicun , parth k-causc I know nothing of the husirniss ; but fliicHv luoauM; I had n-. faith in those who ailvisi'd uw. in another town m J';nj.land, 1 hud an oll'rr of an o|i«'ninj^ in a malting' business: that 1 also di'clinup])liiis. Type and other necessaries lor printing were ordered. A.m my nanie was best known, T undertook to write to several literary men for contributions. Kbeiiezer Elliott scut a po(;m. The late Thomas Camjtbell sent a letter promising a jioeni ; ]'rofes,'^or Ten- nant, of St. Andrew's, sent a poem; Thomas Atkinson, of (.Masgow, lamented that ho was ou tlie verge of the grave, and that he had not seen me in Glasgow. Others contributed. The publication nevi'r made its appeitranee. I found none of tlu^ jiartners bringing contributions iu money; one brought verses, tme, a treati.* on banking, a third, a story ; all of them bn)Ught tales, — tales iu maiiusenpt to be juinted, and :.. • i-t I Jil ;^ rt ;y ,J . i%l^ ^|o i f 4»t |t K. ' r «i» . '* W g>4li*i H »W> l 1W'*>'>i » * '* B"'y r '^.■-»'W-»-rfri' Vl-; t .-j^f^ ji»-*'i**'i,i'«.*»^-w*MBf»«v;f4H)i««)»iH ,^Mi*i^,.^it.i tm *t3>k - .'.'nniary support um v/an promimil, I iiii^bt uiiilf art au;reoabU^ empb)yme'it ' i ti firotitabb! one. I abandoneil the H!iw]tit and tlu' Haw, took a shop, mi 1 in hix months bud 'mt a very triflin;^ sum of my derich, 0. W., in 18)5. On leaving Kdinlmrjrb in 183!}, I felt more at ease with the wide world before me, than at any time since 1 bad enlisted as a soldier, f liad licaltb and strength, and could work, and was not afraid of the world. Going to LondoTi .( made tho accjuaintance of the parents of the darling partner of my niarried life, whom \ have buried ou the cobl rock of Quebec in 185i». 8bo was then a child eight years old, tenderly datifal to ber family, at< she was warm-hearted to every human being, »•«»» Olr A lULlUENT LIKI, ITS accustomed CHAPTER XVII. Political DUconteut, Plots, aud CouapiracifD, lu \HH. Boloro proccodin).' to nilntc wliut I knnw of tho poliiicnl nnHpirucy which wuH turmi'd unfickwarportvT8 livt'd, moved, and actixl in 1884. The ex|M.'diti()n and Himplicity of the new elections, finis]ie rioting;, drunkenness, and rxpMi.-4(; ol' tho eJeetioiiH wliich hiftA^d iifteen days, convinced oven the propiicts of evil tliat a rt'form had been effected. Tho olectiotiH were numerically in favour of tlie reform ministry, to an extent hardly anticipated. Of the 658 viejubers, 400 were niiuistorialistH; and only 150 were " obstruo- tivciit " Tho Iricih repealers, ultra liberals, and radienls, who could not be classified by anticipation, numbered over 100. By another jiiialysiH, the r»/"'«Nr^ numb<;red 50«, and tlie avti-riJ'ornurK 111). Kxpcrieiico proved this estimate to be meoncet, tlion;ih probably it nct'iudi-d with the intentions or professions of the menibtiis when elected. 'IMio nifasures bniU!j;ht before Parliament, by the government were too liberal for many of the profes8in<» Jleformers, who thenceforward allied themselves with the Tories under a new designation, that of " C(in,«iervative8," and were too striiig(tnt, or illiberal for others, who, in consei|uene«', vntiid against ministers, or absi'nt<;d themselves on (K)ca.sion.s ImpTlant to the miniatry. In no previoud parliament had isiich an amount ol' businuJH been transacted as in this. Tho previous sitting.s of the House ^r Oomnions uver!ige—-»'->-— ^ ■ 174 gOMERVlLLE 8 BOOK: # kSccoiul, — A nicfiRinv- liy wliicli one Tiiillion sterling was icnl to tho der^^y oi' Iniland. wliosc titlics wi're in tirrcnr. Tliis wan Hup|Mirft(| hy tlu; iinti-rctnnucrs, lnii f»])pos(!(l by many of tlio ultra- lil)eral;>. n;ii(ji;rin^ tlio iiiiiiistr\ mipopular with theiu and witli tlic unreproetiittd cImssis of tlu' JM'I )[(](■. Tliinl. — Actf- vvciT passed ref'ornnn;j; the ^rand and {Kitty juries in Irclaiul: wiiioli, thuujjli uieritonou,Sj did not affoct pulilic opinion iu Eujularid. Fourth, — The Scottish Buruh Uefonu Act passed, oflfoinlin": the anti- rcfonn(;rs, uivinir hijih satisfaction to all oth*>r partios in Scotland, hut not appreciated as a popular measure by the general body of the Enjilish people. Fifth, — Twenty millions st<'rling W(;re voted ;i'< paymfMit to the owners of negro slaves in the West Indiiss, and a bill enacted for the liheiation of the slaves accordingly. A majority of parliament, a majority of the religious jihilanthropiits and pliilosophical liber;ils. were in fav-nir of thin bargain for humanity. With the millions of workinir men and womoD in Great Britain, all so highly taxed, many of whoui did not eat and drink so well, nor work so little, as the negro slaves, this free gift of twenty millions sterling to the slave-ov/ners, who, while they receive*! it, and long after, had « monopoly of the svigar market^ — they, in most [>art, living in lusurions case in England, and never attending, as business men sliould attend, to the profitable cultivation of their suuar plantations — witli the millions of our own working population, who paid dearly for sugar and coffee, and wore able to consume but little of eiilier, this grant out of the taxes was exceedingly impopular. In the next year, when the government prn.secuteil and rransportcil six poor Dorsetshire laV>ouT- ers for combining to raise the agricultural wages of their district, — upon which wages they couM not procure such good nor such full meals a« were allowed to negro slaves,- — this was remembered against them by the; formidable trades' unions, which gave Britain vsach a year of disquiet and peril. Sixth, — A series of mcasuroB reforming, or at least altering, th*^ government of India, renewing the t'nmpany's chaj.'ter for twenty years, and throM'ing open tlie trade; to Ohina, were passed. The last, tlmugli ai measure of great national importance, did not add to tlie popularity of the ministers with the ceneral body of the people, who did not under- stand. OT care to understand, the great principle involved in the abolition of monopoly. Reventh, — The charter of the Bonk of England was renewed, after Reverul discussions on the currency, which, though of national iinportanco, did not attract much notice beyond the doora of parliament. The f)P A DILIflENT LIFE, 175 ■ministers would neither have trniiu'vl nor lost popularity hy that question, had iliey allowed each meniher to s].eak and \\>U in t)ie usual way. l?ut a epeeoh ol" Mr. C.iltbett, and n vote of tht? house taken ujkiu that speteh. vere. on the motion of the Chancellor of the Exeh«M|uer (Lord Althorp), cxpunsied from th*' niitiutrs of the, prrK',eediu!;s of the House, (nit of doors, people who neither believed with Mr CnhK-tt, nor earolto under- stand the currency 'piestion, understood that a veteran jKjlitical writer had heen morally chastised by a union of ministerial vhius anri o]>position tories, f<«r his reflections u^xtn Sir Robert i'rel, tlir leader of the toiies. Thif occurred on the liith of May. while a jury was sittiti'.r to inquire into the cause of tlic death of a policeman, named Koliert Colly, killed in Coldbath Fields, on the I'Jth, in an atlray. in which the police, by the order of Lord Melbourne, the Home Seoretary, were employed in disp rsing a political meeting. Much viole!)C(^ was coinmitled by the police, as well a.s by the mob. whom they attacked. The policeman was Mahhtd with a dagger: and tlu> jury, aft<:>.r sitting twelve days U})on the inquest, returned a verdict oi' jui^tijhthh honncv/e. Ot\ the 3Uth, thi* verdict, on the motion of the Holicitor-Oeneral, was set aside by the Court of King'B Bench. This added to the public excitement. "VVith ihe multitude, and thcorat^us wJio led it in its public meetinfis, smoking- parlours, tap-rooms, or workshops, the TTomo Secretary wa,s the most a^Yurs.;(l of ministers or of }iubli!3 men, Thi.-^ the reader should carry in mind to the end of this and next chaptiT, as a key to ' he j)ersonal dancixr in whii'h that statesman w'tw phiced. In the perilous . xcitement ol' April 1834, the dagger which killed the policeman hatl not ceased to be rol'errctl to in eouniXJiion with his name. While that jury was sitting in Calthorpe Street, in 1838, attraetinL' the nation's e3"e3 to itself and to the meeting which the police had been unwisely employed to disperse, pubUo nic(^tings were held in the largt; towns to mcmoralise the king to dismiss his ministers. Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Attwood were conspirincrH were also agitators now, though not oj><;nly. They operativl upon the working classes, urging them to resist the tyranny of thcAvhig reformers, pointing to Coldbath luelds and to the Irish Coercion Bill. Their purpose was to got the whiirs out of ofhce. Eighth, — The Irish Coercion Bill was the tirst of the un]»opular mea- eurea of 1833, in regard of time; but, except in Ireland, it was not instantly decried. But it soon became the popular theme of accusation against the reform ministry among all the unrepresented people of JSngland and ainong the majority of the liberal electors. 176 SOMEHVILLE H BOOK Ninth, — A wibordinate member of the government, Mr. Bolwrt, (Irant^ broujrlit in a bill to remove the Jewish disabilities. It was defeated, and an outcry raised against the niiFiistry, by churchmen and others, wliidi did them more harm with the roligious electors than the diapersKiu of the ( 'Oldbath Fields meeting had done. Tenth, — The Court of Ohaneery yoxh disturkKid by Kome alterations called reforniH ; by which more than a proportionat<' alarm vraa raiat^ among the legal functionarif.«. nth'e,ted, or afraid of being afiFectod, by change. They added to the unpopularity of the ministry. Elf.'vcntli, — The total repeal of the duty on tilths; the repeal of two shillings stamp-duty on advertisements , the reduction of asscftst-d tiixes on sliops ; tlie reduction of duty ou marine insurances ; the repeal of the' stamp-duty on receipts under £5; the repeal of the duty (additional laid on in 1821) on raw cotton ; the reduction of l)alf the duty on soap; and a variety of other good measures, were carried. But it is (juestionabl'J if all the good acts of tlie ministry in the session of 1833 added to their popularity, or warded off any odium, except among the philosophic few^ or the moderate thinkers. To the general body of the people the reduction of taxes gave offence, because it did not go far enough ; and tlie amcindments of the administration of justice gave offence to the lawyers, the only parties who felt personal interest iu the measure, by going too far. Finally, — There was the subsidence of enthusiasm on the part of the nation to render the reform ministry uny)opular. It came into power amid aoHjlamatiitn. The excitement of the nation was strained beyond th<* power of nature to endure. From the fall of the Wellington admin- istration, in October 1830, to the end of the election of the first reformed parliament, in December 1832, the political drama deepened in interest at each act; and the chamiitig scenes had been so crowded upon one another, that the stirring politi«:« of 1833 became a sleepy after- piece, a dull play, which the outworn auditory would not be pleased with, Tins was no fault of the political actors who had done so much to please; it was their misfortune. The fact of its being their mi.sfortuue became more manifest in 1834. That year opened with the electoral classes making large demands for more reform, and with the non-electoral classes complaining loudly that they were betrayed, and marked as a slave-class by the Keform IJill, and that the whigs were the most treacherous of all statesmen. Before the year ended, the king dismissed ' ministry from his councils for being too liberal, though their measivres (of which the new poor law was tho chief) were more unpopular iu England than auythiug which tbej did In the previous sesaion. OF A DTLIGKNT LIFE. 177 i»; ant This narrative does not Uud mo farther into the parliaint^ntan history of those tiuicH. I am only justified in rehitinjr thi^ much of parliament^ ary history, because I ha\e good cause to bt;liev(!, and no cause to doubt, that, in the month of April 1834, I saved one or more of the cabinet ministers from the assahsins dai:gor and the government offices from iuriurrectioriary occupation ; and be<;ause, in relating how they wero endangered, how they were to have been surprised and overcome, how the palace and the king and (j^ucen were to have been taken, how the sohliera were to have been outwitted, how the. Batik of England wan to liave been captured, and all London held by the insurgents (all Britain and Ireland to yield in their turn to the insurrection), it is necessary tliat I should show the political circumstances by whi(;h the raini-itry was then Burrounded, and the popular sentiments then (iutertuiued for or agaiuiit thera. To make this relation of ministerial circumstances complete , I also refer to the trades' unions, preniisinir that the political conspiracy, though concocted under cover of the unions, was probably known to but few of the provincial leaders of those bodies, certainly not to the general members. The object of most of the unions, if not of all, formed by the trades, previous to the years 183.'» and 18',<4. was the attainment of trade advan- tages; their policy, to support one another by turns. Some trades were work while others were on strike ; those working, to support those not working, the object of not wtirkmg being to enforce a higher rate o* wages. When that iiigher rate of wages was obtained, they were to resume work, and allow another trade to strike. This arrangeuient was broken by the tailors of London, who struck work without the consent of many of the trades oarnitig lower wages than they, and which, called upon to contribute to their support, did not respond to the call. It was then that some lab(juring men were tried at J>orchester at tho gpring assizes of 1834-, for being members oi'a union, and administering illegal oaths. They were indicted upon an obsolete statute enacted for the suppression of mutiny in the navy, and sentenced to seven yeara' transportation, A strong feeling arose throughout the country, from the first report of their conviction, that they hatl U'nn harshly detdt with, as examples to other unionists rather than as criminals. Tliis feeling deepened when they were hurried out of England, as soon ivi it was found that petitions to the government in their favour were preparing ill almost every town in tho kingdom. I nev« r signed petitions with a stronger impression on my mind that I was prforming a bare duty to unfortunate fellowm«^n, than the pcititions I signed in favour of those poor labourerB. The law, iu their case, grappled with u giant's strength 178 80MER VILLE'S TtOOli. upon tlie feftblost nnd rnoHt innocent of all ilie ujiliukts- while th»,3t.» tliat w.'ry, like the J).irMetshirc i;ibour'TS were left iintou(!liotl» The .rov(!rnTnent Heenijid too woak to prosecute tho f^rcufc unions j at loa«t, the nni'-ns thou<^ht so. I'repanvtionrt wero niiido lor a ^'rand apseuibla^'o of (dl tho trades in London, In meet in Copenhji^en Kields. on the morning of the 21st of April, and inai-ch thron^'h Loiidoii to the Hojne Office, at VVhitoludl, to prcFx^nt ii petition, pniyinjr for the relenHC of the r)orsetshir,: convicts, and then proceed over W'estiniii.^ter liriduc. to Kenninfzton (\niim'>n. No oiH^ who listeneil to the vehement, and reekle.«.s speeehes of the Jiondou Itsuders. or reflecting on their policy of intcndinir to overawe the govoru- raent on that d;iy by a show of vast nundters, could have any other opinion than this, that they cared less tor the fate of tht^ poor hd»ourertt of Dorset than they cared for a display of their own leadership. 'I'hat kind of reasoning which is called conuuon sense would have ,sngtro>^ted, that the nidro reserved in a display of physical gtrentrtii, and the inoro mild in word.-^ the petitioners were in Snliciting tho pardon of tho Doisel Tinionists (since tin; nienibora of all unions were so much ilreaded), the moro likely they wore to succeed. The preparation.^ for the grand disjil.ay proceeded ; dcj'utations camo from the provincial unions; the utiion parliament at tho 11 1* held its niglitly .sittings, and had itH daily and viichtly coinniittees ; S(;crct deputations proceedcnl from it to secret comnatt (.<.■;■. sitting elsewhere. When the time between th(; preparations and tiio 'jvent was ordy eighl days, news from France told how the trades' union.s of Lyons had risen against the law, — had re-' uiid a mendjor from trial, — had resisted tho military who were ordev i . ■ re-capture him, — had received tho military bullets and bayonets bii.- • ■' -^ — had returned tho tire of battle upon the garrison, liad defeated it, and then held tho town iu\d the authorities at discretion. " Slaves, that we arc: 1" cried the leaders in Eti^land ; " kjiavea, let our names for ever be, if wo sntfer our brothers of union to be transported! Death to the tyrant, whigs ! death to ourselves I destruction to London and all that it contains if wc be not amply revenged for tlieir wrongs, and all our ownl" Such were some of tlic interchanged sentiments and im- promptu r(!Solutions at tho meetings of the sacred fratertial committees. Tho ?iewsfrom Paris, under date of the 12th, conveyed the intimation that Lyons was subdued, and that law and order had resumed their reign. This was not believed: it was alleged to be lt)rged news, to deter I'aria from movii g. The next mail, giving the fact that the miUlary wera subdaod iu Lyons, and tlie populace triumphautj ooalinjjied the euBpicion 1 OF A IHLKJFNT LIFE. 17« of f'oru<"1 news nt T'ariH. a-i-l ^- 1 .',■.> (Ini (Litioipntjor ot a Pfi'iHisiii iir^ur- rocti.iii Trrato mtVirmatidn finivcH tiial flu- ' tt.cti of L..m1si " w»,rc preparing' to ;«tt?ick the mills; nnd tlint iit (Miliiain two uiiloniHts f,riii> hcndoii by Uiepoli(!«ihad boon rt'scucd, a i'nctory denuilislied, litl- .sa<'ni; od, and the aiitliorities set at dt'tinrirc. At till! saiiu' tiino, the secret cotiiniiltoo roocivod iTifnriiiatinn thu "^'ir- Tiiinerliajii. MuTii'ho^tt'r, l>..ad, that shall not only do its work eflectually and at once, b'l -.r n ■ cjial to tlie whole j)Coplo to be up, to strike all the tyrants thrt.i' liont Britain." ^iiii-h were the desicrn.s deliberat(d and lixid upon dnVina: the week preceding the |.!^reat L4bourno. They wore, at a given signal, to fall upon him and Ids attendants; seiiie the sentries at tho door, disarm them; admit other leailcrs from the outside; possess tho uovernment f)ifiees. and as many of tlie ministers of government as they could find. The military, on the alarm being given, would niKli from the barracks in St, -) amess I'-irk, to rescue the govornnient offices ann me, I should say) through the affair in the Scots Ureys, as '' one w ho was supposed not liki ly to stick at trifles," turned their attention up<> tlie inlirntition <^a.idu.illy proceeded. — strong, enertfetic, not afraid of tritioH, ready on any emeri^cney, with a weapon or without one. to ac. or direct others to act. Tiny had sonie jjuitd men aln^'idy ; and if I joined, they thoutdit 1 tiu^dit hrint' some more. They had the great fienn-nta of neo.'ssity ready and in ahundanee, — money, arms, and ammunition. And then followed a t:reat deal ahout bishops, the llou.se of Jiords, ihe throne, tlie landed gentry, ami the -tyrants," who hved oji the profits of hiliour; that none of them could Ite endured longer; that as I Inul ^^uifeu^d in the army from " tyrants.'' [ slmnld be ready, they thought, to j^venge myself, and serve my (jountry, ikiw that an opportunity was alx.ut to present itself. T in(iuired when that opportunity was to come ; in wluit shape it was to come, ;i,,J what they expected two or tjiree hundred men to do. They said 1 should know if I joined the union, and iK-eanui one of the »»ecret eoramittee J. said, the tailors' union which took the lead in London, was nxanaged entirely by tailors; that the general committee of the trades was composed of delegated members fmm each trade. Tliey replied that such was the case ; and that so far m the trades" swueties, Bimj)ly as such, were concerned it» the present movement, no other conx- initlxes were required. 13ut that other things, not of trade importatice, but of national imjtortance. must now be done ; for now wjs th*' tinn tn do them. The country was never so well orgauieed as regarded working men (which was qnit« true) as then. More noise hatd been made about the jjolitical unions at the time of the Keform Bill, and, no doubt, rich " tyrants ' belonged to Them, who did not belong to the trades' unions: but this fact was all the better. This wa« supposed by the ** tyrants ' to be exclusively a trade KK'^'ement. The '• tyrant.- " would be off their guard as regarded any n-ional effort to obtain fr«»'dom at one blow ; and that one blow would be struck under cover of the trades' movement. I replied, that if they would tell me what the two or three hundred men they spoke of were supposed to Iki able to do, I should judge more correctly of the prol)ability of my taking a share in the ent^jrpnse. To this, one who had not before spoken said, ' Scotchman-like, always cau- tious." "I have not always bten «;av\t.iott8." I replied; ' but I think 182 SOMEavn.LR'B BOOK caution i.s dL'siriiMe in iiny rtueli purpoHe as that whi(rh you liav»! Ibnv- Hhiidovvfii to int!.' " Wo (1(1 not tliink Iho worw; of ynu," Mii.l ono of till! fii'Ht Hpi'jikorK, " till- your wuitiou ; but wo jnust also bo <.!»uti(»uH, and bof'oro we. run Lr<» lurtiuT yi"i must join our bixly." I siiid I Jiad iid object itoi to bticonu; a member; and at'cordinsily I waH madr ;i nuMnl)or. Tbis waa on a Saturday iiijiht, W« wort' to moot in a bituso noar Drury Lano on tbo Sunday nij:iit, wlion 1 was to bo intmducoil to tlio lratorii:d couiiiiittco. Tbo intorval I nptnt in aiixiouK cnj:;itatlon, and callod li' mind word,- which hud t'allon {'nun tiio talkativo uninnif*ni(l, "M'hal, i,s tlint ynu ? >Vliy don't yrni conu; on i" 1 wuH liM>k,in|i for you an hour itu'O. Wo are Wiiitin^ lor jou." " It won't do." 1 s«iiid. " WluiL wont do .■•" " To jiroC(.'fcd i'arthfr in tho hu.siots>< ^^iiokon of lant nii:ht, ' "Ohl oorne aloiiL' : you dun t know what the huwin<-*« ia. Here jiro iniiny friends id'}(itir.s wnitini: to see you." " Wlio :iro (hoy?" " i\hiny ; .-.onio you know and soiiio ynu don't know ; excellent felloWH all oi'lhtni; tlic hcst men in Jilujilimd ; you nia} n-ly on them.'' T eon.-iidered a few minntoh. and I'llt iluii. th-.- deputation and the " iilorious band" beintr admitted to the ]>roseiice of the cabinet ministers, I wais hailetl as a tirothei At that time, 1 was thin of Ilesh^ and my tall and broad body of skin, nnisele. and bone, arrayed in clothes which did nor Itespeiik nw to have much ••takii in the ])roj)erty id' tlio country, together with that eticrjry of action which wa« known, and those opini(tns which 1 w;i sn]t]Mised to jiot^sess. made me, no doubt, seciii a very likely }K;r,son ti« join in a very despernti' adventure. They probably, like every other pernon who kiK.'W me only througli tin? fictions of the Waklif Itinpatck. gave me no credit for beittjjr a thinkiug man ; nor were any oi' them, so far as I had «'. It was forluinite that the snbit>et of oaths had corao up before ^oing farther: I saw in it a nieann of ewape. I liad resolved to retreat, and iliis way (ipened tun^xjieetodly. l)e> b« done iiiiijlit bo, before 1 enpigod upon oath to do it. I'pon wliieh, as much was fold as confirmed the npiuinn 1 had formed, of the desi|.'n beiny to take th(^ eabinot ministers and government otfices by surpriwe, when the deputation and tlie "glorious band" went into tho jiresjsneo of thi! ntinisters with the great memorial. I was to bo one of the leaders, if 1 would aeeept the dignity and the danger. I exprei^sed uiiwillingneHs to be engaged in any enterpri.-e of that kind, with persons wlioni I did not know. It was rejoined, that I need not distrust them: some of the best men in England were present in this house, and others were (doming to take the lead. There would be some of the boldest and best of the democrats from Birmingham, and there ■were already some present from Shoflieid and Nottingham ; all were iu the secret, and they oidy wanted a few nion such as myself. Thttre wer<5 also, they said, some glorious fellows who had been in J'aris during the "three days," and who knew what lighting was^ and how to cojiduct street warfare ; and there were Poles also, the best men in the world for a gallant enterprise. Once more I uiged that 1 would not be sworn to take share in such business until 1 knew who wore to be engaged xn it, and until I had maturely considered it. And having said ibis, T moved to go away; but they refused to let me go until I had engaged farther. It was urged that I fthould swear to hold within myself whatever secrets were learned there, To which I replied, " That I may not inform against you?' They rejoined, " Yes, that is it." Then said I, " My word of honour I hold to be as good as the word of any one of you, and 1 give my word of honour that I will not divulge your designs or your names," " That F^-c««<' mJi-^^V '!•.«'. hV K DItlOENT MKli, 185 itlii'iit any A(iric, jirt'Krnc'c of tin; leaders, •i.Mt of tbut liiit I need sent in this 1(1 he some iind there nil were ia I'liere wer<3 luring the (I condnct \n\ world |c in such itil I had [away; but fiiH urged ire learned fi8t you T honour I I my word " That •will Hcnrcely do," Baid ono; " y(ni nhould join now, heart and hand, body and houI. hefon- you leave uh, ami tli.n we nhail have no doubt of you." Said anotlnr, " Ft i.s all ritrhl with Soinerville, dtm't fe;ir : he ha.'* giv(,'n toi' nii»n\ j»ri>ofs of hi>< devotion tu tli<> jteoplc, li.r us to niistriHt him fi«'t him tak* his own way . we sluill ^m.n Imvc him with iis.' Infiituatfd ciriitiirea! They did mon- in that half lionr by the i'<'V»' lation of their erime* and folly, to (^li;iki' my faith in the wiMloni "t" an ignorant deuux-raey, than any annnin' >i|" j»hilo,-tijihi<' teaching <'' unions was us inn(V cent in its pur]ios<» as 1 Inid believed it to !»•'. 1 ,'^hould Iniv*' felt my:^elf to be a happy man. Si'V(>ral days passed, -nid T was again and again apjdied to; but I pleaded illness. Indeed, 1 was ill, though not .so sick but I might bave gone out. I tried to read i.nd tiiink. ). eoiild think, b\it could not read. I fi^lt that I "Wa.v taking the right eourso in staying within doors. Uut, again I a.sked ujyself, was T doing my duty in only saving Uiy own neck from the uallows j.nd my reputation fnnn ignominy ? W as it not my duty to save those who would be vietim.sof the conspiracy, if it succeeded, — the ministers of government, the s«nerelgn, the royal family, everybody who was not of the ord(r of democracy ? and tlic uniimisls themselves (mo^t of them innocent of the conspiracy), who would be hanged if the attemj)t were made and did not succeed ? Was it liot my duty to avert, if T could, the <:ommission of the great ^\ ci\ 186 eOMERVILLE'e BOOK CHAPTER XVIII The Plot Frustrated. Tho morning of Monday, 2l8t of April 1834, oanie, and with it aa assonililago of thirty thousand unionists on (Copenhagen Fields, — a sorios of incadow!^ on tlie nortliern side of Loudon, where in after years the New Siuithlield Market was constructed, Tho tradoB present were thirty-three in number ; some of thcni cttnsiwting of a few hundreds of jterBons only j otherw of more than one Ihou.sand, the t.iilors alone b*nng about five thou- sand. Tlje on-lookcrs, who crowded to the field to sec the trades arranged in columns, under their respective colours, amounted to twenty thousand before n mtived through the streets, aniouuttd probably to more than one hundred thousand. From what I had been unwillingly compelled to know of tiie design* of the conspirators (only a few of whom were in the procession), I wrote privat*! letters to the daily newspapers, recjuesting them to caution the innocent members of the unions against appearing in the streets on that d«y, hinting at a reastm why j but, as that caution might be futile (the infatuated democrats seldi^m listening to counsel that did woo come from their own chiefs, and hardly ever to newspapers which hiii.itually opposed, or by turns tiajoled and betrayed them), the mere sight^seers, and all women, persons in charge of children and heads of families who could control their servants, were implored not to expose themselves in the streets. The iic;'. ^papers were fervent in their warnin^i;; and the cflfect was, that j)robabiy more than half thenters could carry a chisel; the tailors, a pair of shears, with a keejM-r to hold the shears close abovu tbt.' joint; the C(jal-heavers, if they had no particular instrument by whiclj they earned tlzeir bread, had good knives to (!ut their bread, or, if they had them not, they might liave them. No one could blame them for carrying each a knife. Any man ol' any other trade might have a knife. The tailors, accordingly, about five thou.sand in numl>er. .ijipear- ed upon the ground under their banners, and formed their columns, most of them having a pair of .sliears in their [H)ckct«* fastened with a keeper of leather or string, to leave their points bare and make both blades one. And many, in addition to tlie .shears, carried a bare budkin, that they might make the qu'wtuH of all or sundry who took arms against them. The carpenters carried chisels ; the shoemakers, their knives and hammers; and most of the other trades, something. Those members of the trades who were seriously alarmed at hearing ti.e injunctions to carry such instruments, remained away. Fewer than half of the tailors in London were present. But of those who carried their .shop-tools, or other in.struments, a small proportion only, knew of the design, aud certainly not ol' the details, of the conspiracy, and the preparations for assassinating the cabinet mini.sters. The members of unions with shop-tools, carried theui under the advice of leaders, who alleged that an attack of the \yoXvM or military, or of both, might be made upon them, as in Coldbath Fields. Those who were t«j execute the business at Whitehall, kept their secret, and were only to reveal it with the commi.ssiou of the first act of the cimspiracy. To do their work, they had more formidable weapons than shears, awls, knives, or chisels. Besides writing to uewspa})er8, stating that I knew there was imminent danger, and urging editors to caution mere sight-seers from going near the Une of procession, I wrote a letter, signed with ujy name and address, to Lord Melbourne, in which I related the personal danger he would be in, a.s well aa the political danger to the statt;, if he admitted iiuy deputation of unionists* to an interview on that day. and e.specially a deputation accompanied by what might appear to be promiscuous followers. As I kept no copy of my letter (having good reasons, relating t(j personal safety, for not doing ao), I cauuot uow repeat the prctijie ixii'ormutioii conveyed j 188 fiOMi'.RVILLE 8 BOOK but as tlic letter is still (*> I have rea,son tf> boHove) in the arohi'veis of the Home Office, thow who have the privilege of ohtaitiiiiir a Hi'j;ht of povrnmioiit papers may M-e it. Such pap(!rH are considcn-d kutcc], iukI are nut made ]iubli(' witlxiut thewriterH coi»seiit. In this fane the writer does not keep the iriattcr seen t hiiiirt<.fir. In the Iiojh' of teaehinir work- inj^ men a lesson which they may never learn from other teaehers, — of j^ivin;.' them a solemn warninjj; of the danger their mad-headed lead- ers may plaee them in. while they blindly follow, — the writer of this " Btate pap«'r " runs the risk of publishing what be now does, and has no objeetion to the pidilieation of that K-tter, should any of those whose criminal intents were fnistrafrd by it, choose m parliament to move for it, or those whose lives were saved by it. think fit to [iroduee it. At what partieular time Lord Meibou-ne changed his intention, and rcHolved not lo admit the unionists, as he had intimated he would do, I have no means of knowing. At what partieular time the izovern- inent and the comnuuider-in ehief changed their pn parations, [ cannot tell ; but T know they ditl ehange their prepnrations. and that very mate- rially. l)uring the Simday iiitrht, detachments of cavalry marched into London from Ifounslowaud Croydon ; several regiments of ud'antry were brouglit from Chatham, Woolwich, Windsor, and more distant places j and, most formidable of all, while London was still asleep and in dark- ness, and the dreaming madnuui of politics saw visions of the deeds to be done with tailors' shears, shoemakers' knives, carpenters' chisels, their own pistols, and their own daggers, no less than twenty-nine pieces of artillery, with shells and shot, were brought fnuu Woolwich, and (juietly placed within the barracks in Birdcage Walk, in the palace of St. James's, on the parade-ground of St. James's Park, and within the closed gates of the Horse Guards. On the roofs of the governmcjit offices were placed light " mountain guns," to throw shells into the streets commanding tJie thoroughfare at Charing ('ross, on one side;, and Parliament Street and Westminster IJridge on the other The park gates were closed against the public. No sentries were jnounted in the ordinary way outside the Horse (luards. The military guard at the .Bank of England was largely Btrengthen(;d, and at all the military stations in the metropolis the troops were under arms. The metropolitan police were armed, and retained in quarters, or in positions out of public view. The police magistrates were early at their respective offices. General officers on duty sent out their aide-de-camps in plain clothes, to reconnoitre in the streets and at Copen- hagen Fields. The military fore 3s drawn to the metropolis for the emer- gency, in addition to the usual compliment of Life Guards and Foot Guards, were detachments of the 12th and 17th Lancers, two troops of Ihe 2nd Dragoon Guards, and the Ist Royal Dragoons, eight battalions of infjwitry, and twenty-nine pieces of field ordnance. liw^4«>i »•« R.^,'^a*iU;- OF A DILIGENT LIFE. 189 the archivofi 11^ ;i Hi<:;ht ot' sacrt'd, luid 81' th«' writer n'hiMir wi»rk- teai.'liors, — hi'.ulcd It'ad- riter of (higi JOH, and lias tluisf! whosf; to move for I it, tontiori, and (1 hf would the ijoveru- inn, [ eainiot t very niate- larchcMl into idaii try were tant places; and in dark- the deeds to hisels, their ne pieces of and ({iiietly St. James's, )sed gates of were placed nanding tJie Street and )sed against outside the was largely s the troops retained in .st rates were it out their d at Copen- )r the emer- s and Foot fo troops of batt^lionfl On the morning of Monday, the lord ui.iyor, in obodienoe to u eomnni. nication from Lord xMelbourue calling on hiu» to niakr pn-paratioiis to preserve the jxiaccof the eial constables. The aldermen retired to their several wards, to ord(!r preparations laure, except those who renuiiued to swear in the constables. At (iuildhall, the avenues oi' the court, in a brief period of time, were crowded with householders, and live thousand were sworn in. Tlie aldcr- nien tlien re-assembled, with the lord mayor, at thi' Mansion Ilou.se, receiving repi>rt.s every half-hour, or oftener. frojn the numerous messen- gers employo; num! innocent of the designs of the conspirators of the 21st of April than he, though ho printed for them and walked in the procession. There were others, whom I need not partieulari-^e. in the i'oremost places of the management, who were not welcome there. The Rev. J. E. Smith had gone into the idealism of mataphysics until he was a long way past the borders of orthodoxy. That wjia a ijualilication for him •I .■■.ij;.,i„VjSf.i', '«- ♦-.r..'- **^ .a.ir-DiXii'iiii itiiij'iilrni III I iiiil'irtiilM!' ' 190 bomervii-le'b book to be admitted where he wn?; jimt aH the printer W(w qualified hecaasc he had refused to pay taxes ; or a^ the reverend reetor of Warwick was fjuiilifi(!d heeauHe he railed ol the chureh, of whieli, however, he waf« a non-resid(int, sitieeurist ; or us the apnftle oi' soeialiHtn wan qualified, be- cause, in pnipoundiiijr new theories, he found fault with every institution on the face of the earth, — [K»litieal, soeial. and relij^^ious ; or as the political publican was (|ualitied, bt;eause, to sell beer and pin, he drew larp;e cust«»ni to his house by preaehinu that thonirh the designation of the sovereign, and duration of the reign, and descent of the sovereignty, may be changed in the nominal republics, still they are monarchies. Such opinions in favour of the principle of rnoriarchy. and of the liniittsd monarchy of Britain, drew around him tlii'ir disfavour. But their were causes of wider diiference. The spiri- tuality of his natur-^. ideal and metapliysical. gave him no feeling in common with the gross sensuality of some of them. They had put ofi" religious belief, torn the garment, cast it away, followed after it, trampled on it. gloried in their nakedness, and they hoped Iwfore long to cast oflF political restraint. So far, metaphysical and speculative political phi- losophy might liuve contcniplated them as interesting objects of abstract study. But they had gojie farther than to strip themselves of religion and glory in the nakedness of their unbelief. ?-1orals of the most ordinary quality, the mere social courtesies of life, were thrown aside. The reverend philosopher was constrained to tell -some of them one day, that, though it might be denied that the state had any legitimate right to define and enforce a system of religion or a code of morals, there were moral usages upon which all men were agreed, upon the observance of which society could only be held together ; and that they, by wilfully, openly, and vauntingly rending those moral observances from their conduct, pro- W^' '*i>»'V m an Oxford dm-lor in divinity. He intended to o|)en t)ie huBiness hy prayer ; but u shout of derision, led by Mr. , pre- vent4'it him. Mr. , in his turn, — the pro|M.Hitiartr nient of government, gave them audience, and Mr. Owen proceeded to speak. The rest denied his authority, and Mr. i'hillips declined to hear him. He retired. Mr. Phillips then infornie their ve.\ation, lltiw far the warnin » *j t( fc- w< . ■ip Wj'j-v ^'^*fci*»*>^.»i^** r.'* f;*^;»i^<(fMfA'*g. si£y>u«;a- OP A DfMliKNT LIFE. 193 tlicir ill IDS I had (lone; still it wuh daii^'cnmi- that H»»«.' upon the ' ahjcot. Ilo miid lu' ^>hllul(l liko to rtt'c mo Hpiiii ; an-l in reply to an ohjiction I inacio to coniinu apiin to How Street, an 1 iiiiuht jiossihly In- \vat«li( d. he ii|i|>oint«'d, as the jilii<*e of irit«r\iew, liis own hou^idered it my dnty to jpiit tho oahi'iet ndnisterrt on their puard ajriiinst a ton^piraey, to wITudi I had laen solicited, liut in whii'h 1 had rel'n.-ed to take a juirt , and that having fidtillcd that dnty, 1 should not be prevailed upon to do nior*>. Sir Frederick put many searchintr ijuestiiins io nn' at this interview, and iirjred that tho danirer mij^lit h-- as jrreat now as helltre, lor auiiht I knew, if I ilid not know what the conspirators were now doing. 1 replied, ihut I did not know what they wen- now doinj:. Imt tlicy had been disappointed io having an o}i|)ortnnity to do thatwliich lliey had iiitei\ded. On parting, he remarked, that I mifrlit possibly clianj.-^e my mind, and retu-n and say mitre; that I should tind him at his hi>u.>*e, iii Ijanuham I'lace, ut six o'clock any evening. I apiin. and finally, rej-licd, that nothing in fear or favour would induce nu to say more than 1 liad said. I wa.-^ not sent for ngain ; nor did I return From that day in April, 1834, until this pr»!sent day of writing (21st January, 1H47, at Dublin), my know- ledge of tho.*<'r fluniii. Prfiniiim thereby offered to un«i(ini|M'vi:rnment. Disastrous results to morality Rn"l reliprion Mitrtyrflom not in (ill ctiHoa evidence ul a good caiiac. AntHgonisin of PliysirAl nnd Moral Forces : Is it a necessity in lMiy»ica1 and Moral Progress? Political Anlagonism. Dream of a Tiinple projected liy the author nt (ii>Kp•( a Nationiil Bunk. Working Miui'^ Witrx'-'s against the alhi ists as icaderp of the people. Life fketih of H. Fl. of Edinburgh. Secularization of Sunday. Who are the men of gloom? "Dtirlnf? « spno<' of fifYoon jcath or flioronltont prcviotiH to the clow of l^^l'J, !i <'M!iflift was tmiintaincil liy tin- (lifffnmt Tory (jovcrnnirnif* and by their VVliigsucccsHorH, nbottod ()r prompted, p(!rhap.s iinjiollcd, by bi|^h- priced newsjuipiirs, hi^di-cliiM literature, by upjwr-chuHW and middle-class Bocicty, against a small ntiiuber of London print4THand u lur-^e number of their provincial agents, and other vendors of unstamped newspapers and almanacks. The pro8«'cations varied in Hlaekness or intensity, but over all those years they were in )>ro^'res.s; and in ibeend, covernmenf , which should never be in the wronir if possible to b(! in the riody of the age we live in, Its complete history may never be written. Authors who did not know it cannot write it. It was not the reduction of the stamp on newspapers from fourpence in a penny and their removal from almanacks in 1833, which brought forth inferior and seditious literature; though this bar* been alleged rcf^ently in lilackwood'.s Magazine. It was the wide margin of profit offered to printers who evaded the stamp law, which, in the first instance attracted them to adventure in journalism without a stamp. Prosecu- tions followed. Those smugglers, when they had gained celebrity in the illegal tr^de, raised their battle-cry of a free press, which, with some of them thou,!;h not all, meant freedom in blasphemy and obscenity, ii^ well as in p«:>litic'il sedition. Richard C'arlile, Henry Hetherington, John Cleave, B. 0. Ootisins, William Bep|x»w, Henry Pugdale, William Dunconib(^, and several more who had command of printing-presses, were carried to prison, their types or A niUOKNT UFR. lf)5 »nH prcHPM oonfivated, their shopn rlns»'«l, jr»t they printed nnd soM ten or twi'nty tinir-^ moro at\or cad. prdsi'ciition than tlicy had done Itt-rdro. Hijrh pricoil joiirnuliim approved what L'«>vrriiiiiont did. In'oiuw thora mon wcn» in the iu!W«pap«'r world o<|iiivalr'iit to frri issued from their nn('()n(|U(>ra))le preswH low cIuhb literature. ITi^'h rinjri'h clervj'ineii and prelates appn.vnl the prowcutioiiH, h«'e)»uHe the I'liurch, hy the niultilarions ap'ii' ies of ihoso I,oridon intideN, wah declared a nuisance, while l»i,shops and tleriry whiTc caricatured and ex- pOHod to eourw^ ridicule Reli^xious lves in uraol, wives and dauj^hters carried on the husint ""i. When wives and dan^'hters went to prifion, their ueij?hl:M)urs, who had not Iwi'dre thought of turning priiitorH and distributors of cheap literature, abandoned their planes ujxui tho bench, thoir hammers on tlie anvil, their shuttles atid their Ioouih, and rushed, yes, m.shod in crowds, to sujtply the vacant places. A sense of unfair play laid liold of the pii|ii.lar mind, lly per.-^istin;: in prom^u- ting these new men, jrovernnient conferred still a higher fame upon lite- rary rubbish. Fresh men from joiner's bench and tailor's board, from anvil and from loom, still flocked to the trade, and were in th<; cud too ni'nierousto be imprisoned. Government and the .Fupitersof hijrhpriced journalism succumbed. The four-penny stamji was redticod to a |K>nny. With that reduction the unstairijxtl newspapers broke down. Not k» the vendors. The prinUM-.-^ betook themselves to worse literature than politics. Working nion and women in every considerable town in England, and in some larger cities of Scotland, had beeoine accustomed to the pro- secuted and profK.'ribed shops of the " unstamped," and of Limdou atheism. They continued their custom. Those new men, all energetic and enterprising, rose to ho the chief dealers, ultimately the wholesale merchants, of popular literature in their rospoctivt; towns. The clergy of all denominations, and most persons who breathed an atmosphere of gentility, held aloof from their shops. So much the worse. The work- ing multitijdcs purchased such literature as they found on the shelves of these distributors ; and they became w»!althy men, — in not a few cases, town councillors and ald<,Tmen, They gave the peculiar tone of thought to the hives of industry in their respective towns. Antagonism to tho j i l >l >W li hh t lia i li i iatf a iti ii «g i ifA li i)fefeilitt>rt M l » a! i i i* ' 19C SOMKHVILLr H nooK n(>ni'il, oxtt'ndctl, and brant'hcd <»ut with irrohirtfihl*'. vitality. Tin' oliHfinato iMTsistnicc of U|ij)or u!:i.Hi4 ncwMoupiTM in ur^in;; pivcrnunMit to vindicut«< tho n-trntion of a hii^li prict'd >.tanip, wan tin; unhappy cannc of tluit Mowin>r of Britain broad ( a.'-t with the a-'oncicN t>f political und rclinioiiM diMafl't'ction. Do lht;st; factft prcai h no mrnion ? Yrx : tlu-y ti'll all (•hurchti.i and opponin;^ wtH of opinioiirt, that niartjrdoni (hiiiH not in itst^ll' provo itH OauHC> to Ih) thu oidv true ono. And niori' : tho.-^c faotn, with an urdiniitod nninltcr of ant4'cuiliint inoidt-ntu of u lik«i kind lyin^' in the ^jravt! of paHt tiiuo unappi'opriatod hy religions philosophy, prove that an iiiiniutahlt' law of (iod ovorrult's niaiiV law of rt'prcHnion in all cartes. What dooH belief in that ininmlahlc law .soL'^'c^t ? Thirt, — that out of linman (Uita^onihni.i and ■iL'^cords there an*.'s ti suhlinu' harntony in prtscnt glory t^) the Sujnvnic , givinjj; proniiw! of a higher moral and spiritual dcHtiny to the whole family of man. than mortal viwon van yet dcHor} iu the deep future. Those facts and that beli»'f im|Kl the unsatisfied mind to nn enrin'Ht, fL^verenl impiiry inl() the jthysicul laws of tin; universe; the huljlinus in(|Uest (|uiekined and faeilital»'d by many recent conquests of science, — by disct)verie.s made iu chemistry on earth and by astronomy in the licavens, — by agency of the electric forces, the repelliiif,' and attracting relations of magnetism, and by the uftinituis of light. And the iiujuirer discovers analogies between Physical and Moral Nature, so remarkable, that he accepts them all as phenomena of one series of Eternal and Immutable Law.s. The comtlusion is irresistible, tliut revelation was made to man, in bis niijht ol' ignoramr, snfticicnt, and no more, to direct liim, by three of the r."ason j)lantcd in iiim by >4 rowilvf tln'insrlvos intd mui, unci that nni' i« maiiiiii^ : all the nnt in oxact law. Thij» anHiiinptioii of oxai't lawn hrinj; (Uid'N n^'oiu'icH, oiMTatiii); thrmij^h all phyninil and mnnil j^Mvcrtinicnt, Icadw to tiic r>oliitioii of nmny dillirul ticH nt which holicvorH in revelation have Htiunhh-d, and hehiiid which the infidel and atheist have entrenched themMelveM in iier«tilent hontility to faith and itr* lioly iiitliieiiceH. ConMcrvative .icieiiee, in treafinu of the i-onditinns of |iei|M'tiial Noiith in nations, and of a Political Keonoiny which .«liall or may heeiinii- miar- diati of the olenientpof hninan liappinej'H, rojHiseH ahsolutely on a iH'lief la exact iihyHieal and moral law. The hi.stoiy of' i-xtinjzuihlied natioriH supports this ansniiiption. ('on.«»Tvative t*cionct' discovers analo^i(■^. and traces them back to fi'cts, My whatever ^rotesi|iie appellative man may dosiirnate his political circles and aiit;i'jO!iisnis.- -however fooli.^h or wise may he their various aims and tiperations, as Tories, WIhl's. Hadieals. in Britain ; Democrats. Ilepiihlieaiis, Kiiow-Nothin;;.«, Hard-Shells, .'^oft Shells, in the Tnitcd States, Hlues. Houj)riat<'S th<;ir antagonisms, their iinpellii'g and vitalizing forces, and makes use of all as common property. Geological phenomena, with their tnicos of lower, higher, and still higher organized life, seem to have relations of intimacy with the pro- found journey of the 3un and his family of planets, and (if all other suns and their planetary fntnilies, through the universe, and possibly into an infinity of universt^s, as is now almost a demonstration of astronomy ; and these assumptions, with the other indications of .scientific discovery, draw the mind of the reverent inquirer irresistibly to this eonclusi(jn, — that present human life is only probationary ; that all nature is progress- ive ; that man is endowed with reason and all its assistant faculties, to surround his race with the elements of earthly happiness. In the cases of the London atheist printers now under review, the immutable law of God overruling man's law of repression, was seen in oper- ation thus. The men who, humanly speaking, were the only orders of persons in Britain capable of breaking through the bondage of the news- 'i^ r 198 SOMERVILLES BOOK paper monopoly, carried with them a free press, which, for years hygone aud now, is correcting its own errors and moral impurities. If atheism be not yet extinguished in the light of religion, open obbcenity is. Cheap literature both in Britain aud America is its own alembic : it reliues itself. Holding in my hand a pen which Intense application, in the pursuit of the actualities of men and things, had endowed to some extent with power, — the intensity of application lasting through the twenty years sueceediug my return from the battlc-iields and civil broils «»f Spain, — I beheld the dry and biit>-M^fa>wjy^- ..'W.'l.l«|Vai-'M««'%i. Jliii<<«|(W>» ' 'l< ! »«l''*'|ill ' .*'*i*t t » l 8 l '4iWM»«. »«>«:*.'.(>• i-llu«»^ ' Of A DILIQENT LIFE, 199 rs bygone theism be I. Cheap it roiiuefl le pursuit .t»;iit with iity years Spain, — r (lotiaely shire, and 3 u correo- ich I was ould have nate, take II. There ts, already rants were jrful only iwment of I'roni one direction, contented r, inspired d not, or cc hoped a grand in which is.unizing agencies of progress, because they exist. I assert them U) be requisili in the newer supremacy and dea- potiem of the sordid instincts, Th(,'y exist, and are therefore aceejjted. I seek to develope their utility. Mr. (Jobden rails at the '' tuirbarie pomp of the court, and at men making Guys of themselves '' to go to court. I assert that the human being, whether a subject in monarchies or a citizen in republics, loves po"ip, and delights in the dresses of a "Guy." Con- servative science commands our acceptance oi' aill natural sentiments and ail existing institutions, in whatever country they be, us lacts t-j be expanded and adapted to public wants and common enjoyments. The Bank of England exists; an appalling system of British taxation exists; and there is u national debt which cannot be extinguished. I accept these as facts, and would turn them all into one national institution, uniting with the common functions of banking and uiinting, the bus'nessof life insurances in union with a greatly extended savings-bank syst< in, in which almost every individual or family would become political conservatives, the whole sustained by national credit, as the credit of the public debt is sustained now. That eflected, commercial panics would never again arise. And this other fact exists ; panics about invasion are in the British publi(! mind a chronic diseiise. I accept both the panic and the danger as facts to be met by policy. Conservative science directs the endowment of the whole population with a higher interest in national defences than personal fear All who are capable of bearing arms should be taught their u.se. The internal Siii«. v of Britain must linally repose on an e(iuality of politiot' rights ; not so much for any abstract virtue residing in a p(jpular fran- chise, but that the people, liberated trom the endless agitation for political enfranchisement, which agitation is in itself the seed and fruit of disaflection and internal danger, would a^^pire to lead and be led to a higher social and moral life. , 200 KOMERVTILE^S BDoK T Oimnnt quit the story of the groat conflict of government with the tinstiUiijK'd ])n'S«, without .-^dme farther illustration of the law of repres- sion. The nature of the ffubject alnioHt forbids rcfen.'ncf to persmiaJ instanr('s in whieh ijne and iiiijirisonnient called nicn fmni the wrirksh(i}) and the factory to print and distribute sedition and intichslity. Vet there is one who may be particularized, as he rejoiees in publicity ; that is, H. R., of Kdin))urgh, formerly of Glasgow, before that of l>erby, and Ptill prcvioiisly of Londoii. lie is a native of London, and was by trade a house-carpenter When Richard ( 'arlile the tin-plate worker, who is dejiicted in Chapter v., had emerged from the tinsmith's bench, and been raised to fame by the Attorney-! leneral. tlnnigh a series of prosecutions for blasphemy, until Richard Carlile ami blasjihemy had become jointly a power, almost an institution, — a power which nine years of im]»visonment only strength- ened, hif; sons in prison, liis wife in prisoji. his shopmen in prison, yet liis shop kept open by a succession of volunteers, — when that celebrity was in prcH'ess of attainment, H R. called at the shop in Fleet stn-' t oneevetiing when going home from work, a basket of carpenters' tools in his hand. A female attendant n-njarked that a small job in carpentery was recpiired in the shop, and asketl if he would do it. »She liad observed him to call for his paper during a time sufficiently long to suggest that he was friendly to the establishment. This woman, in addition to all the rest, expected to be prosecuted by the Attorney General, and required to have a screen made in such a way that cust(muTS could be served without exposing to view the fterson who servrd them. IT. R. did the work, and, the female being taken to pri.son. he volunteered to be shoi»man. He continued to serve then> until sent to Derby as one of their country agents. He had been a Sunday-school pujiil of the chun'h, had a warm regard, so he has told me, for the parish clergyman who taught him; but the noto- riety of the prosecution whieh consigned Richf , OF A DILIGENT LI> 'l. 101 t with ihi'. 1 of roprc's- [<» perHiinid (ilitv. Vet ty; that is, r)('rl(y, ;ind 'as by trade in Chapter to faiiie by bhisphoniy, iver, almost ly Htren in >neeveiiinj» I hid hand. as required him to call ras friendly t, expected ve a Hcreen :!xposint>' to the female continued nts. He regard, so the noto- lis family lathy and after the be 8omc- so many ature was isoned at an agent work was •e no man I sedition, n behohls ids. He |(enctrated fco his ^'benighted'' fieM, and em-ountbred prosecutions and imprisonment. Tliosc blows fpc/tn the arm of tJn- law only fuUilled hiis visions of dirty and dvstiny . His trade became a tjiumph. He advanced to Edinburgh, the uietropolif? of Scottish uoce88(»r. For years past, and at the prei*- ^nt tini«, tiiis latter person is at the head of the largest newnj>j)j>er and ^cheap lit«rature ugetrey out of I^ondtrti, those of Mancheater and Bir- mingham only excepted. The great conoorns of Livorjjool, Bristol, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, and Kdinburuh, are all off-shoota of the Jjondon *' unstamped ' f)ro8ecution8. In goneral literature, or even in religious publicatRins, tho.se whole- ■sale agents are tradesmen, and trade as sm^h. But they are faithful to their first Hiission. Here in an instance. Mr. -of (i-lasgow had .sold some 0^' my works published in Englaod previous to 1857. In that year I issued a little work in nu«:bers bearing the fidlowing title ; <* The Working Man's Witne* agiiinst the London Litwary Inlidols. " First. — Ifl relation to injury sutfertid by the Working Classes. thrmgh leadership iu their ameliorative movements having been g;enerally usurped by bohl and boisterous unhehevers ; Christians oi' influence being thereby deterred from assistirij; or sympathising. " Scirj^nd. — In relation to tlie wreck of myriads of men and women chiefly young persons, cut adrift froni Christian restraint by literary and lecturin^^ infidels, left helple^s castaways among the shallownof unbelief, there misorably jKjrishing, the Gospel of grace, mercy, aiid peace within «ight " By Alexander Somerville, * One who has Whistled at the Plough.' "' It bore the name of the person spoken of, as agent for its distribu tion to the retail trade in the We«i of Scotland. When Nos. 1 an< journal in a doctrinal or con troverHial wmw;. It was to be published only tVtr a limited time to convoj conhorvative opinions deduced from mueb observation and reflecti<»ii into circUi.s. factories, and Morkslnt|ih wh't their dangerous guides to sedition and rebellion, and into which a religious [xriodical, or a journal issuing from the religious periodical trade ol' England would have had only a remot« chauce of entering. A circulation was therefore sough* for it through the usual cbaunels of .secular sheets. I do not refer to this poor incident a.* a grievance to be recorded in a book. My boart sickens at the very shadow of grievances, I would rather dwell on the meinory of delightful yiars spt nt in gathering up harvests of matter-of-fact about men and things, and on tin; memory of hopeful and successful efforts directed to the assortment of the fact.s and to t)ie strewing of them on tbi j)aths of statesmen and pt^tple. Some other chapter may review those efforts. This concludes with a few pas- sages from tho work which was in 1858 rej»udiatt!d by the wliolesule ;»gent of cheaj) literature in Glasgow, From Somervii.le 8 Working Man's Witness. " Corporal John Savain. — Previous to 1854 you wore a ploughman. In 1855 you were a uiilitiamt'ii. Now you are a corporal in the grenadier company of a regiment of the line, under onler.s for India. 1 addressed letters to yoti in the year last nanit?d, ami announced their publication, with additions, undei- the title of " Fallacies about the Army and the Aristocracy." Such, however, was the statr of public .smtiment at the time, that all publishers whom T cousultfMl said. "Such a work will not sell io pay." The late Earl of Ellesmere having seen the prospectus, wrote thus: — 'Hatch FORD, Cobbam, Surrey, xipril 2, 1855. ' Sir, — I can conceive no ])etter subject than the one y(m have chosen at the present moment, as J do not know any one more likely to treat it well, than yo\irself.' I may avcU be prejndiceii into ariiings on iig men of to sedition a journal Id have liad jtbrc souglit !eoray rcspict to relii/ious duties: instana's. I may also touch incidentally on s«jmc of the topics indicated under another head of the prospectus of 1 855. These ; ' Divided authority only one of the tau$cs of «Hjferitu/ in the present war. The incorriyible teudenry o/thc contructon for clothing, boots, shoes, tools, other stores, and even in transport ahip- piny, to overreach all authorities, and defraud the soldier, a rouse of present suffi nog in the Crimea.' Also the toj)ics su;^gested by another head, — ' Popular fallacies ahmit soldiers dtstingnishiny thnitselves in battle. Good soldiers remain in their places and are not individually distinguished: exceptions to this rule.' " But the chief object of this series of letters in the Working Man's "Witness against the Llteraky Infidels, Corporal 8waiu, is to show you the pt^rilous conflict which the soul has occasionally with itself in hours of solitary 'sentry go' near the enemy s lines, or in battle, if the trauscendant questions of belief or unbelief have not been already .settled. A soldier, particularly an officer or non-eomuiis.>ioiied officer in charge ol' other men, cannot do his military duty and debate with himself between doubt and belief Nor can he, in every exigency, pray. As oolour-.sergeant of a company exposed on many occasions to deadly fire, — once, especially, separated from the rest of the regiment and army, all present officers slain or wounded, the uten dropping down with faint cries of ' Oh !' and gone to eternity before they could complete the words ' I am w«>uuded,' the duty instantly devolving on the colour-sergeant to devise means of defence in an almost untenable position, — his head cut with a bullet which glaiicetl (»ff, yet momentarily stunned, wounded elsewhere by other three, — was that a time and circumstance for debate between doubt and belief, oj even for prayer 'f Corporal Swain, it was not until half an hour after this crisis, when lying on my back faint from loss of blood, a tailor (no surgeon piesent) stitching a wound in a pait of my body where any deviation from 'slight' would have been * mortal,' that I recalled my tljoughtfl sufficiently from the exigencies of military duty to think what the consequences might be were I — wrung; ' t' I ■ i r. -'\ '' 204 SOMKRVrtLl's BOOK as my bouI had been by the literary iiifidelh of London — to enter the prcBencp of (Jou, ns many hnndn'ds had done within the hour, and, jtidg- ing from the thundering conflict heard clo»e by but not seen, as n.any hundredn more were still doing. •* Being named by tho general of brigade, Godfrey, for a cowimiBsion, I declined it , first, because of the expense and tny consequent indebtnesi* for an offiecr's outfit, Second, becauBe a subaltern officer having only bifl pay to rely on, could not n88<)ciate on temiB of equality with those who enjoyed a private income; nor was he as well circumstanced as I^ the sergeant holding the colour rank and payment of the company. Third, because oflicers advanced from thi ranks, left behind them many other men, sergeants, corporals, and privates, as tit to be promoted as they, who, in the envy arising out of a consciousness of that qualification, aggra- vated the natural want of esteem in which the private soldier holds the 8U|)erior advanced from his own level, It accords with British human nature. — the genius of the British nation, developed in artizans, shopkeep- ers, and all grades of civil life, — that the soldier should prefer to be com- manded by the gentleman of high connection, rather than by a person selected from his side, whom be estimates as no more tlian his social and professional equal, possibly less. Such were my reasons for declining a commission, when General Godfrey, formerly my colonel, offered to ol)tsua me one." Note to the foregoing. It is not on a supposition of their posse;'8ing superior faculties that I prefer the aristocracy as officers. If every officer in a British regiment were selected from the rank and file, — say, forty out of a thousand, — there would remain nine hundred and sixty disappointed men, one third of whom, at least, would be as well qualified by natural ability to command, as any of the forty, I prefer the aristocracy as officers on these two grounds ; first, they exist, and should be utilized ; second, they bring into the service high social influences and fortune, which the officer raised from the ranks to live in their society, feels, if he be a man of independent spirit, to be a shadow upon his life, im|)08ing on him a daily martyrdom. True, a man of small fortune but independent mind, if living with the moneyocracy of Manchester, finds liimself stranded amongst associates more haughty and heartlcBs than military officers; but he may, like me, flee from them to the wilderness, or to a garlret, or to God. " The * SuNPAT Leaoue,' — Religious obligation, and the secular inter- eats of man, alike demana <,Ii«; observftncs of the Sabbath as a day of v or- tship, and of rest. Who are they that have organised the 'Sunday League' with the object of securlarieing the Lord's Day ? As men of the world, are they distinguished from their neighbo«re? Only in this, that the -to (;r\\o.T the ur, and, judg- neou, afi nianjr a, oommifwion, ;nt iiidobtness r having only ity with those meed as J, the >any. Third, M many other lotcd a« they, (icatioti, aggfa- ldi( r holds the iritish htnnan !an8, shopkeep- ifer to be com- n by a person his social and or declining a Fercd to ol>taia eir poHPei-fling f every officer -say, forty out y disappointed led by natural racy as officers lized; second, Line, which the if he be a man sing en liim a pendent mind, nself stranded litary officers; or to a garret, e secular inter- a day of w or- unday League* I of the world, thiB, that the 0» ▲ DILIGINT LI PI. 206 ha/sher and more sordid dogmas of the high and dry economists have their special approval. The working man, working woman, and working child, are, in thei- system of political economy, excluded from considera- tioa aa elements in national wealth. Many of them being merchants and manufacturers, they have, as a rule, (the Owenite socialists and a very few of themselve» excepted,) opjKKwd all logislation for restricting hours of factory labour, for preventing accidents to life and limb, and far applying an educational test to childrtin before admission to work in the mills. Such are they with whom the Sunday l^eague oriiihiafed ; let them prevail, and, humanly speaking, the Lord's Day is blotted out from among the existing privileges of the working man." " The Sahbatii and ' The Men of Gi.oom.' — The men who strive to secularize the Lord's Day in Ijondon, write in newHpap«3r8 and speak on platforms as if they were the peculiarly happy and cheerful f>eople of our land ; as if devj('*'n'i'lfn^r- 206 8()M£HVILLB'8 BOOK I HOoietioK and V.otnc and fitroign miasionB; and tho varionn hodififl of Diswnk'rn, with niaohiiK^y pr<'tty nimilar, all -f»rthodox or ln'tt-rodox — have an active, zealous, and wcll-nupportwl ortranization for tin; waaelcHU proi>agati(»n of tho >/ Si>iritt«ili»iti. . . The combination)* among frce-tliinkerH whicii have hitherto taken place, have not been for pure niftteralirtni. \^'^en ♦he great Owenitx* party wa.-* broken np, a few years ago, in eoiiHc«|ue!icc of the failure of their ch((n«bed hopes of com- munity, the only organised body which represented liberal views was gone. The Secular Society has not confronted the error of .spirituniism with a direct netrativ'e, and with Honnd truth; there i.s, therefore, a ncccHsify for foiinding a ^*ocioty which shall mctet the. monster evil of our time with the dinict truth of pure materialism.' " They therefore teach that matter exist.'i without Ood ; that man exiatfl without a sH this society look for afwi.stence? We have se(!n them looking to the attraction of amut»e>nerit8 ofseientilic insrruction. so tliat the lectures might be more varied and fre«juent, and its places suited to the convenience of the working classes.' " No government holding office under the present ]>olittcal constitution of Great Britain, which has for its basis protection to Christianity, dare comply with tlie.'^e desires of atheism, which, if seeniingly intellectual, owe that cliaracter to the surrounding influences of (Jhristiar civilization. But there is room to fear for the weakly reflective and tlie politically disaff"ected of the people ; b^Kiause, says the rei)ort, ' ycuir committee would also recommend that the exertions of our mocicty should I given to aid the peoplf in ohtaining their jnst political rights' ; so that here, as well as in the (Chartist organs, (mentioned in No. 1 of Workiyig Man's Wit- ness,) we have political rights and an escape from religious belief associated as one raoveni(>nt. Alas, for the people, with such leaders, such instructttrs ! A people so instructed, so enfranchised with the political power claimed, forming in the nation a prevailing numerical majority, would be led to what ? to extinguish by legislatit)n their own day of rest; ir deny God's existence; to live without hope or fear of eternity ; to feel an assurance of non-accountability after the body's demise; and to enjoy a brutish gecurity in any chosen courst; of wickedness during a graceless life. 'Ir--*:*. V. -•■^'"••>l'**.i' or A DILUJXNT LIFE. 207 tH>Hiei«i of ittTodox — e ceamilcHU [iibination* it been for 1 np, a few I's of (Kim- viows wa« liritunlisin lien 'fore, a evil of our mnn ox)s*t« iintability >m.st<'noe? the Lord's I'crnnieat I (nt systfiiti -varied and g elassos.' nstitution nity, dare tflleotuaJ, vilization. politically tee would ni fn aid e, as Weil all's Wi't- 88ociated itruct^ors ! claimed, bo led to ny God's assurance brutish ife. THAPTER XX. "Wnrs for ' Constitutionnl Liberty." The expedition to S|iaiii in ISHI. To what account I turned a Inowledge of the accuraetl effects of Intestine War in Spain, on my return t.. Britain. The " PJiysiral Foroi- '" Chartists. Wlmt Sir John Coleridge, wn cTniiienl Kagli^h judge, has said of Homo of tliiin in 1 sr)9. If I had no object in thir took but self laudytion, it might bo largoly extendofl with the narrative of my niiliUiry Horviee in Spain. Over that narrative tlw reader miglit laugh and weep by turns; norwoiild he think the leHS of me if he read it. But U) briuir the matter whieh belont^s to the service of public safety in Britain within the limited ! other sotj^ of ideas: — One, that the brief and incomplete k!U)wlcdge *t*^*^*«' fe ^ ^ 208 BmiERviLiB'B book; I j(»inf!(l the cxjKidition iiiflufnasd hy all these iimtivwi. Unf vrhons or in what mannor the '' moriHSMury '' object lay or eouhl uriBc, I uannoi discover. Nor «aii I f>en'eiv« it in tlio jjjenfral in-chief, a man of indo- jx'ndcnt fortune, tlien as noi» u ineinlM?! of parlian^'nt. living <;«inifortahIy at tho went end of London, with a very hi^^h amount of military dis- tinetiori nlrendy aoi|uirid. Ah liftlo ' nitireviiary ' ohjcetisof tho variouH 'grades o'olheerH btt di.-ic»)vcreu. in many iustanceN, tlie iifficcrs wore gentlemen of fortune, who «onght service under Sir l)o i^aty KvanA iw in the hif^hest onler of military scliools. Ah for the men of the ranks, th(!y were a very mirtCt'Uaneous aflsemblage, it In true, — very. But I wish the exi^encioH of (treat Hritaiu and her eolonie.** may always find ni«n for deftinhive armieH as pood uh they. This wish i.s all th« more lively and pregnant with meaning', tbat I express it in the face of a changed popula- tion, — changed through extonhive emigration in late year* and by higher wages to working men at home ; in favc of a eoinpulHory do|K>pviUitiou of Ireland, and portions >'oth of tho Lowlands and Highlands of Scotland, in ((]»))OHition to the Warnings of Economio Hcience; in face of the enor- mous recjuisitions of India on the British army, and of wants which may arise in tht> colonioH, — wiints which may be urgent enough and not jasily su[)plied, — all those considerations impel me to tho expression of a wisli,— a prayer disturbed by apprehension, — that Britain may never be in a worse p<-isition than with a suflioicnoy of such men and officers aa fori«(Ml the calumniated British Auxiliary Legion of Spain in 1835, 18:i«, 1887. That the reader may see that I am not writing of the Spanish episode of my life, to suit the atmosphere of ('anada in 1859, I quote a passagii from a review of Lord I'almerston's foreign policy, which was published in '• Somerville's School of Political Economy, ' July 1850. My object was then to ex|)08e the instability of ptipular opinion, and the danger to nations of Ix'ing swayed by jKtpular cries passing over the surface of society like a transient breewji, — the breeze fanned into a gale by the breath of faction : y • " Lord Palmerston in his great speech of 25th June, said: ' We had no interest in the abstract wliether tlu^ Queen of Spain should remain on the throne or whether Don Carlos should sucoeeiuinont Mlutx.-fv man. Prince Talleyrand, who frit that the .tucceM of Don CarloH would be dangerous to the UouHO of OrleiinH in France.' " On which tho author remarked, thna : " There Ih no doubt that the qulie opinion in Britain hav«; arisen tliercujion. Firnt, the public enthusiasm which eanctioned, a)tplauded, Hhouted to men u|)on the M?a, ' (jod npeed ! ' aw they left the British shores. t(> interfere, in obedience to the popular cry, with force of armH, for constitutional government. Second, that phase of ineeu wronged." [Here followed an account of lu)W Manchester, in its prot^jctioniat days, had burned William Pitt in effigy tor attempting to carry out free trade with Ireland and with France.] Of the exptidition itself. I offer a summary, extracted from a di8<|uisi- tion on the fickleness of popular Hympatliles and antagonisms in matters of inteference in the affairs of foreign nations. The work quoted is. " Internal Enemies of England " 1854 *' Had our servioe in Spain afforded no lesson on the deploraUe effects of intestine war, it is yet tSill of instruction. It is fruitfid of sugges- tions t«j men of ardent minds, and especially to young men, generous m terapt^ramcnt, enthusiastic, and inexperienced. " Wind, rain, and sunshine, are unstable. Not more reliable is that impulsive popular opinion which takes (iogniwince of foreign revolii lions, and is so apt to rush, or talk of rushing, between ' liberalism ' and ' despotism,' or the opposing forces, bo oalled. The lesson 1 deduce from experience in Spain comes thus, . ' -, t ■ .^- Jj^o;:!. ,i.L.'ii.^.i.^^^ *Mi^ I 210 gOMCRVILLC'H BOOK " Hofnn^ tho int<.'rvpntii)n of Hrituin )i(^iui in tho quf^Mtiori of succi'njiion to th«» SpaniHh crown (tho 'lisiniU* HH4'(J cry rom>un(h«fl throuj^h all HriiiNh liWrftliMin for an activ<^ military ilonioii- Hlration in fu\nur of thu ' con.^titution ami lilwrty,' oh thf (^nccn V faiiHe y/M *tnient Act wiiH HUHjM'iided for two y«'ar8, to allow lJriti>'h t*uhieotH to take mili- tary Hi-rvice under the Queen of Spain, their enlistment waH still approved and ajtplauded hy British liberalism. ** But, withmit nia.son, and in the mere wanton fieklenesH of the ' popular voice,' and popular iirnoranee. the military force, which ]ierformed the duty it waH Hiiit to do, was, on and before itM return, treated with scorn and contumely. " We left our homcH a[)plaii(h'd hy iwditiiud liheralism. We landed in Spain in Atujunt and Septem'wr, ISI}.'), were accoutred, drilled, inun;*! to fatifrue and hard.ship; were sifted and Hort<'d hy diHcase, tem|>orary famine, d<'ath, and diseiplintv until a highly efficient fif^htini; corps occupied the Held, in front of the enemy, in May, 18!-lti. " Wc attacked — 5th Mriy.lHiUI — an army «if mount«ijieerH on u thr'^c- fold range of fortified hilLs, Htormed and took those pLsitions one after the Other; our casualticH, compared with numbers engaged, equal to the hardest-fought battle of history. On the Oth of June following we were attacked by the same enemy, rejmlsed and drove him in turn from his new position.s. We wt^re harassed by severe marches in the mountains and by several minor engagement'^, with frequent skirmish»',s, and con- tinual out-lying piquet duty in duly, August, and September. On tho Ist of October we were attacked by a greatly re-iuforced enemy, whom we defeated at every point. " Numerous incidents of field duty, desultory skirmishing, and field for- tification, occupied tliis winter, as such duties had done the winter of the previous year. The enemy's siege of Bill)oa was d<'feated by a coiid)ined force, of which we formed part, iu January, 1887. On 10th, 1 1th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th of March. 1837, we were engaged in mountain warfare daily, advancing against and over fortified positions, until, over- powered by numbers and the questionable fidelity of allies, on the IGth, a day of defeat, and the only day of defeat we experienced in the entire period of two years' service. On 4tli May, 1837, and several subsequent days, we were partially engaged. On the 1 4th, we were engaged severely when marching through ravines and defiles, though the engagement was brief, the enemy fleeing befon; us. On the 15th May we attacked the strongly-fortified town of Iran ; continued the attack until the next iurH, houu* only with hail' a hi.HOuit tor rationH, othrr* with n<»n«', all having lM>cn on tho linr of inurch and out of Ix-'d two iiiL'litK pn'viou.sly. — notwith.ttntidinu all thom- (•'niS4'H. prt'disfKiHinu U> indul^'< iM'c and iiuUscifilini', in the hour of I'rirHliii).' triumphantly into a town filKMJ to overflowing with .stori-N of intoxii-atin^ lnjiiors, and dt-ft'iid*!*! fnmi houfio to houxo by a doHjKTiitv infmy, who had novcr taken oar Holdierw priMonors. hut killed them flnvap'ly when taken. »'very one, — yet by two o'eloek p.ni, three hours only after (run wan rnteri;d, tleneral Kvaiis h.'id his whole force paraded in perfect order outhide the town, ext'«.>pt tlie ifiiiirds doinir duty «ner »he prisontTs of war, over stores, nver quarters, or eolleetin); and buryiii):: the dead. Not one inebriated noltlior was viMiblf!, »norted the incidents of at^tions which thoy did not see. The treneral did not lianfr, nor shoot, nor ship off for home, as most generals would have done, tho.'^e unworthy persons; but, ma^^nanimous in that as in everything else, trusted to the ultimate triumph of truth ; suffered thern to remain in the country and write, exaggerate, falsify, or invent according to their fancy, or interest, or malignity. : . " I asked, what was our reward for doing what our government and i:—<^k^-: fi'ijipi^ ii.^.i..ri'i«\i>iiiii^ II II [laiiiimnriiinw Bi » iiiaiit i i< i i iiii* i i l.« i r ii> ftW' ' W ^ 212 SOMEaVIl^LSb BOOK mi ' publli) opiniou ' sent us to do ? I rofcr not to pay, nor to a six montlis' gratuity proaaiscd, and alter muob, delay di.scLar^cd by Spain. As to the ordinui-y pay, it wim discharpod to the uttermost copper on the day before the two years of tservice ended, though ' popular opinion ' at homo preferred to believe the more picturesque report, that the njeu who sold their clothes, spent, or were robbed by comrades of their money, and came home begj^ars, had received no pay. The reward at home, which w«J had a right to expect, wa« the approval of that ' popular voice,' which so loudly applauded an armed intervention against Don Carlos and his cause, called by it the • Interests of despotism,' the • Holy alliance,' tho * ln<|uirfition.' and other like names. Without knowing more of our military merit or demerit than it knew of the two conflicting causes before we engaged in the service of ' liberty,' our ' popular opinion ' beheld us return with iudiflerence, contempt, scorn, and calumny. " Had we dethroned a crowned head, instead of enthroning one, or chopped it off, or done our best to uncrown or chop it oft, — had we pulled down some estabhshed government and initiated revolution and intestine war, instead of retrieving a crown and constitutional government from a chaos of faction, treason, and mutual butchery, — we might have been met at disenibarkation in England by the Cobdcns of the time, nightcap on head ; or by three hundred Quakers and as many thousand Man- chester men of peace, as they met certain revolutionists who escaped in 1848 "'Oh Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!" and, oh Peace Society, what absurdities it. thine 1 " But in advancing to anotlier subject, let me say that the government and jireKent statesmen then its members, whose policy wo fulfilled, have consistc.ntly approved our services and defended our military reputation. Nor do these remarks reflect on that wholesome public opinion recognised in the British constitution and protected by our laws. They refer only to the whimsioal ' popidar voice,' unstable as the wind, but equally eertain as the wind to return to the same quarter with returning causes of change, -^the ' popular voice ' of ' war ' and ' peace ' demagogues, with the re- ^onses of their unthinking crowds, — the 'popular voice ' of demagogues, whether professing peace, or more honestly announcing sympathy with revolution ; all approving and applauding iJuroj)ean rebellion while it is new and raw ; all of them embracing fugitive insurgents while fresh from intestine war, and smelling of treason and gunpowder ; but despising revolutions when they subside to settled government; neglecting fugitive rebels when they become stale, — unless, indeed, they be suspected or detected in plotting new rebellions, and in acquiring new stores of ammU'. HitioD. It is that ' popular Yoice ' of which I write." *K Ls ti»J,«, .A-lr^. .kt . •*»i(Mf>ii*-rt«v»*wWii~»..: .^-iir>i^it<-49^rat.-*>tiii. v i .m *tm u *, m^^m^itmit i»?»:> OP A DlLtOKNT LIFE. 213 X mouths' a. Ah to »n the daj ' at home I who sold loney, and lue, which ce,' which >s and his alliance,' ore of our laeH before behold UB ng one, or wo pulled 1 intestine ment from have been >, ni^'htcap and Man- escaped in and, oh Dvernment illed, have eputation. ecognised fer only to \y 'certain of change, th the re- uiagogues, >athy with while it is t real I from despising ag fugitive spected or of ammU'. Chapter TV. o^ this vohmie relntcn what I did for peocp in the year 1838, on arrival from Spain at Glasgow. Let mo give a glimp.se of what followed : In the summer of 1839, a Ohartist Convention cssembled in London ; its members representing the extreme democracy of .ill the principal, and most of the inferior towns in the kingdom, The (Vinvention comprised two parties. — the mnralforee and the physical-force (,'hartists. The latter lield private conferenoti :)f their own, apart from the rest. I visited the Convention once as a spectator, and no more ; but know- ing some of the membera personally, held occasional conversation with them at their lodgings and places of resort, such as the Arundel Coffee- House, Strand, where they had private coinuiittco nwms. The sittings of the Convention, and its debates, took place at the Doctor Johnson Tavern, in Fleet Street. Dissenting earnestly from many of their pri'tjed the operation of disciplined troops against desultory mobs. I took for illustration of argument, tlu; streets' of towns which I knew ; imagined a 8tro»^t-battle in Birmingham, another in Glasgow, a third in London, Charing Cross the centre; a fourth in the City, around the Bank of England; gave them all the weapons and 214 bomeevilt.b's book implements of war rccomniiiuded in iho hook of Fnt'/nicHons byMacoronc, the hand-grenades and pikes of O'Connor; allowed theiu the benefit of couraii^coiis and t'uithful leaders, and enthusiasm among thenisolvea : then showeil how artillery could act almost without exposure upon their posi- tions; traeed, step by sUjp, their discomfiture, until they were shot down by musketry, cut down b^ sabres, blown up by shells, or hung up by the hangman. Bcsiiles the wide circulation of those "' Dissuasive Wa,rnin(/x to the People on Street Warfare^'' as printed by me, they were in part reprinted and almost universally circulated in the provincial newspapers. They were translattnl into Welsh, and in Welsii and English reprinted at Mon- mouth, and sent among the iron and coal workers of South Wales. They did not prevent all attempts at insurrection, as was proved by that which involved John Frost, ex-mayor of Newport, and his co-traitors, convicted uf high trej»«on and sentenced to death by a Special Commission in 1840. But they doubtless had an effect in deterring others from join- ing that insurrtxjtion, and in arrcisting its outbreak elsewhere. I was told by Mr. Henry Hetherington, a Chartist bookseller of London, — a mat) of extreme o]»inions, personally intimate with Frost, — shortly after the latter, with Williams and Jones, were convicted, that Frost had told hiui before the outbreak, that, " but lor those mischievous tracts of that Somervillo, called ' Warnings on Street War/are,^ an appeal to arms would have occurred six months S(X»ner ; that it was quite understood, when the Convention dispensed in 1839, at least by him and delegates from South Wales, Birmingham, and the North, that the insurrection was to begin in July or August.' It was to have been commenced by the Welsh multitud(is of iron-workers rising (as they did rise subse- quently), marching to Bristol and Gloucester, and their seizing the mail- cofiches ; the non-arrival of the mails to be a signal to Birmingham and London. At Birmingham, and York, and Manchester, the mails were in like manner to be arrested fus a .-iignal to Scotland. The carnestnijss of tone and broad descriptiveness of sketch which the most iirnorant who could read nughi understand, together with pictorial illustrations of Shrapnell-sbi'lls exploding among a crowd, made not a few of the thoughtful Chartist leaders change their mind about a physical revolution. When dang i.>»»t'<>irt ;» »t*< l fe^i i » 'f%4» li itt i ;i:^ i M > > j ji"»>. ' » t «i i V i )i i i li ^ Vlacerone, benefit of ves : then their posi- fhot down up by the \ some of the Yorkshire ('hartists oi" a .suoce^KfuI revolution in 1842, that, under O'Connor's guidance at Leeds, they had allotted the principal mansions, demesnes, and estates of th<> kingdom, in their wills, made preparatory to the revolution. Mr, Feargus O'Connor, for his services, modestly took to himself by antici}>ation, the estates of Earl Fitzwilliani and the Duke of Devonshire; but of course he was only to hold them as trustee of the wool-ctmibers and Yorkshire weavers! I'^ .. "ng coursed the country from t(!wu to town to see that all were ready, ,a<^i,^*iipi>a ^ | < . -V a ii| ltl ifl^ a Ui ttff ; X 216 SOMiaVILLE's BOOK and to inepirit the flagpinji or the doubtfVil by his boW presence (?), he returned to Leeds, and intimated to Mr. Ilobson and others thut he was urgently required for a day, only n day, on his Irish estates. In reality he never possessed an acre of Irish estate in his life, thoUfj;h mueli of his success in England was sustained by the pretence of being an Irish land- owner> He went, not to Irelan'l. but to a i-etreat in the Isle of Man, and there stood by to await the tiring of the trains he had laid, and the working of the plots ho had concocted in England, ready tn ^^ap^)ear and share the success, or be out of harm's way, as the result might Imj. The premature explosion of the grenades at Dewr-bury, the efficient though quiet prerautions of government, together with the difficulty of the scheme, the empty-headedness of some of its conductors, the vehement impatience of its main body, and the unaeeountable absence of its chief instigator, — all those element* of defeat brought about its appropriate termination, My concern, on the side of public morality, peace, law, order, and industrial humanity, as opposed to the great Land Scheme fraud of O'Connor; the dalhance of the Poacist press with revolutionary politics; remain to be briefly narratetl. Briefly, I sjiy, and yet that prolonged conflict in which I triumphed over the Land Uank fraud was almost 8uffici(mt to have alone ruined me and broken my heart. Note on Chartist Lbadkes.— While this chapter is in the printer's hands at Montreal, I have seen an English newspajxir bearing date Oct. 9, 1859, containing an abbreviated report of a lecture entitled " lieminis* conoes of Circuit," by that highly esteen»ed judge and estimable gentleman, Sir John Coleridge. I. extr;ict a paragraph for the benefit of those who are not acquainted with the quality of men who were, in their Beverul localities, leaders of Chartism : — ** The right honourable gentleman^ in referring to the trials at which he presided as judge, observed that the Chartist body at that time inte- rested him a good deal. For the most part, its members appeared to have been honest, but misguided persons. He had uo doubt, if the movement had not been suppressed, that it would have led on to plunder and havoc, and that blood would have flowed like water ; for the occupa- tion and habits of those men made them a hard-handed and stern race. The way in which some of them defended themselves wtis remarkable. Although speaking with a Lancosl ire pronounciation, whicli was very difficult to understand, they nevertheless spoKe pure English, and quoted, not the works of Tome Paine and orhcr infidel writers, but such wriUirs as Algernon Sidney. Sir William Jones, John Locke, and John Milton. There were men among them, who, after working ten or twelve hours a day, had been diligent readers, and were better English soholars ttaa many of the jurymen who tried them." ■"^liiMfcVt., ,Yin.*'.k.i» tUtfM^ .^,l.y.\iJI,i.,i, B^ws',. ■ia.<\'U,_iitlUfi^^^Mj'V^iilf,,.1iSai ■-n^JS;.^ .-l OF A rULKiEXT LIFE. 217 jnce (?), he that he was In reality nucli of hia Irish lanJ- sJe or Man, lid, and the sapt>ear and It hQ. The lent tliough ulty of tho le vehement ; of its cliief appropriate order, and ne fraud of ary politics ; it prolonged wa« almost the printer's date Oct. 9, " Reminis- gentleman, f those who lieir fei-'vertJ lals at which X time ijite- bppoared to >ubt, if tho U) plunder the occupa- stern race, •emarkable. |h was very ind quoted, luoh writ*!:r8 |hn Milton,, live hourf a loUre than The ncv,sp:i]H!r docs imt give tho date to which the judge red i;?, hut ** ' •fJ^^W^' —it^m^U'm. M. - 218 SOMERVIliLE'g BOOK UKOcI the post-office and railway jmrcels without stint, — my literary earn. ir.gs being in those yearn large and sufiieient for Huch outlay. Many of «hose Htrongly-thinking, deeply-reading nx'n, each of theni central iigurc» in small eirdeH, were di.sHuaded by my influence But lor that intliiciice, 8ir John Coleridge would have known nitiny more of them at the assize bar. " He had no doubt," Hays the rejxirt of his lecture, "if the movemtuit had not been 8upi)ressed, that it would have led to phinder and havoc, and that bln«Hl would have flowed like water; for the occupation and habits of those men made them u liard-handed and stern race." That is the testimony of one of the acute intellects of the English judi- cial bench, not now speaking under apprehensiun of the f;ict, b«t drawing calm philosopliy «»ut of past disijuietude, If they who hold the heritage of power in Britain, and all below them who repose this day contentedly under security of the laws, would allow themselves to be told how much tliey owe to my enthusiastic devotion to the service of public safety, not as yet related in this volume, but as remaining to be told, let them carry in their mind that judi, 1847, and IS 18, towards a magnitude whii-h might long ere now have been irresistibly destructive of all present (errit«irial families, they will glance at this impatiently, as they may at an old dog who watched while they .slept, and say, " Ah ! yes, he was faithful to what he believed right. But his day is gone by. Take him to the backwoods ; let him die where we cann«it sec or hear of what he sutlers ! True, Somer- villo spent, in mouey and tune and effort, from two to three hundred pounds of his literary earnings in saving us and out estat'-' from im- ftonding confiscation, and, in doing so. lost oj»portunities of eai.iing other money and of making himself jiopular with the niultitude. who alone eaa make an author wealthy. True, the Land t^chenjc of O'Connor ^as directed at the ultimate subversion of all i\\v. territorial j)ropcrty of Britain and Ireland, and Somervillc, by his exposures of the Economic Fallacies of tlie Land and Labour Bank, in connection with the Lund Scheme, subverted both and saved us. The greater fool he I \\ by should. a man who liad no land himself, have cared for us ? He cared also for the people of his own order; did he? What cull had he to care for anybody but himself? When a man deceives him.self into a conviction that he is a missionary iu the service of public safety, .spending two or three hundred pounds of previous lit(a'ary earnings, iiid neglecting profit- able pursuits to replace that expenditure, let him take the conse(j[uences ; let Jam become dejeet,ed in mind, and sink to cheerless poverty with his family; or let them go to Canada and perish out of our sight. What have we to do with him ? He did us good serviccj )jut we are done with him ; let him die the death of our other dogs ! " I say, if it be now a matter of no concern to British and Irish territo- rialists to have escaped coufiscatif)n of their properties, they will pass over this and the next chapter, and continue to talk thus, aa practically they have already done. If they think, on the contrary, that quiiet possossioa 220 H(»MERVIIiLE 8 B(tOK of territorial revcnvc.t. with all \he j>rlvili'f;o8 and onjnyments of vast Wc'altli, aro not iin.-.i(l< iits and attrilmtcs of lili' tu ])v li^^htly eHt«'t'rnrrJ, thty will road lliis, tlni next, antl ])ni(>al)l} M'vcral suct'oi'diiij: chapters, and learn t(» couiprehrnd tho niaunitudf oi' tho dangt-r which they cncajKjd by tin- ct)lla[)SO of tho Chartist Jiund Schtnne. What Hiiys Joshua Ilohsnn, who was 0'(.V)nnor's printer and ctK'ditor seven years at Leeds ? "Mr. O'Connor, of all men T ovor knew, was the most careful to conceal a '-eal meaning; under clouds of seemin!i;ly meaninijless words." What, then, did O'Connor mean in the manifestos which eontainedthc follnwiii'i passage? *' 1 tell the Chancellor of the Excheipier, Sir Robert Pocl, and all tlio bailili's. land-agents, farmers, landlords, and even the directors of the Land (/ompany. that no man does comprehend this Land Plan in its entirety but myself" — Feargus O'Connor, Esq., M.F., in Xorthem Star, October 28, 1847. That and similar declarations was made to induce inquiry among the working clius.ses as to what Ik; did mean, .lie dared not publish ultimate plana, but they were wliispcredby agent to agent and spread everywhere, Mr. Ilobson knew them to mean future confiscation of all landed pro- perty, Within two months of the date of the declaration that " no man knows the Laud Plan in its entirety but myself,' the new subscriber.'* which came into tlu^ .scheuu; represented £4(l,0t)0 ; these being in addi- tion to former subscribers for £H0,((0(). The managers i»f Benefit Societies, of Trades Union Societies, of Burial Societies, and of many other as.sociations of working men and women, when a majority happened to be Chartists, transferred or proposed to transfer their funds to O'Con- nor's Land and Labour Bank, an establishment occupying a promineut building in New Oxford Street, London. It was to arrest the influx of deposits to this bank that I addressed myself The jVlacnine Makers Society at Manchestei had placed £(!25, au instalment of their '' cash in hand," in the Jiand Bank, and were about to risk their whole capital fund of £26,000 in it. Some time afterwards they sent a deputation of their body offering me a handsome box filled with sovereigns, as an acknowledgment of my timely interposition. I declined to accept the present, stating, that while the conflict lasted between the Land Bank directorate and me, the acceptance of such a gift would weaken \ny influence. Moreover. I was not then poor. Work, pursued with almost a fanaticism, fifteen to eighteen hours out of the twenty-four, I writing on and on incessantly, for newspapers and literary periodicals, and for one or more of my larger works, afterwards publised in sever^ volumes, such as the Biographic History of the Of A PIMOENT MPR. it« of vast J est«'f'nKM.l. }.' ch!ipt«!rH, id oK'ditor cnroful to tiitaiuedlho iind all tlie itors of th(5 IMaii in it8 rthem s(!ribor3 ing in addi- of Bentifit nd of nvany ty happened s to O'Con- 1, prominent I addressed laced i;(:;25, were about afterwards box filled wsition. I riflict lasted such a gift lor. Work, out of the )aper,s and afterwards wry of the Pioneers of Commerce, Freedom of Opinimi nuilC'n tli:;iiti<>ii^ and /mius- trial Wimdrrs of Lanco.nhir<\ these labour« kept uiy peoiiniary reHniirooH in a oonditiiin of vitality. I wa« paid H»r the arti<;leH in ihe Manches- ter Examiner treating of the Land Sehenie, a Huni which Jiiiuht have remunerate*! nie hud they cost nothinu hut literary etlurt. Hnt the whtile amount receivi'd from lliat paper did not suffice to defray railway fareiJ between Manchi^ster and Londuii, and travelling; expenses from those cities res[M;etively to the several Chart i-it i-statcs, in [lursuit of information. Mr. Inland's circular ipioted in Chapter VI. indicates, though by no means fully, what \ did in this terrible eoniiiet with an unscrupulous demagogue; — he sustained }»y an abundance of money and the temporary confidence of nearly the whole working population tf Lancashire; ] waylaid, bcat»;n, and bruised by his " Old tjmud," as they called themselves. Mr. Ireland, being co-proprietr, on ('oiiflitinn that my nanio or dortifrnation nhould h«» Riip]>royM('(|. TliiswiiH done Iti linpr of' !ill»yiri!^ ihii utoriii ni^'t'd ))y Mio li'iHtilc i'iictorv -workers. Uiit ii now t'V»'nt oocnrrcd the Fn-tudi r<'\o- lution ot' I'Vliruiiry, 1H4H. Any Mnncht'.sttT nt'WHpdpcr profcHming to be a jM^piil.ir (>ruMi«liinc extra editionH up to wjvonthaiid t'it>;lith. — infl:iinin? to be tajK'v in (i iTiil " jour- tidllM up to onnry iiowft I potrtup- l^ioTiH, but, , by loi^noal lit of Man- iw?) articles icd unpiib- the Exnmi- lotttTS of A le (vbiirtist [nr tin; pro" just p!is«od ion arrivcfl. •nest waru- crs ipiotcd ro cited in fl nx' tbus : rovobition Franco I " occaMion to ir()\i pro|»f arbitra- tors, as some Nicholas of Hus-^ia, or liouis NajxtliHtn of J-'ranoe, with tln-ir nii;_'lity lint;-of battle-slii]»H, may have refused lair play to the trondiliujr Turk or to feeble Portufjiil. Such I ftaind Mr. Cobdcii to be when he became a party to arbitration in practice. If such letters nuist never b(> relV'rrod to a.-i those which T then pul> lished,or that whi<-h is here ]>rintosition, wnuld have omitl/cd lo retiew, or sciek to prolong, their tujquaiDtance with a j^'entlemaa who for so many years had the disposal of nearly all crown and government patronage, ami for the fiame reasons which restrained me; namely, that sn .S'(|uaro." So far as the fiHsistaniie I may have jiiven to thJB gentlewan m an individual iuomb(>r was concerned, he more than paid me. But unfortu nately tny printer delayed the work which 1 had prepared for the com- miltee and the other members of jiarliainc^nt. When it eame »>at, the committee had advanced bijyiuid tmy need (»f it. \ had two thou.san(i co[)ie.s jwinter, ex|x'i;t,iji>: t.o sell some of them throunh the cimbrity of the cas(\, but tlvey n inaineil dead tstoek. Af< the subject was aubsecjuently named in the House of (jommons by Mr. O'CNninor, alleging falsely that I was paid " seeret-servicc money" for the work, I now place on record the prcei.se fa(.'t,s. Sir William Hayter gnive lue a cheek on his banker for £25, in payment for piittimr him individually a.s chairman in jKissession of ])articulars of tlu' Lund Seheuie and Land and Jjabour IJank so far as I knew tbem, Of that sum 1 paid my printers, Ward k Oriffiths, of liear Alley, London, ,C24 on account of ]>rinting my National Wealth Tract No. 2. fi:iviug my wife £1. That (me p|)ortion. I say truly. The rest was devoted to those "Expositions of Political Economy" and "'Street Warfare Warnings to the People,' already spoken of, and other publica- tions not yet named, none of which ever yielded nie a shilling's worth of profit. '"-'*.iV*»^-#***)**^>'V**Bl-*' t*y>«*-V-y.>^"^4li;»- itfO«.il*J-.— •-i.'**'** or A DILIOEM LliL'. •J2ft M' in fi» an \iiitortn tlif <'(im- »nit^ the lousaiKi V of the uently \y lliat ri'cortl kcr for SSCSSHIO V SO far ftitlis, of Wealth ve doiiH years of if I .^ay he rest " Street publica- 8 worth Rut unticipatin^'. hj^ I ilo, what tho nmlcr h HlHiut t4i ly, and lM»th thi' ridi nnd the \\<*>r would ren>Kni.ti> tlie man who had haiinoniycd tlitir riceniiiiLily adverse interi'HtH. Mr. t'onnor had attaine Connorville), m^ven mili»n from Watford, in riertford-thire, 1(14 aeres, coHt Xl.KIHI; Minuter Lovel, two mih*ft from AV'hitney. \\i Oxfordshire. M^> acres, cost i'!>,M5lI ; Snit^'s Knd, situated tour miles fn»m the eity of tJloiicester, 27t( aeres. eost CH.lMO; Mathon, situated in llie iiei;;hbourhood ot'dreat Malvern, in Worcester- shire, r»(l(> acres, cost Jllli!(M)00 ; iiamford s Farm, in Worcestersliiro, uoar liromsgrove, IJOO ncres, cost ,L'l().(M(0; Lowlianils, also in NVorces- torshire, witviuted near the village of Red Marley, ltl4 aeres, coHt .£ri.57r» ; Filkin's Mall, near liurford, in t Ixfordsliire. 511 acres, cost £21 , OHO." My hook, intended for tlmeonimitteeof the House of Commons he^m thus: " At the first of June lSt8 the sum ol' ,i;St>,»)(M» lius he©r, Nwthmi /Star, Oct. 23rd, 1847.) - I ' . f^'T lj '' ^ '*''^* ' '^' " '* " ^ 226 SOMBftVILLK 8 BOOK ' I tell the Chanciillor of the Exchoquer, Sir Robert Peel, and all tJie bailiff's, land-agouts, fiu-iiiers, landlordh, and directors of tiie Land Com- pany, ajid all othor companies, that no man does comprehend this Land Plan in its entirety but myself.' " Tlu5 directors were persons who yielded all pecuniary nian.'ifement to O'Connor. They wore expelled and denounced as traitors il' they did not. Tliey knew, as did all the Physical-Force Chartists, that the real attraction of that Land Scheme was the early prospect of the body becom- ing so fornudiible as to eontir-cate from present owners all the laftd of Great Britain and Ireland. When O'CJonnor inspirited the flagj^in^ subscribers in October 1847, and doubled their number within two or three months with the public declaration, privately conveyed all over the kingdom, that no man com- prehended the Land Flan in Us entirety but himself, his meaning waa well understood. Notwithstanding the increase of subscribers to the Land Fund at that period, the Bank dwindled and gradually collapsed from the time that my oxpositious of the un.soudness of the unittid Schemes induced Benefit Societies to withhold or withdraw their deposits. Mr. O'Con- nor himself attributed hi.'>; failure to n\e. Hence his unfounded allega- tion of my being engaged by government and paid out of " secret -ser\'ice money." My journeys from Manchester to the Eegistration Office in London, from thence to the several estates^ and to the alleged places of residence of directors and truste(!S, were unremitting for many mouths. I had taken witnesses to London at my own cost; but they not being re(iuired by the parliamentary conmiittee, — the in(|uiry tjeing abandoned, and transferred to the Court of Chancery, — their expen.sea fell wholly on me, as w(j11 as my own. As a specimen of the controversy, I may select a rejoinder to Doctor McDowall, first published at Manchester, October 9, 1847, and reprinted in whole or part in severid hundreds of English. Scotx?h, and Irish news- papers. It c(»ntaiTis his arguments and mine in juxtaposition. The Poct(jr had challenged me thus : — " INIeet me at Manchester «t any time or place, and on your own terms. Don't shelter yourself under the drab wings of Mr, Bright, but have pluck to be a real examiner by testing, weighing, a. id deciding the merits of the Ijand Company and Land Bank, in a public discussion with your determined opponent, " P. McDowall." Tliis was addressed " To the Whistler." Manchester dead-walls were covered with placards of '• Challenge " and " Defiance.' 1 was waylaid at night, thri>wn iu the mud, thrashed with a stick, kicked, and ou one racti- cally acquainted with o\ilinary jrardening, that the thin gravely fioil of Herrinnjsgate (alias O'Connorville). from whence they were said to have come, had reversed the whole order of nature in brin)i;ini;; forth those monster prr.ducts. None of the excited thousands of men and women in the maddened multitude outside and inside the Hall knew, nftr did I until five years afterwards, when the whole scheme was exploded, (and then one of the late directors and the late secretary informed me ; their names are forthconuntr should this be in any (juartcr (hmiod,) that the gip^an tic vegetables had been selected and paid for in the London market- gardens at I'^ulham, that they had never been seen at Herrinirsgate, but were taken to Manchester by O'Connor in closed deal-boxes, a distanoo of two hundred miles. The purpose of that impudent fraud was Ui deceive the thousands and tens of thcnisands of factory-workers then contributing or expected to contribut.' their weekly three-peaces to the Land Scheme. Let the ri-ader imagine, from these incidental revelations, the nature of the conflict I then maintained, left almost single-handed, against the unscrupulous agents of a man capable of such devices of imposture. The other Manchester papers omiT,led the whole subject. At that time too, it suited O'Connor to assert in his newspaper, and report from week to week, that I had been paid by rich men in Maiichester to go " nine months to Ireland, to hunt up disreputabh^ stories about him among his relations," and so forth. There was not a shadow of truth in that asser- tion. T had been sent to [reland on business of quite a different nature, — to report on the condition of the people and thedispo'jal of money sent to their relief during the fiimine of 1846-47. In February 1H47, at Kilkenny, 1 happened to me.ct Mr. Mannix, a Dublin solicitor, who waa in that district receiving rents for the Court of Chancery. We were at the same hotel, and naturally fell intx> conversation. He seemed urgent to know, through me, what Mr. Feargus O'Connor's pecuniary position was in England, and brought up the Chartist Land Scheme on several occasions, even w^hen I Avas indisp<^sed to talk of it. At last I discovered that be, as a solicitor, was corifMirnt^d in certain judgments liehi against C^'Connor from the time when he had last contested the county of (!ork. It required but little disoernment on my part to see that the solicitor '1 I uii.iii;*#*^«*''^Vii,.k>-')i ■ 228 SOMERVILLF/f? HOOK oontetnplatotl oxncution of Uuis(> judgments if he were assureJ that the funds of the Land and Labour Bank, or the estates of the Land (Viin- }).'iny. wore held in the individual name of the " l*oopl(,''s JJailiff, " aa O'Connor ♦ernjcd him.self. In diH(!ussinir the naturi! of the security which the Land Bank nfiored to tlie benotit societies whose funds were in proeess of transii-r to that bottomless pit, whose sole manager was the " PoopU'slJailiti,'' 1 alhnKdto his persiinal liabiJitios as a reason, amongst otlurs, why such a ))ody as the Machine Mak(!rs' Society should not entrust him with £:^0,OUO, many hundreds of other societies boinir readv to follow them. It was to the assertion that I. w;us sent to Irt-land. at the expens<' (if Mr. Erii;i)t, M.l'., and other wealthy persons, to damage O'Connor, that Dr. Mfhowall alluded in the term " drab wings. ' Mr. Bright never ctmtri- buted as much as Hix-peiiee to my exjienses. My mission, as already stated, was the condition of the Irii^h people during the famine. I was ])aid for two letters a week sent to the Manchester paper ; which Mr. Troland, its proprietor, testifies to have come with ' unfailing regularity." (SeeCh. VI. ) I supplemented my income from that journal, by also writing for a London paper; and by working hite at night, oftcMi all night, at volumes on other subjects which I had then in progress. (.)nce f )r all. 0'Connor'.s name and personalities were never hinted at as sul)ji'cts io engage my in(|uiries in Irt:land and to be paid for; but findiyig certain fjiets to be in my way, T saw their applicability to the conti-oversy in which I was involved about the stability of the l^and Bank, and used them accordingly. Somen Uh to the ^^ Manchester Examiner," in rcphi to Dr. 31e[)owall, jwhUshed Orfobrrd, 1847. !Ma. EniTou, — Vou will be good enougli to leprint in the {examiner Saturday, if po.ssible, the letter of Dr. MeJ)owall, which appeared in tlie Chartist organ. Northern Star, last week, addre.si^ed to '' The VN'histler." I writt^ this letter in the hope. — small hope, I confess it to be.- -tiiat the editors of the Chartist organ will all'>w a letter oi' •• The Whistler " to ome before the eyes of their n-aders There have been many " (Miallenses to 'The Whistler,'" both in London and on tlie dead walls of Manchester. " The Whistler" is clial- lengcd to discuss the n)erits of the Land Scheme. Tie; doctor sets out with a repetition of the (challenge, iuul, in his letter, ends with it. One would suppose that 1 had never gone to see the (Jhartist propoi'ly : had not gone to the (/haitist Land-office in liondon ; had not gone to the Kegistration-ofTu'e of Joint-stock Companies ; liad not written and pub- lishi'd what 1 saw there, and found tliere, aud was told there ; had not Of A DTtlOENT LIFE. 229 repeated my visits to the Tlojuistration-offipe, to see if the re,t;;istrati(»n ot' the company were completed in the manner and time it was promised: af* if T had nut disse(tted the ])roeeedings ot the Laml Cumpany tVnm beginninjr to end. and applied the Act of [•arliament to them section l»y section; an if I liad not reverted tn the sul\ject a<:aiii and aijain. each time being once oftener than the |>arties challcnpinjidisired. What md in to be served by all these repititious of challenire ? The subject has beem dis<'ussed. If there be parties ijitere^ted in the discussion, as no doubt there are. who have not read the Exnwinn. let the editors of the Stdf reprint my letters from the Exavdn»r Tlie rit^ht to cliallenjjjc is on my side. I have a riixht to ask the mana;.^('r of tiie Land Scheme, or his deputies, to answer what T have already-- -much a;j:ainst his or their desire — said, and proved They who have not thnu;.'!ir fit to j^ive their readers the benefii of that inforuiation which so intimately concerns them, and which has been offered, cann(»t be greatly in oarucat to hear the matter repeated in verbal controversy. But to end, so far as T. am concerned, these challenges to a controversy before a public meeting, I have to state, that, were I (|ualifi».'d to conduct such a discussion, 1 would not make the attempt. Tlie question is too complex, and requires the patient ears of a reflective not of an excited audit^uy. Bu! I undertake, by the force of common sense, to show that the Chartist Laud Schenu; is unsounerty can give. [My object then as now, Wfis to niake them conservative of their country and its institu- tions.] 2. That land first, and labour next, are the sources of all prrtperty. It was reservtid neither for me nor the manager of the Land Hchem*^ to discover and develop this cardinal truth. It has been partially known through all generations to all mankind ; though in a publication called the Laliourer, for Uctobej' 1847, the manager of the Chartist Land Scheme expounds the princijtle, as if he had not known it before, and were now imparting the knowledge of his discovery to readers who are still as ignorant of it as he ha<. -t 280 somerville's book and fifty years iigo, anil re-puMished many a time .suico, tlioy would have had all the truth which lu» recent discovery Las laid betbre theui in the Labou,n;r, 3. Tluit land, by reason of coniplieatod legal lestrictions, which render tlie application of capital to its rulture iuhccnre, has nev(^r been, and is not yet. rendered productive as labour and capital might make it. 4. That, if the tenure of an estate or farm be insecure, capit;il will shrink from it, whether it be the twenty pounds ul' the working mau'.s capital briiught in contact with two acres of land, or the two thousand pounds of a richer man's capital brought in contact with two hundred acres. 5. That tlu! teuuni of the occupiers of the; Chartist estatesi s insecure ; the title of the sharehoUlers, who are not occupiers, is so bad as to have no legal existence ; and the whole management of the scheme, from first to last, in theory and in practice, is so much opposed to all sound prin- ciples ot business, that it cannot be the means of safely investing the savings of working-men, nor the capital of an) men; consequently it cannot advance their political privilege's, nor raise them in person, family, or clasSj above their present condition , but, by deluding and tleceiving them, it must sink them deeper than the level at which they now stand, and lender them It.-s inclined than ever to efforts of self-advancement and -ieii' dependence. I apjjrehend we may set the first four propositions aside, and join issue on th(! last. So far as I find anything tit grajjple with in the doctor's letter, ami which is applicable to the matter involved in the last proposi- tion, which, briefly, is the iminagemeat of the Chartist Land Scheme, I now lay hold id' it. A passage near the end of his hitter contains the gist of the whole ; — ^" Many 'and-stewards buy, sell, let out farms, and displace tenants without the presold of the landholdei' ; but does he sutler for the steward's debts, or is his property seized by tlic heirs of his deceased bailiff? " If the doctor can tell us of any landowner Avhose bailiff' buys and sells land with the landowner's money, in his. the bailiff's, own imme, having the property which he purchases conveyed to himsdf in his own name, I. nniy find a reply to his interrogatory. But, says he, — *■ Factories, banks, railways, and companies of every kind, have agents and directors who aie liable to tliose who employ them, and who ma\ die in their respective employments, but no concern whatever can have its stock, shares, or property seized, held, or disposed of, on acccmnt of the decease of such agents, or for the payment of their debts, or for the benefit of their heirs." Will the doctor tell by name, or reference, of any factory, bank, rail- f »-.■■»).. li^ - tJ^^i^HAi^. .fc-,';^»«.yt-|V- >^Th.|U^.»-,rt»t.'tw»f S '*t)'»**MHtfi'**»^*'««-HrH^»><<(lii'* W »y " would have heiii Ml the jich render bi;en, and ike it. capital will king-mau'd > thousand '0 hundred ■} insecure ; UH to have , from first ound prin- esting the xjucutlj it on, I'aniiljj 1 deceiving now stand, van cement join issue le doctor's .st proposi- 8cheme, I whole : — ;p tenants sU;wa»;d's ilirt'? " s iuid hellfri n'. having OF A DTLIOENT LIFE. 231 >\\n name ivc agents ijia\ die 1] have its >ut <)!' the )r for the tank, rail- way, or other company, whose shareiioldersi have allowed one dirwtor to invest all the funds and traTiNict all the business in his own name, am his own jtersonal business? The funds of the Chartist land sharvhohlcrs have been so invested, and tue so invcsf^'d at this ni(»mi'nt, in the indi- vidual nauu' and a.'s tht persoiial property of Feargus 0'Conui»r ; and. therefore, will, at his tleath, go to liis next oi kin I The doctor in another plao*' says : — " You make a dash at the bank Our bank does not re<|uirt' to be registered ; and, what )iiay seem more emphaiit; evidence of your imbecility and ignorance, oiuiutt he r'yistered," From biginuing <«/ end oi that Ictlvr wliich the doctor is reviewing, or any letter whieh 1 have wiitten, then> ih not a sentence nor word directly or in the reiiistration of the bank I mentioned the non-registration of the land enmpany, in connect!' n with the hank ((ues- tion, U) show that the bank depositors oi' cash had no security for their cash by the land being reckoneil upon as sectirity Inr their deposits, inasmuch as the land company was not registered, and had no legal existence. The doctor says : — " i'l'U have a tling at the land as a valuable investment. You say, that if an estate worth CT.tKIO wer(! stripped t»f its timber, its marketable value would decrease to £5,000." And from this p':tint he proceeds to show that the improvable nature of the pr(.>perty may raise its vabv to t'l 0.000, and is likely to dn mi before they are done with it, J'ossibly it may be so improved. The greater part of all the land in Englaii'l would be improved as corn-growing land if less timber grew on it, and the ultimate market value of the land might be sustained. JJut this is not the ((uestinn. Here is the question :~What w ill that land, which, in 184G, cost £7,000, and from which, in ISIG, timber was removed valued at £2,000, sell for in the market in 1S47, li'. as a bank security, it sheuld require to come into the market, to enable t>ank de^xtsitors to withdraw their cash ? 1 reply, as 1 asserted belbre. that the land ^tl ipped of its timber woultl sell for no more, under such 'iircum>taiiees, than £5 000, Mr. Connor's balance-sheet show.s, that h\ f^yhfructinj 1 he timber represented by £2,000 from land reprosenttid by £7,000, these representatives represent bank security to the amount vi £1),000. But the d(X}tor says ; — '•The improvement (..f the land, the erection of houses, and general expenditure of labour in relining, beautifying, and iiroducing, rt^uder the £7,000 estate worth nearer £10,000 than £5,000." Suppose it do, can the land—the estate of llerringsgate, for iuutiuce — 232 somerville's book be iili-dgt'd with the hjmk a.s .security tor deposits lod Connor, hy the National Land Company." But the land enmpany does not exist ; and, no matter how valua))lo the landed property may be, it is nut, le bank security. But the depo- sitors are the best judges (>f their own satisfai'tion in respect of such security. Mr. O'Connor's Defenck by bl'-sklp. Nortkn-n Star. October i>, 1847. When my letter relating to the funds of the machine-makers appeared in the 3Iaiu?hester Enmmiiui\ Mr. O'Connor was on the Continent, He had publislied in his paper that lie was going there " to fet,;h Mr. Cobdeu home." He knew that iMr. Cobden, after a tour ef twelve months through Europe, had arraiige' tlms ■ - " (lentltniien, — Iinnjedi;it<;ly upon my return, 1 nhall proc>'.ed to Man- ch'-stiT, on Tuesday, the 20tli of October ; and, having tlius given my accuser ample time to prepare Wis casi', ;iiid the benefit of my absence to circulate the slander, I shull facebini in tin- Hall uf Science, single banded and alone, U\ answer any ebargc tbat h(! or any other man may bring ayainst me. All T require h>, that notice may hv given biiu. and pr(»per arrangements for the public investigation may be made; and, il' the evidence of Mr. Mannix [the liisli ^oiioitor already referred to], or any other lawyer, is necesstiry. 1 will jiny thoir expcns<«. " Gentlemen, — Permit m*; now to offer a few comment*, upon tli<' nature of the charge, the circumsrances under wni(;h it is made, and the ebaraerer of niv awuscr, Wlien I bad deiuolisbed the rnbbisli if this bas(? fellow iu l^eeember and »]anuary last, bo was sent to the County of ('ork by John Bright, his employer, to see what evidence of my baseness he could glean in my native county. Fie tells you, distii'Ctly, that he has been upon this rej>utal»le mission ; tbat he has seen the (Mianeery barrister, Manni.v, the solicitor of my family, and my nejirest relatives; and although a volunteer in this honourable mission, and after being in labor f()r tiow some months, behoKl the aborli(»n he has brought forth. [T said nothing oi the kind,] " (Jentlemen — Englishmen — Working Men— here was an honourable mission, a creditable commissioner, and a virtuous employer ; and yet, though thus importantly charged, behold the weak, the slender produc- tion ! Ob ! gentlemen, if I w^ere assailable, what a rack, what a torture, what an inquisition, w>iat a secret cons}>iracy, to be subjected to ! (J entle- mcn, in ancient or modern times has this baseness, this perfidy, been equaUed ?".... In the work intended for the committee of the House of Commons, I gave O'Connor's and McDowall's letters and expositions at full length, but can (; : and all the numrj/ of the Lntyue being fieoly spent to frighten me from the performance of my duty in Parliament, will but nnrve me for the good fight. . . liring the l)alanepear as if the Lord had doomed you !" This wiuH O'Connor's challenge to nie, in addition to that of Mel)owall, to meet them at the place ealh-d the Hall of Science, They were there true t') time, and with them the monster (;abbagea, carrots, and leeks, gathered from the London marketgardens, as evidence of the fertility of the Chartist allotments at ( VConnorville. I dared not renuiin in Manchester after the repeated assaults to which I was subjected by O'Connor's agents of violence. I should have pre ferred to lead the deadliest ibrlorn hope in war (and I had passed through some dea' disatfeetion i>f Paris. It was sections of the upper and middle Htrita of society who were forbidden t«Wiol(] the political bum juet ; and their di.sappointiiiont and ehap'in were sci/ed by tlu; btwer, dcejuT, and wider ntuler-strninm ofHOciety, the Pari.^ian niultitiidi' of (iiiu^h^d indu.'^try and th.'stitution. That multitude tucik t(» arms. The * Citizen Kiiij:. ' a8 Louis Philippe was called, hesitated to permit the use of artille-y against his nubjeets; for which humanity and f»rbearamMj he. his throne, and family fell. He came to England, and riy men eiuch as (r. W. M. Ileynolds, who thus cheaply advertised their newspapers into profitable celebrity. In all large towns and many small ones throughout Britain,, mobs resorted to violence. At GL'usgow the forces of insurrection were met by the military at a point exactly described as the point ol' collision in '' SomervilleV Dissuasive Warnings to the People en Street Warfare," published nine years before. So precisely did all the incidents* of attack and count^ir-attack hapjwm on the tith, 7th. and 8th of March 1848, as I had described them in au imaginary Glasgow i*treet battle in .18311. that the mob anned itself with the irf)n railings of London Street as I said it would, was driven back V^y the militijry into the gullet of streets formed by the union of Gallowgate, Saltmarket, Trongate, and High Streets, as I said it would, and there helplessly wedged in. The only thing which I had depict^id in 1889, and which did not happen ia 1848, was the fire • of artillery from a position on Glasgow Green, throwing shells over the .houses to fall amongst that insurgent crowd and destroy them in the r.-^..-*<-*^-.fl. il Ecouoniy, Febniury. A. it whicli bold e Legislative ^lit it prudorit d tulk. The lisafft'ction of f society who Lsappointmout imlor-stniiuin (1 (It.'stitutiori. iciuis Philipjic hiss Kubj«'(it,s; [iiily fell. He •sons holding ■ssin, Austria, sed. Britain for a tinu; in s G. W. M. ito profitable out Britain,. •t destTilu the colliHiiin." in other towns. I"»o<'towall headed the " Vouthc of Nottin|.'hani." Newx|>apers which sbould have taken another conrne, — tluiir ennduetors prnbably afraid of after-eon.se- qnetiecH, Hhould Britain fall under a " provisional" y;i>vernment, — inflamed the elements of diHaffcetion in thr Kii<;lish Tnitiiufaeturin)^ towns by approvina: everyfliin^: inonstrous in the incidents of revolution on tlio continent of Kuroj>e, and by pic kin<.r out df bistorv or (Mirrent t^vnts any item wliicli conbl he exapjjje rated and urLTod aurainst Brit i.'jli monarchy and aristocracy. Amon^'st many things written and circulated by me at that time, and read by the thinking tnju ol' tlie (Jhartistt^, I venture to reprint the following: FrANCK at E.NMITV WITH I^OLITICAL ECdNOMY. In revicwinf; the political and social pba^tw o\' Fraiue, let me state that the basis of arifument is that laid down in a pre\ious Tract under head of National Wealth anss, to enjoy, to Viuy, to sell ; freedom from the invader, from the uionoj)olist, from unfair taxation. Those elements of Nationid W^ealth form the material elements of human happiness. Political Economy is the science which teaches individuals, communities, or nations, how to expand the elements of human happiness. Political Economy, in teaching how to expand and diffuse happiness, demands an unvaryim:; adherence to this rule, — '^' t/ud Individua/s, fnniUirs, aunmu- niVcV'.s, iiittiona, must hrinif more ireallJi into existence than tlwif pat out of existence. '^ This is the ground on which we stand to review the changing phtises of military France. Firat Phase. — The hunters of the forest clothed in the skins of their • prey; their arms, clubs, spears, arrows; their occupation hunting and': warring upon one another; swiftest foremost, strongest uppermost Their idea of wealth, subjugation of captives, and th(^ pei"sonal prowess to- pubjiifrate or slay. JSixond Phase. — The strong and the swift ; the subjugators of captives - 23« BOMRRVII.I.r P TIOOK uro now cliir'fM in ft uilil Mfx-iety ; lords paniMKtunt mma; a moniin-h ono, but tliiit out- Hiibj«rt to till' tiiibulrnt will nf tlu> otlnTH ; ktiij^litn of cliiviilry anil Tiicn lit ariiiH, Tillcrsof the soil and lu'tdHUn'n lit'ld as jiiT^mial clutttoU. No acrninulution <<[' the wivin^'K of lalMiur to lay ttii> foiindatiiku of prodnctjvr rii|iital fX('(>)it 2.' — Productive capital cat(!ii up by the royal t«xes; the baroni.d and clerical exactions. All France eontributin;; its best workmen to the Parisian population to Ix; employed in inrnishirifi, clothinjjj, ami adornin;^ the privilej;ed orders, ami that pupul;ition paid only out of the taxes and exactions levied on the nn]>rivilei;ed cultiva- tors of the soil. The serfs become more feeble the moie they are taxed, and in their feebleness tlie less abh; to sustain I'arls in working;' only for liH'tropolitan consumption, ,ind not for conimen;ial exchanp'cs. Varis cries for bread. 'IMie monar*^M\lH. \lllilii, ^lulatioii paid i!<;e/( /'/iiiin, Na|Milr,.ii I Tlu' iron f«K)t of H military chief trunpleH convulHion into .".uhniiMMini |(nt l-'niiK-e nni«t he fed, eUe >'uluni?>''i<«n will he hriit' II' rnihodicx its male |Hi|iiiliitipti in warliki- IcifionM , leadrt them hiymid the frontii-r.'* to le»d llnin.-flven, to tiirht and eon- (juer, and o.irry fond and tir.iHiiic i.. ilu- pi'o|il.' I. ft ni hunie TlieHc hint ure lirr;;ely einployed in iiiakioL' Htop" clothes, arms. mnnitioiiN of war, and warlik«' fnrnishin;^s \\,r their armies ahmjid, and an; paitl hy the spoils of ntiLdihourini: nations. Trunee is now liviny at the ex{M-n.se of Knropo. as l*ari.>s ]i\rd at the <'Xp<'nse of I' ranee hffore the aliolition of the monarchy ami tlie jiriviUred onhrs. Ai last, confined to her own wast4Ml r«'Honrees and her own ne^hx'ted eorntielils, sin- is powerjei-s, and her military ruler falls; a convulsive elfort to ri.M.', and lie falls again, und rises uo more. Sixth I'luiHf, 1H15.- -I'Vanee is poor indeed. Her fields are fertile and h»T skies dear. But her old monarchy returns, learninj; nothing, fortii'ttiii^- nothin;.'. Nor have hfr pcopl.'. or auv of tl\.' people's t4'acherH. learned more than th<' old monari hy. They to the colour of the national IhiL;, as tu the form of the uovernrncnt. Hut all are as one in the error that, luxuriou.s, non-productive Paris -hould feed at tin expen,M> of frugal, rural Immiicc . all are one in the error of thinkinu. tluit their own respective sisiin>i at the e.xpeiiM' of some other cl:u-s, are doing a service to those whose proiimtious they consume, whose productive! capital they sul)due or annihilate. Si ii nth Plum , IH.'IO.— The convulsion of thret; davs, a dctliroui'- raent; a new king; the old errors ; enormou.sartnies ; military colonie8 ; the governing mistakes of Britain imitated, her industrial HUCceH*»os and virtues despised. Two millions of rural families, feeding themselves on the most meagre food pntduced from land of their mvn, vahunl at 1'2 per annum for each family ; " eacli with a hit of irahle land tor hread, a bit of garden for potatoes, a hit of jiasturc for the goat, and those hits hardly c\er lying togeth(!r : the vine must he on the liilK and the grass in the valley.' (Motmier's Frinrh Ajrintltiirn. 18 Hi.) Tn all, eleven mil- lions of persons rated for the land ta.v ; five millions of whom occupy lioldings under five acres per family ; three millions, three hundred thou- sand of wlu)m hold under ten acres jier family. Tin; average income of fiv.' and a half millions ot proprietors, a.*< indicat«!d hy the valuation for land-tax. iri 287 francs {CI I lOs. Htcrling). These proprietors, some with families, some Mithout, form a majority of the rural population. Upon them, and upon the minority of pro|irietors and occupiers of land in a somewhat better condition, and u])on other branches of productive A*- .H^vwt4--ui(^- i 240 80MKR villi's BOOK industry, fall tin' taxes to inaintaiii the armies iuul the hordes of advem/rer* of all ranks and vlii.-«ses who put wealth out ut existeru-e, and hi'ing uone, or no suffifient ef|uivalont, into oxistenr'e. Eighth rhas/\ IH4S. — A.ni)t.her revolutinn ; the kinj; dethroned; no prince- allowed ; no aristoeraey ^ a republic ; no priviloiod orders. Yet the Krst act o^ the republic is U) add fifty yvr cent to tlie taxes already h'vit'd (HI those tivc-aad-a hidt^ millions of proprietors whose propirties^ iweraj^e ten acres; and on the inino ity, whusc properties average but little over ten acres. One of the tirst acts of the republic is to create a new privileged order, the order of Parisian workmen, to be paid and fed at the expense of that fifty ]>er cent of new taxatifin, and at the expense of new hjviea. And a eoineident act is, to add one hundred and fifty thousand men to the refrular army, to bar eyes, and carry our reflective faculties to the internal condition of France. One of the most momentous of its circumstances is that of its continual subdivision of land Franco requires more of the necessaries of life. Neither the republican idea, as it is called, which is the phrase of the enthusiasts who are at present uppermost in the accidents of revolution, nor any other kM/, will make tlie divided fields fertile which are aln'ady exhausted by crop]>iTig, with out capital ot agrie\iltural skill. The jtnliticii dispaae of frmire has beev, and is, a scries of ecunomieal errors rummon to its royalty and its repuhliea))ism. From primogeniture, it proceeded tv> a mmpidsory division of ]»roperty." AVith an industrial jiopulation too W'eak to bear mon:; taxes for thtt repul»lic, by fifty per wmt. than it contributed to royalty; with 150,(^10 more soldiers than there were under royalty; witi the working popnlation of Paris to be paid out of the taxes, it required no spirit of propliecy to write, a month after the revolution of February, that it was not over, that ln}r uoiie, '(>nef( already pr(ipi.rtic» ;vr:\ge but creato a id and fed If expoTisc and tifty ad lixiged^ ■ legions of e paid vnlution of » the street their ' laie li mobs are vill he time Thr rcvo- \\o taxation inblie. n(> pftpnlation 'iroplieey to It o\ "'f, that OF A DIMGENT T.IFK. 241 it was only iKginninf!;. No one can lix the precise date of a future event ; but common sense notpropheoy. forelohl new insurrections, streetr^battles, ,<,laught producer^ of wealth froni heing unduly impoverished on the one hand, and the wealth produced by them from being unduly reduced in ((uantity on the other hand, the tax-payers and all gooil rulers must .see that the levy and the expenditure sliould be restricted to the lowest amount which will secure the free and safe opera- tion of the nation's industry. 2nd. Of toreH levied by a govmiment to tiif(is/i national workKhop:<. The act of levying a tax to estahli.sh workshops, is a declaration that the political personages forming the government li(>lievc that they can put productive capital to a bt'tter use than can the owners of that cajiital. They cannot, for these reasons, selected tVom jriany whicli mi'/hi be adduced : The person who has accumulated lii? savings from personal lidiour, or bis profits upon u capital invested ia raw material, tools, shop-room, and 242 80MERV1LLE S BOOK WHtrcs for the eiriploytnent of otlier men's labour, knowH better how to employ hirt oapitul, than any member or .urentof the national gov<;rnuiont can do. And again, it cannot lie collected from him. paid into the treasury, di.sburstMl to a^'cnts to buy raw materials and tools, to iTcct work-shops, hire wnrkmen, pav wau'CH. and sell the products of the workshops, but tlirouirli the hands of person.- over whom tlu^re is no control equal to that which he would have over his own agents and workmen. And apzain, the most industrious or nmst frugal, who have accumu- lated some capital, arc taxod under such a levy, — as that recently [1818] mad(! in France, — while the least industrious, or least frugal, who have accumulated nothing, escape its paynumt. And again, the tax is ]iaid in wages alike l^i him who works exj>edi- tiously and skilfully, as to him who is an idler and a sloven. Its direct te.ndoncy is to make the expeditious and sliilful man an idler and a slov(!n, and prevent him from accumulating savings, when he sees him- self liabl(! to taxation whieh the if the population, who are the peasant-owners and tillers of the soil, is not mily a trari.sfer nf Iheir capital from the culture of their land, already feebly cultivated by reason of their poverty, but the tax was paid to a small section of the whole population of the republic, — the worknuMi of I'aris ; while, again, they were chiefly cnq)luyed in manufacturing clothes, arms, and munitions of war, for the new levies of armed men, a labour which, instead of adding to the national wealth, still continued to duninisb it. The most degraded condition, j)hysicaUy and morally, in which men have been placed was tlutt condition of surn'udering their own judgment, foresight, and enterprise to some lord superior, to be provided for in wc)rk, food, clothing, or lodging, according to the judiinient, foresight, enter})rise, mistake, misfortune, or selfintei-est of that supericu'. This wa,s the condition of serfdom. It is still the condition of the slave. It was the comlition of France through all her phases up to the revolution whiidi first aboli.shed the monarchy. This, the worst printnpte in feu- dalism, has been a primary id(,'a with the leaders of both the French re])ablics They had it in .1.702, they have? it in 1848. It is auta- gouistic to the privileges of free men , it is political childhood. ter how to ;overniuent «^, treasury, work-sliops, kshups, ])ut (il ('((Hill to ve acoumu- iitly[18iy] ,1, who liave nrksi oxpodi- Its direct idler and a he sees him- riir only the I leaves pro- licli pays the )ur, tends to expeditious! collectors recently in «ant-owners Ironi the •ir poverty, tion of the ■re chiefly war, for the the national which men ju'luiiient, ided for in I, foresight, rior. This ^ slave, It 3 revolution pic in i'ea- llie French It is auta- 1. OF A DILIGENT LIFE. 243 The privilege of a free man i.s to he hi? own wealth-maker; to labour at whatever employment he may find iurreeahle, or profitable, in whatever plaof! lie can find it . tocxt return for that whieh he di>po>se.s of. liiberty to accuniuhift the produot,s of his labour, or the price of those products in shape of capital : to possess it; to set in juotion other labour with it ; or leml it on siuli -iiMMU ity tin /if ,ilon> shaft dri'm r/ood, for others to set in UK'tioii labour with it ; liberty to reats its products as fast as they uro made, which guMws into the heart, of all national well being, living upni productive vjapital, day by day making it hsss and Ic^s. But of all the states of the world, of all the constitutions of France whieh have permitted those errors, it was reserved for the provisional government of the republic of February 1848 to forina'ly proclaim the principle of eating up pniduetive capital, — of paying the idler or the sloven (;(piall> witii the industrious or exy)ort workman, as a necessary and a good jirinciple loyers, nnd were once in the receipt of prolits. hut were ao nu lonirer (the national workshops beinn; their c<)nipetitor8), they must ,>r itself. The state had little reason to wonder that hungry Paris did that, It hfid recognized the right, and hardly condemned the expedient. That overwhelming majority of the National Asseuibly sent up by the peas- antry, upon whom the mounted cavalry, flying artillery, and hundred thousand infantry levied the money to feed Paris, and who nf)w gave unmistakeablo signs that they held tlie opinion that the people of the capital should support themselves, as they and their constituents did at home, — that majority of the National Assembly were deemed to be the enemies of the state and of the unfed, Unable to reajh them, the insurgent of the (mipty stomach saw his next-door neigh))Our. once his einploYer, the man with an empty work- shop, and sent a bullet through his head. Strange fate ! fatal office, was that of this dead National Guard. The little capital which he possessed to buy materials for workmen to work upon, and to provide shop-room and tools, was in part taken by the state to pay those workmen in the national shops, where they worked without profit ; the remainder is exytenses to evipply *e once in vorkshops their own ivorkshops 1, and the ren, num- 3 appeased lisappoiiit- [108 of the ambitious n the state, without a kettle, and hut it had often late g artillery, he coutem- table, as it Imaeh. took . for itself, that, It nt That the peas- hundred now u:ave pie of the Mits did at to be the [h saw his Lpty work- I office, was i possessed ] shop-room U'n in the lainder is OF A DlLrOENT LIFK. 245 comprised in bad debts and ovcr-chic bills, oi' which the state decreed that he should not enforce pnyniout. lie was called upon to dufeiul tlus state from the insurt:?cnt of tlu; empty stomach, whoui it hud faik-d to satisl'y with food, whom it took out uf his workshop away from his work, and from whicli workshop it also extracted the employiij>,' capital, and now the iusurjrent slays him. And so they go on. life for life. Upon a line of three miles, crossing the city from right to left, and the Soiue river in the midst of the city, and the island in tlie midst of the Seine, dc^l'ences of war ar*; reared, trenche» of defence are duy out and tluowu up. We "*\we in London, on a day in June, startled }»y a flash of lijihtniuL' and a clap of thunder from a low cloud; on that summer day '. Paris, and the next day, the next, and the next, and through all the intervening nights, there was one continued roll of thunder ; and flashes of light never ceasing, and elmids of sulphur- ous smoke wrapping the city in sufl"ocation. Across streets and at angles, up streets, down streets, out of windows, in at window.--, flew the bullets, — the Ibrce of death in every one, — each i xpected to decide, by the fall of a dead man, whether or no the state shall in perpetuity levy tiixes to feed Paris, tt» pay the idler alike with the industrious workman, the sloven alike with the expert worker. All day and all night do they thunder behind breastworks, on the roofs of houses, through windows, over the barricades of stones, and through the loop-holes of the barricades, upon the advancing battalions of repub- lican Nationiil Guards, and of Guard-- Mobile, the youths early trained to the oifices and feelings of demons. Over their heads, 'n return, the artib lery of the Repulilie throw shells charged with destruetiveness to explode among the republican insurgeiits, and blow up the barricades and the houses in whieh insurrection Ls sheltered; — Gavaignac, the stern repub- lican, commanding. Day by day, hour by hour, the fratricide becomes more demoniacal. Bashing through walls, go cannon-bullets, — crashing roll tln! walls on men, women, children, aged, young, weak, stiong, inno- cent, and criminal ; loud is the cry of mercy, — louder the curse of vengeance ! " Blessed are the peace-mtdvers, for theirs 'is the kingdom of heaven." From the day when those bk'ssed words were spoken on the Mount, to this day, one of the blackest in the calendar (jf time, no minister of peace his gone forth on a inissit.n more perilous — and perilous, more sublime — than does that priest with the uprii'ted cross and tht; flag; of truce I But what is the presence of the cross, what the flag of truce, what the mission of jjeace, when broti er slays brother ? " Down with the cross 1" "Kill that Ai-ehbishopt' And he is killed. Demons aie uppermost. Anything but mercy, honour, or forbearance, this day 1 246 somervit.le's mook And all those deepest atrocities are comniitti'd, and twenty tlioueand liumaii beings lie dead, or dyinj:;, or maimed, their city shattered and criim)>liug, because eitiKiin battles with citizen, neighbour with nei.L'hbmir, apprentice with journeyman, shopmate with >^h(|pmaste^, employer with employed. And they bjittle thus with uno another bei-iiuw a government wliieb call as well eojmnaniV(/, and the bold, agile, ubiquitous zouave. J tlioueund tiered and neiirlibmir, )l()yer with leiit wliicb luly, or the it (leiriiU)dfl t for itself, < who trust , upturning ?r taxatior, 1 they must [nod forces, serve order; y and hind, weif^ht of because the '*» 'bunded, ho ...)r gene- or by those ohi errors. is not cor- ial cofivuh onsorvative It that por- i!, demands d be safely ; of Britain reliind in being kept •unistances iJistic Kco- Intbability. jience does By far its lie minute le chasseur - OF A im.ICKNT I. IKK. 247 And again, in what »|iiarl»r lies the. iluiigcr of war between Britain uud France ? Mr Miliu i (iihson nii-vc(l nnd M r .bphii Uridit se^^onded, in the spring of 1^58, a lin>tili,iriii(f. (ohdi it. and < 7«/(i«»/' then iiublished by Mcnzies, Edinburgh, IS")?, and scattered through- out England during the contested elections.) Lord Palmerstoii ad vised Her Majesty to dissolve parliament, and ilicrcby appealed (o the country. The verdict of the nation was emphatic (N»bden, Briuht, rrib.«on, and others of their party, missi'd reelet-tion, The |ianiphlet just referred to was anonymous; but al \ery considerable c.xpensi;, [ its author, sent it in large quantitiijs to election committees atid subcommittees in all towns and counties where it was likely to be ol' u.se VViien Sir John Bowring saw it in China, he wrote home to the publisher im(uiring to wln»m he was indebttMi for that " generous and vigorous defence '" against Mr. < 'obden'ri spiteful attack . As a literary man, 1 had l>een entrusted with certain nuittors by Sir dohn Bowring some years before he Aeni to Chirm, and now u.sed them al t/u. lujhl momrnf. The auonimily of the pamphlet was a mistake ; but I scut it out without my name at the .suggestion of a second party Mi- Cobden may be pleastnl to learn that the labour of writing and much of the cost ol' circulating •' fknm'ng, Cobdi.')!, and China. ' among those who. with it in tin ir hands, deteated his return for lluddcrsti(ild in 3 857 resulted, like so many things else of mine, in a dead pecuniary loss. Mnt 1 am pleased that he is restored to parliament. He reprevents sentiments which had better \}*i uttered in the House of Commons than on platforms of agitation out of Uoors, [The work may now b(^ purchased with my name on a new title-page, the title altered thus - - ' Life of Sir John Bowring; Writings of Mr. Cobden; A True Narrative (jf the .Bupture in China." Sold by llobin- son, Edinburgh, to whom I gave a large reuiuinder, 750 copies, for the price of wast.e paper.] To avenge on Lord .ralmerston in 1858, tlu, loss of their seats in 1857, the party of " I'eace at ativ price," led by Gibson and Bright, and Bupp France. 80 much lor the peace men. I do not pronounci; that vote to have been wliolly -wnnig, T name the fact of its occurrence and the rtource whence it i,«Hiied, as evidence that a defensfive army in Britain cannot be safely nofrlected. You tell me in Oana was firht pul)lb>hc.i in 1847- It was reprinted in scvoral forms, as part of an apjx udix t() iriy Aiitoljio^rapliy, and a.s National VV^ealtb Tractst at the revolution- ary crisis of lH4h in Enj^land. It was also widely ciroulated in Inland, and recommended to the followers of Mr. Sinitli O'Brien by many Catholic priests in Tipperary, Cork, Kerry, and Limeriek county, lor reasons fully developed in another chapter. I claim, that, through the influence «^f the priests and others opposed to the .Irish insurrectionary movement in the summer of 1848, this, and my other Economic .Exposi- tions relating to Ireland, had a considerable influence in detaching the peasantry from Mr. O'Brien and from the enterprise of a ' Celtic war against the Saxon," or ** tenant war against landlord " I am constrained by pressure on space to strip off all descriptive jwrtions of the narrative and give bare figures. The district about to be depicted is that of which the snuill town of Newctistlo, twenty-three miles south from liimerick, is the centre. The village of Ardagh is four or five miles north-west from Newcastle. It contained when I saw it a densely packed, fevered, starving population, many of whom had been "cleared" away, — driven by military force from Smith O'Brien's property some years before. He, individually, may not have " cleared " the land of its population in the firs', instance ; but while I was tluere in March 1847, he was declaiming in tlie House of Commons against the British govern- ment for allowing the Irish people to starve. Yet his own estate of what might have been richly productive land, lay without drainage, over-run with acquatic weeds, government paying Is, 4d. a day in relief works to improve it and adjoining properties, while he paid 4d. less per day for labour wholly inadecjuate to the wants of his Land. In the hovels of Ardagh, within half a mile of his park walla, the fever-stricken people, living and dying and dead, lay in a state of mingled putrefaction. At my instance, moB^y came from England to bury some of them. ft 250 SOMKRVILLK H BOOK The poor rate in Manchester was then 6s. 8d. in the pound ; in LiverjHH)! it wn>» in one diHtriet 138., and in another iHs. in the pound, mui'h of that cnornious rateaire being recjuired to preserve alive the thousandt ol Irinh fle<•in^ from their own cttuntry. On land yiftlding Mr. Smith O'Brien £1 lOs. per aero, and employing only about one man to JL'2(M( of rental, tlie poor rate was lenpemr in tlie pound. From Somcrvillc's National Wealth Tracts (Irish Series) ; " The nearest and most reinarki-ble landlord to the village of Ardagh, is Mr. William Smith IJrien, M. V. Cahorinoyle, his residence, is about half a mile distunt. The CV ornioyle estate is almost wholly laid down in large grazing farm.SjOn nor. jf which are the overgrowing popu- tion of tlie district allowed to build houses : they have oJily the elioiee of going, and they must go, to Ardagh, and obtain leave to erect a hovel in rear of the other hovels there, at an exorbitant rent, paid to the inhabi- tant of the hovel who permits the new-comer to come ; or they locate themselves in sonu; nook of a field, or siding of a road, without a foot of ground save what the clay-hut stands on. Mr. Smith O'Brien permits none to settle on his estate in that manner, nor in any way els<;. Part of his property is in the Newcjistle jwor law unionud, escive alivt! tho In land yi«;ldinf; y about one man nd. ies) : ,lliiu;o of Ardagh, hirt residence, is uK'Ht wholly laid ergrowin^ popu- itily the choice of ) ereet u hovel in id to the inhabi- : ; or they locate without a foot of O'Brien permita way else, lion, and part of B union are rated larly rates of 4^d. ^re rated at lOd. aving been made opled, is rated at ikeale pays three ich grazing farms of Oahcrmoyle, works, save five 'Brien, with men o half-grown lads re only been kept works by being lave been Is. 4d. 8. 4d. overhead, have not given than the wages m are paid, the the farm-houses, hman or herds- quarter, £3 per sr to lOs., accord- ing \o thMT Nirength. The ploughman of Mr, Barry, a t<>nant farmer, told me that Mr. Harry's m^rvic<' was consijored the best in Ardagh pmsh ; it was a most excellent house for g8 were sold and went away. With m(?al of Indian corn, or of oats at f^s. j)or stone, labourers under the Boiud of Works t»n the roads around ('aliermoyle an- only ablr Ut procure forty-two |Kmnds five ounces }H'r vu'vV , which, divided among a family of fivn;, or six, or sflven persons, of which families there are many, in small Hnliealthy huts in Ardagh, and on tl»e adjoini)\g farms, gives an allowanoc less than can jKiSsibly suntuin them in health, oven had they wholesome dwelling-places to live in. Hut Mr. Smith O'Brien has men w^trking for him who live in such huts, with sueh tkmilies, and in great«jr luinger, lor they have less food by one fourth, he paying no more than one shilling a day. I was told that of five men employed in the demesne of Cahermoylc, four might bo reckoned Jis employed there in charity. If th(!y be so employed, the charity is a fourth less than the relief money paid by government in the locality [about which Mr, O'Brien was then loudly declaiming in parliament as inadecjuat*]. But I demur to their em ployment being called charity or relief They perform work ntices- ary to be done, — draining ; work which, if done to the extent rwjuired on the (!!ahermoyle estate, should employ two hundred men six miniths of t,he year, for five years ; an estate which, if cultivated as it should be, to yield the greatest amount of produce for the food markets, and of profit to the owner, should employ as many men per one hundred acres as the Earl of Ducie's Whitofield farm, in (iloucest/crshire. The geology of Cahcr- moyle and Whitefield is the same. Tho present state of (jaliermoyle is similar to the previous state of Whitefield, Weeds, rushes, inferior grasses, inferior cattle ; utter waste of manure from the cattle ; corn- growing portions of the farms over-cropped and exhausted ; potatoes planted for tho hvM \i\w\ of th( liittfT Ik Hiipmor to niiy of tin? lan'l of th»' former, nnd (M)ri«titnt«'s luon- thnii ii hulfof the whoKi ; the Ix'Ht land — the- nlluviuin -of Whitofi».'ld i» hui a few ucrcgj of rahcrnioylr. it m 400. Tli« cir|H'nditun' for drainapc, halldinpt, nnd nm'fn] rondrf on Whltt?- Jlcld, wan i'7,8*JH. Tlif «'Xiiirnlitiirt' (or dr.iinap! on tlic liirnihmd of C dirnnnyl<», iM nothing; ; that on the ui"oful ro.idx, for innirovin^' thr valii • of the land, is nothing )>y Inndlordn or t«Miants ; the Hoard of VVorkH, with thi- publio moiicy^ i,s improving; the i'urin roadn. Bcsidcx tlio 8um of £7,H2H cxpondod on perniiinont iniprnvcnicnta on "Whitrfit'ld farm by tlio landlord, Karlof Duoii^, Mr. Morton, tin.! tenant, hart st4)ck and workirif.' capital on it to the. amount of 114, oOO. The rent heforn ho took thvfarmin IS40, nnd fx^fore tin* capital was exp<'nd«!d on it, wa« .£200 pt-r nnn \n\ ; tithe, X,'.V.\ , poor rate, C2K ; ;ind road rate, £4. The rent i.s in'W ani!;riirntod to the amount of tive jkt ct;nl upon Jt7,H2H, The farm<'r calculatoH upon ten per cent on his Wfikinj; oapital of .£4,500 ; on £200 jx^r annum as remnnoration for his ]ier)-onul iiu'rvices on the farm ; oti wajres for ten men, at twelve nliillin^rs a week end), and on all the payments to keep implements and roadw in repair. What he obtains oxer all those returns, is profit. And lie has had profit after all those returns. I uppnhend tiuit sudi u landlord as th(> Karlof Dticie is the true bone- factor of his country, and that if Mr. Smith O'Brien would turn his attention to his own property, to enrich hintself by producin;^ human food from that land so naturally riehj now lyinj,' wa^to, he would be a patriot. 2U March 1847 Since writinj:^ the forpj^oini;, f have Ixsen on another farm of Mr, O'Brien's, where the natural quality of the soil far e.xeeods that of Glnucestershire. Mr Sheehy, one of his tenants, holditn.; nbont 150 acres, at 248. per acre, has only one lad in his employinent, and not another person, not even of his own family, omphtyed in cultivation. The land is juRtslopin<;enou5^h tobe of easy drainage ; a stream of water runs through it, fit for irrigation or tnaohinery ; the Board of Works hiu* just made a road through the farm. ,\ fin(!, rich, loaihy aoW, all in ghtsa and rushes, covers tltf^ whole surface ; the liuiestonc rock is trverywhero on the farm, within two, three, four, or sis. feet of the siirface. An inferior coul, available for burning lime, is found in the moontains, within <)ne hour's walk, and i't)ads were made to it by government grants of mtjfiey several years ago, and mOrc roads are being made to it by government now ; but no attempt id made, has be<.'D made, oif scemslikely tobonijtdo, OK A DIMORNT LIVl, 2r)3 ncrcH ; Onhcf- H Mjpt'rior to nny iilt'of tlic wholo; » few uercH, of rniulM «>ii WliHw- thf liiiiii lunil ol' ir iniprnvin^j; the Utnird of WorkH, iinprnvomcTitB on iititn, tlic toiratit, .r i:i,r)0(). Tiic itiil WiiH exiK'niitid , £28 ; iind road 1 of fiv« per c«;iit lit on his w( rkiii<; n for liJH pcri-tinal e sliillin^H a wc«k tl roudw in repair. And be liuH hud in the tru<> bnne- woiild turn his iu^r hunr.in footl oiiM be a patriot. arch 1847. \cr farm of Mr, e,x«oed« that of hiiiu; nhont 150 tynioiit. and not d in c'Uhivation. n istreain of water lard of Works hiw y soil, all in y:,tnm »ck ia ev«rywhe,r(j rface. An infetior tains, within f»ne granbn of money it by f:;overniut!nt likely to be niido, by Mr. O'Hrien, to munufucturo lime, or bring limr, t»i his farm land. The farm hiiildiun.-^ arc cLy hiilM tlie roof» fallt n or fuJIinj^ in; tho feuccM arc eriK)ked inoundN of earth, with erc ud the fuiui at 5d. per day and his diet, iu now on the public works at Is. 4d per day. Mr. Patrick I'ower lta.s a farm of iilxiut 250 acres. Some of hi. s fields have been in tillajj-e, and nre laid down to reM- U) recover their <:xhau.stion. They he thus without JJ:ras^ or crop of any kind, but weed.'s that rise N[>untaneou8ly for Qve or six. years. Meunwlale, all his cattle manure runs to wu«te; the cuttle liu without Htraw or bed«lin}: to make manure, the r«x)fs are fulling in al»ove them ; epidemic di.sea.se.n jHirimlically d(!stroy thcni ; two women only ure hired in summer to make the butter ; only one lad, at 10s pr!r (juart-er, is on the furuj at prewut. 'I'he herdhinun, Walsh, in on the public roudw, at Is. 4d. per day, with Mr. Power's con- sent, and Walsh's mother, a widow, is doing the herdsman s work in, payment of iUls. of house rent. Cahermoyle demesne, consisting of 150 acres, is vahn^l at £1^'5 for rates, and rented by Mr. Massey for about £2 (^ler acre, for grazing. Mr. Brien's house and garden, and 14 acres of pluntation, are valued for poor-ralo at i!70 ; the rate, lOd. in the pouiul. Mr. Contlin's farm, of 55 acres, lx>longing U> Mr O'JJrien, i^< rated on areutalof £tjl). Thih, audacjuantity of other laud not on Mr. O'lirien's estate, employs at present one youth at lOs. per tjuarler, and diet, as u herdsman. Mr. Magner's farm of 150 aero.s, rated at .£100. is eonnectA;d with other land, not Mr. O'Brien's. It has two person^ employed. Mr. Robert O'Brien, brother to Smith O'Brien, gavo evidence before the Devon Commission. The reader will understand its force after reading the .stat its landlord, when the working capital wa» only £3 2s. 7d. per acre, and the wages of labour, part of it for a thresher, was only £75 per annum. Now, exclusive of all wages for draining^ building, and road-making, the sum of £312 per annum is paid in wages, though there be machinery for threshing. The working capital is £19 per acre, Mr. Mort her produce and her wealth at home. He and his tenants send fheir cattle to England for sale ; and they keep none of their pro- duce at home for the people to consume, nor allow the people the means of consuming it. Remarks upon the foregoing circulated with it in presence of the approaching " Tenth of April," day of dread to London : April 4th, 1848. The loftiest patriotism is that which is humblest in its preten,sion«^ and most pratitmlly useful, If William Smith O'Brien were a practical man, who would set liimself to the noble task of regenerating his country, by giving its ill -cultivated soil a productiveness worthy of its natural fertility j by admitting the people to the privilege of labouring, to enki^ft ns are carried lital. White- i living to its ng capital was for a thresher, for draining^ paid in wages, capital is £1^ economist, and t was:e8 of the per labour by portion of his more than £20 3. Instead of ?«, in order to es of the neigh- fourth less for ^s. Mr. Smith orn-laws, O'Brien's side and btcome nty and on Iii» in the world, '^ (y Brien, Esq. , that Ireland nd his tenants. le of their pro- oplo the moans •resence of the L 4tb, 1848. ts pretensions^ rere a practical g his country, of its natural iug, to enlarge OP A DILIQKNT LIFE. 255 the supply of home-grown food ; }>y permitting them to live in healthful houses, instead of the filthy, hungry, p08tilential holes, into which, in Ardagh village, he, his relatives, and his neighbours have driven them ; he might become an honourt^d patriot, withtjut revolution, without a republic, without repeal, without a riot. What I have describt;d of him and his wretchedly mis-managed property, may be said of every one of his political brotherh(wd who possess property. . . . And now to conclude, let us take a parting glance at tho threatened "British Revolution." The republican constitution which is to be pro- claimed when the revolution is effected, has just been published in the Northern Star. Those who believe in Mr. O'Connor will know how much of that document to believe. My present business is not with it, nor with him in relation to it. In the first place, there is not at present a national desire for political enfranchisment. There is, on the contrary, a general aversion to it among all persons possessed of profwrty ; no matter what the proj>erty may be, a mansion with a demesne around it, or a huxter'« shop with a glass win- dow. No set of men now breathing the April air of 1848, have done so much to retard the enfranchisment of the people, as the Chartist leaders of the last nine years. Their practice has been to excite hatred between classes. Until there is an alliance between classes, there cannot be in Britain an act of universal enfranchisment. And, I fear, that until the Chartists wittulraw their avowed hostility to the existence of private capital, moneyed or landed, and their avowed belief that they can do physical battle against the regularly armud military forces, they are not likely to obtain the sympathy of the people, interested in the preservation of property. 256 SOMEttVILLK'S BOOK CHAPTER XXTV. French Revolutionary Crisis contiDued Ajiproach of the " Tentli of April," in Britoin. Doctor McDownll's discourse at Nottingham on ti>e " iirilish Revo- lution. ' [Extracts from the Aut-^ibiography of a Working iMaii] London, March l^oth, 1848. In these times of c'han, deprived of hor political ingdoms, and !8, hut which lasH of human y i;he concus- ul blown up; ight, freedom illy, hourly uld liave had abiding the because her olution ; nhc at her poai- rev'olntion by niticiph^s of istj present, vould oppose was endan- ilit;iry power luso of Cotn- d Kingdom, there would asoii a niino- lopoly which ouy, believed OF A DILIGENT LIFE. 257 to be the fouudation-stf)ne of her well being. By argument t*hc convinced them that even, for their own personal and elasa interests, they were in error. Other natiojis rew-rt to bloodshed, and overthrow dynastiob for ends of les« importance. .... Britain has had revolutions, and paid dearly for them, in conKo uent wars, standing armies, national debt, penal laws, proscriptions, <'o\(lisca- tions of landod property, creations of new privileged orders to keep down those whose property was confiscated by revolutions, more soldiers, more taxes, more debt, more taxes, and more and more Britairi has yet a grand march ol progress before her. As surely as men were not created to work and perish as the Ijeasts of the field, but were endowed with faculties fitting them for high moral enjoyments, so Burely will the old nations and the new accomplish their destin)'. All men, by the suflTrage of manhood, legislating ; all by virtue of tlu;ir voice in government, obeying) all by their capital, producing, — their capital of strength, capital of skill, capital of enterprise, capital ol" accumulated profits, capital of land, capital of intelligence to cultivate land; all pro- ducing ; none idly consuming ; all enjoying in every nation ; fvcry nation exchanging products of use and offices of friendship, that all ujay the more perfectly enjoy ! such is the future for all mankind [Note of 1859. — Prince Louis Napoleon was in London when this and .similar works of mine were published. The Prince was so courteous as to confess himself my pupil to some extent on reading this and National Wealth Tracts. Also the chapter on Mr. 8mith Brien which follows this.] As surely as men were not created to work, eat, sleep, work again, and perish like the beuv'^ts of the field, but were alt end(»wed with natures "only a little lower than the angels," so surely will they aecompli.sh their destiny. Britain has achieved the fniedom of the person, the freedom of opinion, the freedom of the press, and of discussion. The highest condi- tion of freedom and true sign of civilization is a voluntary and habitual stirrender of .v^m(^ impulse aod right of [)ersonal liberty. Such sign of freedom is emphatically British. Let Britain retain her jdace She will retain it, if she avoid those prodigious calamities to mankind, — wars with national neighbours, and those more t.€rrible calamities, revolutions and internal disorders, in which the young, the vicious, the ignorant, are alike armed with weapons of bloodshed, to menace the men of experience, virtue, and wisdom. Jiritain has her warlike jiolitieians, who cry for revolution by force of arms. Heaven hel]) theiu and her if she had a revolution such as they desire ! iShe h;ts also those who, deprecating bloodshed and revcdution in their own country, — little reuarding the accidents out of which revolu' tions have arisen, or the accidents which may arise from them, — little rfi^" 258 somervillk'b book understanding tho terrible disaster to civilization and the progress of liberty which internal warfare, discord, expatriation of elaswis. confisca- tion of property, threats of new convulsions the paralysis of industrial enterprise, the insecurity of all projwrty and all rights, — little understand- ing how disastrous those, consequences are which have always followed, and must always follow, an internal revolution, — they direct theii faces to France, some of them their steps, and point the political finger, and bid us admire France which has become //•««/ By a provisional governn^ent, r;;sponHible only to the accidental mode- ration or probable excesyes of an armed multitude, France issues decresa which the same or another armed multitude may revoke. Her decrees are pronounced to be " illustrious "; and Britain, in which our revolu- tionists live, and have liberty to do and say what no citizen of France before, after, or in any of her revolutions, ever dared do or say, — Britain, in which they live, is exhorted to follow her " illustrious example." France liberates her colonial slaves. It takes a revolution to do it, and we are told to admire. Britain liberated her colonial slaves by the power of dis(Jussion. France was not permitted to hold public meetings for dis- cussion, until the privilege was obtained (if obtained it be, when only one side is privileged to discuss) by a series oi' accidents ending in street warfare and national convulsion. Britain, in possession of the liberty of meeting aud discussion, is invited to imitate France, and have street warfare and national convulsion. Those who do not quite invite her to the imitation of France, bid us look and admire France in her struggles for freedom. What does she struggle with ? who keeps freedom from her ? She has bad revolution enough to be free, if she knew the practical uses of liberty. She struggles, but it is with herself and her abortions. She is again in convulsions, but they are the throes of another unnatural birth. Liberty is not born of revolution. It comes not in shape of tho demon passions, — i-f distrust, jealousy, violence to private property, nor aggression on personal rights. America, it is true, obtained her inde- pendence by arms but, in her act of independence, she only separated from a goverment already separated from her by ft)ur thousand miles of ocean ; already 8..l..t£< J.*fc.— progress of 58. confiaca- * industrial inderstand- p followed, theii faces finger, and ental inode- ^ues decress Her decrees our revolu- 1 of France —Britain, in )." France , and we are he power of ings for di»- I, when only ing in street he liberty of have street invite her to \er struggles m from her ? ractical uses rtions. She r unnatural shape of the )roperty, nor id her inde- ly Ht'parated and railert of never allied d culture of le comes not 1. death j pad to the poli- and this at e House of f three mett OP A DILIGENT I.TPK. 259 —the last three — capitally convicted of the highest species of political offence in liritain, — treason, and the levying of war against the crown and government. That they wen^ not 9, who ace inpanied him to Woolwich Ar.eenul to see how the arse- nal could be taken, and to leai'u the artillery drill by looking at the gunners on the common for two or three days, has informed me that, at Hirminghmn, that same year, when marching at the head of a baud to make an attack on Hall, wliich, being set on tire, was to bo the signal for all Birmingham toheyin; the leader and the led met a patrol of poliee, sonu'. halfdozen in number, on the road; that tlu; leader, thouL'h he had two loaded })istol.s with him, which he brandished and boasted of, to inspirit his Jbllowcrs, shied at the sight of the police. OP A DILIOENT UVR. 201 sin;^'ii)g, &o, , m to twenty! I y were ful ly . JH wcro not cable l\ouHe-. li' the same^. at ho would : ed, and the rct:t,s of the,, ijueiico, the JO darkness., dcr, Imaded ulvCi mat tors \d althougjh t was gene^; -a Notting- lir ('.X(;c8ses. he niurket- id exciting uc hf)lding the 10th of e Notting- ution, but le face of )ctor head- a British ht^ would evolt, and )iiveiition the arse- ng at the me that, f ri band as to bo d met a 10 leader, shed and e police, ' Hkiried,' fled, and returned to the house in IMoor Street, where the col- league nn(i another delegate were ; that hv came in breathlt-ffl and exhauHt- ed with runninjz ; told, like Kalstatf, what a battle he had bmmi88iou of Inquiry into the Law of Landlord and Tenant in Ireland issued. Pardon me, man and woman of Canada, if I appeal to your sympathy and trespasf* on your patience in this painful chapter. I had an intimate oonneetiou with the oircuniHtanc* indcr which the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Laws and Cu; 'm). ^f Landlord and Tenant in Ireland, was appointed, under tho ^txr\ o." Devon, in 1844. The evidence then collected has been productive of many bene- jfits to Ireland. The Earl of Devon honoured me m*h his correspond- ence on >evon Commission Blue Hooks, Report to both IJouHee of Parliament, Vol. 111., p. 'MiH. I quote a passage; — " Then there was a gentl(»man came ovei to Ireland of the namr of Sonierville. He had heard of my ease and how I was persecuted; ond he hired a car and went otit to Bennet's Bridge, and got up to the place, and saw my mother out in the ruins with an infant in her arms, after she had oorne out from the mother [his wife], striving to niind the mother and to mind the child. They [and his family of other ('hildrenj were in a famishing way; and he saw her and left her [a sum of money was named but is misprinted]. He brought me into Kilkenny and he kept me at. Flude's Hotel, taking down my ease two days antl a night. I told him I was going to Dublin, and lie gave me money and clothes, and then he took me with him to Dublin, and he got my case put in the Momiiig Chronicle in London, and he laid it also before Mr. O'Connell," &e. I gave Ring £54 to redeem pogsession of his land, full £20 of which was my own money, besides what I gave his lamily, T printed and circulated 2,500 copies of a *' Cry from. Ireland," giving every mcmbe'" of both Houses of Parliament one, as already stated. mfidoiKJO of his s, umon^ otlu-T vith but rtli^ht nj; and (if the Tvilhi, arc all ri'jxialcr, nor a ln' Coiiiinisjsiori imd Toiiant in lid in my hund il man, i'atrick Din I obtained 'iLKENNY, , as 1 1« now I am best tVictid on <:nt, (bank (Jod id you next to vsioTi, 4th Oct. both lioiiHCB of 1)1' the naino of jccutod, find he to the place, her tiriiis, after to niind the thor ohildrtMiJ - [a sum of iito Kilkonny wo day« and a If money and le got my case liso before Mr. £20 of which I printed and every uiembe'' Oir A IHLTOENT MrK. 2f.5 Tn relating Homi portion tif thene cawiM, [ do w as a political •'conomii,*. To Catholics I Hay nothin^j h'y,,|i(| what Daniel 0'(^oniu'll »aid for me. To " Youn;i IrclanderM ' 1 say. look at thirt (A^ltie lri«thnian whojii I i».n about to depict, — the lurd of HcniH'f'H iirid^e, who drove the prople of hi8 estatf mad in the yearH ISU, IS12, \H4'.\. In you Wnuld havo been burdened with the duty of reiaininir tliit» notable |Krseeut4ir of bin tenantry , he waH descended frnm your old»st Celtic chiefs. To I'rotca- tant.s I say, you should thank uw for relieving Protestantism from the odium of haviuf,' sucli a man elin^iim *'• *'"" skirts of a church which he dislmntmred. IJe may have been a political, but wiw n contlicrt into wliioh I phm^od at Kilkenny. Sir .lohn Kaftlhopc! mxin tirod of it. ho did the Maiiclicttt^r nuni , but 1 rciuaindid »« long an ^ htul a ^ruinoa U-ft - returned to Engiind and wirnod inort^, and, with recTUit* ^ funds, ruturin-d to the rt'scuc (»f the KilkcMiny trniintry. and yii-ltb'd not k'l any p; after arrival, being in the I'roviiieiul Bank, to get cash for a check, I there heard an altercation between twr» well-drefl.sed men. One called the other " vilhiin," 'Miar," and added profane oaths to the term "liar." The aHHailcd party asked the bank clerks to remark what had been said, and bear witness. He alwo a.«!kod mo, ai^ the only other witness there, to oblige him by carrying the fact in my recollection, that ho "the sheriff of tiie county, her MajcHty'.s oflicer of justice, had been called villain and liar by that person who was fast driving the wholr county of Kilkenny into a state of rebellion," Here wtis what I came from London to discover : there stood the tur- bulent landlord before me. There stood the sheriff of the county, who had at last refused to call out cavalry and infantry to execute this man's vengeance on his tenantry, Pat liingva-s to have been evicted that day. The sheriff urged forbearance on the ground that King's family were ill of fever. The landlord rejoined that it was all prettmce, that a combina- tion was formed against hinx. The sheriff again as8ert(M.l that the family were ill of fever. Then the landlord called him by the approbriuus tcirms already named. The sheriff, to sooun; himself in law, sent two physicians from the city to report on the health of the family. As soon as 1 ascer- tained the direction of the locality T followed. It was my visit of which King spoke in hi.« evidence before the royal conimission : — " Then there was a gentlemen oanie over to Iniland of the name of Somerville, He had heard of my case and how I was persecuted, and he hired a car and . •went out to Bennett's Bridge," &<;. &o. With this introduction, the reader may now peruse the narrative on which Sir Robert Peel act«d in advising Her Majesty to appoint commis- .fdoners to inquire into the whole laws and usages of landlord and tenant T>T A lin.TOV.VT l.TVF* 2G7 in Irfland Tn p:irt.>» the i«ti)/iniil mirrufivf Is nbrldgod, but in im part itf ttii^tliin.j; ndOoU. '\\0 WllH I'aHt Thrco rt* tlir rivers of Irolanil, thv H;irmw, tlic N(ir(j aiifl tli»,' Sulr, after (k'viitjH courses tlmMJuh Viilloys mi^tirpa^Hj'd in iM'iutty ami fertility in any ountry where summnrH are pirf-en ami hurvt^tfts ytilhi'w, unite tAtffcXht'i-. ami form [\\c v;\s\ hivudth of vnxU-y that hwwps iiiajf' Wiifoilni'l H ,i the way the borders of Wexford anJ Kilkenny, we keep to the rit/ht hand river, the liiirniw ; atifeaKionally cunr,r»t>n8, from the aged grandmother to the sucking infant, are sitting bous*»leaa and hopcl.'sw, and yet within half an hour's journey of the spot where they were born, and (»f land a leaae of which was their 269 ROMF.RVIIJ.E a HOOK lefral inheritance ? Why do we iiioet on every mile of road, wnst^ibkr* with earbines, bayonets, and ball cartridge ? Hmv ih it, that, with so much mineral wealth, Kilkenny has no tradinj.^ eommunlcation with thu sea, — neitlier by river, wliieh is navigable halfway between the town and Waterford. nor by canal, nor by railway ? [Xow there in a railway to Watertbrd,] Why in a district so rich above ground and below, occu- pying one ot" tlu' finest jKisitions ever occupied by an iidand town, haii KilkcMiiv no trade "i* Wiiy di> able-bodied men assemble each morning; by sunrise from the country many miles round, in the market place, to the nund:>er of hundreds, and go home again unemployed and penniless and hungry, though willing and eager to work at sixpence a-day V AVhy do the '-trccts resound with the iioofs of cavalry and mounted police? tlie barracks with the ceaseless din of drilling and of mounting guards? Whyari' town houses fortitied for troops that tlie barracks cannot eontain, and the liarracks loopholed for defence, and provided with ammunition and stores as if for a siege ';* T.et s(une rectnt o<;eurrences of agrarian ' outrage '' reply. Patrick King of Bennet's Bridge held three small field*, alK)ut eighteen acres. lie had a lease of thirty -one years and liis own lii'e, lie suc- ceeded his father in the occupancy of the farm, who had been on the estate many years. Ring's mother, an aged vvoman, bordering on eighty^ waa born ori the farm so long held by licr husband and .-^on. Thu^ there was a , trong attachment to the plan;. Previous to the accession of the present landlord, in 183i)-40, they had been on the best of terms with those to whom they paid their rent ; and having the land ?.i a moderate rate, tliey had never fallen into arrears. But the ejection of Patrick lling and many more was resolved upon. As he owed no rent, and no possible reason for getting rid (4' him ai* a tenant could be assigu(>d, nor was ever oflfered until long after proceed- ings had begun, a bold stroke was re»jtusito, ami was struck. The lease specified a certain day in ^lay and in November as that on ivluch the half-yearly rent became due. Those days had been strictly adhered tt), and ne one knew thi>betti^r than the landlord. But in 1841 he obtained a warrant of distraint, and seized on King on the 20111 of Mareh for rent alleged to be due on the ^atli. It might have b(^en a hard enough ini.H- fortune to be distrained on the day (()ll(iwing that of tlie rent lieing due in any ca,se, esjiecially in sjiring when the cattle and implements oi' labour, as also the seed-corn and polatnes. the article., ilistraincd, were reonired lor the duties of seed time. But when such a iisiraint ;qn was made on such articles so indispensable in their uses even for a day, to say nothing of wenks, and no rent nor debt of any kind owiug, the ca*H! was pecvdiarly a hard one. ,1, wn.st^Mt»!« hat, with *» ion with thi? be town and a r:iUwav to below, occu- (1 town, has loli morning ket place, to ml pcnnil(WH -day? AVhy :Ucleiuents of ained, were i-iiraint was 'lay, toHuy \.\, tho cartc' OF A. DILIGENT MPE. 269 Elng entered ii replevin with the sheriff, that is, gave set'urity that l;o •would pay the rent, if rent were due, aa .soon as a trial at (juarter-.-eHsion.s or TiHsIieti euuld be had. that he nii;_'hf in tlie meantime gel the u.m- of the property npon which the dlh.traint ^us . but the tenant looked on the verdict as chietly important in setting, as he thought, the validity of his lease 'Uid tbe perind of his rent-days at rest. That the damages Were too moderate as regarded the landlord was manifest frmn the fact, that he again distrained in Mar<'h for rent not due uiitil May. }le now, it being seed-time, took a more effectual way of crippling the tenant tban before. Tie seized ou the farm iu'o}>erty, of which the duug- hill was in bi.s eyes tlie most important H(^ had it, without legal sale, *.'arried to his own farm-yard, even to the rakings and swec'pings of the road and the yard near which it lay. This he did that Jling miglithave 110 manure for his potato ground, knowing tliat the crop of such land would not ea.^ily afford the r(!nt ; and that, when no rent was forth- (Coming, an ejecttnent would foUow. Other things, a plough and a horse and some furniture, wei*e sold, and lljng was once more involved in liti- gation. Tliese were bought in with his own money, save the dung-h<'ap, whieh the landlord uoidd not lii^e hiui a chance of bnviui' in , and thus Ring was oV\liged to jiay his rent l)ef(U'e it was due, with all the exponsi.'S of a distnunt and sale. — the mos.t <'xpensively conducted (;f any distraints and sales under the RritL'^h cro.vn. He thought to recover damages, but lie WiUH not able to pay his rent iu addition to all tjiis when it became due It would be too tediou.s to give a detailed ncx'.ount of every lawsuit that now followed ; but front that time, suntmer of 1S42, up to the sum- mer jussizes of 1S4'}, the landlord proeeedisd in the courts for a warrant of ejectment against King tiiiie Times. On the first eight cases he was defeat«'d,, but succee tliaii sufficient to pay the rent, even thoi^^h the manure was carried away in the spring by the landlord ; but those seven different eales, with a number of men receiving at eueh of tlie seven s*eizureh 2.S. 4d. a day a> k.eeper;< to wateh the erop from the day 'if dl'^fraint to the day of sale, — those seven seizures on a <;rop which might liave been all seized and sold at one time, with only one set of exj>ense.s, — resulted, as they were intended to do, in nearly ds fnuliy were standing uneujployed ; and to such work p district be Sd. or lOd a day I even though the tenant, who is thus not allowed to give his own labour to his own favni, may, to avoid starvation, be compelled to work for another employer at tile fourth part, to wit, 7|d. a day, of what the law obliges him tc pay for workmen on his own farm. It may be some proof of the exertions made by the tenant to pay I'is way, whcT» I state, that, uotwithstamiing all the extraordinary expenses of the seizures, and of the protracted and cxnuplicnited litigation, the rent was paid by the autumn of 1S42. There was nothing t>wing by King save a sum of £1 and odds, connected with the expeases of a sum mons whicli had been decided against him on some technical point ot' law.. For tlic recovery of this €1, a decree was obtained against King, and orders giv(!n by the landlord to arrest and put him In gaol. This. Ring endeavoured to avoid by keeping out of the reach of tlio officers, which he did successfully a month and some odd days. The reason why he was averse to go to gaol, and wliy the landlord desire*^ to have hin) lodged there, is wiirth relating at length, as it is characteristic of w^-tain cu.stoms in Irchmd altogether unknown on the British side of the Channel. It is a rare thing to find a landlord in Ireland building houses or farm-offiot;s lor a tenant ; the tenant builds them him.seif. Hence so many moan houses exist in that rH;)untry ; and hence also the desperate tenacity with which the Irish peasant or farmer hfjlds to his house when an ejectment comes upon him. If his lease has exj .., (>i, if he is to bo ejected for the nonfulfilnxMit of some condition ol' his lease, ho must lea\c the house and barn and stable which he built, the doors aud gates or A DILIOKNT LIFE. 271 iveiity safes hj the furniture tfumes Cojne, nti times. It ;li the niamire seven different levon seizures L^traint to tlie have b«en ail — rtsulted, as Vfdivover. tlie \>h whom the 'ere standing anv wages he even though 1 though tho lis own (avnj, • employer at iligept him tc nant lu pay xtraordinary ed litigation, ing tmiiig by les oi' a sum Cell point of ainst Ring, ;aol„ This, tho oflScers, reason why o have hint c of certain he(Jhjjiuiol, houses or Ilenoc iSo e do.sporato i(:»u.sc when ' iie if< to be e, he nuiHfc • uud gates h« erected, without r»!reiving anything for tl)em. To live in a honsw! whioh ve hfive ourw Ives hiult, or winch our father or Lrrandfathor built at no expetise to a landlord, is to live in a house which wo. are naturally inclined to coi xider our own, though in law it may not be ours, It is thus we see m many houses in nM^ry part of Ireland in ruiuf- ; that we see in the eounty of Kilkenny the walls of stone and lime, substantial and undecayed, but roofless and marked with violence, because the land- lords, not having built the houses, nor havinn the I'statc where the unfortunate Pat Ring held his farm ; and Kim! had seen that the liudlord did not always wait for an ejectment of the tenant before he pulled down the house. In one caso, that of a tenant, named Bushe, the landlord resolved on ejectment; but Bushe owing no rent, he cotdd only proco(;d as he had done against Ring, or by some other process ol' a like kind. He took a shorter one. Bushe had paid his rent in order to keep the house j»bove his head, — a good dwelling it had been, to judge from the size and wtnth of the substantial walls, which, in part, were still standing when 1 was there, — but he had not paid every man in tlie county to whoui he was indebted. He owed one person, residing at a di.stance, money, more, as it soon appeared, than he could pay at once. This man the landlord found, through some of his agents appointed for such purposes, and purchased from him liie debt whidi Bushe owed. The account being legally con- veyed, the landlord proceeded against the debtor, threw him into prison. and, as soon as he had him there, took the roof off" bis house, turning out his wife and six young children upon the open highwa). There they remained without shelter and without food until people in the adjoining Village assisted them. The f ther was in prison, and could neither resist the .spoliation of the liousse which ho himself liad built, nor do anything, by work or otherwise, for his family's subsistence In every respect, the proceding was illegal on the part of the landKtrd , but, though lawyers urged Bushe to prosecute, and assured him of ultimate suect^ss, he was too far gone to li-iten to them. He was heart-broken. He had no confidence in law: he had .seen tlie landlord set law at defianc, and the ruin of his roofless house—every piece of timber from which, and every handful of thatvas heart broken, and, ratJuT tlian stay auion? jioople who had known liiin happy in mind and oonil'ortabU! in <;irc!uni>*t;ttK'C'.s, ho chose to loavo the country, and be a bt'i.'tj^ar, now tliai he wa8 ('(mifM;ll«;d to be one, where he was not known. A K sh M'nsitivc; man than he, niii^ht have done diftt reiitly. There have beeu eases in Ireland, many, and in that county, fven in tliat district of the eonnty, where fathers of families tr<'ated in that manner have taken the law of ven- geance into thoir e«^n hands and have afforded the uewspaixTH ajid the police Hve-^iiidCnj the ni;iterials for publi.shinij; to the world paraf.T.iphs and advertisements of offered rewards, headed '' Friirhtful state of Kilkenny ! ' Such paragraplis are by no means rare ; and people in En;,,dand believe that Tipperary and Kilkenny are filled with ciiniinals who take a savage delight in a.'^saulting landlords and land-agents witliont provoeatKMi. Others, who do not believe that every assault is sn entirely ' w/jprnvoked." haw ail opinion that the Irish do not allow the oppressor to escape with impunity ; but the ciwe of Bushe is one of tlie nkany. of the vast majority of such cases, that prove the contrary. We hear of those tenants, who, feeling or fancying a grievous wrong, avetige themselves and their starving families; but we do not hear < if the many— the far greater number — who submit to die in the ditches and hiirhways (|uietly . or who, like the spirits-stricken Bushe, wander away with thool, Marichestcc London, or Glasgow. Now, it was the knowledge which Ilina ,'•. d -f such cases of house- demolition by order of bindlords when a t^n i, vas out of the way, — lodged safely in prison, — that made him fearful of the oflicers, who had a decree on which to arrest him for the nonpayment of costs of £1, due to tlie landlord by one of the many eaSv\s then pending, having been decidiMl in tln.^ landlord's favour. The amount was not great ; but the frequent sciizures, with cvsts of lawsuits and rent, had reduced him to less then his last penny. He had {>otatoes. a part of tlie feeble crop grown on the laud which in the spring had been defrauded olits nianurCj and, though tb' re wer«! less of them in his pos-vossion than would keep V's family over winter, even without feeding a pig. he niight have sold f^i.r.i.^ to pay this bill of co.-ts rather than go to gaol, where he could do notiiing eithei /or his family or his farm. But^ though the potatoes were dist'ained upon, the oi>jc( ' of the landlord was not so much the .payment of the smi'll debt of costs as the coufinemeui of the tenant in OF A DILIOEXT LrFH. 273 l»e: ho ".>uid fi" than stay nlortahU; in now dial he 'Hsitivt; maij s in Irtilaiul, nniy, where law f»t' VC;U- wrs and the I parafi-i'-iphs fill state of land IxilJeve tke a savage j>rovooatkMi. /voked." )]• to ehcapii of the vasi ur of those themselves ny~ th*^ far lys ([uletly . ir wretohe'l 'lariehestcr of hnuse- rhe way, — who had a i.f £l> due iiviMj:' })oen Lrea! , l)ut Idui'od him [eeble erop ,s manure, •(Mild keep have sold Id could do le p'ltatoes (lUK'h the tenant in For more than ft month >{in;i avoided the ofiiwrs hy cro^nin^r a^'iIIs and ditx'hcH nnd tiflds whf. iievei ht jrot notiee of their aftproui'li lie (slept in the fields as well, and in the shelt^^r of limekilns and ruined hous was neither food nor drink in the house ; and shut uj-in it were father, mother, and five young children. Next day the children cried for fond ivud for drink, but got none. Neighbours an.i relatives of Hint: would have ^^lupplied them ; but were sleridy told, that, if they attempted to do so, they woubl not only be prevented, but that the landlord would cause them to regret it. A^ain and again, through night and through day, did llie cry for water come from that famishing faniil3\ The mother had a bUcking infant, and, in her atUHn])t to save all her children from .•starvation by admitting them f<» the privileiit of infancy, sh(> but augmented tlieir di.stre*,- and her own. She saw hei infant famishing : for, wIkmi -(he would have divided her own milk, there was none to divide 8he was herself starving, and U^ her infant phe was without nourislnnent. It was the thi'-d day, and hunger and thirst in the b«'usc were so manifest to the bailiffs outside, by the pitiful cries of tin .•hildren, and the wailings of the mother, — who begged for water from their own well, and for potatoes frnm their own stor<',— that hopes were entertained of a speedy surrender. Report^ of the symptoms of extremity were conveyed at intervals to the landlord, who, as he heard of the incri'asing cries for water and food, gave orders afresh to the bailiffs to presi vere, to keep watch and prevent all supplies from getting in ; being assured, that, as the pangs of hunger and thirst became more poignant, the sooner would the beleagured family capitulate. Mrs, Dormer, si,ster of Ring, went many times to the beleagured }iouse to offer relief, but was not permitt+'d to aj'proach i' with anything in her hand. 8he was allowed to approach the window wlien she carried 274 soi'Jirvit.le's book notl)lng, that «lje might hear the sufi'criugs within, and urge hor brother to Hurretidcr. 8ho listened to the sickly v dings of the mother and chihlren, and at last, on tlieto'irth day, heard he horrible fuel from the luother, that the children, maddened by thirst, had drank their own urine. Then whe seized a disli which laj in tin.' yard, and, hlling it tjuickly from a pool of stagnant water, broke tin: window before she could be prevented by the oificers, andL'a\c the unwholesome water to the family, which they drank greedily. Perhaps she would liave now done more, but was compelled by the officers to desist. The landlord was informed, and he promised that she would live U) repent it. The crop of J)ornier rotting in the field in November, and y)otatiies pwr and meagre for the want of manure, because !m; vfsui not allowed a road to Ins field, (of which more anon,) told whether the landlord forgut hi.i prumises. [Note, 1855*. — This po<.»r woman was In Manchester in 1850, and nursed my wife at V ine Cottiige, Cheot- wood, when she gave birth to our fourth child, Alexander] The sufferings of the family and of himself now worked on the father until he could hold out no longer. He opened the door, a pitchfork iu hi."^ hand. He showed it to the bailiffs. He bade them keep off; said he would not Ujuch iheui if they did not (oueli him ; but that the hunger of himself and family had made him desperate. — tliat he had potatoes in his store in the iield, and potatoes he would have. Lt;t them prevent him at tlieir peril. They did not prevent him. They waited until they saw him take the potatoes, and then informed the landlord. On that instant a criminal warrant wa-< sent for from Kilkenny. It arrived ; so did also a party of soldiers and armed constabulury who occupy the bairaek built b) the landlord on theestatii. The door was forced, and I'at Uin^ was taken to gaol on a charge of robbery accompaiiietl with threats of vi«dence. Ho had stolen his own potataes, they being under distraint, and he was ia due course of time tried at Kilkenny for the felony. The jury refuned t<) convict for a crime committed under such circumstanoes, and he was ac(juitted. The la'idiovd by this time (winter of 1842 and spring of 1843) was in a labyr/nih of niigution with his tenants; and it wouli' «eem, that, impatient of the law, I,, took another cour>e. One tenant, the widow Powling, owed 30s. und Ts. lid. costs. He had a decree against her, and she. to avf)id beiiig t»iken tt) prison, sliut herself up in her hutise. The landlord sent four bailtfs to take her, with (U'ders not to wa-^^t*- time im they had done vvith I'at Ring, but carry her off at once They accordrtgly forced her door, and took her. For this they were pr»seout.B4 aud found guilty. Omi of tbeoi wa« seateaced to four mv>uths' iuipriS'M^ OF A DILIQKNT LIFE. 275 yts her brother iil«]ren, unJ at i>ther, that, the e. Then she {'runi a pool of ivcnted by the tth th(^y drank waH compelled I proinist'd that in th(; fiold m anure, IttKavlse ,) told whotlier s poc'f woiuau Jottiij^e, Cheot- •J I on the father a pitchfork, in jopoft"; said ho t the huno;er of potatoes in his n prevent him V him tako the !int a crimmal aLsc a party k built by the , was taken to I violence. He land he wu» ia jury refuHed 5. and he was lof 1843) was [li' «oem, that, iiit, th..' widow le agaiusit her, in her htmse. |l,o wa.«te time .iKt They Ire fjr isrcutt;^ Ihs iiupri8«.»a- ment, the others to Ihrt.. months. Tbi- landlord, however, by whoso orders tlioy brokn(\ threw tinvse t«'n;uits into ^aol, every one, with whom ho had bei:; iiivolved in litiii;ation. (.Consequently, before they could prosecute for damages, or befort- tlu>y I'ould bt; witnesses in other eases, they had themselvt>s tn Ik- tried for atte'inpted murder ! [Thus arose the frightfuJ calender which 8ir John .Kadthope spoke of when .sending tne to Kilkenny.] Patrick Ring was one of those irr^-.ted , and though hundreds of people, some of them gentlemru of rnnk and property, knew that he liad been in the Catholic chapel for an hour beft>re and an hour after the tiuic the shot was alleged to have l)eeu fired, and that at the distance of two mile^j yit ho was kept in prison, in Sjlitory eonfinenuMit, not allowed to ^e any friend, not evra a lawy(;r, for several weeks lie was not even cxaminatiil before a magistrate. This last tact iu th." administration of the law is. 1 believe, pculiar to Ireland. In E^ngland we bring accused and accuser fat;e to face before a magistrate at the carliebt (opportunity. But iu this ease the landlord (and I am told such a thing is quite com- luon in uk such cases) put Ring in prison, kept him three weeks in close coHfiuciueiit, apart tiven from a legal adviser, and then allowed him to go out withnut taking him before a magistrate, oi offering any evideuoe against him. We may easily eoneeivr cireumsianees whieli wnuld warrant the land lord to suspect this man. to have him taken, and which might ultimately turn out to be too weak as evidence. Had the landlor*' mereh put Ring in prison, .md let him out after finding, ihroi gh a j>eriod «f three weeks, that he (;ould get no evidence tigainst h-m, there wouid be little to ctiuiplam of. s;ive that the law does not compel the magistratea to bring the accused np for examination or that the prison authoritio.s sliould not let the piisoncr see a higal adviser . but the landlord did much more. While llin- was in gaol, he sent men and made a wreck of his housi and farm , took the roof, that)' th<' tenant a frw yenr8 b(.dV»rc at considerable exponso. The lionses were also built b^' him. The thatch and tind>er of the roof, carried away by the limdloidj were l*at Kind's own propt'rty. All was takfsn awav. and the. place wretskinl without any warrant whatev^-r for sodoinr being iniprisctned three weeks, apart from '-very fnend and adviser, wa.s liberated, and went joyfully home ; but when he we.nt there, liis hou.se wa.s a ruin. Tliin and th-' former imprisonment, and th« eontinual expenses of defending him.seH at law, operated to prevent the proper eultivati(>n of his land this year, 1843, — only one field, al)ont one third f)f the tarm, being ploughed and sown ; and that was done by the assistance, of his neigh- bours. On the day that the neighbours came to h(ilp in this work, the landlord, on horseback, hovered about the outskirts of the fiehl to di.stsover who they were that thus dan-d to brave his power in helping a tenant with wliom he was at war Several weio people from other estate's, but three werf^ tenants of liis own. He has not fiuled to let the unhappy throe feel that they did not consult their own interests in doing what tlusy When oiie third only of the farm was under a crop this year, and the seed for tli.it crop was only obtained by a loan of Ct from the solicitor in Kilkenny who had conducted Pat Ring's cases. — the solicitor having no hope of repayment until some of the actions against the landlord in which King was plaintiff might be decided in phiintiff's favour, and the damages recovered, --it i.s little wonder that the rent was not jiaid. That damages W()uld be recovered there was then no doubt; but the law, while tt fulls with the force and rapidity ot a stone from a precipice against a poor luan, moves like a snail up the fiout of the same jtrecipiee when a rich man is to be puri*ued. He can avoid the damages for years, during which time, in Ireland, it is no raatt^er of surprise if the pursuer be trans- portx^d or banged at the instance of persons not beyond the landlord's influence. Damages were never recovered. The narrative i>f Patrick Piing has now reached the month ofduly 1841}. At that time he was once more in prison for non payment of costs incurred in defending himself against the landlord. These were paid^ and a new decree for other costs was got against hiia. 's own preni- lod down the roro iron, and r;d»lc (.^xpoiisc, •r of the roof, rty. All was wlifitovor for iliich, l>y the bolon}:injij to iny authority iicli tilt' law IP iirt from ''very , but wlien he d oxjK'nst'H '^f Itivation of his he farm, hoing 1 of his neigh- this work, the ield to disi;over l|»ing a tenant K'r estates, but unhappy three what they yeai , and the w solieitor in tor hnving no landlord in ivour. and the t paid. That the law, while lice against a ecipiee when a years, a.sily tried, and in whieha jur\ could not have he-sitated to award ample damages. 'J'(» ild.^, at the Huintner assizor, the landlord, through his law agents, pleacU-d that he was nol ready to go to trial ; eonse(|iiently it was put ofl" until next asaizes, to wit, 1844. II, therefore, King could ha\e been ejected in ,luly, or early in August. IM'.i, tlie nix monihs in which he could redeem possession of his land would have expired bef> re tho trial of the; case post, puncd to .March K"out eleven in the forenoon. Tlie landlord demanded to know why the tln.'riff did not execute the ejectment. The sheriff replied, he would not do .so while the faniily were in the fever, Tla^ land lord assorted it to be all a pretence ; and added, with oaths, that the sheritf was in ciillusion with the tenantry, and would not do bis duty because he wanted to thwart him, the landlord. The .-sheriff thereupon called the clerks of the bank, ami myself, to witness the slander, as I have already told. It has already been stated, that the crop of the and other if.xjicn.'-os made it fully I'HtU. My wife y;avc thrui inont^y and bed <'loflu s. in placd of such artieK;s taken under distraint, the amount of whioh I never know WilliMni Jlinfr, a leu.xeh'ildinf; tenant on the estate, was uneh^ to Patrick Rinpr. He wns a man of substance, not known tn owe any man a HixiH'nee unrea.sonably He had a lime-kiln on his farm. Oti one oeeasion the landlord had liine from him to the aninuiit of £!j. William Hiii^ sent in hi« aecouni ; but the landlord. thrfiULili hiw steward, t;iunted him with having,' assi'! it remain tu Ix' deducted from rent, some one will say. That would not do in Irelatul; at least with a lantllord such as his, who hesitated not to distrain on tenant* who owed nothing. He knew that an immeiliate seizure would be !nade on the day the rent was due if the sura of £9 was deducted from it, bceause it had become common on this ostato to distrain on the day following term-day. Seiz- nrcsi in some eases had been made at one o'clock for rent due at twelve; and in one cas4\ that of IVfattliew Dormer, brother-in-law of Patrick Ring, a distraint was made at ten o'clock of tho rent-day • therefore William Ring did not let his claim for the price of his lime stand over to bc deducted from the rent. He sunnnoned the landlord, and in due course got a decree against him. The landlord had to pay ; but on the same day he got a party of the armed constabulary, who are located on the estat*^" for the purpose of prot/!;!ting liirn in carrying on the war, and with them and a carftenter and his stewani he proceed(;d to William Ring's farm. The farm-house and haggard (gtirdeu, kc.) were sheltered and ornamented by trees planted by the tt^iaut and his forefothers, which were highly prized by the family In law they were the property of the landlord. The carpenter, the steward, and the police cut them down, and carried them tx) the landlord's residence. Mathew Dormer, whose wife, Patrick Ring's sister, relieved the family when besieged and famishing, is a lease-holding t^enant^ but hold« only a small field of about three acres. The other farms are from twenty to serenty acres. Dormer does not depend «.in his land farther than for potatoes to his family and for keep to hiB horse, with which and a cart li.l f..r Hin^;; [ wan out of .JLIOO. M>' rtioUiS tukon 'If to Pntrick 1111 u >oriiier had to puMM were wrvrd witli notice that if tli», y lUowi'd liim inLrn'-J."< with a cart or horse they would be prosf'nit(' cany it^ of which he had abun- dance, to his land. ITe was told hy the lawyers that he ' ad a good ease, and would be sure to gain a fuit at law ; l>nt while that is pending, the potato season has passi'd ovr with almoi^t no crop, and winter has come without a jMitato for bis family. Worst '>f yll, bis barley, which occupied, 1 think, about two thi:ils of his ground, (I saw it when nearly ripe in August,) and from which lie liopeij to p.iy hi.-< njnt and get pniveiider for his horse, was still in the field rotting at the middle ol' November. Thus Mathew n()nner will be unable to pay his November rent, and a process of ejeetment will of course; issue and take etfect. On the Ifilh of Novemher, Dormer made a gap in a stiMie wall to get out his barley. Vor making this gap, tl.ree actions were brought against him by the landlord, and two by persdiis whom the landlord put forward as prosecutors, At the )>etty sessions of the 18th November, at Kilkenny, out of ten eases whi«!h occupied the attention of the court, seven were cases in which this lavidlord was concerned ; of these, five were instituted by him agains*^ Dormer. One, for malicious trespass, was thus reported : — - The steward ot (he bmdli'rd called. " Deposed that he .saw the defendant levelling a wall, the property of the plaintiff; lie was making a gap in it." Oross-examincd : " The defendant said he would not be jirevented till the law prevented him, and that he must get a pas.sage ; 'ind (hat if he got a passage, he would hulft up the gap at his own (xpcnsc. There was no oth(ir pa.ssag(! to his field than that. There was formerly a passage to the farm through a field of another tenant; but Dormer was since prevented." The attorney for the defence then addressed the bench ; staUnl that Matthew Dormer owtnl notliing to the landlnrd, ami had a legal right to a road to his farm. He had followed the way whieh had been formerly used, namely, through another tenant's ground j but, at the instance of the landlord, that tenant had been compelled to prosecute, and Dormer had been fined for trespass by this bench. Ele then attempted to make this gap and have a passage, as complained of to-day, through a field in the oooupation of his landlord, who was bound to give him a passage to that farm, the rent of which Dormer would be compelled to pay as soon .^^v^ vv^, ^.1^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^.*^. ^pp 1.0 I.I 11.25 ItiMW |2.5 S us. 12.0 1.4 |i4 p> "7; '^ ■> Hiotographic Sciences Corporation ormer had no right to brnak tho wall or oonimit the trespass. It ct-rtaiiily was not malieiou.s, and if Mr. Quin (the defendant's alt^irneyj insisted on it, the bench mu.st dismisa the summons ; but another summons might be brought lor common lrespa.ss, and the ease would have to l>e heard tk novo. Why did not Dormer bring his action?" The Attorney : " And so he will." " The magistrate, after some farther disctission, agreed to dismiss the complaint, Mr. Quin undertaking to prove, should another summons be brought for common traspass, that Dormer had a right to break the gap." The point, of all others, whitli the liritish public should look at here, is the 4ue8tion of the magistrate, " Why docs not Dormer bring his action?" 'J'he magistrate knows well that in tliis case Dormer would succeed in an action against the landlord , that is to say. if the jury should not be entirely a landlord's jury. Hut the action cannot be tried before next spring or summer assizes; and the landlord nniy, as he has done in similar cases already, make affidavit that he is not ready to go to trial even then. And if this be overruled, and the case proceeded with and decided against him, he may api:)eal to a higher court. JNleautime, Dormer is rained. ' Why does not Dormer bring his action ? " The magistrate wl-.o has finea hiui for going to his land without having first brought his action, wliich wr>idd occupy probably one or two years, asks this question on the 18th of November, knowing that Dormer's crop of barley i.-i still rotting on the field, or had been so as late as the 15th, three day.s before I No doubt the magistrate administers the law as it stands ; but it is the law as it stands of which such men as Dormer complain. The object of the landlord is to render the payment of rent iuip«.»ssible, and a consetjuent ejectment, a higher rent, and a fine or premium for a new i»'a.se, certain. This is the policy by which a leasholder is overcome in Ireland. The next case was brought by a man employed by the landlord, who had st^uid by when Dormer made the gap, putting himself into every possible .situation where a stone was likely to fall on his toes ! tliat a caae of assault might be got up at the same time as malicious trespass. This summons was dismissed, on the ground that the mau was not hurt, and that he pu*. hi.nself in the way of the stones, were it true that mum did toU4;h him. The attorney : " On your solemn oath, did Mr. — (the landlord) say he would give you anything in the world if you would transport Dormer '( ' man do ? Hin li«d, " It was a ^lit to bn;ak tho ious, and ii Mr. ;b must diHutina ;ht for common Why did not ;d to dismi^d the her Hummonii be > breuk the gap." aid look at liuro, ornier bring his lAirmer would say. if the jury II cannot be tried d may, as he has ot ready to go to e proceeded with urt. Meantime, action?" The hout having first • two years, asks Dormer's crop of ts the 15th, three liiw as it stands ; former complain. rent iuipossible, [}T premium tor a older is overcome he landlord, who lUisell" into every toes ! that a case s trespa.ss. This ,as nut hurt, and -ue that some did the landlord) say risport Dormer ? ' f>F A i)ll,I(^E^fT LIF*, 281 *' The witness." says the Kilk-rnvy .fonrn»il • was silent amidst the stin- satiun of the court ; and the (|uestiun wis ajiain and a^'ain rejKjntcd, and he wah still silent. At length he nmlter«d an ev;i.sive answer." Dormer was then, had Ix'eii, and i.s now (in Manchester) a man of irreprottcrhable character. The phrase, "^^ 1 II tnui.sjxirt you," or, ''I'll hang yim," is a common throat in tho.so dispute* about Irifh laud, and there is too much reiison to K'lieve thuttln; threat."^ are Hometimes carried out. But into R consideration of ttmse phases of law and nionds it is not neces-sary t'O enter now, Anotiier ])huntitl' .igainst DonutT wa.-< the tenant of the land on which the gap in the wall was made. The ;;ap wu> made on the ITdh; a lease signed on the Ukh was put in as evidence of plaintiff s tenantry awd right to pmscoute, and Dormer wa.>' lined a shilling and costs. Next came plaints against him to ntover costs. These costs are worthy of special notice. While iIh; Wiiges of a working man in the district i-i Sd a day, with many not dbh to get employmtnt even at that, the expense of doing work for which the law ;Ulows payment is fully as high, in some casti* much higher, tliun similar work in Kngland. The expense of 'tnildiag up tlie g;ip which Dormer made (not being allowed to build Id /iimsolf) '.vas 10.s. It was only a drj/ stone wall, bt'tween three and four feet higli. Xow, suppwiijg the gaj) wide enough to admit a cart, any Jabourin:.r man might have rebuilt it in three hours. In the matter of seizures the charges are similar. lu Knglaml, a broker who di.sLrains can put only one man in p.ls^e^nion, and charge tiir him 29, Od. a day. In Ireland, a land-owner puts any number of men htxdioosee in possession, and cbargi's for them from 2s. to 2s, Gd. a day. The landlord now sjwken of, has. as law-pajx •.•s proved wIk-u I insjxsjted them, seized on a man's potatoes who wa.s v/orking for 8d. u day, the current wages, and }>ut two men on a.s 'keejHirs' for a week, and charged for tl.'cm (the law aiiows liirn to do s<() 2.s 4(L a day eiu'ih, Tho foUowing extract ol" » letter from I'atriek lling, who wrote the facts to nie in Oett»bor, IS-W, exemplities thi.>» point: — " I got my crop valued by two farmers, and they valued it at £.'J0. He [the landlord] then takes iuid j>uts three keepers on it to nm up expenses, and canted it [sold it] for £17 lOs., and out of that keepers' fetis and expenses vhmv £G lOs,"' It may also be stat«)d, that a landlord in Irelaiid can call on any one of his sejrvants or lal/ourejra to act as auctioneer. If be want to, buy a bargain bimseJf, or to ruin the tenant to have him ejeoted, he givijs this dome.stie aucitiotieer orders to knock an article down at a price far bclow its value. Let me now write of John Ilyan, contractor for the repair of the : ■■ . ^ ^■-,-.-. ^:^,._^^^.==..^^.i...^,^.^-.^..>.^ --.^ ..^.J,.^!... 282 dOMKRVILLE 8 nOOJC county reads l)»'iwoi'n Kilkenny and Thonia{»tnwn. He was a fonant nn the Bonnet's Bridt'e estate*, occupying the farm of HuUyeoiMin. containing Kixly-five Irish acifw. Kyan was a man of subi'li'nce, and luid boilt a lioinerttead entirely at his own cost, truHtini? to the validity of his Icasfv Till- h(iu.s(!c) hrid;zo, he tUtvrniined U) " bre^ik Ilyan out of the land. ' ProhaMy be reekor)ed tn* a premium, a.^ well as on au!j;'nent«d rent, in re-li'tinj; ilyan's land. Tlw; landlonl brouf;' * an action af'-ainbt Ilyan tor an unreal debt, n.^injj; the tmnie of an unreal creditor. The fH-rson named knowini: nothini; of the matter, and rejmdlatin^ the action, the landlord, throu^rh his attorney, pnimiHed to ■withdraw the plaint, lint he went on, ^^43; to attend which I went from London, to watch the eases tried with a view td "' (chained), and lodged in a criminal's cell ; no friend allowed to .see him for three months. There ht remained until placed in the dock for trial. I wa-^ present. Not a tittle of evidence wah adducred, and the jury at once iR'qu tted him. ' What an atrocity ! to have impri.soned the j)oor man for three months in the ab.sence of any evidence of guilt I" Thus I. a stranger to Irish landlordism, spoke to Ryan's attorney. " Come to the Civil Court to-morrow," he replied, " and you will learn why this criminal charge was brought against my client." I went and listened to the trial of " Ryan ■* ry-^mt 9h ■ '»*i 'w^mtmi^tmt >» «irWMl l i . U' « W i r i ~> ,f^ ■ J *i ri .«al( ytf jj.,^ " .i«g% Jk* , afl a f«'nant on 'lin. containing >d hu«l bailt a fy of liiH Icniw*. ror<'iiiblin to the higher court ; in hoix-s that the t4!nant might not have means to follow, or that njeanwhilu new incidents might send Ryan agiiin to gaol on a (Timmal charge. What hapfM'ncd ? This happened. These trials iK^curred in July. The appt^al could not bo heard in Dublin until .sometime in Novendwr. The half year's gale of rent fell due in SeptembiT. Ryan could not nuiot it; and the result was as told mc in a letter fnnii another tenant : " x\t the hour the rent was due he canted [.sold by di.^traint] .Folin Kyan to the potatoes, and di«l not leave his family one bit that would eat." At the criminal trial, it was proved by the ('rown prosecutor, (a« a rea.son why Ryan might have animosity and motive for killing his landh>rd,) that the^ latter had declared, — I ve malice against the accu.sed tenant, on the ground that he, the landlord, had thus threatened the tenant I Yet such wa.s the effrontery of that Irish landlord. But wliat wsis the meaning of putting " fifteen keepers on him ?" What arc " keejters ?" In England, if a distraint be madi; on a tiMiant's property, the offners can only charge for one man left in {xtssession, 2s (id. per day. In Ireland the charge is 'Js. 4d. for each of any number of men (generally two. three, or four) which may be placed as '• kceix^rs" of the property. The lord of Bennett's Bridge tixed on Ji/teen an a number whose ex|K'nsos of 2s. 4d. a day for many weeks or months together, while watching Ryan's corn ami growing p(jt a toes, would imiterially aid in "' break- ing hitn out of the land.' And he was broken out of the land ; and with hia family went out of the land. "' without a bit of potato that would eat," as Pat Ring said, and without consolation or hope. I heard they reached America. I had many letters from Ryan and his friends urging me 284 somerville's book to do for him in London what I had done for Pat Ring and hit) relatives ; but my own limited means, and the number of my friendH whom 1 could move to brccchcs-jiockot «yii»pathy being few indetid, I could not save him from eviction, an I had for a time saved King and otherB. Perhaps this may meet Ryan's eye if he be still alive and in America. If wj, he will confirm this narrative. The niirralive, however, is inooinpleie .mil I relate what befel Mr. James Coyne in conseiiueuee of the evidence be gave in Ryan's behalf. Mr. Coyne was a farmer and miller, and, for tlie first ihri>c years of those atrocities, acted w land-ai, lie will )leie .mil I [jnct; lie gave ihri>e years ration. At igcnoy. IIo disavowal of He wa« diri- L farm under had HOine of •d found no >Z wnic hours I down, Mr. , man naintid him to get a he gate when The man )on wliioh the landli^ of a sessions, and ished at this le siintonoe. vdcd against ivinu, jiidg- ;oen heavier; mding to tL i rd was pros*^ A a very bad roncrty thus monstrous economic errors, which, under the ahusod term, " the rightt of f>r<>i)rrfi/," have nKid<; mm-h of Ireland a wildtTness, her po«)ple pauporrf. and have l(m«uj-c of u permanent au;.Mnentation of military, horse and foot. [The following estimate was made and published in 1850.] From 1840 to 1850 the cost of a permanently augnumted force, the law expenses falling on the public, the relit t to the poor who had been reduced to pauperism by this man's violation of human rights and legal rights, no being aided in that by some of his neighbours, amounted for the district of Kilkenny to not less than £120.000, equal to the building, machinery, and fitting out of two Atlantic steam-ships, or two Lanca- shire cot t/'tn -factories. Of much correspondence referring to this subject, I can only i>ceupy space with a note from Sir John Easthope, written when I scot the first reports to London : — " LoNDO.N, Crrafton Street, Wednesday. " Dkati Sir, — After much consideration, we thought it best to give your letter to Sir James Graham [then Secretary of Stat«>. Homo Depart/- meut], who was very thankful. Ho has promised to inquire into tho statement. By the next session of parliament something must be done with the law of landlord and tenant in Ireland. '' Yours faithfully, "JOEN EA8TH0PE." The Devon Commission was issued. And, resulting from it, came the Act to sell incumbered estates and give a parliamentary title. Other benefits have followed that. feared in the lie matters of a troubling." -the abuse of essious, those 286 bomkrville's book CHAPTER XXVI. Author apain in Irehiiid. Industrial Resources. Water Power, Shannon Kivcr. (Hh(ir Obstaclfs to IndiistriKl Progress than Fiad Liindlords. Usury. Litigation. Model liandlords. Marquis of Downshire. Earl of Ilosse. After rt'ailin^? the fbrstrciMn of time? I roply, that only u selection of the caHcs .a wliioli 1 Wii.-< concerned in Ireland, vindicating the weak against the sfmng, ha.s Im«-». presented in this narvativo : the rest are allowed to drift to tjie dead sea, . enuble me to say that three years atV^r their tR!(!urreiice, on my return to Ireland to examine into the ertent of the famine, and to trace the W)ur8e,8 of that pestileiio^ >''hich wiis sister t'> famine and death, some newspapers and many clergy- men, ''rotestant as well as ('atholic, hailed my presence in Ireland e^inu-stly and warii:lv. Mr. Bianeoni, whose travelling cars occupied the turnpike roads of Leinster, .Munstcr, and Coiinaught, oflered me free conveyance in all directions. So also did the Sl-imnon Navigation Company, where their river or oanal v.;s.>iels served my object. On my sending to England reports of villages or districts which were siK'cially distresse.d, benevolent persons forwarded njoney to clergymen and others whom I named as proper persons to bo entrusted with special funds for the rehef of the pcrisliing people. After that year of suffering, came the insurrectionary movements of 1848. Through the iitfluencc obtained in tho.sc efforts to help the weak in 1843—44, and to relieve the perishiiig in 184(1-47, I obtained in Ireland many willing nnd influential distributors for my Exposition!:' of Political Economy. I can only u(»w adduce a very few juussjiges from those exp:?3itions and I'^eir illustrative facts. But 1 claiui a right to assert a: this day, that i\um^ cxiMisitions, distributed and recommended to the Catholic peasantry and tenant-farmers as they wen; by the Catholic clergy, took effect where no writer without such antecedent sympathies for the jteople and the rights of industry, could have obtained a Itearingor a reading. I was able to urge that the action of the government taken on my reports in 1843-44, proved a ready di^«•position of imperial authority to inquire into and redress practical grievances ; that in consequence of the evidence collected by the Koyal Commissioa under Lord Devon, amel- OF A DILIGKNT LIFE. 287 -, Shannon s. Uaury. sse. jjririu, the , that only indicuiing iitive : the to rciuiiin e iTw* to say U) examine ptistilciice liny clergy- li eanu\stly (i turiipike poiiveyance iuy, wliero Enjiland )tMh'Volent named as hef of the venients oi ) the weak btained in ositions of ages from a right to jmniendcd »(' Catholic path i OS for saring or a ken on my ithority to nee of the von, amel- iorative le^iftlation was in progress, which the threatened iusurrectiua might indefinitely p')HtjM»ne. tixtraetfrom Soiuorville'a National Wealth Tract** (Irisli Series), 134S: Water Pkher nv Iiieuani>; River Shannon. In all there are one hundied and seventy-two distinct rivers affording a water f>ower, which, after deduetinu' floods, and allowing for unavailable currents, also for loss of time in droughts, also for Sundays and holid ys, when lUl the water would run wxste, are eqi'd to considerably more than ihrte millions nf hnrxi'-pitwrr. Hut the greatest of thost; riveis we have not yet naujed- liike some of the others, it couibim^s an expansive jmiWiT for navigation, with t'uit for moving nineliint'ry. This is the Shannon, draining 4,544 «(iuare miles, wa.shing tht- slior<« of twelve counties. Whe.her to he oppressed by the sadness of refle<'tion, or elated by the buoyancy of iniaginati4)n, in seeing this gigantic stream issue from the mountains of Cavtui and Leitrim, where the earth burst.s with iron-()re and fuel, bat where ^J] is solitudi and d« solation, not a foot moving but thai of the lonely traveller, or that of the starvinf^. sliooless, .shirtless man, made after the image of God, and the Imleful i^i naked, fewred, hungeied beings also designed to be after (jod s own image, but hel|v leas earthworms all, in the dread season of want and woe. Whether to he elated with hope and fancy, in couteiap'ating what treasures of iron- ore might comt out of that mountaiji's side, wiiat engines of production to clothe, comfort, and dignify men might be constructed there, or •whether to be oppressed by .sadness to .see all a waste, and the noble river spreading itself in Longh Allen, the broad mirror to a wilderness, I could not determine. When there, in the hunger of 1 84'i, I was depresscl with gloom, and elated with hope, by turns. But the gloom prevailed. Attempt,s had been made to extract the iron from the mountain, and convert it into wealth; but the combimuions of workmen, and the iu^siis- sinations and per.soual violence committed by them, when combiuL'd against the parties who had adventured to risk capital there, on th(! one hand, and th(! ruthless lawyers, who, seeing capital to fasten upon, got up law- suits between parties who were taught to believe that they had interests in the minerals, on the other hand, — through these persons, the iron works, like all (tthor eutcrpri.ses. which in Ireland rtxjuire the apj>lication of large capital and undoubted security for the capital, soon cciused to move. The locality, which might soon have been a Wolverhampton, or a Mcrthyr, or an Airdrie, reverted to desolation , the capitalists withdrew to England, the workmen returned to their earth-holes, to live as 1 saw theuj; or to die of starvatioa, as they ijssured me some had done ; and the 288 flOMEBTILLE 8 BOOK liiw\vrH, clucH'st of the iip^nts of* Irinli niiii, l^^ok tlMMiisoIvoft fo (dhcr iiii.Hcliusf, (ir Htarvi'H, until other miKchif'f'nuv*' them power to iiiak** th«ir (j»>unt,ry |»oorer, it« iiultiHtry nvro jiowwK'j*, it^ produotivr ofi|Htulirtt.sHtill li'Hf* sfcuro. Tho Shannon issnos frnia tht; }»o«oni of IrchmJ, iihove Loiigh Allen, lar^('itrim, Iion>;ford, Wost- moath, l^oHcommon, Kitii^'s County, (talway, Tipiw^rnry, Clare, Limerick, uikI Kerry At Lfiujjrh Allen it i.-* only 1 1<> fwit iil»ove the h-vel f)t' the sea. Xor does it full more than is suflieient to earry its ;.'ifiantie stn-am alnnj.; for the next 150 miles. In tliut space it pjently roliw throujrh Limirh Ree, 20 mikw long, stnddcd with inland.-J, and moeti the ht4:>am-vof««ls from KillaltK) at Athlone, which veswls miL'ht Ix; navip,iited to the iron .nhorcft of hough Allen, were then' anytijiniji for tliem to go for that wuald pay the ex|M'nHe. (^)nfined to the dimensions of a river from Lotigh llee,. with the level mt^adows, ran; in fertility, of Wentnieath and King's County on the Boutheiii^t, and Roscommon on the north-west, it flows to Lough Dt^rg. There for 25 u.ilcs it widens, until, .standing on the deck of the Htttamern, you cannot always sv.o the .shon.-s. Anil thus it reaches Killaloe, where it again gathers its broad waters into its own channel, and pn^jKires for its rapid descent to Limerick. To avoid the rapids, Ihe navigation is carried on a canal with locks. The traffic might he, vere there enough of it, between KillaU)e and Limerick, cairied on a •ailway. The river is now unbridled, and during the next \^ miles sjHiiifia the leehanieul |)ower of half a million horses ; spends that power on nothing vt ixaoM) as the i:K)pulation on its shor(\s spend their strengh in vexing ne another, — wave ujHm wave in tl\e river, man upon man ou tht^ shore,. —a power which, if led out in water-courses, might move macJiinery to the amount of five hundrod thotisand horses. If the Thames, the Trtint, the Tw»ioodlani ^^ ^we),^ii»»^ ■'*■■»<■» *^^ lvo»r fo (lihi't ) iiiak«- thi'ir [Hliihrtts Htill tcni^h Allen, rill).' throu;:,h luilt'h to the rtord, W(st- e, Limerick, »(r 8«a. Xor am uliiii^ for Linij^h R«xj, ■vc.*is»ls froiiii ! iron .shores it Would pay Lough \in\ and King's t, it flows to on the dock us it rOiiehoA twn ohannol, 1 ♦lie rapids, might bo, cairiod on a f<{Mind3 tliP- on nothing h in vexing in the shore, lachinery ta the Trent, wat(!r, they the fulls of sight of a roar of an innomployed and, (when )wi'.8t in the d see what and millers OF A DIMOTTfT l.m. 269 about ('twtl»»<)onnell and O'Hriea'H Mrid.'o, oooh nf whom wiin ompiojing more than the averap^ numhur of w<»rkmeii, at mon* than th«< a\fr.i«o wageM ; each of whom had nmdcred the doni-rt lx»gH into garden-lirldB "XUti Inx'i riant moadown ; none of whom had l>t»on long enotigh n-nident .1 LwHi't ick, or CMaro, to ontitlu them U) \u\ Hj^iri'd in a war of " [n-land for tho Irijf (':iMf|i'.onri»iil. and tin- ingitnuity of the htwyer^ of Limcriek and Ouhlin, who, m 0 ton« burthen within sight of the city, V)road enough to fonn the nobifst estuary of tho British TslandH. JuffhirT. — You hav(! givori us an outline of tho cfiuntry, itn rivers, and some of it8 rt^sourcos, and have given us n glimpse of the pxioplo. Must wo be oom|^Kdleng^c can toll. Hut it mni/ disafipear, and be supplaced by industry, order, c,r wise directicm, they are virtues. So is his frugal eontentedness with a meagre diet a virtue in the ab.stract. It becomes a misfortune, if not a Wee, when allied with other social circumstances peculiar to Ireland. Hut, though 1 may at Bome other time review the p«'nal laws enacted against Catholics, by which three fifths of the jxjpulation were for several generations doomed to a compulsory life of unthrift, and enmity to the swreil right* of private property, I shall not do .ho now. Those laws ceased to exist so long as eighty years ago. Nor shall 1 at present dwell on other cinMimst^inoes which have more recently affected the industry of the Irish people to their detriment, and which might have been removed. At present there is a Lord-lieutenant in Ireland, Clarendon, who, understanding the fundamental principle of all national well-btiiug, that it i« the duty of a government, not to feed and eK)the a people, but to incite them to the irdustrial effort to ftnid and clothe themselves, to remove hindrances to that highast privilege of free men, t Mari|uiH of DownHhirc, in the north. w)io hoM iiiadf hiH liirt^c vHtat^; an a^'riiitltural Hcliool . who, thoiii^h allird to tho ToricH in parliuniont, huM .•«tiidu> tho ('at)ioli(' and iho I'nitt^stant, iho (!Xtn»< to fatt4'n tho tinent }>rt'('e a^rain subjoct^'d to the misfortunes of the unoertain potato, ot the uneertainty of any single eiop, the Manjuis ot Hownshire exis-nded £4,00(» of private income. [ have the fact from Mr. Skirving of Li verpf«d vrho supplied the seeds. Yet, let the rebellion which i» now rip<>, burst upon poor Ireland, and this real patriot, who woubl m.ike it u rich Ireland, would bo one of the first victims, bwause he is of Saxon lineage. Others of humbler sociiil rank, but of virtue similarly excellent in the north, might be named. £ari> op Rossk. — There is in King's County, in the centre of Ire- land, the Earl of Ilo.sse, who, while making himself and Ireland illustrious in science, }>enetrating farther into the boundless heavejis than any otluT mortal, isdevoiingthe closest attention to the minutest and the humblest things of earth, the preparation of manures, the api)lication of them to soils, and is, by his own superintendence and by paying for a .skilful agriculturi.>*t to reside among the people to direct them, teaching the peii«ant tenantry, witln>ut regard to whose tenants they may be, to become the benefactors of their country. And is be not a benefactor, — an honour to Ireland and to mankind ? Yet he is of the Saxf>n race, and his wife is a lady from York.sliire. The rebels, led by men who never enunccd a practical idea, would seize upon him and his family, and the fertile soil that he is retrieving from the worthless Bog of Allen, to feed them, because he is not an ancient Irishman. Recalling to mind the information derived by personal visits to Ireland, and by referring to the Blue Books of the Commisj^on^ which, . •■mfi**-^- .aamiiitil ^ f'i or A MLinCNT MPI, Ml niry. (ir them- h»' Mar«|ul« of III it^'rii'uhiiral IllU* .■«tt|(ll«>f4t," whieh mennn nt a time whi-n the owupyinn ti-nant Would have the corn, and the landlord would not have the rent, the hmit Would fall niueh lenn ii[n>ii landlords than it wmild upon another elaiw of p;!r»onH,- tlie money h'liderfi,- who ;»ln»und in Irrlaiid, who are p*nerally native IriMhmen, and wlio are the ereditor>< of almoHt every Htiiall fa'iner, [Here followed an ao<'oirit of the money lending 8y!4tem no prevalent, and lo diHuxtrouH to the tenantry, in Irrlimd ] From tlie*' eatH'H, whieli are hut a Ram|>le of the eviden<'e (tn money lending in « very eoiinty in Ireland, it will Im» noen that the nut of land in lesH a hnrden than the horrowing of lapital to rnlti\at<- the land. A» no effort i.x made to produee more fiuin the Hoil than will xiiNtain life and fiatii^fy tin- htern neee!vtiiii'H of ^*llerif^H offieers, no capital aeonniulut^'H, exeept among lenunt** like th(.wnHhire. who ar« taught to produee eropH, and how to aeeumiilate eapital .\ revolution miglit punish the money lendern who take exoeshive interent , hut they only take exees»Jt |i«-eiiusc eapital in waree, and the .Htyuiritj of the horrower i.s l>ad. A revolution \veofthe value of 1 (is. The luwdy bor- rower pureha.><«'S thin eorn for 3lis., and gives an I ( > T note for it. Ah ptKJn an the note; i; signed and witne»»ed, and pa.ssed to the poHse.sHion of him who .Hold the corn, the corn in re-Hold to him for 12s. Hh. or ItJw., as the ease may l)e. This price it* paid in n-ady ea*ih, which the borrower put.s in Ills jKxket, and pro«\Hid.s with to the transaction of other bu.tinortH, and the eorn is again ami again .mjld in like manner. Edward Deane, Es(|., of Carragown, near Swineford. in Mayo, stat^'d : — " 1 know a poor man residing near Swineford who bougiit a bag of oatft for 30s. The party hoiight back the same bag of oat« from liim for 12s., and the poor man took his 12?^. with him, having pa^t^ed his I U U for 308. This is not a rare instance. Another man Ciunc in then and bought the same bag of (tat," iitrain at the same price, and sold it back again to the same person for 12s. And iigain the process went on, so that the bag of oats was sold fifteen or twenty times. " County of Tijtperary. — (J Brieu Dillon, Esq., BoUoitor, Neuagh : — flOMERVILLE'fl BOOK " Tho small tenant dopendn much upon the local xisuror. From what comes before me in my professional employment, I hear they charge generally about fifty per ci'nt /or three montha.'' " Not one fourt ii of fifty I>cr cent per annum?" ''No: it is at the rate of fifty per cent upon the money lent for three months. The clitss of perfisions. There are t wo di\ isions in this county, — one the Thomas Town, the other the Kilkenny division. I find, in referring to the Clerk of the Peace's l^)Ook, that for the y per cont upon who geiiorally it on the goods it-barrister (at litigation going of bill truuHuc- KilJienvy Jout- tryjoin in bills oy borrowed at ^ results in liti- sj)oak of, I will st got from the ttention to the t three quarter- Thomas Town, be Clerk of the ' the January, iS was sp«3aking to any subse- <^enty processes ion, that exists umber entered id during that fhouHdnd stvc^n le Clerk of the lome time iigo, )ound to keep Aer. For the ispa('(» of time, to that propor- •cd and dghty. for the county ortion for tho :bis county, fo /" ig to get those g as witnesses, or as onlookers, or listeners, in some of which capacities hnlf the popula- tion is always moving, w may find no difficulty in accounting for .some of the neglect<;d agriculture. "•' STSCRll'T. — The author of these Xntionnl 'Wealth Trarfs, .'since wraiiig the foregoing, has proceeded to Ireland to be an eyewitness of the insurrectionary movements. Future Tracts will be written at the place of greatest interest. [They were written, but need not be ([uoted here.] From Somerville's School of Political Economy, 1850. The Useful, Utile, UtiUtanan. — " No mere utilitarian spirit, no iron binding of the mind to grim realities," .siid ^Fr. Pickens in his opening nundxT, " will give a harsli tone to our Household Worlds.'' And a sbindiiii; motto in The Lmiir London newspaper, from Goethe, .says, '' We should do our utmost to encourage the beautiful, for the useful encourages itself Whether may I assume that Dickens, Goethe, ami the hundreds of writers who, like them, et limits to the useful, divorcing it from the beautiful, have never reflected on what they write and say; or that, reflecting, they have deliberately concluded that tlu^ beautiful, the ideal, tho symmetrical, the graceful, the harmonious in form, colour, sound ; that the rich fancy, the pathos, humour, ever- pervading ideality of Dickens, the lofty thoughts of Goethe, Shakespeare, and the true poets, are not useful ? We are reduced to one ofthe.se a.s.sumptions. Tf to the last, it carries us much farther : the (creator has melcssh/ implanted in us the faculties which perceive and are deliglited with symmetry of form, harmony of colour or of sound, the hue of flowers, the song of birds, the spiritual language of music, hop ^lora- tion ; and still farther, that it is itsehsx, inufHv, inufiUtanan, iu . altivate those faculties which exalt civilization above barbari.sm, the man above the brute! useless, iautile, viufillfanan, that all nature is l)eautiful ! What height of blasphemy, what depth of absurdity, is like Tinto thi^ V And yet it is a logical rloduction from the language of Goethe, Dickens, and all else whose language divorces the u.seful and the iK^autiful. Rather than assume that which I know could .-t have entered nor been con- ceived in such minds, — from the eontei .[dation of which they mast have revolted, — I must conclude that they have depreciated utility and utilitar rianism, not thinking of what they did. FoUtical Economy and EthUs. — It is objected that I assume too much in Somerville's Manchester School in saying, that "the wealth of a com- munity comprises personal numbers, health, food, clothing, housing, fur- niture ; industrial education, books and the other accessories of intellectual rr^'^^.-T-. :,"••' 294 SOMEftVILLE's BOOK enjoyment ; the ministrations which exalt iimh^s spiritual being, and the instrmnentH of pmduction, such as toolw, machinery, locomotion, exchanges, money ; that security from enemies in an element requisite to the pro- duction of national wealth, and that security includes freedom to produce, t() jxtssess, to enjoy, to buy, to sell, — freeth)m from the foreign invcler, from the domestic monopolist, from unfair taxation." The objection is doubtless suggested by '• intellectual enjoyment," and the exaltation of "man's spiritual being." If T attempU^d to decide the kind of moral teaching, or the theological doctrine which T believed to exalt man's spiritual or moral nature ; or attempted to define what the spiritual n;»ture is, where the physical ends and the metaphysical begins, I .should then be plungiug into depths beyond the contines of political ()r social eeononiy. But if 1 allege that British coiumerce and industrial development owe Bomething, owe much, to the moral integrity of our merchants, an well as to their enterprise; that bills of exchange drawn by and upon parties many thousands of mile.'- asunder, these bills purcha.'^ed by others who know nothing of the personal worth of the parties named on the bills, it is hardly ne'ceasary to say that the national character for probity will aifect the mercantite value cf those bills. So when a cargo of manufac, tured goods is consigned to agents ten thousand miles away, the moral honour of the consignees afteets the mercantile value of the cargo, even before it goes upon the voyage. So does the moral fitness, ai^ well as the nautical skill, of the mariners in the ship. So in the case of manufac- tures and handicrafts, — of men entrusted with contracts or materials. So with co-partners, assistants, clerLs, domestic servants, — all maintain or depreciate the value of material wealth by their moral worth, as well as by their assiduity and skill. What if some are dishonest ? It is but an argument that '' the ministrations which exalt mans spiritual being" {moral being, if any understand the andiiguous term better) are acces- sories to the increase of material wealth, and the diffusion of that happi- ness of whu'h material wealth is the indispensable foundation. somerville on the internal enemies of blliiain, 1853. Young Man of Britain ! You are son of the palace, sou of the cottage, offspring of every social degree between. No rank is too exalted, no home too humble, to give birtli and growth to manliness. Every corner of the island, and each island of the British group, o^ns you ; your mother-soil is Britain, eldest daughter of Freedom, and still the freest, most stable, industrious, trustworthy, dignified, and, in her sons, the most chivalric of all the nations of the earth. You are guardian of her honour ; your duty and fidelity are her life. OP A OTLialtWT im. 295 I being . and the ition, cxcliunges, inito. to the pro- dom to produce, foreign invtAer, rhe objection is he exaltation of ? kind of inonJ to exalt man's spiritual nature I should then bo social economy, evelopment owe lirchanti*, as well md upon parties 1 by others who d on the bills, it for probity will irgo of mauufac, vway, the nu)i'al the cargo, even ss, as well as the lye of manufac- materials. So all maintain or vorth, as well as It is but an jiritual being" ■tter) are acces- II of that happi- ,tion. TAIN, 1853. of every social rth and growth ish grouj). c"'ns Freedom, and gnified, and, in arth. You are ife. o The only danger which heseU< your inherent faith and fidelity to Britain, — and therein lieth her greatest peril, — is year being seduced from natural dniy by teachers of sedition. Sedition, lik*; other errors which enconipass the feet of youth, capti- vates tl'c unreHecting, the ardent, tlie generous, by a deceptive charm of objeel thrd in the Christian virtues of humility and peace (thi.t clothing honestly "r dishon- estly come by, we may not determine,— -though, nrtt«, the humility is promlly worn, and the peace is somewliat disputatie difbiHed throngh the bone and sinew of the static, th.m if it appealed nnlv to the ear of unlettered, or half-lettered drudging toil, or to the ardour of passionate youth. The sedition of the .self-styled • Peace " Society contains such eltiments of unwholesomeness. The Society is a political graft on a religious root, — the apple of discord on that eccentric stump Quakerism, which, when solely a religious growth. — it.« members only attracting notice by their proud humility. — vma tolerated to bear its fruit, fow beyond it- pale caring whetht;r the produce were crab or pippin. Quakerism is not tiow a religion : it is one of the entangled creepers of a political jungle, .It is not content with freedom to its tender con- sciiKje. It has emerged from its silent meetings, and unittsd with the political fonts of the worn-out Anti-Corn-1/Jiw Lciigue; it puts it« men upon platforms, and its women upon printing-pres.ses in propagandist bazaars. This new alliance has become a new party in domestic and foreign politics. It has a widely-organized .sy.stem of publication and lecture, with lecturers and Parliamentary leaders of no mean ability. It has an exche((uer tilled by wealthy men, who dream of success to its objects. Its objects are of the grandest diiiiensions ever contemplated by ambition. It aspires to abolish all the treaties and alliances of nations ; re-construct the forms of their intercourse, and nmoh of their principle and detail of int<;rnal government. It is, when it can. to abolish the " barbaric splen- dour " of courts and camps, and substitute '' homely men," in " homely senates," for the titled and the crowned. No institution is too venerable to be assailed.-- -no rank too Illustrious, nor honour too pure, to be sneered at and slandered. No refugee, fleeing from liis own revolutions, is too sanguinary to be an honoured guest and brother, if he has been suflSciently distinguished as the enemy of crowns and of t rowned heads, Kevolutions and instability abroad, sympathised with by the Peace Society, and " fraternal democracy " at home, lately iaduced the entire 296 somervillk's book sound sense of Britain to dewde that a militia forcf and augmentation of the coast defciices were adjum-ts to a di.screet domestic policy. The Leeace, showing, by thi; figunj of a soldier being flogged, the treatment which, they said, sViould one Any, and many a day, be yours in the Militia, if you had the weakness or wickedness to join that service. Ten thousand pounds, if they say truly, have been subscribed since the uiiddle of 1852. Ton hundred thousand publications, tracts, or placards, with and without tlu; figure of the Hogged soldier, have been sold, jxtsted up, or given away, to prevent the ranks of the militia from being filled with volunteers, — to compel Government to resort to a com- pulsory ballot, — to incite the nation against the authority of Ci-own and. Government by making the defensive service of the country seem to you odious in any form. Ten hundred thousand and more papers, all especially printed for that end, have been addressed to you, intended, if you were ignorant and of weak judgment, to mislead you ; if moral, and intellectually educated, to shock you with the sisaurance that brutal vice would be your daily and nightly associate ; if naturally amiable and trustful of human kind, thinking no evil of your neighbour, to infuse into you distrust and enmity to all men connected with the militai'y service ; if non-political, to incite you to be a sharer in p(»litical discord ; if religious, to adulterate your faith with a dogma. aJfirmative of the sin of armed national defences, alike unscriptual and irrational ; if inclined to share in the duties of a patriot, in defence of Christian civilisation, peaceful commerce, and a political constitution at once the freest, most noble, most stable, and most ancient on earth, to teach you that /our aspirations are prompted, not by the virtuous ambition which best beseems the Christian and the loyal citizen, but by the evil spirit of perdition ; if inclined to b<} dis- loyal, to give you a houseful of sedition, with enough to ferment among your neighbours. You have seen those " peace " placards ; your father saw them, so did your mother and timid sister. Your bolder brother, who lives frwu home, and visited the family six times in six months, saw them, on each journey, posted on the pillars of gateways, v. the stumps of wayside trees, OF A DILIOKNT MFK. 297 I auj^entation policy. on,antl enacted tury t'.riliHtmeni, (ftcr in su^Boient and tho plough, publications of w the pictures a soldier being md many a day, kedncss to join lubscribed since itions, tracts, or Idier, have been the militia from resort to a com- y of Ci*owu and itry boern t4) you printed for that ignorant and of :ually educated, d be your daily of human kind, rust and enmity uon-political, to us. to adulterate ational defences, the duties of a lommerce, and a no^t stable, and IS are prompted, iristian and the ined to bo dis- fennent among r saw them, ao who lives from w them, on each )f wayside trees, on th«' bridge. t>n the wtile, down the meadow. n]> the hill, on the corner houM' (if flj(( village, and had thoui tlinist intd Iih hand bv tla vilhige Po;M.i.>»t, to take home for the .^p'cial tronblinm.f your own doiiu'>rithnMi iii cities and in country towns, descant in bderrsmi>-.-tatem('nt (tf hisiory. siik* liis {KT^niul invi-ctive, affiiniing the folly of udfijuatt- defonsiveneKs, und llir di.shonouniblc pnd'fr^fiion of national dofcndris. Vou have heard him read the letter of i;ood rriciid Fry from the newspapers, who. ils chief w^crctary of the Feaee Society, nislicd to the press wlicn tlu' first Militiaman fell into the hands of the police; rejoicing over one man that bail f;dlcn, iMllicr than n\er the rectituilr (d' tifty tliousand who had e<.miuittcd no fioilt. " / «lv good Indiaviour of fifty thousand, there and cls<^where. You hav( heard that th(> (iovcrnment of the Karl of Derby ordcired' the placards to be defaced by the county police throughnut Kngland, and the Society to be prosecuted for sedition. Hut you were, p>rhap^f for a time, in doubt if (Jovernnicnt or the S(xiiety were in the right. The Peaeist told you, and quoted tlie I If mid of Pntre (odd name for one of the most snarling scraps of paper known in periodical literature),, that (lovenunent was despotic, wa.s afraid of free discussion ; that the pro.seeutions were withdrawn by Lord Aberdeen's Governuient. not, as" Lonl Paluierston intimated, because the good sense of the country had rendered the Society harmless, but that Government did not dare to prosecute ; that the men of peivee defied prosecution, and had not sought to avoid it, that they had been prepared with the tirst forensic talent at the bar to maintain the right of posting such placards, to maintain free- dom of discussion against tyrannical d .ipotism. You have read, or heard others read, all this Yoti are wholly unin- formed of the responsibilities of .statesmen in offic^j. and not particu- larly learned in the idiosyncra.sy of the man of peace. You. being yet a youth, do not know that he has been all his life agaitist soni.^thing-, — anti-thia, anti-that, — sometimes right, oftener wrong, and, by his self^ satisfied pride, must continue to be disputatious and (^juarrelsomo, — the logical conse<|uence of that spiritual ttrr«>ganoo which assume his inter- Y 298 H0M£RV1LLE 8 ROOK preUtioxi of 8i' politics, and lire, tlKn'f'on', ('niii|n'tciit, a? you nniy tliiiik. to pa^>> juu^cuiut on luini»trio.s, you may bo dissatistiod timt they uovt-rn and le^i»late (or endouvour iv Ic^iHlatAy tiir tho general good, and not oxclubivcly to keep one Section, that of your ad<»ptt5«l party, in ji^ood humour; or, seeing the self-KJitlKlied iV'aoist opp)siiip; all L'overnnnMitw and all pulitieal alliances (he knovviii;: tliat on the (pu'stiin ofarmod dt!fence« it i.i cheaply pojiular and sate to be in uppoHiliou, fur an army and navy uf ud»(juato strenjrth u>iU he (iiaintained, his (iro|rt^rty tiU be prott'<'ted, »!> covamoti with all othor ftriijH'rty), seeiuijr the constancy, hearing the loudness, of hit* opp<> sition, you may admire his boldness. If so, hie pugnacity pa^es with you and your neighbours for patriotirtm. In broadest contradiction to that spirit of concession which is to huid, tlirough these, ant^ su* b like meu ol pejice, U) a universal arbitratioo in ■the Hcttlement of tlK diflbroncos of nations and hostile races, ihey oou- duct their opposition t Mosleuj ianatie, and irreconcileable Greek oreedist, — each to yield a little and yet a little more, until their differences dis- appear and their warscoase. The infidel Tartar, nv Affghan, or Sikh^ or the Borneau pirate, — tnutors ty all faith, all truth, all mankind, — they would invite to an arbitration of differejic»^s with the English Saxon j the intidel barbarian with his ]Kjisoned dagger under his gaa-meut, the Saxou armed only with a sentiment. They are apostksrt of conciliatiou in respect of all huiuun discord occurring beyond the sphere of their influence or power oi' control , but wi(h."n that rajnge, what are they / Mr. Bright, if he have a political priwiple at all, — if any one of his desultory and impulsive antagonisms may be cdled principle, — is cou- siatent in his hostility to the House of L(f predominance to the conimerciai, the manufacturing, share-jobbing, and money-jobbing classes, over the senators of hereditary indo})endeuoe. iuis, too, is Mr. Cobdcn's " homely legislature ' of " homely men." Working men 1 you have been dujnjd, and will be .'Jgain ; but the worst day you shall know on this side (X the grave, will be that^ if it ever tooiuo, which sees the delegates of new and old lloehdaies on the Treasuxj. .^i^it-^t^.-^... ; to Ik; exalted paHl ; you are I of state, who , a» wdl iM to L'lip of politics, * juu^tniut (ni 1 ie^iwlato (or tftivflj to keep or, seeing the itical alliiiMCCs hcaply popular endeuo<3. omcly men." but thii worst lat^ if it ev«s tU<} Treaauxj- OF A DILIOENT llVg. 299 benches, a " man of peacsed on the tablet of your lieart so long as you are in the military service of the country , and, aft^T that, as long hh you live. The I'eace Sntion8 of the partien who had cniiHed tlioHe placardH and pictorial rcprcBentationH to be print«Hl, they had failed. The pood Hcnse and patriotic fetlin^'H of flu- Mritinh {H'oplc had induced them to treat those invitationn to abamlon the cause of their country with eontenifit." In conclusion, liis lordship commcnti'd humor- ously on the '* pugnacity " of p<>«iplc " too amiabh- to be entrusted with the defi'nye of the country, and such like political functions in thin wicked world." The House af Commons laui^hcd. Not so the Pencist clmmpions of freedom of opinion: thiy mcditat4d vengeance. This incident occurred In Westminsti'r, (m the cveniuju' of the I'lst of l''cbniary At Man- chester, the mails of the 22iid whidi left in tlic cvonin!: carric*! forth printed missives of sectarian re\tMi;_'e, with white doves on the seals, dated " 2nd M., 22," which had l>ecn written at an inijironiptn Peace oks, mann.^) ripts. and the like, — then advertised for sale [The result ha.s been told in a previous chapter.] CHAPTER XXV TI. Scientiti.' Studied iutcrrupted. The Stranger from Aastralia. It is a common thin<; to read, as we did lately in a njouazine standing at the head of British periodical literature, '" that no (l unci pi-rvvrted, uiid tiiiit Wfu our roli^ion in alloyed with the droHM tif liuiiiUii pervvrriity, hovr Ih it that tlin ph* ntnucaa of' aniiiiul iiiiiKiiotihni ' liu» never In-en alloyed by any iinp<>»iturii V VV^hy has th»' ' ■ never heard nl' hueh u thiii}; um witchcnJ't ?" Sii lay. nii;;bt b<' an 'ni|uiry suggcHted lo un educato<] mind, on di^iuiverin^; that ini^Hmtnre and fraud uttuchbs to everything tltie witliiii the eiini^msH of hunnin influence. With thi! reeorcU and traditions uf the phonoaienu included in Huch tcrniH U8 " witehoraft," " Hecond night," "evil eye," coming to urf tVoui doefMwt time, n-iimteHt oountries, and diversti races of mankind, it requirtiH a iMildnesM in scej[itiei>ini wliieh only an irretraguble scientific negative can give, to deny " wileherott '' as a fact in nature. Seientitie investiu,ati()n docH not di.>tcover that negutive. To diHoiitnngle the imposture connected with witcheral't from its realitien, had be«!n with me u ta(*k involving much research in many part« of Britain where witehery i.s Huid to prevail, (»r were itw legends reuiuin with the ps. Oceasionally, I found noblemen and heads of old county famdies willing to open their collections; .such as the late Earl Spencer at Althorpe l*ark, Northamptunshire, when I was in pursuit of certain curious fiiets about witch- maguetitsm which 1 had traced in the town and county of Northampton. In tho autumn of 1850, I lei't Ltmdon with my family to live in Kdinburgh. 1 had iu view the use of that rich trcas\iry uf unexplored criminal trials, unexplored in the direction of uiy studies, the Advocates' Library. Also at Edinburgh I looked to the iacility of visiting bxjalities where mesmeric magnetism, and other phenomena of witch- craft, second sight, evil eye, and like nuinifestations, formerly called "supernatural," and, by the .scientific scepticism of our age, massed together as •' iuiiiosture," are said to be still develofted. J knew that among the fishermen on tho sea-coast of Lothian and Berwickshire, and shepherds of the Lammermuir Hills, with whom 1 associuttid in boyhood and in youth, some of the things attributed to sujx^rstition were believed by persons whoso virtuous lives, earnest piety, and <(uick intelli- gence denied that they were either impostors or persons easily deceived. 1 knew that iu certain families a suppo.s*^] st>cond sight, and in others the magnetic influences, once called witchcraft, remained, — intiuences, which, when remenil)ered in pieseuce of manifostiitions of mesmerism which I saw in Loudou and elsewhere, seemed to belong to the saiue .t")^»t-,^fe-.>.,-c.-j^-^a-yt^*&^ 't ) j ^yri< riM >»' uiri'of Driginal our rt'li^ioii in ho pli* (Kiiucaa (OHturoV Why » ;iito4i»«l '• I'ifiM " Winjr populnrly cxpo^d. Tho\ h-antd alikr* the ii;n'>nint pr»'j\iHial|.«d thi-m "■ 8ii)M;r-tifttur:d." >ind ihn erudite pP'niimption whi« li cidlni *u<'h " j:itt/« " imywmtnri' Whih; «nr*d the phenotiicnft and rraiiitioiiH of wif«'li»'rv in nniny parfM of Knchinil. Mbo in IrehiTid. lit Ireland, howrrr^T 1 \\>\ide, and from a >tend .^-ientitic wepticimn nu the other. A pn^MHc knowliHljjro of tln' laws of ' untnial ma;.'MetiHni " mi^rlit perha|)B di8-a.Hrtociatt. hysteria and reliLHoii in the phenomena of what are called " revivals." A like kimwled^i' of th« ele^itric .•nrrent*. the flux and reilur of the electric tid«i4, a^ they may 1m' termed, mij/ht enahle the [ihy- sician to cliantre the position of hi.s patient, frivinsreaw> and fi'poj*** where now there is pain and exhaustion. Pos.sil)lv trn. we niit'ht sil't the tnie from the false in the mysferiw of old astroKitrv. The hour of death, ii rte l.irire elaw^ i»f diseaK'S. >^cenis to have an inti- mate relation to the ebl) , ud How of the eiee.tne tide-*. Those tides have been inlawed and timed at Kew (rardens, near iiinidnn. I have reason to believe that the iron h»>d.steads in the harrack-^ of the Foot G^nards. in tiers a>H)ve oaie anothcir. and tr.insvcrseJy as well as ion^itndinally in the rooms, have an intimaUi relation, through magnetic or electne currents, to the rheumatic pains of th(! men sleeping in them. Every inhabitant of the eastedi4 alike. This inquiry I submit to the medieiil profession. Had I not been too often in lat*; yejirs hara^^sed by the cares of daily bread. I w>uld have eolliH'tcd facts over large areas of experiem-e on 1 1 losi; topics. Soldi«'iN di*/lo?!»; their sensations to such a^ I iiDve fnn^ly. than to the rcLMmcntal physician. Indeed they generally avoid liini. In London. Koldief^ art; liable to a |x>cn- liar disease', which, with Jifter-symptoms and medicine, with other matters incidental to military duty and barrack socitty, induces nervooa Busceptibilitj, — a bad oondition of military lite. The electne current^,. 804 iOMrnviixr f booii •tui Uif Din^iu'tiKtn of thitir iron WdnlvudH, nHptH^iaily t\\v position of tlie boilnti^HtlH, LMHMtiio itn|M)rUkiit tli'iin'iitM in military hoalth iind riicnry. Ill my r<>M>ari'h('it in »iiij:m'tistn, I liad in vi»«w it pruoticul nwult lyinjf in tin- ilireotion of mtrurity to wt'altliy jikmi h wcaltli uh \vell a« th»> ■afoty of hiunun lif'tt. Wliiie tt j^ilution of " witduTHn." ' wcorul »ijjrht," "evil <'yt', " ('Inirvoyanro," ami kimln'tl fihcnonii na wiiM wmi^ht ill aiiiimil ina<.Mi«-tiMii. 1 Houjilit a .nolutioii in tiMn-Htrial ina^jin'tisin. or rather in tlio inu;;i>ftic u-lutiutiN iiianit*'Hlitil Ijetwcun tlio atnuMplun' 'iii>t' ii<»n <4t«'ani.shi|>s from their |>r(>|t«T coiirHeH. Tho ilirknilicatl ut the Ciipe ol'liiMui llo|te with Iht ticijiht of ln-roeH, — a r<%'iment of Hritiish j^'lJirrM, wh'i, with ihcir ufAAv M^Vi-rn, haixlcd out tht rhiiiir«'n tht wnmiMi, ainl the fci'lile, ainl, imniiivalily loyal to their olteiliimcr, .-.aiik into tlie waves themselviH witli the piirtiiiu ship, — that WJts one 3U){|;eMtive ease. The (Iroat, Britain iroinj; ai«tray towards tho headhinds of Dundriim Hay, was another. The allejred ne>rlijren<'e of Captain lloskins and his erew was only the nfter-thouirht of puhjic iH'Wildernient. The .oudden swerving of the t )rioa at Port I'artriek \vhile enveloped in a fhi'n /•>urs>ie those investigations, and to work up a large amount of various mat-erial« relating directly or cout trade strikes, trade wages, ami history of wages, and alsit about banks and .conuuercial panics, was jx'ihaps unnjue. In contributing .some articles .to an Kdiuburgh daily newspaper, J was, greatly against uiy desire and rinition of th« 1," ' H«'iM>n|K'r I'nurM's. of )ii>rr>ttN, — - I, tiaiiiini out loyal to fjniir .' Hliip, — that towards tlio i«'ulij:»'i(c«< of lit of ))uMic 'ort I'artrick uv.iuy pasrtdM- UllotlllT caMC. II wiTc prose- •11' «'X|K>('iiilly iuy8 rviiiii, or of ti siiico tlio 111 ill Ui<- St. oiii Calcutta t' Liv(>rjjo()l, vitli liUirary only met by 1(1 to j)ursue u," mat-i'rials ionce. My :l:m'l, about t lianks and line articlea y dosire and or A niTUlBNT I.ll'I. 305 mnth to my diMdvnntH)^, dmwrn for a tiim' inUi ItM t>ditoriitt rbair Tt* proprietor, whom I had never •'•>on. win* alment, luit pr<»inim'd, I'nun tifiu? to tiiite, to conic und retrieve the iiHtahliNlnneut rrntii the eluuM* in wlueh I found it. Ht tiino in my life, thnt, by oxtentjinif a helping' hand ptod natiiredly to pernonH in diftieultiod, t hiirroiiiided mysidf with Hnini\' from fift«M'n to twenty hourx ii> the day and iiiL'lit of twenty-four, alnn•^t without an Mttistaiit for thr«( or four month)*, and but pii. and f'fiitiii. Many neWH- piipers re-printed it it! Kiiffland wholly or in fiart. At last, banding over oiy I'ditorial eharp to a HUceeHwir, .Mr. .James Hobie from Helfast. a ^[OTitleimui, I take pleiuiuH! in Hayitif.'. who is (puilitied t<» prenidc over any of the ^rreatent liondon new>ipa|»«rs. conHeijuentlv my sufwrior.out of all com pariwtii, in any and every part of the l)iiHines,«iof a political daily journiil,-— piviii'/ the bnrtlu'ti of my ehartro to bim. I reverteil t" the more ijuict literature and the Htu(li<'s in which 1 deligbtetl. That occurred in June lSi57. About the end of February, or on Homo day early in March 1 R58, a stranjrcr canie t«) my house in Kdiiibiir^ib. .sayintr he had been in (Cali- fornia and Australia lie bad read, be said, one of my books in Cali- fornia ; that he had jn.st seen my " VVorkinp Man's Witness " atrainst the IntidelH as Leaders ol' the People, and that, bavint^ beard that J bud relatives in Australia, whence he had recently come, he felt a desire to make my acfjuaintance. My wife told bim that her mother, three sisters, and a brother were resident in N'ictoria Province, besides other family connections of mine. He soon ascertained that we bad intended to follow them in lHr>;{, but were ]irevented throujrh instiffieieiicy of funds to nntve .so larj^e a family a« ours. Oil another dav h(^ askeil me to meet bim at his IndL'tnirs to breakfa.st, and be would submit certain jiroposals tr rae I met bini. He propos<;d to en^asrc me ^or two years to iwsist in ajrrioultural ex)»eriments and to e.vpound Political Kconomy in Australia : that he would find us an immediate home on one of his landed estates, and place me in a position far above anxiety about the subsistence of my family in the future I explained the circuni stances in which I then stood at Edinl>urgh : I fc>UM>iMiAfii>w"iir- ■r*-***^- 9^-tJ ^»^'f* *y f »t !^ i - • ^ ^ ia tm .\ ''_ . -*\'- -*"^ I ■ mi ii pM i i l H' j i> |- ii i B i iui i*fit in praotioal navigation. To his inquiry, how did I live meanwhile, I explained that I waiB obliged to lay Soicntiiii'. and ]*olitical Economic subjects aside at times to writti tales for periodicals, and contributionn to newspapers ; for which I received payment, not large in amount, but sufficient 'or a family which lived so fi-ugally as we. I added, that I was then engaged on a novel for which I had the promise, though not the certainty, of £2t>0. He saw in none of these things a rejison why I should not go t<> Aus- tralia. On my remarking, that, if 1 abandoned all ray literary works, scattered as they were througn many periodicals and desultory volumes and tracts, duriuir twenty years, and bite far greater anumnt of materials for an '" Industrial Tiistor) ' of Britain, and for a continuation O; a " Biographic History of tin.; Pioneers of J'reedom of Opinion "' still lying unused, I should do myself great injustice; that it would be like the HJurriliot} of half a life-time if I did not arrange these works, some for re-publication, others fov printing the first lime. The materials for a *•' History of Trade-Strikes and of Wages " had alone C(>8t a great deal of labour and research, So had my '' 1 ndustrial Woudei-s of Lancashire. " i^o also '' Wonderftd Workshops, ' and " Remarkable Farms,'' which were only partially known to the public. Here J may introduce an imperfect list, of my published or partly published works ; fnmi which it will be Been that many ot the subjects are, unfortunately, su^ih as an author may become })oor upon, rather than |K)pular and well ren)u»erattters), '■ Free Trade a^iid the .Lt,' " LiverjK)ol Financial Reform Tractf ' (of vol. 1 only, i»nd notof Nos. 1 and 2 of that vol.), ' Natimial Wealth Tia('tb," ' .SafeguardB against Conunercial I'iuiicb," " RogerMow- bray, Merchant I'rincf*- of England. " " Popular FullacieM alniut the Aristocracy of the Army ; tin-. Houbc of Commons falling into thi' occu- pation of CJommercial Couipauies, the House of L(jrdt> Protectinj^ the People, — lieccnt Instances,'' 'Free Sea; England on the Hock, of GihraltAV JuHtifitid," '■ Cobdonif I'olicj, the Internal Enemy of Britain.' ' Bowering, Cobden, and China, ' '■ Couietb and Earthquakes," an inquiry ; "Eden Green, Gurdcu of Dream.«i, '' The Whistler's Fairy Tales," " Enchanttid Children of the Sylvan Groves, &c.," *' Tom llobinson, the British Grenadier, " " Fullucios of Feargus O'Connor," '' Rural Life of England ; Visits to llemurkabie Farms," " Legend of the London Penny -a-Liners,' "Street Waaiare; a Warning to the Phy- sical-Force Chartists," '•Memoir of Williaav IMtt, in reference to Free Trade between England and Ireland," " Memoir of William Huskisson," " Poulett Thomson (Lord Sydenham); \m Tarifl' Reforms in England And Union of the Canadas, ' " Speculative Meiuoir I'f Saint Dunstan, as an Eminent English Blacksmith," " Apologues in Political Economy," '' Problems in Military Strategy," "Ofieration of the Navigation Laws, in reference to the Revolt of tlie Anicrican Colonies, now the United States," " Letters from Injlaud in Uie year of Famine," '• A Cry from Ireland in IS-IiJ " ; Tales, Essays, and Reviews, cnutributed U) Literary Periodicals ; also, Leading Articles lor Newspajiers, Speeches for iMem- bers of Parliament, "Temperance Tracts,' '' The Working Man's Wit- ness against the London Literary AtheisU," &c. &c. On my wife lioaring what the stranger had proposed, slie ui^ed my floceptauoe of the offer. I at once announced that my " Working Mau'fi Witness " would be concluded in twelve Numbers; adding that it was, *' preparatory to the Author's departure for Australia, to be taken with him, and also left behind, as a testimony in favour ot the Christian insti- tutious of the beloved land be was about to leave forever." 1 next addressed mysiilf to a aiuall woA on Political Economy to take to Australia with me. The introduction I reprint here from the proof- sheets sent to me by my Edinburgh printer, in whose hands the manuscript remains. It concerns my reputation that this be carefully perused and borne in mind. A rofeicnce to the aristocracy ttf Britain, and to an attempt to l't)rm a new aristocracy in Australia, which 1 print in JtaUcn, will be seen U> agrw? wUli the tone of the present volume, as with the whol« tenor of my relations to British politics and public Biifety. 308 fiOMT!UVII.LR'8 BOOK Author invited to Australia, March 185ft. " AuRTRA MANS ' Some of you are digging and toiling, otherH j>lantiing and laying the foundatiftn of new states after the models of the old. They are at present colonies. At a future time, in the prudent eeononiy of the parent country, tliey may be given away, set up in indeptfiid'nce as a wedded princess is given away with a blessing, or they may separatx.* from home in revolt, and convulsion. In either case, your colonies are destined t4) form parts of a great Australasian nation; its language Brito- Saxon, its religion Christian, its institutions and laws the best which the wisdom of a free people can devise, *' But you may aspire or be impelled to seek independence too soon, and. breaking from the mother country, may tempt the cupidity "f stune less trustworthy European power, against whose invading forces your pau<:ity of personal numlK-rs will not, in the absence of a fleet and coast defences, protect you. What are the grounds for supposing a desire for a too early independence probable ? These : — " In the logical order of cause atid effect, that territorial fraction of your population which now controLs your legislative and governing majorities ; which trusts to the territorial sympathies of the Ixmie government to sustain It in self-is itercstod error ; which persists in laying your statt; foundations on the permanent degradation oi' industry, planning the social fabric to acct)mmodate a new order of tijrritorial and nioney-mongering upper classes ; all labour and human rights to be su^H)rdinate to their domi- nating interests, — that mad mistake may soon involve you perilously in all tht! old-country calamities. Vou w'l/ not pay resjx'cf to thin aris- tocrary, irhirh has vo chvalnc tinttqttiti/, no historicoJ ■puhli ' service, to reonmnend it to connidi^rution. It and its mouey-mongering alliances will consigTi the mass of your population to chronic poverty : to the periodical recurrence of commiTcial panics, with all the speculating-class fraud and working-class misery of the old country ; to political discon- tent and Sedition ; ultimately to reVttiliion and revolution. They who, in the colony of Vietoria, are blindly working in your institutional founda- tions to rear a spurious aristocracy, are unwittingly preparing a baptism of blood and fire for a young, <; too young, Australian republic. " Some of you, students of first principles, and logical rea.soners, whose present property and future hopes are involved in the well-being of the Victorian colony, have asked me, as a writer on Economic Science, to take my family to your country, to yok(; the plough, whistle in the furrow, sow corn, and assist ir. teaoliinf' some forces your eet an;-class tical discon- hey who, in (inal foundar 1^' a baptism jlie. ners, whose bein^; of the Science, to 1 the furrow, lie principles h, if violated, th, dized fraud, comnuTcial panics, and all the social ills whose appalling aspects a,ro so horri<]lv familiar. 1 have ;icceptt>d the invitation ; and purpose to leave the port of Liverpool sometiniti in llir summer of 18')S, or an soon as I can pay for a workinji-nian's passage of self, wife, live boys, and one girl, all under fourteen years of age. 3Ieanwhile. T reprint primary ehujv ters of tho.se politieo-economie and other writings which have attracted notice in Austriilia, though .sufficiently neglected at Inane to have eaii.>opular odinm, for odium is inseparable from an author whose Adtioun/ Wraith publications havf yielded no profit,, have e.itt'u up other earnings, con- sumed his health, and all but deprived his eliildren of bread.' To comprehend more clearly the application tif the work to whiidi the foregoing wa.s the introduction, let me state, on the authority of the Stranger and of various printed pajM^rs which he laid before me, that the '• digger '' population are said to entertain kk^ntimenls of hostility to the territorialists. The latter occupy districts of country many th(ni.-copli' bdicvo that his son was wholly inno- cent, and a victim of exenitivo power, — the son sacrificed for the father's prominence as a political antaji:onist of frovernmcnt. These, and superfinal matters like these, were talked of by the Stran- ger at our earlier interviews. Very different disclosures fbllowed at another time. It was on su(?h fjrronnd-work as the u^rievaneos of t^u^ u'old-diprging piipulation. and traders, who, jk quirincr money by labour and luck in the gold fields or in traffic, were debarred I'rom purchasin;.:: small properties in land, that I proceeded to write the Economic Treatise. The Australiim land-system, with it? uninhabited masses of territory, is the opposite of that of Canada. Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, late Colonial Minister, spoke pointedly, so we read in the newspapers last year, to some .Vustralian colonists with whom he publicly dined in London, of iho crreat advantage which ,\u.«tr;dia derives by trentlemen of birth and education settlinp' in it and jriving a tone of rcfinem(!nt to its society. I can readily appljiud th;it remark ; but it does not apply to the fi^reat floekmastcrs as a body. From all quarters we have testimony, that mnny of them live idle and dissolute lives, few of them being mar- ri'^d ; that they come, with exceptions of course, from the interior, when the whim leads them. Ut partake of the jramblin-i; excitement of the towns, and assist in spreading moral corruption and ruin among the female emigrants who arrive from the old country. When living on their cattle " runs," they assemble together and consnme such quantities of bottled' liquors, that they build towers of bottles as land-marks and monuments of debauch. Only a very few. ifimleed any, of these men wore ** gentle- men of birth and education " in the mother country. But, apart from their moral or social characteristics, here stands the fjvct with which Political Economy is concerned - they are appropri- ating the soil in mtisses of wilderness, and relying on a military force to be supplied and augmented from Britain, which has sufficient occupation for her army elsewhere ; the military and the law to restrain the vast majority « f the jwople, the men of laborious and adventurous lives, fmm acquiring landed property of that limited extent, which, with moderate capital, they might transform t!iateheh of rwre^ition with my children, one was on my back., amitlnT on my Iwuid, and one on each .shoulder, with others jtulling at my skirt.s. — all delighted at the happy tbituno, which had at last come to ii.s. We talked of Auhtrulia, and of going to their grandmother and aunt.-; tirst tjiing at dawn of day and at the lattiHt hour at ninht. So often disappointud &n we had been, my wife did sometimes say, )niisingly, " Cau this be all true, or is it only a drtiam I To Hueh observations T rejoint^d. " Yes, I think this is true. Our stran- ger is evidently a man of strong prejudice>s, but he. seoms trutliiul." " II looks hi) like romance.' my wii'e continued. " that a strangur who kviows nothing of us, should conu; with such offers of future ease and comfortable indepHii l i i i i> i(i 312 80M£UVILL£S BOOK Otttion of any insiirrectioniiry offort ut Aufltraliun " iiidepemlenoo." The plaiir* »i' rf^Vjlt wt!ie all lai'l, I now ilissrovcroii. Tliorf were uiilimUivl iuntls lit foniiuaiHi. Thr nirik ami tile ol' tlio huldit rs were t«» be seciinid by tlu! uiiliiiiiud I'liads. I was (i.vpoctt'd to bocomv un awistniit tijjout in (Jislnirsinji it ami sediiciiiy; tliciu. TIk' uifioorM wtTO alldttod to tiSHassine. Nor was aHsassination U> bcconfiMcd to thutn : any man, iny.sclf iiioliubid, who mi^ht disclost! tlu! secrets of <)ons})iraey. \ver«' to be despatehtHl. Kevolvers. jinisoii. mur'ler, were distinctive elements and a^'ene-ies oftho intended revolution. The exeeutivi' e obtained by subvertinjj; the military, and suriJrisintr; the officeis by assassination lu luy indi«'lf iiioliulod, to Im; Jospatohed. \\\f\ .I'Ti'TiricH of the ,t MeWtoiirmi had tho V'nitfd Siiitos; iiii;j;ht be obtained, t to be obtained by aHsassinatiun ursedhim. In tW ,\y he had deeo.iv.-d ted. He rusbetl to ouse No. 30 KuHtou ;,t tlie time, liavini^ the (sea-passaiie from the bandayres on my Tan from me freely. Looting me before my conspiraey may do I leave to the ovcr- ,f the hospitals in a a rtpaee of Um days, was likely to mistake surtered, I wrote a amilv in Edinburgh, ,. Vv.! had given up they had no where to liniost for nothing iu ■umPtances vf hieh the )W unb(nirable. 'J'he that it was my daty 1 oave him penui.*f^iun nan. held in hi.s hand, (,!,>louial Offieo. The e.' several times before lough to fear the ven- iS. " Aft*;r a few days, I obtained a detective policeman to watch him while I went to the Colonial Offiee. -iV-s U) what pae.'iod there, I may only now 8ay, that the solicitor with whom I conferred, was, by j)ro/ec>.sionuI habit and otfieial diseretion, rcperved. and yK).H.sibly nceptical. Lord Stanley, who had juHt then taken offiee art StH^etarv of State for the Colonio.'«, and whom I did not see, iu answer t*) my retiue.st to have it certified that I had no mercenary Ile^o- tiation.s with the authorities, e^cnt a oourttHJUS meanage, to the effect that ho believed that I had spitken in perfect good faith and from a sense of honour in that affair, but that they attaclied to it Imt small importance. r, liowever, attached such importance to it that I. dart;d not take a paHsage, though it wtw paid for, to Australia, feeling asriured that my life would not he worth many days' insurance after landing there. The objection to attach importance to the danger seemed ti<:nv.d,) '• E. B. Lytto\, One piirson, at least, who has seen that letter, finds in it sn(*h a tneanin:lit ero only w) brou|j:ht e evinced a lavidiibie ]A\ \w (Sonicrvillo) <]. B. Lytton. finds in it sn(^li a lienvd of any stJcrot sli authority, until I it-n believe tbat my ssio'. , namely, that^ ,t conlidcMiee that I eiice on the ground u heard of by them, lent. It wan not for 1 deelined to do so. which are glanced at luced collateral proofs Ica^t had grounds for natcrial whether they lolt it my duty, in vhole life, to comuiu- V, when Sir Edward „.r (Jeneral of Canada known that thcpi//)/ic .tiated on the 28th of ,sed through the quiet iTii^raph of Australian HeWB-— founded, ft« wns snid, on a private* h'ttor roceivod at R'>Mn on wting, or fancying that T saw, the gravity of my informaiiim tn hi- diM-rrditt-d, wau thin: that two years before, in May 1S5() (I give the date only from iMeniory). one or more adv(^riturers frojii IJohton had y>eei» land- ing fir*! arniH nl Melbourne under such eiriMiuistaiMi s, though th«.ir importation waH noininally legal, tu'' UhI to their m-iznu- by executive authority. Mr. Tlntmsoij, printer, of 4 Milne's Square, Edinburgh, wlut had befn printing for the Stranger, will su.>ondence, directly or indirectly, will probably fitat^'. should aiiy one inquire, what he thouglit and said about the i^tranger- For myself, 1 had writt>'u an opinion to the etlect, that his personal narrative, as set forth in that pamphlet and related verbally to me, carried with it an air of veracity, and was 'deeply interesting.' The pamphlet was otherwise, as the Aberdeen Fire J'lysa had termed it, rubbish. The Stranger's position as a mere individual w.us nothing; biit he was the agetit of the Aut,tralian secret s<»cieties, whose object was revolu- tion. Those sual grievance— as well as an obi political antagtniism to governmetit — of seeinj; his son, believed by bini to be innocent, working in the chained gang of felons on the p\iblic works. T saw the Stranger post letters at Kdinburgh to that gentleman, and knew that they informed him that I, with others, was engaged to sail for Australia. He did not show me what el^e tlie letters contained; but he showed that much tx) give a.ssurant!e that he was in earnest in contracting with me to go to Australia. Ships leaving Britain about tlie time when I and others and himself, and the '• things " 316 ■OMCBVILLl'a BOOK that wuro to havo }>cen inkon M lnfrjfai^f», were to have wiiUwl, might have b»»on cxfutttod to bti near AnHtralin at the cm! of AugUHt 1HB8. The ptibHc juritiition ot' '' iiidofMMult'nco '' TnH thou bi^gun ; and ftrivnte lt'ttiit(l on the danj^or wliirh mi^'ht iir\m to AuHtraliu should u ruiiturc occur iH-twoon Kntrliind and Kraiieo, Ih'cuubo " Franco had hoen, for many inontlis, fortifyinu' pK»sition» and construct- ing A naval harbour in the adjuftMit i.sliindH of Nev* Cah'.donia.'' In rolation to this an^imcnt, winch wan identical with a jM.rtion of Strung- or'a flup;:;oKti<)ns whon ho talkt'd with uw. ht-foro fully discltmin^ his purposoj*. I rofor to my work on I'olitionl Koononiy writt<>ii for Auntralia, and«<'t in ty^K) at Kdiuhun/h in April lM5H,--tlu; prootshootf of whioh, whon won hy Stranger in London, drew from him the omphatio dwiaration, " Thin will nn'cr (h I "' And why would it not do ? BocaUBO it wmtained a warning.' that AuftraliaiiH might oxj)080 themst-lvia to pillngo and cont(uoHt hy ^coking indcft^ndisnce. The wncl union of the pamphlet wa« mnch more emphnti^- in it8 remon«trnnoc. Some who knew the man, and liiw offonnivo familiarity with revolverw, which ho carried aVwut with liini, and hin c'< »i'^ or A DILIOBNT LirK. an Au^UHf 1H58. I ; and private Men. (•.s«iit<;(l in tho mi^ht (irJMo to runeo, Ih?ouu80 arid ronst.ruot^ llcilniilil.'' In ion ol' Strung- disclof^inf; his for Australia, icc.tK ol' whicli, the omphatio , do ? HocaUHO thoiiif»flvt 8 to icl union of the i?ith revolvorn, WH ot' b«;inj» as why t did not bi^en r.jsidont he hud btHin, nt " 80 widely uif tor a time e <:old nujrgot nust be Hworn lave only this d by oath to i not a word indeed they iness to meet pon. My wifo cruel imposi- y all to go to KHuory ol' her certify that that such a ns to whom I gagemcnt, on the PBWW4.1' BcrodH tho Atlantio, had, after landiiic in Canada, nicnUoncd it in a manner likely to eauno »uoh a |irojudiiii U^ Mpread an noon a.s I mi^'ltt bw^me well enough known to make it worth any ouo'h wiflto of wordn to accuMe me. Tho hoHtilo criticinni at QueW, alluded to In former ehapterH, proved that the apprehennion w.'ix not unfoundini. 1 am told by private friendw who iiave wim the reference to that criti- cicni since the earlier chaptern of thiH volume w< r»> printed off, " that I will bring tins whole newxpapur preH» of Canada on my head for attack' ing one of their number m I have done." I do not l)elieve it, thmigh I adndt that my rei'erenoo to him ia a blemish to thih book. Tlie reference U.) \m work on the '* Position of the BritiHli Inhabitants of Lower Canada " may be thought wholly iuipor- tinent. 1 negleoti'd to nay in tho pa>por plaee why 1 was aff»yte or have hiH'ti a drunkard. Tlw nature of my imjuirifi.s into th<> ri.nditi'in <>f tlio fn'oph- and of aifriculturc, on which Wf'rc liiiindrd paporH ^hich tlii'usaiid.s of n-adcrs jwruM'tl daily and wiM'kiy over t^Mi yoarn,-- many id thi' n-ailiTH ot" all rankft proliwuin^ to have Wvn d«'lif,dit<'d and inhtructod,- thoHj- ininiirit'ul to any party, Bay the mon of ManchoHtor. 1 wan an aniiattlo p<'rf*on, " frni^al, noJaiP, and inchjf^trinuh, a** may he si-m in Ch;t|»t«'r V [. VVhi'M f r<'fn,>Hod to I.e. trailed tlirmi^h the dirt of thuir aiifi ria'ional politir.s, I wax (ho ] prchimn! tlicy uvxHt h.wv told Sir William llayterafc some time, and so I know ihoy wrotv l<» Lord Kiunaird) a fru({uent4jr of puhlie hou.-^s. Thrtie timoH, while living in F;ondon, did an in»{M'tuous aptitude at serving othorH forgetful of personal con.«r<|Ui>n»eH, lead to parauraphs m newspapers not coinplimentarv to me. Bill in eaeh of th(»H«> oaaef* T vitidieafod the weak airaiiist nitfian strenjrtli, or ai.'ainst fraufl ; and the "iK'nny-a-liiie" fraternity, w1jb,rted the faets*, knew it. I have not at any time made preten.-^ion to he endowed with all, or even with any large share, of the excelleiieies and high attriliiites of humanity. On the eontrary, though this volume may he offensively pretentlouH, few peoi)le ever heard m.>talk ot what I have done. The ruling imjml.s*; has bftt'o to aecompli.^h sometlniig worthy which ntu)e else had att«mipted. or seemed to have the power of executimr. F havo been ever looking forward, not Itack. It i,^ only now, .stricken with grief and paralysed in my literary life by an aeeumulation of di.sapfiointmentK, that I look back aud tell the W(»rld what 1 see scattered upon my track. llEf'AI'lTULATlON. — Soldiers were tampered with in Birmingham at a crisis of fearful peril, — May [KV2. I knew the eitizen.s of Birmin'Jiam wlio were subverting the dra;^oons. and know some of them still, liut Dvaliee itself has not dared to imptit(! a corrupt complicity to me. Col. Wyndham j.^ evitlence prove.s, that, betoro any whisp(;r wa-s lieard about Hie, the regiment was talked of a.s '' UnionifitH."' What did I do? 1 warned tlie autliorities in London that the dragoons at Birmingham were being se.duiied by the agents of flu' 'j>olitical unions." Subsequently, in a letter which found its way to the newspapi^rs, I re-as.serted the fact. The soldiers who were then iujplicated, know that 1 veheHLiently op^wsed their complicity with the Uniouiats iu Birmingham. ^i*i,.^:.,»»«u«K.r».«~»«*.«sw*«.B(».«B-74»*((<»T»i»^^ » if work Wfttfl iiallv, wliu t''»r T pnx liiiiiiJiii!; *|iixintf ••ut- niitun- of my uro, on whioh I'd •Inily >utii proltiHuiti); to lie ti) tulv CHHOH T 'niud ; and the t,. ith all , or even s ofhniiuuiity. rctiMtlous, lew ir iaip^ilfM; lias atu'iupted, or over looking 1 punilyi^od in Ht 1 look back uiiii^'liam ut ft IJirmint-'liaTu 1)1 .till. Hut V to nie. Col. s 1h ,inl about, lui I do? T iniiif-diam were Subsequently, erted the fact. Biently opjHjsed or A nitmcNT liii. M9 But th.' c«invort»ation with the C«»lnnel. what of that ? you Mk. I aiiHwer iIom: That (•onver!*«lion wa^ forced upon nw. [ wiw drawn into it, »M ihf Cuioni'l himself tthtitit'd. wliil« a priNtiuT b«lore huiMiii tmothor charu'f. >\ iirt I wronjr in witldinldin^' the nanie^ of tlic ,*>ldicrH who had, aeciirdinK to Colonel Wyndhain « own phnwe, bronirlit on tlir nrinu-nt the reproach of JK-in^ " Tnionij^tH "? 1 repeat, that, by «li.>4c|(i<*in>; their naniex and tlie names of the jHTHtnii. who cttrruptcd them, I mij;lil havo escaped the la-nh, ami have seen thnw ntddiers flon;^r,.i'ioso their names, and tlnit word nf iiunoiir I adhered to :\t nil lisk."*. As to (ii•^ losures ncido to government siibso<|n»ntly, I did not siick the scHTet** contided to me eitln r in IKIU nv in \H^)H ; but neither havi- 1 wmizlit to brin;; punishment imi ^niilty men for my ])rivate advantage. The celebrity of the ease in the Scots (Ireyh, and the published aeeouiit of my subse(jut'nt military service. brouLdil tho.>*o persons to me. And there i."- this other ta'M : while that ease j^ave me a jiosiliou of influence over the many tlilnkimi men who were provincial leaders of t'harti.sm, I restraining; throuirh them the IMiysieal Fohm^ Chartists very materiully. tlie fact of my havin;; hww fio'jijni has been a bar to my rise in life. It prevented my (-'oing to India in 184(>, as commissioner for the Man chc'ter Chamber of Commerce, at a .sahu'y of .£2,(M)(( a year. It has k«!pt me out of otliei public employment. It has be»!n thrown in my face a.s u K'proach hy every demap>i.'ue and mountebank with whom I have come into conflict durinjf twenly-sovi-n intervetiinir years, Hut the most heartless ami cruel, and to me disastnuis form of reproach in which that event ha.s come up, w;i»>i my beinjr associated in the public mind with the seditious placards of the Peace SiKjiety in 1H52-3. The general public were olfended by those placards, on the one hand, and, on the other, the J'eac(! SiK'iety jK'ople turnertaiiu'(i that a iit Edinburgh, detaches a ten wile?, atid attracts it rectlon in which the uiaaa scerlaiuod as I assert it to i of an iron ehip swerving an i)f a ( otnjniss ou hoard all thui I have Jiscovert>3 vapor; but if no one f:l3e 11 do HO at no very di.^tnnt J know wlien the iron ship ing from her course. The iHn; occasions at Quebec; }j in its angles of motion. in this volnni«) and some k., Duke Street, Piccadilly, I 1, Lcmdou. y of the Pioneern (contaiu- Trude. and the. Leiiguc, ar«