MEETING AT THE on and in them, besides the persons who filled a small room, near to the large room. After making a fruitless effort FREEMASON'S TAVERN,to get into the large room, and to For the adopting of measures, having for object the obtaining of a seat in Parliament for Mr. Cobbett. Kensington, 9th Feb. 1826. open the way for our Chairman, I, not seeing any chance of obtaining a room alay where, to which to adjourn, and that room sufficient to hold a quarter part of the people who would wish to enter it, and, being anxious to put an end to all the risks of con fusion; these being my thoughts YESTERDAY was the day, ap-on the occasion, I gave it as my pointed by SIR THOMAS BEEVOR, opinion, that the Meeting should for the holding of this Meeting, be put off to another time; but, I the hour for which was one o'clock. found every other person of a difA quarter of an hour before the ferent opinion; and, indeed, when time, Sir Thomas Beevor and I it was pointed out to me what a went to the Freemason's Tavern; disappointment this would be to. but, we now found, that, in en- those gentlemen, who had come gaging the place of assembling, expressly from different parts of we had been too humble in our the country, I saw, at once, that, calculation as to the number of at all hazards, the Meeting ought persons that would be present. to be held then, somewhere or We found the room, which con- other. tained about three hundred per- It was instantly proposed to adsons, full, even to danger of pro- journ to Lincoln's Inn Fields, ducing real hurt to the gentlemen and to the north-west corner of assembled. The staircase and that Square we went, where, passages had about as many more somebody having impressed an N Printed and Published by WILLIAM COBBETT, No. 183, Fleet-street, [ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.] empty coal-wagon into the ser-amidst such a storm of obloquy and vice, that became a hustings for reproach, I have so long maintainthe occasion; and, in a short time, ed. It was indeed a proud day I had the pleasure to see in the for me; and, were my "strange front and on the flanks of it, an career," as malignant and ignorant assemblage of, I should think, SCARLETT once called it, to end about three thousand persons, cer- here, for what end more honourtainly the most respectable in ap-able could I wish? This man, pearance that I ever beheld, being just after my prophecy about equally numerous. This was a PEEL'S BILL, had the empty inproud sight for all the readers of solence to call me (who had never the Register, and, certainly, not even named him in my life) a less so for me, its author. But," contemptible scribbler." If such the most pleasing reflection, ex-a man were sensible to the workcited by the sight of this assem-ings of shame, what must be his blage, was, that the principles, feelings NOW! which I have so long been endeavouring to implant, have taken The Meeting, in Lincoln's Inn deep and firm hold of the minds Fields, was as orderly, and, inof a large part of the people; deed, a great deal more so, than and, which gave me singular sa- are the assemblies in another tisfaction, I beheld the evidence place which I do not care now of triumph in the faces of great to name. Sir THOMAS BEEVOR numbers of young men; for, after opened the business of the day in all, it is on them that the fate of a manner which was highly apthe country must finally rest. The plauded by the Meeting, and in a persons of this description seemed manner which did him the highest particularly desirous of showing honour. COLONEL JOHNSTONE, me marks of respect; they took my feet on their hands, and put me upon the wagon as if my weight had been that of a feather; they made a step of their hands for me to descend from the wagon; they locked themselves into ranks to conduct me back to the Tavern; and they tendered me their honest hands to shake, just as had been done by the hearty and zealous people of Norfolk, when we carried that PETITION, which has been so much abused, but which must, at last, be acted upon, or this kingdom must become a scene of universal desolation. one of the Members of Parliament for the town of Boston, proposed the Resolutions, and, in doing this, he evinced that spirit and that honesty which has distinguished the whole of his conduct, since he has been a Member of Parliament. There will be found below, a report of the proceedings of the day, taken from the "Morning Chronicle" of this morning; I shall not, therefore, make any attempt to report the speeches of any of us; but I shall here insert the RESOLUTIONS to which the Meeting unanimously agreed, because my main object at present is, I mention these circumstances, to add to those Resolutions such obpartly because they do me honour, servations as appear to be necesbut, more particularly, for the sary, in order to ensure the best stronger reason, that they indicate chance of giving effect to this a triumph of those principles, which, undertaking. Resolved, 1. That it is the opinion | scribers, in proportion to the sums of this Meeting, that it would be that they may respectively have subbeneficial to the country if Mr. Cob- scribed: and, in order that the subbett were a Member of the Com-scribers may be duly apprized of the mons' House of Parliament; and share of surplus due to each, the that it is, therefore, the opinion of Committee (here below named) this Meeting, that there ought to be shall cause notice to be publicly raised by public subscription a sum given of the amount of such surplus, of money sufficient for defraying and of the time for repaying it to any expenses that may become ne- the subscribers, upon their producing cessary for the accomplishment of their afore-mentioned receipts. But, that object. in order that there may be a limit to 2. That Sir Thomas Beevor, Bart., the Treasurer, it is understood that, the business of the Committee and be the Treasurer of such subscrip-in this case, as well as in that men tion. 3. That the subscriptions be paid to the Treasurer, or to a person authorized by him to receive subscriptions, at the Office of the Register, No. 183, Fleet-street, London. 4. That each subscriber shall, at the time of paying his subscription, receive a receipt for the same, in the following form:-" Received of A. B. "the sum of as tioned in Resolution 5, if the subscriber do not make his demand within three months, or ninety-three days, after the times above specified, the Committee shall be at liberty to dispose of the unclaimed subscriptions in that way which they may deem most proper, consulting, in this respect, as far as may be practicable, the wishes of the subscribers. 7. That each and every subscriber may subscribe in his own name, in any "a subscription towards defraying any expenses that may arise from other name, or under any motto "any steps that may be taken for or designation that he may choose, "the purpose of obtaining a return and that his receipt, when produced "of Mr. Cobbett to serve in parlia-(either by him or by any holder of "ment." it) shall be as valid as if given to him under his own name. 5. That, if it should so happen that there be not raised a sum suf8. That Sir Thomas Beevor, Bart., ficient to warrant an attempt to ef- Joseph Martin, Esq., of Lincoln's fect the object in view, then, in the Inn, Peter Walker, Esq., of Worth, space of ten days after the close of Sussex, William Withers, jun. Esq., the next general election, each and of Holt, Norfolk, and William Palevery subscriber shill, upon present-mer, Esq., of Bollitree, Herefording, or causing to be presented, his shire, be a Committee for deciding aforesaid receipt to the Treasurer, or upon, and for carrying into execu other person appointed for the pur- tion all the measures necessary for pose, receive the whole amount of effecting the several purposes abovethe sum stated in the said receipt, mentioned, and that their order, or, without any deduction whatsoever. that of any three of them, shall be, to the Treasurer, his sufficient warrant for disposing of any sums of money, that he may receive on account of the said subscription. 6. That if any attempt be made, and fail, or if it succeed; and if, in either case, there be a surplus remaining in the hands of the Treasurer, then the whole of such surplus shall, at the end of fifty days after the close of the next general election, be, in the manner abovementioned, returned to the sub As far as relates to the collections made at No. 183, Fleetstreet, or paid to Sir Thomas Beevor himself in person, the Resolutions themselves are parti- [know what sum he ought to recular enough. But, there is ano-ceive back. ther mode of subscribing; I mean I am very well aware that this by persons in the country, which is suggesting to people to take requires some little explanation. upon themselves a great deal of As far as friends and neighbours trouble; but then we are to recolmay agree amongst themselves to lect, that we can have few things send up subscriptions, ANY ONE which we can wish for without a can make collections from any little trouble. What trouble have number, and, upon forwarding the I not taken myself? What labours collection to Fleet-street, can re- have I not performed? What ceive one receipt for the whole; risks have I not run? What but, though there will be, and perils have I not encountered; though, indeed, there already are, aye, and a numerous family along some subscriptions which I ought with me? And, if I had preferred to call large, still success must ease to labour; if I had preferred mainly depend upon numerous interest to duty; how rich might small ones. I suggest, therefore, I not bave been; and in what to such gentlemen, in different complete ignorance might not the parts of the country, as may deem country have been with regard to it prudent and proper to stand the cause of its calamities. Whatforward as the receivers of sub-ever else men may say of me; scriptions; I suggest to them to whatever else they may even propose so to do, and to make the think of me; there is not a man proposition by letter addressed to in the kingdom who will look anoSir THOMAS BEEVOR, who is, as ther man in the face and say, that they will perceive, Chairman of I might not have wallowed in the Committee, such letter being wealth; that I might not have addressed to him at No. 183, been covered with what the world Fleet-street, postage paid. When calls honours, if I had chosen to the Committee has received the aid in the work of delusion and letter, they will, after due and oppression, instead of having, satisfactory inquiry, notify, in the without the exception of, one sinRegister, that the party notified gle act of my life, endeavoured in the Register has authority to to dissipate the former and to put collect subscriptions. By these an end to or mitigate the latter. means numerous small sums, es- It is agreed, amongst all descrippecially in large towns, may be tions of men, that I possess excollected. The collector would traordinary powers; that I wield receive a receipt for every sum a pen more powerful than that of that he would pay in or cause to any other man now living in Engbe paid in at Fleet-street; and land. This is acknowledged by the publicity which would be gi- all. I have wielded it by turns, ven, at last, to the account of the against many descriptions of men ; manner in which the money has but in no one single instance been disposed of, or of the can I be charged as having cause of its not having been dis- wielded it for the purpose of furposed of at all, or only in part, thering my own interest; and would enable every subscriber to truth must further declare of me. the outset: I was not an ignorant ; that I have uniformly, that I have rooted attachment to my country. unceasingly, that I have without I chose the path strewed with scarcely a week of intermission, thorns: I felt those thorns from been the zealous, the strenuous and ardent advocate of that class of the community, from whom I never could and never can by any possibility receive, not only any sort of reward, but, such is their dispersed, scattered and forlorn situation, scarcely any mark or any expression of their gratitude. Still, however, I must say, as for them, that they have always shown their gratitude when they had the power of doing it. The country will bear ine witness, my nume-out of place, and his wife a penrous volumes will record the fact, sion in the case of his death; but, that if I had been a hedger and a all the gold and silver, even all ditcher, that if I had had no other that the mad speculators expect object in life than that of adding to drain from the mines of Peru an ounce of bread to my day's aud Mexico, brought in wagons, meal, I could not have been more and lining the road from Hydezealous, more indefatigable than Park Corner to Hammersmith, I have been in the cause of that would not induce me to exchange now oppressed class who subsist the name of WILLIAM COBBETT by their labour. What prevented for that of WILLIAM HUSKISSON; me, starting at the same moment, and whatever else men may say with Mr. WILLIAM HUSKISSON, of me, in this I am convinced springing as I did, from a source they will say I am sincere. full as illustrious as his; what pre- Now, considering what trouble vented me from pursuing the same I have had, what losses of all sorts smooth and flowery path? What I have had to endure, and that, prevented me from surpassing too, without ever having been dihim on that path? What prevent-verted one single moment from ed me from being as rich and as my purpose, is it too much to ask powerful as he at this moment? of those, who think all this of me Not the want of ambition; not the which I have said of myself, to want of a consciousness of my take some little trouble in order powers; not the want of that love to ensure me, at last, the barren of wealth, which to a certain de- reward of a seat in that Assembly, gree, is natural and even lauda- in which I ought to have been ble; not, all who know me will placed full twenty years ago? bear me witness, want of anxiety Putting it even on this footing; for the well-being of those de- this weakest footing of a gratificapendant upon me; no: but the tion to me, do I ask too much, if want of a desire to be rich and I ask my own readers to take the powerful surpassing the love of very little trouble, to make the honest fame, and my most deep-very trifling sacrifice, which would |