66 vour. " "nourable testimonies of public fa-" whom I was known when I com"menced the publication of the Adver"When, I commenced the publica-"tiser, and with some of whom I can "tion of the Manchester and Salford" hardly be said to be personally acquaintAdvertiser.my first address to you was" ed at this hour; that these gentlemen the address of an unknown stranger. "voluntarily entered into a subscription "I had not a dozen personal friends in" for the purpose of purchasing the "the town; and among the few beyond" paper, and placing it at my disposal; "these who were conscious of my "that they offered a thousand pounds "existence in it, I ranked perhaps more" for the purchase of the stock and "who were hostile than indifferent; 'copyright, with a view to this object; "for I need not tell you, that there is" and that they did this without any senothing which more attracts hostility curity but their experience of my pub"than any symptoms of political inde-"lic conduct, and without any stipula"pendence. The personal friends to" tion, except that I should employ their "whom I allude, know how little I have" money in the public service, and re46 trespassed on them for exertions in " pay them as I could find in that sermy favour. I relied upon no such" vice the means of doing so. I should "factitious aid. I made my appeal on "be glad here to name them in succes"the ground of public principle, to you, sion, that, not in the columns of this "the reformers of Lancashire. I knew " paper, but in your grateful rememyou could not fail to recognise, where" brance, their names, coupled with the "it existed, the same honesty of pur- "act, might be firmly recorded; but it 66 66 was not to their own honour, but to pose, which gives energy and steadiness to your own exertions; and I your cause, that they dedicated this "have received a thousand favourable offering; and they will be better "testimonies, that you have done me pleased to accept in silence the warm "the honour (the justice, let me say) "thanks which I here take the liberty "to recognise such honesty of purpose "to offer them in your name as well as Of the innumerable inquiries my own. "in me. "from all quarters, the warm, the kind, "Private treachery is a very poor "the even anxious inquiries, which" foundation for public spirit; and as [ "have been made, whether the Adver-" hope I may assume without presump"tiser was still to be published, and “ tion, that my good fame has some "still to be continued in my hands, I" connexion with your cause, permit me "need only now say, that it is these" here to vindicate it from a groundless "which have given ine the erect mien" 'aspersion cast upon it, that in making "and cheerful aspect which, amid all" the paper the medium of your senti"the rumours, the whisperings, the " ments, I in any degree betrayed the slanders, so long besetting the Adver- interests or violated the confidence of "tiser, have confounded the malice of" its proprietors. tr "those who, for your sake, have been "As to the losses and embarrassments my enemies. The paper, indeed, has" of the paper, with the exception of the passed into other hands. One of the" expenses of Mr. Taylor's action, they parties who has formerly suffered by "had mainly accrued before my con"it, has chosen, as he had good right to "nexion with it. I found the partner"do, to take it, in order to indemnify" ship deeply in debt, the paper in ruin, "himself; but let me relate with" and losing a large sum weekly. As gratitude, as well as pride, that, if" a last experiment, it was agreed to "he had not determined so to do," conduct it for one month. The expe"the paper would have been mine. Let" riment succeeded. Since my con"me relate, in justice to others more" nexion with it, in spite of the embar"than to myself, and in high honour of "rassments of old encumbrances; in "the public spirit of Lancashire, that" spite of the innumerable disadvantages "fifteen gentlemen, to hardly one of" of a proprietary at variance sometimes "with me and sometimes with one "the paper. Upon that topic also, "another; and of management under" permit me to say a word or two. It "the control of no master, and no one "shall be no part of mine to attempt to "head, the advertisements have more" raise difficulties in the way of my suc"than doubled; the circulation in two cessor, whoever he may be. The pro"years had nearly trebled; the paper," prietor pledges himself that the paper "setting aside its old engagements, has" shall be what it has been. He makes "been uniformly productive of profit;"that pledge to parties too deeply, too "it has been made to occupy a station" warmly interested, to be liable to de"such as no radical paper in this coun-" ception; to parties who know that, if "ty ever occupied before; and, as the "the Advertiser cease to be their advo"last proof, the proprietor who takes" cate, they have no advocate in the "the paper now confessedly with a view" South of Lancashire. If I were in the "to profit, gives a pledge that there confidence of the proprietor upon this "shall be no abatement of the efforts" point, as I am not; and, if my suc"which have secured for it the popu cessor were to be my tried friend, I "larity that it now possesses.' And" question whether I should take the this pledge I am sure he will be " liberty to recommend him to you. "convinced it is for his interest to " My own experience warrants me in "redeem. "the assurance that he will be judged "So much for the sacrifice of interest." by you with candour; and that if he "Now for the breach of confidence. It" be found deserving, he will be sup“is said, on the ground of a speech of" ported by you most generously. It is "Mr. Williams (the misrepresentation" thus that I have been judged; and "of an advocate) that I alienated the "thus that I have been supported. It "proprietors by making a sudden" is you who have given me such station "wheel-about in the politics of the" as I occupy; it is you who have raised paper. The paper in which I now me from utter obscurity to some de"write is the property of one of the "gree of credit and reputation; it is "parties who originally contracted with your support that has secured for me "me, and who is alleged to have been" those flattering testimonies to which "so alienated. I publish under his eye," I have before alluded; it is you who "I say nothing of his present declara-" have recommended me to some of the "tion in favour of my principles; but associations that are most honourable "I say, and by his consent to this publi- "to me, and most valued by me; it is "cation he confirms it, that I stipulated 66 you who have given me the means "for the uncontrolled expression of my" and the opportunity of recommending "own opinions in the paper, with the "myself to the friendship (if there is "plainest avowal of what those opinions" not too much assumption in the word) "were; and that it was not to the prin-" of the first of Englishmen, of him "ciples of the paper, but to the warmth whose friendship in future years will "of particular expressions, and to the" be deemed an honour to any man that " temerity of particular acts, that these" breathes. "parties ever took exception. I was as "The good old laws of England "frank with them as I am with you." make it an impeachment of any man's "There has been no dishonour in any "character, that he does not provide "part of my conduct towards them; "himself with the obvious means of my own interest has been always the "last to be consulted; I have been no squanderer, and I am proud to add "that I leave their service as poor as I "entered it. livelihood. To that, the first duty of an honest citizen, I must now address "myself; and it may be that I shall have to seek a livelihood in such a manner as will prevent me from appearing prominently in the public cause; for I shall take no part in politics for the sake of notoriety, nor "I am conscious, however, that "though this imputation touches me, "it was aimed at the future conduct of" 66 attempt to act in a position where I of the volume. With regard to the cannot act with effect. Of this you past, I expressed my intention of print"may be certainly assured, that I will ing the title-page and table of contents "return to the plough, the use of which of one of these volumes at the end of "is always unequivocal, at which I every Register, until they were all "have formerly worked with pleasure, printed; but, on consulting with my "at which I learned the independence printer as to the manner of doing it, "which has made me useful to you, and considering that this process would "rather than be connected for a week require ten weeks to perfect the job, I "with any political publication, the have determined upon printing the "object of which is not to make the whole together, and to publish them in "plough and the shuttle more produc- the form of a pamphlet. I would give "tive to those who guide them. But these pamphlets away, if I could; but "howsoever, and wheresoever, I may this I cannot do, without exposing my"be engaged, you shall hear nothing self to being laughed at by persons who "of me unworthy of the honour you would come and pretend that they have "have shown me. In junctures of great ten volumes to bind up, and who would, moment, and perhaps of some danger; on that ground, take the pamphlets to "under scorn and obloquy; in the light their pipes or cigars with. There"strife of angry passions; at a distance fore, I must sell them; but, the price "from all that was most dear and con- shall be only threepence, which is only soling to me; and under the pressure one little degree above the pipe-lighting "of domestic affliction, of more than price. However, if any gentleman, ordinary severity, I have stood beside whom I personally know, will write to you; but to the last hour of my life me, for these title-pages and tables of "the memory of the struggles we have contents, I will send them to him for "shared together, will be among the nothing and postage free. This is all proudest and most grateful recollec- that I can do to make reparation for my "tions of neglect, for which I beg pardon, heartily wishing that my example in this respect may find followers in those who have committed such manifold sins and wickednesses against me. "Your faithful servant, REGISTER, AND IN VOLUMES. With regard to back numbers and volumes of the Register, the state of the case is this: back NUMBERS I have FROM Volume 72, which begins with none, and, therefore, can sell none. As the 2d of April, 1831, to volume 81, to back vOLUMES, I stand thus. From which ends with the month of October, volume 72, beginning as above-men1833, there are, as yet, no tables of con- tioned, to volume 81, which is just tents and titles printed; so that those concluded, making the ten last volumes, gentlemen who think it worth while to I have about forty complete sets. These preserve their numbers and put them sets, each consisting of ten volumes, into volumes, cannot have done this to very well bound in boards, I sell, or ratheir satisfaction. I regret this exceed-ther, Mr. DEAN sells, at four pounds ingly; but I cannot help it, and I could four skillings; and, I ought to observe not help it. A man cannot do the things here, that, though I do hear of book that I do, and be, at all times, quite in publishers, who sell to what is called order as to these mechanical matters. I institutes and subscription libraries, and will make reparation as far as I can, the like, and, indeed, to individuals for and I hope that I have now so fixed the ready money; though I do hear of book matter, that every future volume that it publishers, who do, in such cases, sell shall please God to give me health to their books under the usual retail price, write, will have its table of contents I never did it in my life, and I never and the title-page forming the last leaf will. It is right that the bookseller, who has to retail books, or to furnish | to the productions of the press, that them to the country, should have his they have a fixed and unalterable price; full profit; and that profit he could not that there is no rascally cheapening and have, on my books, if I were to sell to chaffering and lying across the counter other persons at a lower rate than he is of a bookseller; but, if it once come to enabled to sell at. Therefore, not only the selling of a book (when new) at a with regard to these volumes of the lower price than the fixed price, whether Register, but with regard to all the rest for ready money or not ready money, of my books, it is just as well for any the bookseller's shop comes down to a person to purchase of a bookseller, as it level with the shop of the broker, or that is for him to purchase at Bolt-court. of the blaspheming and diabolical Jew: and Rosemary-lane will be quite as respectable as Paternoster-row. ASSESSED TAXES. It is impossible for me not to wish for the repeal of these taxes. It would not become me to give any recommendation with regard to the means of getting rid of them; but, I must just observe, that the article which was inserted in the last Register from the Morning Chronicle, condemning the ASSOCIATIONS, and calling upon the tax-eaters to form counter-associations, would not have been inserted in the Register, except for the purpose of exposing its impudence, if I had been near to the printing office. This is certainly the most impudent thing that ever even the Whigs attempted to do. When they were in danger of losing their places, they cried out to the people to associate in all sorts of ways; and Lord FITZWILLIAM, one of their principal supporters, led the way in declaring that he would pay no more taxes until their measure was carried; that is to say, until the Reform Bill should be passed. With regard to those volumes of the Register, which go before volume 72, I bave no complete set, nor anything approaching it. In some cases I have several copies of a volume; in other cases 1 have none; but, the editor of the Morning Chronicle having so boldly asserted that the close of my life natural as well as political is close at hand; and, as it is very certain that, after that close arrive, I shall be no more able to write Registers than he is now, gentlemen who wish to have complete sets of the work, and who have now broken sets, are, of course, beginning to hunt about to fill up their gaps. I will, therefore, prepare a list of all the volumes from the beginning up to volume 71 inclusive, and I will deposit that list with Mr. JOHN DEAN, who now has the charge of my bookselling and publishing business at Bolt-court: so that any gentleman that will please to call upon him, will see whether his gap can be filled up by us. All these back volumes will be sold by retail at 8s. 6d. each, bound in boards, and at no other price except to booksellers, to whom I shall sell them, of course, at that price which I shall think just. I have never grudged them their profit; and, had there not been great Now, what did the people want the difficulty in departing from the customs Reform Bill for? They wanted it, in and the rules of the bookselling business, order that their burdens might be lightI should have had no objection to make ened; and they really wanted it for them a greater abatement than that re-nothing else. They did not want it for gular abatement that I have always the purpose of extending the right of made. I hold it to be a great departure from that fair dealing, which has always heretofore distinguished this branch of business, to retail a book under the fixed price; and it is one of the worse signs of the times that this thing is now done in certain cases. It is one of the pleasant and honourable things belonging voting, if that right of voting was to produce them no benefit. They wanted it, that they might, through it, obtain a relief from taxation, and thereby be made better off. And, if they now find that the relief which it has obtained them is a mere mockery, they have a great deal more reason to form such buy quarters of hundreds in the funds. How are these people to look the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the face? How is he to pay the interest of the debt, if we withhold from him the means of paying the interest with? "Oh!" say they," but he can disband part of the army." No he cannot, for that is necessary to enable him to collect the malt-tax, and other taxes; for, associations than they had before the money-dealing villains go and thrust Reform Bill was passed; not less rea- noblemen and gentlemen out of their son, but more reason; and yet this estates. Aye, and pass for good and hack newspaper has now found out, generous gentlemen, too, by a liberal that, if these associations succeed in distribution of a small part of the their object, there is an end of the Go-money, which this stupid nobility and vernment altogether. gentry have enabled them to take out It is very true, that if the Government of the pockets of the people. give way with regard to this tax, it These associators against the assessed would be compelled to give way with taxes will, probably, for the far greater regard to other taxes; and most assu-part, cry out for "NATIONAL redly it will, and it must give way, or FAITH" as loudly as the stupid nobility the country will be convulsed. The and gentry themselves, or even as loudly Government collects, they say, forty-as the cursed old HUNKSES, men and seven millions a-year into the Exche-women, who send up their money to quer. Add the expense of collection, and then there are about fifty-one millions a-year. We are told of the immense resources of the kingdom. They are so; and they always have been so: it always was the most wealthy country in the world. But, immense as these resources are, they are not absolutely endless; and they must be absolutely endless before the annual drain of fifty millions a-year can cease to produce if it were not for that army, does any depression in every part of the kingdom. man believe, that an exciseman would We are told, that a much greater amount dare to show his nose, if he attempted to of taxes was collected during the war prevent any man in the country from Suppose it were then seventy millious, making malt? In short, it is all debt alit took but half the number of bushels together. Poor-rates, police and all is of wheat to pay those taxes, which it debt. As JOHN SWANN said to me would now require to pay them. The seven-and-twenty years ago, there can seventy millions of taxes during the war be no freedom in a country where fifty amounted to no more than thirty-five millions a-year are collected in taxes; millions of the taxes of the present day. and we have this simple choice; submit This is the cause of the ruin: this is the to the taxes themselves, or take twocause of all the discontents; which thirds from the interest of the debt. threaten the total annihilation of this body of nobility and gentry, and of this form of government in England. For my part, if I were Chancellor of the Exchequer, I would have a very easy task of it: for, whenever a motion were made for taking off a tax; for instance, when Sir W. INGILBY shall move, as he has promised, to take off the malt tax, which he probably will do in somewhat the following words : The nobility and gentry and clergy seem to me to have entered into a solemn league and covenant to effect their own destruction. It is as clear as daylight, that either they must be overthrown, or that the Jews must be" Resolved, That it is expedient that reduced to a moderate bulk. The in- "the taxes upon malt be refernal Jews and usurers are not seen "pealed." by the people. One pension, or one The motion being made, I would by sinecure, is more a subject of com- no means oppose it; but would move, plaint than the whole thirty mil-as an amendment, to leave out the full lions annually swallowed up by the Jews point at the end of the sentence, put a and other devils of Change-alley. It is comma in its stead, and add the followquite amusing to see how quietly the ing words: as soon as the annual 66 |