it would, in the end, only augment the evil intended to be prevented... table, most able, and even the most opulent Citizens. The people of England are of the same excellent chara eter as those of America. In short, the two nations are of one and the same fa ners, the same turn of mind, the same attachment to freedom, the same love of country. And, it is notorious, that, in the few instances where elections are popular in England, the people have almost uniformly chosen men distinguish-' ed for their talents and joining talents to fortune. Where, then, is the danger? Who is it that need be afraid to suffer the people of England to choose their representatives, in the same manner as the people of America choose theirs, especally as no one wishes to elange any thing as to the powers, privileges, and prerogatives of the Peers of the king? This No it is not by war that we shall prevent a migration of our people. The way to keep at home our artizans and manufacturers and our moderately rich men, is,mily. The same habits, the same manto take care, that they shall be unable to find, any where else, more happiness: that is to say, greater abundance, greater ease, and more real freedom. If France become nearly what America is in point of freedom. If the only difference should consist in the title of the Chief Magistrate. If the way to riches and honours be alike open to all men, of whatever religion. If the press become really free, as it is in America If every man paying a tax partake in choosing the makers of the laws. Really, my Lord, if this should be the case, it appears to me, that Reform in this country will, at last, become absolute ly necessary; and, therefore, wouki it net The old assertion, that the example Be as well to begin now? - Messrs. Roe- of America was nothing, seeing the smallderer, Carnot, Gregole, &c, are at work ness of her population, the poverty of in France. They have had great experi- her people, and seeing that her constience. They have had their eyes fixed tation had not yet been brought in conupon us and upon America. They know tact with the touchstone of War. all about our situation. They have befire old assertion is now contradicted. She' them the history of our Borough System, is nearly, if not quite, as populous as and of the efforts which have been made this island; het people are rich; ker to reform it. They have heard, I dare cities luxurions; her commerce immense ; say, of the famous aflair of Mr. QUIN-¦ and she has just come with honour out TIN. DICK. They have read SIR of the most arduous war in which any FRANCIS BURDETT'S Speeches, MA- nation was ever engaged, and that, too, JOR CARTWRIGHT'S Addresses, and not only without any internal convulsion, the Petitions to the Housurable lense. but without seeing her mild Government These will serve them as a guide. They resorting to any one measure of safety wilt know what to choose and what to Levond the usual course of law. And, shrun. Therefore, my Lord, let us try why did it not? Because it was elected to out-do them. Let us begin first. Let by the people; Leeause it had the pecas leave them no reem fo surpass us. In pie's couudence; because, even if its short, for that is the all-in-all, let us have measures had displeased the people, the a thorough - reforms of the Cammans remedy was always at band in an apHouse of Parliament; and then we shall prouching election. Such a Governneed no war to prevent the contagion of ment s'auds in ae need of soldiers in timé French principles nor 15 prevent Eng- of peace. It wants 6 protection against lishmen from migrating to -framed, i- the people, because the people, can at a And what are the chjections to this few months from any given day, changé reforar? What are the objections to their representatives. Thus is publie giving papers of taxes a right to vote for ¦ economy natural to Such a state of those who make our laws? It has bech | things. Petlig economy prevents heavy impudently asserted, that such a refsadi taxation. This is another, and one of would produce anarchy and corfason; | the greatest fecurries for internal peace that it would introduce low-andungtin- as well as happiness. Whether this le cipled men into the Legislaire, and inse the " Secisystem" I do not know the offices of State. But has this bed, certa-1 am, that it is the happ tife, eflect of free elections in America? system; the stem of comfort; of m We see there, the Legislature and the attachment. tos country of loyalty, cality, of wing submission to the laws, ices of state #ed by the most repu- 'and of peace. To be sure, France has not yet furnished us with so tempting an example; but, if she should not do it, what will then be said against admitting all Enghshmen paying direct taxes to par ticipate in chosing their representatives, leaving the privileges and prerogatives of the Peers and the Crown wholly untouched? I am at a loss to guess; bat I am at no loss to foresee what would be the consequence of the refusal. This is the race; this is the rivalship, which I wish to see between England and France. Not a rivalship in war; not a rivalship in commercial restrictions; but a rivalship in the pursuit of freedom: a rivalship in which I am not at all afraid that we should surpass her. Our natural character; our persevering at tachments to country; our unwearied oyalty; that modesty which indisposes individuals to aim at predominance; that moderation which limits our views of exaltation; that plain good sense, that justice, that mercy, which, if left to ourselves, guide us in all our decisions, that almost unbounded confidence between man and man, which gives to words the value of gold; our happy local situation; and a hundred other traits and circumstances: all sectu to personify themselves and to exclaim? Why is not England the freest and happiest country in the world? What need has she of armies in time of peace? Why should she know of any force beyond the Sheriff's Wand and the Constable's Staff? Why should her Government be uneasy at the propagation of any opinions or principles, political or religious?' may, in some small degree, assist in making you hesitate before you again plunge us into another long and sanguidary war. I am, &c. &c. WM. COBBETT. PRESENT STATE OF FRANCE. It is a truth, confirmed by universal history, that the happiness or misery of a people depends almost entirely upon the principles of the government, and the conduct of their rulers. Wherefore is it that in Europe there is more comforts enjoyed, and greater progress made in the arts and sciences, than in Asia? It is because the Asiatic governments are more despotic and tyrannical than the European. It is from a similar cause that the improvement of society in Spain, and in Portugal, is, at the present mo ment, a century, at least, behind our own country. It is following this crite rion only, by adopting it as a rule to form the judgment, that we shall be able, at all times, to arrive at correct ideas respecting the condition of any people. Whenever we abandon this guide, we give ourselves up to error, and to all its consequent evils; we become, by habit, the creatures of prejudice; and we seldom discover our mistake till dear bought experience has taught us the folly of our departure from truth. In nothing is the mistakes, which have arisen in consequence of this departure from rectitude, more obvious and extravagant, than in the opinions now almost generally prevailing as to the present state of society in France. Fully aware that the improveHow happy should I be, my Lord, ment which has taken place there, since if I could hope that you and your col- the revolution, in the condition of the leagues would take these questions into people, is the best proof that can be your serious consideration; if, having now given of the superior excellence of the goseea that foreign war and domestic coer-vernment, almost all our political writers, tion, have so completely failed, at the particularly our news-paper press, have end of so many years, to produce that unceasingly represented the people of safety, which has been the professed ob- France to be completely demoralized, ject of your predecessors, in power, as her fields uncultivated, her manufactures well as of yourselves; if, after these annihilated, and the whole aspect of the fruitless endeavours, I could hope, that country reduced to a state of dreary waste you would make merely a trial of Par-and desolation. It was by base attempts liamentary reform; of that great mea-like these that a too successful clamour -sure, which would renovate the natural against the republicans was first excited; spirit, make us bear our inevitable burdens with cheerfulness, and strengthen sour love to cur country! But, if I an forbidden to entertain this hope, I will still flatter myself, that what I have said that the nations of Europe were infuriated to embark in a bloody contest, and that they continued, for upwards of twenty years, to sacrifice their lives for the establishment of that "Social System," and that "holy religion,"which, it is said, had [grity of her people.---After some prelimibeen overthrown and profaned by thenary remarks on the appearance of the jacobins of France. The repose which houses, &c. at Dieppe, where Mr. Birthe treaty of Paris had given to the con- beck and his friends landed, he proceeds tinent, has served in a great measure to as follows. dissipate the delusion. Liberal minded and sensible men, who could not underWalking near the barracks, I was struck with the stand how a country demoralized and respectable appearance of the soldiers; several debased as France was represented to be, were seated under the trees, reading. In the should be able to maintain its exis-evening the streets, the boulevards, the bourse, tence against the combined attacks of every convenient place was filled with groups of Europe, were desirous to satisfy them- people, of all descriptions, engaged in conversation. selves as to the case of this unaccount- No rudeness in the men, no levity in the females & able phenomenon. They visited France; politeness and chearful, sincere, good humour prethey observed the customs and mannersveiling on all sides. How different, thought I, of the people; they investigated the from an evening scene in a British sea-port! Yek: progress of the arts, of manufactures, of Dieppe is said to be one of the coarsest places in agriculture, of Education; they particu- France. There is more appearance of enjoyment, larly informed themselves as to the national and less of positive suffering than I ever beheld character of the people, and the general before, or had any conception of; but it is not the aspect of the country; and the result of sort of enjoyment which suits my habits; I questhese inquiries, and observations has tion if I could be happy in their way. been, that the public are now in posession pains-taking unfortunate race are we! So busy of a real picture of France, drawn from about living, that we really have not time to live I actual survey, by persons of undoubted and our recreations have so much of vice in them, credit,and who were under no temptation that serious folks have imagined it impossible to whatever to give a false colouring to the be both merry and wise. The people here, though subject. Of the many works which infinitely behind us in the accommodations of life, have issued from the press on the pre- seem to be as much our superiors in the art of sent state of France, I have seen no solving. I am informed that all the children of the well calculated to give correct ideas.1elabouring class learn to read; and are generally specting it, as that published by Air. taught by their parents. The relation between Barbeck. It is cntaled "Notes of a a good education and good morals might be studied Journey through france from Dieppe here, to advantage, by the opposers of our im 66 coun or What a through Paris and Lyons to the Py-proved modes of teaching the children of the poor. renees, and back through Toulouse, "in July, August and September, 1814; describing the habits of the people, "and the agriculture of the "try."It is my intention, as already stated, to give a summary analysis of this valuable production. It will form a striking contrast to the view of society and manners in France, before the revolution, as given by Mr. Arthur Young, and which has already appeared in the Register. The reader with observe that Mr. Birbeck is not an admirer of Napoleon. Ou the contrary, he freely censures what he considers reprehensible in his conduct, and more than On the subject of Education, our au thor afterwards says, that at Deville At a very poor inn, in a remote village, where we stopped on our morning's ride, the landlady kept a child's school, and her daughter was weaving cotton check; her sister kept a little shop, and was reading a translation of Young's Night once stigmatizes him with the epithet of" tyrant."-Yet it was under the Government of this tyrant" that France made such prodigious progress, in the arts and sciences, and has acquired so high a character for moral conduct, and, what may be truly called the glory of a nation, for the strict inte Thoughts. This was more than we should have expected, in a village Ale-house, in England. The babits of the people more towards the South, he thus describes: Having quitted the Pyrennecs, and entered on a district, where, instead of small fields, numerous villages, and a thick population, are large towns, large divisions of land, and fewer people; I have to remark, on taking leave of my imountain friends, that their poverty is more in appearance than reality. They have frugal habits; and consider as luxuries, some things which may perhaps be among the necessaries of life in the estimation of their lowland neighbours. They are not an alms-taking indigent peasantry; but laborious and independent; living upon little, and heedless how : but nothing of the negligence which is the constant companion of hopeless poverty, is discoverable in their fields; on the contrary, these are cultivated with garden-like exactness. Their lands and their cattle shew that they are far removed from beggary and want. In the richer tracts, where their little estates are productive with moderate toil, the inhabitants are living in great plenty and comfort. Those beautiful and fertile vallies which converge at Tarascon, seem to unite lowland abundance with mountain simplicity. On the labouring class, and farm Ser vants, Mr. Birbeck has furnished the following interesting facts, which I have extracted from his work without any regard to the order in which they are there placed. On my first landing, I was struck with the respectable appearance of the labouring class; I see the same marks of comfort and plenty, every where as I proceed. I ask for the wretched peasantry, of whom I have heard and read so much; but 1 am always referred to the revolation; it seems they Asked some the busy season (which is of pretty long duration. including harvest and threshing, then the vintage, and afterwards the olives) 40 sous and board, women 25 sous, without board. The allowance of board is 3lb of bread, 1lb of meat, besides vege. table dishes, such as haricos, &c. and three bottles of wine, per day: in harvest and threshing, six bottles of wine. The pound French, is about equal to 18 ounces, English. The Shepherd is a wealthy man. His wife shewed us her ample stores of home-spuu linen.. She sows the hemp, prepares and spins it herself. The labouring class here [at Isy near Paris] is certainly much higher, on the social scale, than with us. Every opportunity of collecting information on this Subject confirms my first impression, that there are very few really poor people in France. In England a poor man and a labourer are synonymous terms; we speak familiarly of the poor, meaning the labouring class: not so here. I have now learnt enough to explain this difference: and, having received the same information from every quarter, there is no room to doubt its correctness. The general character of the French, and the beneficial effects which the revolution has produced, particularly on the habits of the people, are thus spoken of: The approach to Rouen is noble: every object denotes prosperity and comfort. Since I entered the country I have been looking, in all directions, for the ruins of France: for the horrible effects of the revolution, of which so much is said on our side of the water; but instead of a ruined country, I see fields highly cultivated, and towns full of inhabitants. No houses tumbling down, or empty, no ragged, wretched-looking, people. I have enquired, and every body assures me, that agriculture has been improving rapidly for the last twenty-five of the soil have been doubled during that period; and that vast improvement has taken place in the condition and character of the common people. In the early part of the revolution, store was done in the promoting the instruction of the lower order than the sinister policy of the late Emperor was able to destroy; and, though much remains to be desired on this point, enough has been effected to shew that a well-educated commonalty would not be wanting in industry or subordination. The Na Lying between the Pyrennees and the Medi-years; that the riches and comforts of the cultivators terranean, Roussillon enjoys mountain gales and sea breezes, with the fertility of a southern vale, and, what adds much to the delights of this paraaise, a happy peasantry. M. confirmed my general observations on this head, fle also informed me that it was usual for a youth of sixteen, to Fire himself, as a domestic servant in agriculture; and, when he arrives at twenty-one or twenty-two, to have laid up 400 or 500 tranks, 181. or 201. sterling. With 400 ranks, he buys a cottage and marries: his wife has probational Domains, consisting of the confiscated estates bly a little portion. He has an opportunity also of buying 1500 square toises (nearly an acre and half English) of uncultivated mountain land, rocky and poor, but fit for vines: for this he pays sifteen or twenty franks, and becomes a proprietor; having a constant resource of profitable industry, ju-winter, who work may be searce. Wages, in of the church and the emigrant nobility, were ex. posed to sale during the pecuniary distresses of the revolutionary government in small portions, for the accommodation of the lowest order of purchasers, and five years allowed for completing the payment. This indulgence, joined to the depreciation of assig nats, enabled the poorest description of peasants DE -I have had constant occasion to remark the excellent condition of the labouring class; their jecent respectable appearance. This was more than I had expected. The decorum of manners in both sexes which pre vails universally, surprised and delighted me become proprietors; and sach they are almost universally; possessing from one to ten acres. AC as the education of the poor was sedulously pro moted during the early years of the revolution, thei great advance, in character as well as coudition, is uo mystery, I prefer the country character of France to that of the city. In the former, theeyond expression. Here are none of those exhi good fruits of the Revolution are visible at every step: previous to that æra, in the country, the mos. numerous class, the bulk of the population, all but the nobles and the priests, w re wretchedly poor. servile and thievish. This class has assumed a new character, improved in proportion to the improvement of its condion. Servility has vanished with their poverty; their thievishness, an effect of the same cause, has also in great measure disappeared. As a proof of the honest disposition of the lower orders, Mr. Birbeck gives the following anecdote of a postillion: On our arrival at our hotel, the postillion demanded double for the last post, as a Poste Royale; armed a l'Anglois at all points against imposition, objected; he proposed going to the Bureau des Postes, to prove his right; I, curious to be introduced to a French Authority, willingly consented, and away we went to the Bureau des Postes: there he established, bis claim.' On returning to the hotel te his voiture and horses, an article of our baggage was missing; the postillion declared he had not seen it, and as we could not ascertain at what place had been left, it was given up as lost; it was a sac de nuit, containing sundries of some valne. In three days the same postillion left our sac at the hotel unopened, not an article missing: he had traced it back until he found it; and considering the mode of cur settlement, it was more than we expected. I give it as a sample of French honesty and regard for character. As another instance of the same kind; a postiilion gallopped after us three miles, with a small article which had been overlooked in shifting the luggage. In several points I found the French character different from what I had conceived it, from the common report. There is a sort of independence, an uprightness of manner, denoting equality and the consciousness of it, which I was not prepared for. This is sometimes, in the lower class, accompanied by something like American roughness, and is not altogether agreeable to our habits. In general however they are extremely attentive to good manners in their intercourse with each other, and with their superiors; but you may look in vain for that deference, bordering on servility which we are accustomed to from our dependants; who are, notwithstanding, free born Englishmen, bitions of profligacy, which disgust you at every portion than in England. Such is the habitual us are most addicted to drinking, that the is, A habit of economy and frugality, accompanied by a perfect indifference to stile and shew, is another characteristic of the French nation, extending through all ranks: and entirely inconsistent with the fashionable frivolity which has been attributed to them. I am a countryman, and it is France as a country that I came to visit and am describing, not Paris in particular. The exceptions to my statement will be found in the latter, where no doubt there are 160 many examples of every enormity. Yet Paris itself will bear me out when compared with London. I had heard much of French beggars, and there are too many to be seen hovering around the posthouses, and on the hills of the great roads, especially north of Paris: they are mostly very old or blind people who follow begging as a profession, without exhibiting marks of extreme poverty, being often neatly, and even well, clad. Beggars seem to be an essential part of the Catholic system, affording occasion for the meritorious work of giving dms: but as the amount required to constitute a itle to reward has not been exactly stated, very small coins are chiefly in request for that purpose, and people generally carry a store of them. One of my fellow travellers from Clermont, who was on his way to Paris, I believe, to purchase an estate, |