iance_,
which is contrary to the fundamental laws of England; or, exposing every
emigrating person to the danger of committing _high treason_; the very
thought of such a measure, _having become necessary in England_, is enough
to make an Englishman mad. But, of these projects, these scandalous nasty
beastly and shameless projects, we shall have time to speak hereafter; and
in the mean while, I take my leave of you, for the present, by expressing
my admiration of the sensible and spirited conduct of the people of
STOCKPORT, when an attempt was, on the 5th of September, made to cheat
them into an address, _applauding the conduct of the Ministers_! What! Had
the people of STOCKPORT so soon forgotten _16th of August_! Had they so
soon forgotten their townsman, JOSEPH SWAN! If they had, they would have
deserved to perish to all eternity. Oh, no! It was a proposition _very
premature_: it will be quite soon enough for the good and sensible and
spirited fellows of STOCKPORT; quite soon enough to address the Ministers,
when the Ministers shall have proposed a repeal of the several Jubilee
measures, called Ellenborough's law; the poacher-transporting law; the
sun-set and sun-rise transportation law; the tread-mill law; the
select-vestry law; the Sunday-toll laws; the new trespass law; the new
treason law; the seducing-soldier-hanging law; the new apple-felony law;
the SIX ACTS; and a great number of others, passed in the reign of
Jubilee. Quite soon enough to applaud, that is, for the sensible people of
STOCKPORT to applaud, the Ministers, when those Ministers have proposed to
repeal these laws, and, also, to repeal the _malt tax_, and _those other
taxes_, which take, even from the pauper, one half of what the parish
gives him to keep the breath warm in his body. Quite soon enough to
applaud the Ministers, when they have done these things; and when in
addition to all these, they shall have openly proposed _a radical reform
of the Commons House of Parliament_. Leaving them to do this as soon as
they like, and trusting, that you will never, on any account, applaud them
until they do it, I, expressing here my best thanks to Mr. BLACKSHAW, who
defeated the slavish scheme at Stockport, remain,

Your faithful friend,
and most obedient servant,
WM. COBBETT.

NUMBER III.

_Hurstbourne Tarrant (called Uphusband,)_

_Hants, 13th October, 1826._

MY EXCELLENT FRIENDS,

54. In the foregoing Numbers, I have shown, that m