’Severalinstanceshavebeenmentionedtous，ofparishesnearlydepopulated，
　　inwhichalmostallthelabourisperformedbypersonssettledintheneighboring
　　villagesortowns；drawingfromthem，asallowance，thegreaterpartoftheir
　　subsistence。’15*Thismethodisdescribedmoreatlengthinthefollowing
　　passage：——
　　’Whenaparishisinthehandsofonlyoneproprietor，orofproprietors
　　sofewinnumberastobeabletoact，andtocompeltheirtenantstoact，
　　inunison，andadjoinstoparishesinwhichpropertyismuchdivided，they
　　maypulldowneverycottageasitbecomesvacant，andpreventthebuilding
　　ofnewones。Byasmallimmediateoutlaytheymayenableandinduceaconsiderable
　　portionofthosewhohavesettlementsintheirparishtoobtainsettlements
　　intheadjoiningparishes：byhiringtheirlaborersforperiodslessthan
　　ayear，theymaypreventtheacquisitionofnewsettlementsintheirown。
　　Theymaythusdepopulatetheirownestates，andcultivatethembymeansof
　　thesurpluspopulationofthesurroundingdistrict。’16*Aclergymanin
　　Reading17*saidthathehadbetweentenandtwentyfamilieslivinginhis
　　parishandworkingforthefarmersintheiroriginalparish，whosecottages
　　hadbeenpulleddownovertheirheads。Occasionallyabigproprietorofparish
　　A，inordertolessenthepoorrates，would，withunscrupulousingenuity，
　　takeafarminparishB，andtherehirefortheyearabatchoflabourers
　　fromA：theseattheendoftheirtermhewouldturnoffontothemercies
　　ofparishBwhichwasnowresponsibleforthem，whilsthesentforafresh
　　consignmentfromparishA。18*
　　TheReportoftheCommissionisaremarkableandsearchingpictureof
　　thegeneraldemoralisationproducedbytheSpeenhamlandsystem，andfrom
　　thatpointofviewitismostgraphicandinstructive。Butnobodywhohas
　　followedthehistoryoftheagriculturallabourercanfailtobestruckby
　　itscapitalomission。TheCommissioners，intheirsimpleanalysisofthat
　　system，couldnottaketheireyesofftheSpeenhamlandgoblin，andinstead
　　ofdealingwiththatsystemasawronganddisastrousanswertocertaindifficult
　　questions，theytreatedthesystemitselfastheoneandoriginalsource
　　ofallevils。Theysighedforthedayswhen’thepauperswereasmalldisreputable
　　minority，whoseresentmentwasnottobefeared，andwhosefavourwasof
　　novalue，’and’allotherclasseswereanxioustodiminishthenumberof
　　applicants，andtoreducetheexpensesoftheirmaintenance。’19*Theydid
　　notrealisethatthegoverningclasshadnotcreatedaFrankensteinmonster
　　forthemerepleasureofitscreation；thattheyhadnotsetouttodraw
　　upanidealconstitution，asRousseauhaddoneforthePoles。In1795there
　　wasafearofrevolution，andtheupperclassesthrewtheSpeenhamlandsystem
　　overthevillagesasawetblanketoversparks。TheCommissionersmerely
　　isolatedtheconsequencesofSpeenhamlandandtreatedthemasiftheywere
　　theentireproblem，andconsequently，thoughtheirreportservedtoextinguish
　　thatsystem，itdidnothingtorehabilitatethepositionofthelabourer，
　　ortorestoretherightsandstatushehadlost。ThenewPoorLawwasthe
　　onlygiftoftheReformedParliamenttotheagriculturallabourer；itwas
　　animprovementontheold，butonlyinthesensethattheeastwindisbetter
　　thanthesirocco。
　　Whatwouldhavehappenedifeitheroftheothertworemedieshadbeen
　　adoptedfortheproblemtowhichtheSpeenhamlandsystemwasapplied，it
　　isimpossibletosay。Butitiseasytoseethatthepositionoftheagricultural
　　labourer，whichcouldnothavebeenworse，mighthavebeenverymuchbetter，
　　andthatthenation，asapartfromthelandlordsandmoney-lords，wouldhave
　　comeoutofthiswhirlpoolmuchstrongerandmuchricher。Thiswasclear
　　toonecorrespondentofthePoorLawCommission，whosememorandum，printed
　　inanAppendix，20*ismoreinterestingandprofoundthananycontribution
　　tothesubjectmadebytheCommissionersthemselves。M。Chateauvieuxset
　　outanalternativepolicytoSpeenhamland，which，ifthegoverningclass
　　of1795orthegoverningclassof1834hadbeenenlightenedenoughtofollow
　　it，wouldhavesetupaverydifferentlabouringclassinthevillagesfrom
　　thehelplessproletariatthatwascreatedbytheenclosures。
　　’Maissiaulieud’opé；rerlepartagedesbienscommunaux，l’administration
　　delacommunes’é；taitborné；eà；louerpourquelquesanné；es
　　desparcellesdesterresqu’ellepossè；deenvainepâ；ture，et
　　celaà；trè；sbasprix，auxjournaliersdomicilié；ssur
　　sonterritoire，ilenseraitresulté；：
　　Quelecapitaldecesterresn’auraitpointé；té；alié；né；
　　etabsorbé；danslaproprié；té；particuliè；re。
　　Quececapitalauraité；té；né；anmoinsutilisé；
　　pourlareproduction。
　　Qu’ilauraitservià；l’amé；liorationdusortdespauvres
　　quil’auraientdé；friché；，detouteladiffé；renceentre
　　leprixduloyerqu’ilsenauraientpayé；，etlemontantdurevenu
　　qu’ilsauraientobtenudesarecolte。
　　Quelacommuneauraitencaissé；lemontantdesesloyers，et
　　auraitaugmenté；d’autantlesmoyensdontelledisposepourlesoulagement
　　decespauvres。’
　　M。ChateauvieuxunderstoodbetterthananyoftheCommissioners，dominated
　　astheywerebytheextremeindividualisteconomyofthetime，themeaning
　　ofBolingbroke’smaximthatawiseministerconsidershisadministration
　　asasingledayinthegreatyearofGovernment；butasadaythatisaffected
　　bythosewhichwentbeforeandmustaffectthosewhicharetocomeafter。
　　AGovernmentofenclosinglandownerswasperhapsnottobeexpectedtounderstand
　　allthattheStatewasindangeroflosingintherecklessalienationof
　　commonproperty。
　　Whatoftheprospectsoftheotherremedythatwasproposed？Atfirst
　　sightitseemsnaturaltoarguethathadWhitbread’sMinimumWageBillbecome
　　anActofParliamentitwouldhaveremainedadeadletter。Theadministration
　　dependedonthemagistratesandthemagistratesrepresentedtherent-receiving
　　andemployingclasses。Acloserscrutinywarrantsadifferentconclusion。
　　AtthetimethattheSpeenhamlandplanwasadoptedthereweremanymagistrates
　　infavourofsettingaminimumscale。TheSuffolkmagistrates，forexample，
　　putpressureonthecountymemberstovoteforWhitbread’sBill，andthose
　　members，togetherwithGreyandSheridan，wereitsbackers。TheParliamentary
　　supportfortheBillwasenoughtoshowthatitwasnotonlyinSuffolkthat
　　itwouldhavebeenadopted；thereweremenlikeLechmereandWhitbreadscattered
　　aboutthecountry，andthoughtheyweremenoffarmoreenlightenedviews
　　thantheaverageJ。P。，theywerenotwithoutinfluenceintheirownneighbourhoods。
　　Itisprettycertain，therefore，thatiftheBillhadbeencarried，itwould
　　havebeenadministeredinsomepartsofthecountry。Thepublicopinionin
　　supportoftheActwouldhavebeenpowerfullyreinforcedbythepressure
　　ofthelabourers，andthiswouldhavemeantamoreconsiderablestimulus
　　thanmightatfirstbesupposed，fortheReportofthePoorLawCommissioners
　　showsthatthepressureofthelabourerswasaveryimportantfactorinthe
　　retentionoftheallowancesysteminparisheswheretheoverseerswished
　　toabandonit，andifthelabourerscouldcoercethelocalauthoritiesinto
　　continuingtheSpeenhamlandsystem，theycouldhavecoercedthemagistrates
　　intomakinganassessmentofwages。Thelabourerswereablebyashowof
　　violencetoraisewagesandtoreducepricestemporarily，asisclearfrom
　　thehistoryof1816and1830。Itisnottoomuchtosupposethattheycould
　　haveexercisedenoughinfluencein1795toinducemagistratesinmanyplaces
　　tocarryoutalawthatwasontheStatuteBook。Further，itisnotunreasonable
　　tosupposethatagriculturallabourers’unionstoenforcetheexecutionof
　　thelawwouldhaveescapedthemonstrousCombinationLawof1799and1800，
　　forevenin1808theGlasgowandLancashirecotton-weaverswerepermitted
　　openlytocombineforthepurposeofseekingalegalfixingofwages。21*
　　Ifassessmenthadoncebecomethepractice，therealstrugglewouldhave
　　arisenwhenthegreatprosperityofagriculturebegantodecline；atthe
　　time，thatis，whentheSpeenhamlandsystembegantoshowthosesymptoms
　　ofstrainthatwehavedescribed。Wouldthecustomarywage，establishedunder
　　themorefavourableconditionsof1795，havestoodagainstthatpressure？
　　Wouldthelabourershavebeenabletokeepupwages，ascriticsoftheWhitbread
　　Billhadfearedthattheywould？Inconsideringtheanswerstothatquestion，
　　wehavetoreckonwithaforcethatthedebatersof1795couldnothaveforeseen。
　　In1795CobbettwasengagedinthepoliticsandpolemicsofAmerica，and
　　ifanymemberoftheHouseofCommonsknewhisname，heknewitasthename
　　ofafiercechampionofEnglishinstitutions，andafierceenemyofrevolutionary
　　ideas；aherooftheAnti-Jacobinitself。In1810Cobbettwasrapidly
　　makinghimselfthemostpowerfultribunethattheEnglishpoorhaveever
　　known。Cobbett’sfaultsareplainenough，fortheyareallonthesurface。
　　Hisegotismsometimesseducedhisjudgment；hehadastronglyperverseelement
　　inhisnature；hisopinionofanyproposalsnothisownwasapttobepetulant
　　andpeevish，anditmightperhapsbesaidofhimthathegenerallyhada
　　waspinhisbonnet。ThesequalitiesearnedforhimhistitleoftheContentious
　　Man。TheywouldhavebeenseriouslydisablinginaCabinetMinister，but
　　theydidnotaffecthispowerofcollectingandmobilisingandleadingthe
　　spasmodicforcesofthepoor。
　　Letusrecallhiscareerinordertounderstandwhathisinfluencewould
　　havebeenifthelabourershadwontheircustomarywagein1795，andhad
　　beenfightingtomaintainitfifteenortwentyyearslater。Hisadventures
　　beganearly。Whenhewasthirteenhisimaginationwasfiredbystoriesthe
　　gardeneratFarnhamtoldhimofthegloriesofKew。Heranawayfromhome，
　　andmadesogoodanimpressionontheKewgardenerthathewasgivenwork
　　there。HislastcoppersonthatjourneywerespentinbuyingSwift’sTale
　　ofaTub。Hereturnedhome，buthisrestlessdreamsdrovehimagaininto
　　theworld。Hetriedtobecomeasailor，andultimatelybecameasoldier。
　　Heleftthearmy，wherehehadmadehismarkandreceivedrapidpromotion，
　　inordertoexposeafinancialscandalinhisregiment，butondiscovering
　　thattheinterestsinvolvedinthecountenanceofmilitaryabuseswerefar
　　morepowerfulthanhehadsupposed，heabandonedhisattemptandfledto
　　France。AfewmonthslaterhecrossedtoAmerica，andsettleddowntoearn
　　alivingbyteachingEnglishtoFrenchrefugees。Thispeacefuloccupation
　　herelinquishedforthecongenialexcitementsofpolemicaljournalism，and
　　hewassoonthefiercestpamphleteeronthesideoftheFederals，whotook
　　thepartofEngland，intheircontroversieswiththedemocrats，whotook
　　thepartoftheRevolution。Sofarasthewarfareofpamphletswent，Cobbett
　　turnedthescale。Thedemocratscouldnotmatchhiswit，hissarcasm，his
　　graphicandpointedinvectives，hispowerofcleverandsparklinganalysis
　　andridicule。Thiswarfareoccupiedhimfornearlytenyears，andhereturned
　　toEnglandintimetohavehiswindowsbrokenforrefusingtoilluminate
　　hishouseincelebrationofthePeaceofAmiens。In1802hestartedthePolitical
　　Register。AtthattimehewasstillaTory，butacloserstudyofEnglish
　　lifechangedhisopinions，andfouryearslaterhethrewhimselfintothe
　　Radicalmovement。TheeffectofhisdescentonEnglishpoliticscanonly
　　becomparedtotheshockthatwasgiventothemindofItalybytheFrench
　　methodsofwarfare，whenCharlesVIIIledhisarmiesintoherplainstofight
　　pitchedbattleswithoutanyoftheetiquetteorpoliteconventionsthathad
　　gracedthecombatsofthecondottieri。HegavetotheReformagitationan
　　uncompromisingrealityanddaring，andamovementwhichhadbecomethedying
　　echoofasmotheredstrugglebrokeintostormandthunder。Hazlittscarcely
　　exaggeratedhisdaemonicpowerswhenhesaidofhimthatheformedafourth
　　estateofhimself。
　　NowCobbettmaybesaidtohavespenttwentyyearsofhislifeinthe
　　efforttosavethelabourersfromdegradationandruin。Hewastheonlyman
　　ofhisgenerationwhoregardedpoliticsfromthisstandpoint。Thismotive
　　isthekeytohiscareer。Hesawin1816thatthenationhadtochoosebetween
　　itssinecures，itsextravagantarmy，itsrulers’madschemeofborrowing
　　atahigherratetoextinguishdebt，forwhichitwaspayinginterestat
　　alowrate，itshugeCivilListandprivilegedestablishments，theinterests
　　ofthefundholdersandcontractorsontheonehand，anditslabourerson
　　theother。Inthatconflictofforcesthelabourercouldnotholdhisown。