conducttotheincitementatCobbett’s’lacture。’Cobbettdestroyedanyeffect
　　thatGoodman’schargemighthavehadbyproducingadeclarationsignedby
　　onehundredandthreepersonspresentatthelecture——farmers。tradesmen，
　　labourers，carpenters，andshoemakers——denyingthatCobbetthadmadethe
　　statementascribedtohiminGoodman’sconfession，oneofthesignatories
　　beingthefarmerwhosebarnGoodmanhadburnt。Hethenproceededtocontrast
　　thetreatmentGoodmanhadreceivedwiththetreatmentreceivedbyothers
　　convictedofincendiarism，andpiecingtogetheralltheevidenceofthemachinations
　　ofthemagistrates，constructedaveryformidableindictmenttowhichDenman
　　couldonlyreplythatheknewnothingofthematter，andthatCobbettwas
　　capableofentertainingthemostabsurdsuspicions。OnanotherquestionDenman
　　foundhimselfthrownonthedefensive，forhewasnowconfrontedwithhis
　　ownmisstatementsinParliamentaboutCook，andtheaffidavitsofCook’s
　　fatherpresentincourt。Denmancouldonlyanswerthattillthatdaynoone
　　hadcontradictedhim，thoughhecouldscarcelyhavebeenunawarethatthe
　　HouseofCommonswasnottheplaceinwhichaMinister’sstatementabout
　　theage，occupation，pay，andconductofanobscureboywasmostlikelyto
　　bechallenged。Denmanmadeachastenedreply，andthejury，afterspending
　　thenightattheGuildhall，disagreed，sixvotingeachway。Cobbettwasa
　　freeman，fortheWhigs，overwhelmedbytheinvectivetheyhadfoolishly
　　provoked，remembered，whentoolate，thewisesayingofMauriceofSaxony
　　aboutCharlesV：’Ihavenocagebigenoughforsuchabird，’andresisted
　　alltheKing’sinvitationstorepeattheirrashadventure。Tothosewhohave
　　madetheirmelancholywaythroughthetrialsatWinchesterandSalisbury，
　　atwhichrudeboysfromtheHampshirevillagesandtheWiltshiredowns，about
　　tobetossedacrossthesea，stoodshelterlessintheunpityingstormof
　　questionandinsinuationandabuse，thereisacertaingrimsatisfaction
　　inreadingthislastchapterandwatchingDenmanfacetoface，notwiththe
　　brokenexcusesandappealsofignorantandhelplesspeasants，butwitha
　　volleyedthunderthatsweptintospaceallhislawyer’sartificeandskill。
　　Justiceplaysstrangetricksuponmankind，butwhowillsaythatshehas
　　notherinspirations？
　　Onemoreincidenthastoberecordedinthetaleofsuppression。Theriots
　　wereover，butthefirescontinued。Intheautumnof1831Melbourne，ina
　　shamefulmoment，proposedaremedyborrowedfromtheevilpracticeswhich
　　aToryParliamenthadconsentedatlasttoforbid。Thesettingofspring
　　gunsandman-traps，thecommondeviceofgamepreservers，hadbeenmadea
　　misdemeanourin1826byanActofwhichSuffieldwastheauthor。Melbourne
　　nowproposedtoallowpersonswhoobtainedalicensefromtwomagistrates
　　toprotecttheirpropertybythesemeans。TheBillpassedtheHouseofLords，
　　andtheJournalsrecordthatitwasintroducedintheHouseofCommons，
　　butthere，letushopefromveryhorroratthethoughtofthismoralrelapse，
　　silentlyitdisappears。
　　WhenGreymetParliamentasPrimeMinisterhesaidthattheGovernment
　　recognisedtwoduties：thedutyoffindingaremedyforthedistressofthe
　　labourers，andthedutyofrepressingtheriotswithseverityandfirmness。
　　Wehaveseenhowtheriotsweresuppressed；wehavenowtoseewhatwasdone
　　towardsprovidingaremedy。Thissideofthepictureisscarcelylessmelancholy
　　thantheother；forwhenweturntothedebatesinParliamentweseeclearly
　　howhopelessitwastoexpectanysolutionofaneconomicproblemfromthe
　　legislatorsofthetime。Now，ifever，circumstanceshadforcedtheproblem
　　onthemindofParliament，andinsuchanemergencyasthismenmightbe
　　trustedtosayseriouslyandsincerelywhattheyhadtosuggest。Yetthe
　　debatesareamê；lé；eoffutilegeneralisations，overshadowed
　　bythedoctrinewhichGreyhimselflaiddownthat’allmattersrespecting
　　theamountofrentandtheextentoffarmswouldbemuchbetterregulated
　　bytheindividualswhowereimmediatelyinterestedthanbyanyCommittee
　　oftheirLordships。’Onepeergotintotroubleforblurtingoutthetruth
　　thattheriotshadraisedwages；anotherwouldcursemachineryasvigorously
　　asanylabourer；manyblamedthepastinattentionoftheHouseofLordsto
　　thelabourers’misery；andoneconsideredthefirstnecessityofthemoment
　　wastheimpeachmentofWellington。Twomenhadactualandseriousproposals
　　tomake。TheywereLordKingandLordSuffield。
　　Bothofthesemenarestrikingfigures。King1776-1833wasaneconomist
　　whohadstartledtheGovernmentin1811bycallingforthepaymentsofhis
　　rentsinthelawfulcoinoftherealm。Thisdramaticmanoeuvrefordiscrediting
　　papermoneyhadbeenthwartedbyLordStanhope，who，thoughinagreement
　　withKingonmanysubjects，stronglyapprovedofpapermoneyinEnglandas
　　hehadapprovedofassignatsinFrance。LordHollandtellsastoryofhow
　　hetwittedStanhopewithwantingtoseehistoryrepeatitself，andhowStanhope
　　answeredwithachuckle：’Andiftheytakepropertyfromthedronesandgive
　　ittothebees，where，mydearCitoyen，isthegreatharmofthat？’King
　　wasalwaysinasmallminorityandhissignaturewasgiven，togetherwith
　　thoseofAlbemarle，Thanet，andHolland，totheprotestagainstestablishing
　　maritallawinIrelandin1801，whichwaswrittenwithsuchwoundingdirectness
　　thatitwasafterwardsblackenedoutoftherecordsoftheHouseofLords，
　　onthemotionoftheinfamousLordClare。Buthewasneverinasmallerminority
　　thanhewasonthisoccasionwhenhetoldhisfellowlandlordsthattheonly
　　remedyforthepublicdistresswastheabolitionoftheCornLaws。Sucha
　　proposalstoodnochanceintheHouseofLordsorntheHouseofCommons。
　　GreydeclaredthattheabolitionoftheCornLawswouldleadtothedestruction
　　ofthecountry，andthoughtherewereFreeTradersamongtheWhigs，even
　　nineyearsafterthisMelbournedescribedsuchapolicyas’thewildestand
　　maddestschemethathaseverenteredintotheimaginationofmantoconceive。’
　　Suffield1781-1835，theonlyotherpoliticianwitharemedy，isaninteresting
　　andattractivecharacter。OriginallyaTory，andthesonofSirHarbordHarbord，
　　whowasnotamanofverytendersensbilities，Suffieldgraduallyfelthis
　　waytowardsLiberalism。Hewastoolarge-mindedamantobehappyandat
　　easeinanatmospherewheretherulingclassflewinstinctivelyinevery
　　crisistomeasuresoftyrannyandrepression。Peterloocompletedhisconversion。
　　Fromthattimehebecameachampionofthepoor，afiercecriticoftheGame
　　Laws，andastrongadvocateofprisonreform。Heisrevealedinhisdiary
　　andallthetraditionsofhislifeasamanofindependenceandgreatsincerity。
　　Suffield’spolicyinthiscrisiswasthepolicyofhomecolonisation，and
　　itsfatecanbestbedescribedbymeansofextractsfromamemoirprepared
　　byR。M。Bacon，aNorwichjournalistandpublicistofimportance，andprinted
　　privatelyin1838，threeyearsafterSuffieldhadbeenkilledbyafallfrom
　　hishorse。Theygiveafarmoreintimateandgraphicpictureofthemind
　　oftheGovernmentthanthebestreporteddebatesintherecordsofParliament。
　　Wehaveseeninapreviouschapterthattherehadbeenatthistimea
　　revivalofthemovementforrestoringthelandtothelabourers。Oneofthe
　　chiefsupportersofthispolicywasR。M。Bacon，who，aseditoroftheNorwich
　　Mercury，wasinclosetouchwithSuffield。Baconsetoutanelaborate
　　schemeofhomecolonisation，resemblinginitsmainideastheplansketched
　　byArthurYoungthirtyyearsearlier，andthisschemeSuffieldtookupwith
　　greatenthusiasm。Itschiefrecommendationinhiseyeswasthatitapplied
　　publicmoneytoestablishinglabourerswithapropertyoftheirown，sothat
　　whereas，undertheexistingsystem，publicmoneywasused，intheformof
　　subsidiesfromtherates，todepresswages，publicmoneywouldbeusedunder
　　thisschemetoraisethem。Foritwastheobjectoftheplantomakethe
　　labourersindependentofthefarmers，andtosubstitutethecompetitionof
　　employersforthecompetitionofemployed。Nootherscheme，Suffieldused
　　tomaintain，promisedanyrealrelief。Ifrentsandtaxeswerereducedthe
　　farmerwouldbeable，butwouldnotbecompelled，togivebetterwages：if
　　taxesonthelabourers’necessarieswerereduced，thelabourerswouldbe
　　abletoliveonasmallerwage，andaslongastheywerescramblingforemployment
　　theywerecertaintobegrounddowntotheminimumofsubsistence。Theonly
　　waytorescuethemfromthisplightwastoplacethemagaininsuchaposition
　　thattheywerenotabsolutelydependentonthefarmers。Thisthegovernment
　　coulddobypurchasingland，atpresentwaste，andcompellingparishes，with
　　thehelpofapublicloan，tosetuplabourersuponit，andtobuildcottages
　　withafixedallotmentofland。
　　Suffield’seffortstopersuadethegovernmenttotakeupthisconstructive
　　policybeganassoonasGreycameintooffice。HisfirstletterstoBacon
　　onthesubjectarewritteninNovember。Theopposition，hesays，isvery
　　strong，andSturgesBourneandLansdownearebothhostile。On17thNovember
　　hewritesthatapeerhadtoldhimthathehadsatonanearliercommittee
　　onthissubjectwithSturgesBourne，aschairman，andthat’thosewhounderstood
　　thesubjectbestagreedwithMalthusthatviceandmiseryalonecouldcure
　　theevil。’On19thNovemberhewritesthathehashadaconferencewithBrougham，
　　withaboutthesamesuccessashisconferencewithLansdowneandSturges
　　Bourne。Onthe23rdhewritesthathehasbeenpromisedaninterviewatthe
　　HomeOffice；onthe25th’noinvitationfromLordMelbourne——thetruth
　　ishecannotfindonemomentofleisure。TheHomeOfficeisdistractedby
　　thenumerousrepresentationsofimminentdangertoproperty，ifnottolife，
　　andapplicationsforprotection。’Laterinthesamedayhewritesthathe
　　hasseenbothGreyandMelbourne：’IatonceattackedGrey。Ifoundhimdisposed
　　togiveeverypossibleconsiderationtothematter。HehimselfhasinNorthumberland
　　seenuponhisownpropertythebeneficenteffectsofmyplan，namelyofapportioning
　　landtocottagers，butheforesawinnumerabledifficulties。’AHouseofLords
　　CommitteehadbeenappointedonthePoorLawsattheinstanceofLordSalisbury，
　　andSuffieldhopedtopersuadethiscommitteetoreportinfavourofhis
　　scheme。HethereforepressedGreytomakeapublicstatementofsympathy。
　　Greysaid’hewouldintimatethatGovernmentwouldbedisposedtocarryinto
　　effectanymeasureofreliefrecommendedbytheCommittee；verypressedbut
　　wouldcallCabinettogetherto-morrow。’TheinterviewwithMelbournewas
　　verydifferent。’NextIsawLordMelbourne。“Oppressedasyouare。”
　　saidI，“Iamwillingtorelieveyoufromaconference，butyoumust
　　saysomethingonMondaynextandIfearyouhavenotdevotedmuchattention
　　tothesubject。”“Iunderstanditperfectly。”hereplied，
　　“andthatisthereasonformysayingnothingaboutit。”“How
　　isthistobeexplained？”“BecauseIconsiderithopeless。”
　　“Oh，youthinkwithMalthusthatviceandmiseryaretheonlycure？”
　　“No。”saidLordMelbourne，“buttheevilisinnumbersand
　　thesortofcompetitionthatensues。”“WellthenIhavemeasures
　　toproposewhichmaymeetthisdifficulty。”“Ofthese。”said
　　LordMelbourne，“Iknownothing。”andheturnedawayfrommeto
　　afriendtoenquirerespectingoutrages。’Suffieldconcludesonamelancholy
　　note：’Thefactis，withtheexceptionofafewindividuals，thesubject
　　isdeemedbytheworldabore：everyonewhotouchesonitisabore，and
　　nothingbutthestrongestconvictionofitsimportancetothecountrywould
　　inducemetosubjectmyselftotheindifferencethatIdailyexperiencewhen
　　Iventuretointrudethematterontheattentionoflegislators。’
　　AfortnightlaterSuffieldwasverysanguine：’Mostsatisfactoryinterview
　　withMelbourne：thinksLordGreywilldothejobintherecess。’Butthe
　　skysoondarkensagain，andonthe27thSuffieldwritesstronglytoMelbourne
　　onthenecessityofaction，andheadds：’Tranquillitybeingnowrestored，
　　allthefarmersareofcoursereducingtheirwagestothatmiserablerate
　　thatledtotherecentdisturbances。’Unhappilythelastsentencehadasignificance
　　whichperhapsescapedSuffield。Believingashedidinhisscheme，hethought
　　thatitsnecessitywasprovedbytherelapseofwagesontherestoration
　　oftranquillity，butviceandmisery-riddenpoliticiansmightregardthe
　　restorationoftranquillityasanargumentfordroppingthescheme。After
　　thisthefirsthopesfadeaway。ThereisstrongoppositionontheSelect
　　CommitteetoSuffield’sviews，andheisdisappointedofthepromptreport
　　infavourofactionwhichhehadexpectedfromit。TheGovernmentareindisposed
　　totakeaction，andSuffield，growingsickandimpatientoftheirslowclock，
　　warnsMelbourneinJunethathecannotdefendthem。Melbournerepliesthat
　　suchameasurecouldnotbematurelyconsideredorpassedduringtheagitation
　　overtheReformBill。LaterinthemonththerewasameetingbetweenSuffield
　　andMelbourne，ofwhichunfortunatelynorecordispreservedintheMemoir，
　　withtheresultthatSuffielddeclaredinParliamentthattheGovernment
　　hadaplan。Intheautumnof1831anActwasplacedontheStatuteBookwhich
　　wasthemerestmockeryofallSuffield’shopes，empoweringchurchwardens