Mr. Barker's Speech at the meeting of the Wortley Liter- On holding Political Meetings on a Sunday A Tax on Land 332 Burke and Barker, on Kings, Parliaments, Magistrates, Priests, and Nobles 336 Sanguinary Punishments 336 The British Constitution 338 Report of J. Barker's Address to the Burgesses of Holbeck George Dawson Religion and Civility . Melancholy; its Cause and Cure The Persecuted Reformers Peace POETRY.-Signs of Prosperity, 119; Verses for the Times, 186; Song for the Unenfranchised, 286; To Impatient Genius, 319; Nature and Man, 344; Whence come the Truest Revelations, 346; Daily Work, 351; Nail it Down, 359; Live to do Well, 377. Will the Queen be pleased to hear and ponder what I say? I am surrounded with thousands of people who are without employment, who have been without employment for many months past, and who are now on the verge of starvation. They have spent their all, and many of them have got into debt where they could. They have lived for a long time past upon charity, and a scanty parochial allowance. But many of them are now, alas, unable to obtain sufficient to keep them alive. The condition of these people is the condition of hundreds of thousands in these kingdoms. I wish the Queen to consider this matter. The wretched condition of these poor people is, in a great mearure, attributable to bad government. It is true some of the people themselves have been faulty in days gone by. Some of them have seen good times; but when they were earning more than they needed, they squandered it in folly and extravagance. But even their folly was not entirely inexcusable. It was, to some extent, the fault of those above them. No efforts had been made, either by the State, or by the Church employed by the State, to teach the people wisdom. Their extravagance was the result of their ignorance, and their ignorance was the result, to a great extent, of negect on the part of these whose duty it was to instruct them. But many of those poor sufferers never, alas, saw good times, from the day of their birth to this hour. They have never known what it was to experience a year's prosperity. From the day they began to labour to this hour, work has been uncertain, and often scarce; and wages have always been low, and provisions have often been high. They were born in want, they ر were nursed in want, and in want have they thus far spent the days. Their present wretchedness is in no respect their fault it rests entirely on the government, of which you, O Quee form a part. It is to misgovernment that we are, in a gre measure, to attribute the want and starvation now prevailin around us, as well as the want and sorrows through whic millions have been passing for years. I write to you, O Queer to urge you to use your efforts to bring that system of mis government which has produced such terrible calamities, to a end. You have it in your power to do much towards effectin a happy reformation. We beseech you to do what you can. The government enormities to which we principally attr bute the evils under which Great Britain is labouring, are th following. First, the LAND MONOPOLY, or THE LAW OF ENTAI AND PRIMOGENITURE. Secondly, the EXTRAVAGANT EXPENDITUR IN THE CIVIL AND MILITARY DEPARTMENT. Thirdly, The foolis system of taxation which has been so long endured. Fourthly The Corn and Navigation Laws, and the restrictions whic have been placed upon commerce generally. Fifthly, Th support of a useless and enormous Church Establishment We attribute these evils, in a great measure, to the practice o restricting the powers of Government to one particular class instead of distributing them amongst the good and able of al classes. Among the measures which we would recommen for the relief and lasting benefit of the country, are the follow ing. 1. The immediate and entire abolition of the law of en tail and primogeniture, and the establishment of absolute fre trade in land. 2. The abolition of the Stamp duties, and the removal of all obstructions to the transfer of estates, and the general distribution of landed property. 3. A tax on land and houses, in place of every other tax bearing upon industry We would extend the tax to uncultivated land, and in al cases make it so heavy, as to oblige the holders of land, either to bring it into cultivation, or part with it to those who will do so. 4. The abolition of the Navigation laws. 5. The abolition of the Church Establishment of Great Britain and Ireland, and the appropriation of all church property to the support of the poor and to purposes of general education. 6. Retrenchment in every department of government, whether civil or military. 7. A law securing the right of tenants to compensation for all improvements made by them upon their farms. 8. Another Reform Bill, giving to every man of age, through the country, who is not convicted of crime, the right of voting for members of Parliament,-establishing equal electoral districts,-directing votes in the election of members of Parliament to be taken |