but rejoiced at the opportunity of appearing before an original fellow-townsman, for the purpose of stating the distress and feelings that pervaded the town of Bury. He would not, however, enter into any detail of the wretchedness and distress that existed, further than that Bury, in the beginning of what was called the panic, suffered comparatively little compared with other large towns. Distress, however, had now overtaken them, and poverty and destitution now pervaded the whole mass of the population. The state of the poor-rates would be forcible evidence of this. In 1839, a rate of 10d. in the pound was levied; in 1840, 2s.; and in 1841, 2s. 1d., leaving a debt owing by the township of nearly £3,000. What 1842 might bring forth, time must determine; but he would just state what effect the universal distress was rapidly producing in the minds of the people. He need scarcely state the effect of the present suffering upon the labouring class. That might be inferred from the state of mind which destitution would inevitably produce in every case; but as to the shopkeepers, who are all rapidly hastening to utter ruin, he did not think there were ten amongst them who were not desperate enough to view any movement which the people might make, not only without alarm, but with sympathy and satisfaction. As to his own class, they were rapidly coming to the same conclusion. He was a man who had fought the world with some little success. He had had twelve children—had brought up nine to men and women's estate—his sons could all do for themselves; but let Sir Robert fancy the feelings of a father leaving unmarried daughters behind him, and the little savings of a life progressively diminishing. How could such a man step forward to uphold or support a government which refused to mitigate the sufferings of the people, or obviate the calamities that were now overhanging the nation? They complained that the land, which would grow, under any circumstances, one crop
