There were many, it must be said, who looked at the matter in its proper light, and fairly pointed out that Cobbett had been driven away.
[7] “Hone’s Reformist’s Register,” “Sherwin’s Political Register,” “The Republican,” edited by Carlile; “The Black Dwarf” of T. J. Wooler; “The Yellow Dwarf,” &c. “The Black Dwarf” was a somewhat remarkable fellow. He dealt fiercely with the prevailing political hypocrisies and abuses in Church and State. Wooler was very angry over Cobbett’s flight to America, but soon condoned the matter. “The Yellow Dwarf” had some severe articles upon the spy system, and the libel laws, and the unfortunate State prisoners. William Hazlitt appears among the contributors.
“Shadgett’s Weekly Review” was an opposition affair, started with the object of trying to put down these irrepressibles. Some sketches from this journal were collected and republished under the title of “The Political Quixote; or, The Adventures of the Renowned Don Blackibo Dwarfino and his Trusty Squire, Seditiono; a Romance, in which are introduced many Popular and Celebrated Political Characters of the Present Day” (London, 1820). One of the “characters” is Pietro Porcupino.
The Ulster Register printed at Belfast (“for the proprietor, John Lawless, Esq.”), was a partial reprint of Cobbett’s.
[8] With his incurable propensity for parody, Hone closed up this pamphlet thus:—“Now the rest of the acts and life of this author, are they not written in the volumes of his Political Register and other works?”
CHAPTER XXIII.
“WHATEVER OTHER FAULTS I MAY HAVE, THAT OF LETTING GO MY HOLD IS NOT ONE.”
Among the topics which, of recent years, had been current matter for discussion, our relations with the United States were not the least important. The dispute, arising from repeated violations of neutrality on the part of England, which ultimately led to the war of 1812, was the fruit of purely administrative errors; and had nothing to do with the popular sentiment of this country. The two nations had become reconciled, for fifteen years past; and, had it not been for the arbitrary assumptions put forth by the British Government, on the basis of our alleged naval supremacy, every aspect gave promise of close international friendship.
It may be said, however, that the contest had its beneficial side. The peace, which ensued, has never since been broken: quite as much, perhaps, because conciliation has since become the ruling idea in English foreign politics, as on account of any fanciful beliefs in the abstract inutility of war. The last lingering traditions, as to the possibility of the Yankees being coerced, were banished from the minds of English statesmen by the events of this naval war; and, such point gained, the fogs of many minor prejudices naturally disappeared.