448 INf RODUCTION TO THE JOURNAL. 



they seized in despite of the people. I saw a 

 Debt, indeed, but then, it was so insignificant a 

 thing ; and, besides, it had been contracted for 

 the people's use, and not for that of a set of 

 tyrants, who had used the money to the injury 

 of the people. In short, I saw a state of things, 

 precisely the reverse of that in England, and 

 very nearly what it would be in England, if the 

 Parliament were reformed. 



861. Therefore, in the Autumn of 1816, 1 return 

 ed to England fully intending to return the next 

 spring with my family and whatever I possessed 

 of the fruits of my labours, and to make Ame 

 rica my country and the country of that family. 

 Upon my return to England, however, I found a 

 great stir about Reform; and, having, in their full 

 force, all those feelings, which make our native 

 country dear to us, I said, at once, " my desire 

 " is, not to change country or countrymen, but 

 " to change slavery for freedom : give me free- 

 " dom here, and here I'll remain." These are 

 nearly the very words that I uttered to Mr. 

 COBBETT, when first introduced to him, in 

 December, 1816, by that excellent man, MAJOR 

 CARTTVRIGHT. Nor was I unwilling to labour 

 myself in the cause of Reform. I was one of 

 those very Delegates, of whom the Borough- 

 tyrants said so many falsehoods, and whom SIR 

 FRANCIS BURDETT so shamefully abandoned. 



