cynicismofthisagewillnote——recollectingthattheupperclassesrefused
toraisewagesin1795tomeettheextracostofliving，onthegroundthat
itwouldbedifficultafterwardstoreducethem——thatalltheupper-class
officials，whosesalarieswereincreasedbecauselivingwasmoreexpensive，
werelefttothepermanentenjoymentofthatincrease。Thelivesofthejudges，
thelandlords，theparsons，andtherestofthegoverningclasswerenot
becomemoremeagrebutmorespaciousinthelastfiftyyears。Duringthat
periodmanyofthegreatpalacesoftheEnglishnobilityhadbeenbuilt，
noblelibrarieshadbeencollected，andfamousgallerieshadgrownup，wing
uponwing。Theagriculturallabourerswhosefathershadeatenmeat，bacon，
cheese，andvegetableswerelivingonbreadandpotatoes。Theyhadlosttheir
gardens，theyhadceasedtobrewtheirbeerintheircottages。Intheirwork
theyhadnosenseofownershiporinterest。Theynolonger’saunteredafter
cattle’ontheopencommon，andattwilighttheynolonger’playeddownthe
settingsun；’thegameshadalmostdisappearedfromtheEnglishtillage，
theirwivesandchildrenwerestartingbeforetheireyes，theirhomeswere
moresqualid，andthephilosophyofthehourtaughttheupperclassesthat
tomendawindowortoputinabricktoshieldthecottagefromdampor
windwastoincreasetheultimatemiseriesofthepoor。Thesenseofsympathy
andcomradeship，whichhadbeenmixedwithrudeandunskilfulgovernment，
intheoldvillagehadbeendestroyedinthebitterdaysofwantanddistress。
Degradingandrepulsiveworkwasinventedforthosewhomthefarmerwould
notorcouldnotemploy。DeQuincey，wishingtoillustratethemannersof
eighteenth-centuryFrance，usedtoquoteM。Simond’sstoryofhowhehad
seen，notverylongbeforetheRevolution，apeasantploughingwithateam
consistingofadonkeyandawoman。TheEnglishpoorcouldhavetoldhim
thathalfacenturylatertherewereEnglishtillagesinwhichitwasthe
practiceoftheoverseertoharnessmenandwomentotheparishcart，and
thatthesightofanidiotwomanbetweentheshaftswasnotunknownwithin
ahundredmilesofLondon。1*Menandwomenwerelivingonrootsandsorrel；
inthesummeroftheyear1830fourharvestlabourerswerefoundundera
hedgedeadofstarvation，andLordWinchilsea，whomentionedthefactin
theHouseofLords，saidthatthiswasnotanexceptionalcase。Thelabourer
wasworsefedandworsehousedthantheprisoner，andhewouldnothavebeen
abletokeepbodyandsoultogetherifhehadnotfoundinpoachingorin
thievingorinsmugglingthemeansofekingouthisdolesandwages。
Thefeelingsofthissinkingclass，theanger，dismay，anddespairwith
whichitwatchedthegoingoutofallthewarmcomfortandlightoflife，
scarcelystirthesurfaceofhistory。Theupperclasseshavetolduswhat
thepooroughttohavethoughtofthesevicissitudes；religion，philosophy，
andpoliticaleconomywerereadywithalleviationsandexplanationswhich
seemedsingularlyhelpfulandconvincingtotherich。Thevoiceofthepoor
themselvesdoesnotcometoourears。Thisgreatpopulationseemstoresemble
nature，andtobearallthestormsthatbeatuponitwithastrangesilence
andresignation。Butjustasnaturehasherpowerofprotestinsomesudden
upheaval，sothisworldofmenandwomen——anundergroundworldaswetrace
thedistancethatitsvoiceshavetotraveltoreachus——hasavolcanic
characterofitsown，anditisonlybysomevolcanicsurprisethatitcan
speakthelanguageofremonstranceormenaceorprayer，orplaceonrecord
itsconsciousnessofwrong。ThisworldhasnomemberofParliament，nopress，
itdoesnotmakeliteratureorwritehistory；nodiaryormemoirshavekept
aliveforusthethoughtsandcaresofthepassingday。Itisforthisreason
thattheeventsofthewinterof1830havesoprofoundaninterest，forin
thescenesnowtobedescribedwehavethemindofthisclasshiddenfrom
usthroughallthisperiodofpain，burstingthesilencebytheonlypower
atitscommand。Thedemandspresentedtothefarmer，theparson，andthe
squirethiswintertellusasmuchabouttheSouthofEnglandlabourerin
1830asthecahierstellusoftheFrenchpeasantsin1789。
Wehaveseenthatin1795andin1816therehadbeenseriousdisturbances
indifferentpartsofEngland。Thesehadbeensuppressedwithafirmhand，
butduringhardwinterssporadicviolenceandblazinghay-stackshowedfrom
timetotimethatthefirewasstillaliveundertheashes。Therisingof
1830wasfarmoregeneralandmoreserious；severalcountiesinthesouth
ofEnglandwereinstateborderingoninsurrection；Londonwasinapanic，
andtosomeatleastofthosewhohadtriedtoforgetthepricethathad
beenpaidforthesplendouroftherich，themessageofredskiesandbroken
millsandmobdiplomacyandvillagesinarmssoundedlikethesummonsthat
cametoHernani。Theterrorofthelandownersduringthoseweeksisreflected
insuchlanguageasthatoftheDukeofBuckingham，whotalkedofthecountry
beinginthehandsoftherebels，orofoneoftheBarings，whosaidinthe
HouseofCommonsthatifthedisorderswentonforthreeorfourdayslonger
theywouldbebeyondthereachofalmostanypowertocontrolthem。This
chapterofsocialhistoryhasbeenovershadowedbytheriotsthatfollowed
therejectionoftheReformBill。Everyoneknowsaboutthedestructionof
theMansionHouseatBristol，andtheburningofNottinghamCastle；fewknow
ofthedestructionofthehatedworkhousesatSelborneandHeadley。Theriots
atNottinghamandBristolwereapreludetovictory；theywerethewildshout
ofpower。Iftherisingof1830hadsucceeded，andwonbackforthelabourer
hislostlivelihood，thedaywhentheHeadleyworkhousewasthrowndownwould
berememberedbythepoorasthedayofthetakingoftheBastille。Butthis
rebellionfailed，andthemenwholedthatlaststruggleforthelabourer
passedintotheforgetfulnessofdeathandexile。
Kentwasthesceneofthefirstdisturbances。Therehadbeensomealarming
firesinthewestofthecountyduringthesummer，atOrpingtonandnear
Sevenoaks。Inonecasethevictimhadmadehimselfunpopularbypullingdown
acottagebuiltonacommonadjoininghisproperty，andturningouttheoccupants。
Howfarthesefireswereconnectedwithlatereventsitisimpossibleto
say：theauthorswereneverdiscovered。ThefirstriotoccurredatHardres
onSundaythe29thofAugust，whenfourhundredlabourersdestroyedsome
threshingmachines。2*Nextdaytwomagistrateswithahundredspecialconstables
andsomesoldierswenttoHardresCourt，andnomorewasheardoftherioters。
TheSpectatorearlynextyearannouncedthatithadfoundasaresult
ofinquiriesthattheriotsbeganwithadisputebetweenfarmersoverathreshing
machine，inthecourseofwhichamagistratehadexpressedstrongviewsagainst
theintroductionofthesemachines。Thelabourersproceededtodestroythe
machine，whereupon，totheirsurprise，themagistrateturnedonthemand
punishedthem；inrevengetheyfiredhisricks。’Afarmerinanothervillage，
talkingofthedistressofthelabourers，said，“Ah，Ishouldbewell
pleasedifaplagueweretobreakoutamongthem，andthenIshouldhave
theircarcasesasmanure，andrightgoodstuffitwouldmakeformyhops。”
Thisspeech，whichwasperhapsonlyintendedasabrutaljest，wasreported；
itexcitedrageinsteadofmirth，andthestacksofthejesterweresoon
inablaze。Thisactofincendiarismwasopenanddeliberate。Theincendiary
isknown，andnotonlyhashenotbeentried，hehasnotevenbeencharged。’3*
Cobbett，ontheotherhand，maintainedthattheoccasionofthefirstriots
wastheimportationofIrishlabourers，apracticenowsomeyearsold，that
mightwellinflameresentment，atatimewhenthegoverningclasswascontinually
contendingthatthesolecauseofdistresswasexcessivepopulation，and
thatthetruesolutionwastheremovalofsurpluslabourerstothecolonies。
Whatevertheactualoriginofthefirstoutbreakmayhavebeen，thedestruction
ofmachinerywastobeaprominentfeatureofthissocialwar。Thiswasnot
merelyaninstinctofviolence，therewasmethodandreasoninit。Threshing
wasoneofthefewkindsofworkleftthatprovidedthelabourerwithameans
ofexistenceabovestarvationlevel。AlandownerandoccupiernearCanterbury
wrotetotheKentHerald，4*thatinhisparish，wherenomachines
hadbeenintroduced，thereweretwenty-threebarns。Hecalculatedthatin
thesebarnsfifteenmenatleastwouldfindemploymentthreshingcornup
tillMay。Ifwesupposethateachmanhadawifeandthreechildren，this
employmentwouldaffectseventy-fivepersons。’Anindustriousmanwhohas
abarnneverrequirespoorrelief；hecanearnfrom15s。to20s。perweek；
heconsidersitalmostashislittlefreehold，andthatineffectitcertainly
is。’Itiseasytoimaginewhatthesightofoneofthesehatedenginesmeant
tosuchaparish；thefifteenmen，theirwivesandfamilieswouldhavefound
coldcomfort，whentheyhadbecomesubmergedinthemorassofparishrelief，
inthereflectionthatthenewmachineextractedfortheirmaster’sandthe
publicbenefittenpercent。morecornthantheycouldhammeroutbytheir
freearms。Thedestructionofthreshingmachinesbybandsofmeninthedistrict
roundCanterburycontinuedthroughSeptemberpracticallyunchecked。Bythe
endofthemonththreeofthemostactiverioterswereincustody，andthe
magistrateswereunderthepleasantillusionthattherewouldbevoluntary
surrenders。Inthistheyweredisappointed，andthedisturbancesspreadover
awiderarea，whichembracedthedoverdistrict。EarlyinOctobertherewas
ariotatLyminge，atwhichSirEdwardKnatchbullandtheRev。Mr。Price
succeededinarrestingtheringleaders，andboundoveraboutfiftyother
persons。SirEdwardKnatchbull，inwritingtotheHomeOffice，statedthat
thelabourerssaid’theywouldratherdoanythingthanencountersuchawinter
asthelast。’Mr。Pricehadtopaythepenaltyforhisactivepartinthis
affair，andhisrickswerefired。
Largerewardswerepromisedfromthefirsttoinformers，theserewards
includingawiseofferofestablishmentelsewhere，buttheprizewasrefused，
andrick-burningspreadsteadilythroughasecondmonth。Threateningletters
signed’Swing，’amysteriousnamethatforthenextfewweeksspreadterror
overEngland，werereceivedbymanyfarmersandlandowners。Themachine-breakers
werereportednottotakemoneyorplunder，andtorefuseitifoffered。
Theirprogrammewasextensiveandformidable。WhentheHighSheriffattended
oneoftheirmeetingstoremonstratewiththem，theylistenedtohishomily
withattention，butbeforedispersingoneofthemsaid，’Wewilldestroy
thecornstacksandthreshingmachinesthisyear，nextyearwewillhavea
turnwiththeparsons，andthethirdwewillmakewaruponthestatesmen。’5*
On24thOctobersevenprisonersweretriedattheEastKentQuarterSessions，
formachine-breaking。Theypleadedguilty，andwereletoffwithalenient
sentenceofthreedays’imprisonmentandanharanguefromSirEdwardKnatchbull，
Hithertoallattemptstodiscovertheincendiarieshadbeenbaffled，but
on21stOctoberazealousmagistratewrotetotheHomeOfficetosaythat
hehadfoundaclue。HehadapprehendedamancalledCharlesBlow，andsince
theevidencewasnotsufficienttowarrantcommittalforarson，hehadsent
himtoLewesJailasavagrantforthreemonths。’IncompanywithBlowwas
agirlofabouttenyearsofageofthenameofMaryAnnJohnson，butof
intelligenceandcunningfarbeyondherage。Ithavingbeenstatedtome
thatshehadletfallsomeexpressionswhichwenttoshowthatshecould
ifshepleasedcommunicateimportantinformation，Icommittedheralsofor
thesameperiodasBlow。’NowthefiresinquestionhadtakenplaceinKent，
andthevagrantswereapprehendedinSussex，consequentlytheofficialsof
bothcountiesmeddledwiththematterandbetweenthemspoiltthewholeplan，
forMaryAnnandhercompanionwerequestionedbysomanydifferentpersons
thattheywereputontheirguard，andfailedtogivetheinformationthat
wasexpected。Thusatanyrate，LordCamden，theLord-Lieutenant，explained
theirsilence，buthedidnotdespair，’ifthePartiescannotevenbeconvicted
IamapttothinktheirCommittalnowwilldogood，thoughtheymaybeto
beliberatedafterwards，butnothingissolikelytoproducealarmandproduce
evidenceasaCommittalforaCapitalCrime。’However，asnomoreisheard
ofMaryAnn，itmaybeassumedthatwhenshehadservedherthreemonths
sheleftLewesJailasadderandawiserchild。
TowardstheendofOctober，aftersomethingofalullinthemiddleof
themonth，thesituationbecamemoreserious。Dissatisfaction，or，assome
calledit，’frightfulanarchy，’spreadtotheMaidstoneandSittingbourne
districts。SirRobertPeelwasanxioustotakestrongmeasures。’Ibegto
repeattoyouthatIwilladoptanymeasure-willincuranyexpenseatthe
publiccharge-thatcanpromotethesuppressionoftheoutragesinKentand
thedetectionoftheoffenders。’AtroopofcavalrywassenttoSittingbourne。
InthelastdaysofOctober，mobsscouredthecountryroundMaidstone，demanding
halfacrownadaywagesandconstantemployment，forcingalllabourersto
jointhem，andlevyingmoney，beer，andprovisions。AtStockbury，between
MaidstoneandSittingbourne，oneofthesemobsparadedatricolouranda
blackflag。On30thOctobertheMaidstonemagistrateswentoutwithabody
ofthirty-foursoldierstomeetamoboffourhundredpeople，aboutfour
milesfromMaidstone，andlaidholdofthethreeringleaders。Thearrests
weremadewithoutdifficultyorresistance，fromwhichitlooksasifthese
bandsofmenwerenotveryformidable，buttheofficerincommandofthe
soldierslaidstressinhisconfidentialreportonthedangersofthesituation
andthenecessityforfieldpieces，andPeelpromptlyorderedtwopiecesof
artillerytobedispatched。