“A Hampden Club was formed in this place, I think about twelve months since, for the purpose of promoting a reform in the Commons House of Parliament. It consists chiefly of the working-class, though some of its members have a right to rank higher.... The conduct of this body of men throughout has been such as reflects great honour upon them. When their number was small, they met at some public-house; but our magistrates, by threatening to take away the publican’s licences, managed to displace them, and in this way they followed them from house to house.... “These meetings throughout the country are the true reason of the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and the passing of the gagging bills, and other tyrannical acts, tending to abridge the liberty of the people of this country, and not any conspiracy, as the ministers wish the old women, male and female, to believe. “It is very probable that a few individuals, whose distresses and misfortunes have accumulated upon them till they have been driven to despair, may have formed the mad scheme of conspiring against the government; not that I think they were at all connected with the attack upon the Prince Regent, which, in my opinion, was the mere ebullition of popular discontent. But what can three or four wretched fanatics do towards the overthrow of a government, though they may be in possession of a _stocking full_ of ammunition?[58] Since the passing of these acts, great numbers of people have been arrested upon _suspicion_ and sent to prison, where they will be kept during the pleasure of a rascally administration, or till the expiration of the acts. Great numbers of valuable members of the community have left this country for America, unwilling to live where they can only enjoy their liberty at the pleasure of the ministry.” In the Easter holidays of 1817, he set out on another trip:— “_April 4th, 1817._—After having breakfasted, we set out on foot at a quarter after three in the morning. We reached Wolverhampton at a little before seven.... We dined at Shifnal, at a baker’s shop, on bread and butter. Our dinner cost us not quite fourpence each.” At Shrewsbury he found that there was a strong competition among the coach proprietors, and that the fare to Liverpool had been reduced to four shillings:— “As such an opportunity might never occur again, we determined upon setting out the next morning.” At Chester he had time to see the cathedral:— “I do not know whether, as this was Easter Sunday, a better choir of singers than usual had been provided, but I never heard any singing which pleased me so much. The organ, a fine-toned instrument, was played with great skill. I cannot better describe the effect of this heavenly harmony than by a quotation from the beautiful poem of ‘The Sabbath.’”[59]