“I disclaim all desire to derive pecuniary advantage from the proposed undertaking, and all idea of _personal obligation_ towards any one who may think proper to contribute towards it. I ask for nothing for myself. I myself want neither remuneration for the past nor aid for the future; I have a business quite sufficient to satisfy all my wants and all my wishes; I ask not for encouragement even in that business. Its success is so certain, and so perfectly independent of every one in England, that I might, without the least injury thereto, shut up my shop, and retire to the country, only taking a ride to London twice a week.… Self-interest was never a _pecuniary_ consideration with me; and I have so long exerted myself for my king and country--I have endeavoured to do, and have really suffered, so much for them, in almost every way that a man can act or suffer, that to desire to promote their interest and their honour is become the leading propensity of my mind. I am, therefore, willing--I am even anxiously desirous--to conduct the publication now proposed; but that desire, great as it is, will not suffer me to do, or to accept of, anything that shall in the smallest degree work a forfeiture of that independence--to preserve which I have all my lifetime practised, and I still do practise, industry and economy to their utmost extent.” This plan was communicated to Dr. Laurence, and to several other gentlemen of the new opposition, by Mr. Windham. It was warmly adopted; the money was immediately raised, and the new journal started. The first number appeared in January, 1802, and bore the title of “COBBETT’S POLITICAL REGISTER.” FOOTNOTES [1] A practice which lasted, however, until a recent generation; _e.g._ see the following tit-bits from the _Times_ of July 26th, 1838:--Of the _Morning Post_--“this kitchen-stuff journal;” “this cockney out of livery;” “flippant and foolish as its brother blockheads.” And of the _Courier_--“that abject slave and unprincipled tool of the Ministers.” The _Post_ is also said to “proceed the entire swine,” &c. [2] “Cobbett and Morgan, Booksellers and Stationers, at the Crown and Mitre, Pall Mall, having commenced business under the patronage of their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Dukes of Clarence, Kent, and Cumberland, and Prince Augustus, beg leave to express a hope that by their earnest and constant endeavours to render their undertaking not altogether unworthy of the protection of their Royal Patrons, they shall not fail to obtain some degree of encouragement from the nobility and gentry, and the public in general,” &c., &c. [3] A squib of the time (from the _Morning Post_, reproduced in _Spirit of the Journals_, 1802) illustrates this topic and the influence which Mr. Cobbett then had with the Windham party:--