The National Register. — London, England, 1818-07-27 00:00:00

REVILiV OF Li'LER,ITLTE. Ti.c Rights Pro, er& Vindicated, against the Claims ej Universal S?: Yaw, 13%.7.—i'd AWNS A r 4, 8 vo. •by Rola. FIiLLOWES, A.M. OxuN. This luminous .writer, chiefly on theological sub jects, has here trod, with great skill and discrimination, the trodden path of Universal Suffrage. We have fbl lowed him with great pleasure, and have culled a few of his attractive principles. In his opening descrip tion of the fitneied bliss tr I ,..lerived by this new plan, he sagaciously r. : " L'oivertal suffrage has e•msidered by the polatlace as synonymous with univcrsal happiness. The grim demon of taxation, the haggard features of want, are to vanisit betiwe the ttr,eli of univerral suffrage : a new era of bliss is to ; old things are passed away—the day of rogene rfaion dawns—and Major Cartwright, asssted by his potent auxiliary, Mr. Cobbett, is to pour the horn of plenty over the sterility of the land." As lie proceeds in his reasoning, through the definition, the object, the cncrcase of numbers, we come, p. 13, to Ch. 5, on the Influcace, &c. where we shall tin the premit gra tify our readers by giving the .:.athor's own words:— CHAP. V. INFIA - EN,'l: AND SY.,\LT.EP PROPERTIES, I , NOIAt TIER INCIMASI: OKI:, AND DInINUTION 01.'111 F. OTHER, :IY UNIvEn.7 4 .%:. sueertann. n By extending the right of write; for Alemhen, of l'erliament to needy artiticere. pannyless mendicants. livesied menials, end the vhole dependent population of the realm, we in fact only throw an undue portion of power. indeed an irresistible Ipreporderanee into th eeale cf the lark , - propertte. It is the SalllC thing, m reality, es : \.e metre eel to them so many votes besidim their own ; and, what is of great importance, and merits the most serious consideration, is that, in prop irtion as we extend the influence of the larger, we di ntin6h that of the bundler properties. We aggrandize gnat wealth beyond its due proportions; and we depress below its proper level, that mediocrity of eircumetancea, in which must intelligence is found, and where most virtue resides. " Where the suffrage is appropriated only to pmperty, without including the indigent popoletion, the smaller. pmpraear, who is put upon the same tooting with the lerge, is elevated t e n the "sale of political conshleratioa. This is neat beneficial to the eorimitioity ; for hew can the common good h: more of litho proteetetl titan by rarity of circumstances? Where the Suffrage is not su widely diffei O. es to encircle the ranks of ngaidicity and indigence, the in flue ic • a small thoune io the Hale of political consideration, will not he euniiiiiated by a large. The vote of a man of indepeu • dent ecnneetcnev, however small it may be, would, in these circum *Lewes, he as tee:l6olli and influential as that of his richer neglibour. The well informed gentleman, with a few acres of land, er a few huntlieds a year, • would rank as high in the scale of political con sideration, as the •emorietor of an extensive domain, or the posses. son of many thousands a-year. " But. if Universal Suffrage were established, the votes of the whole late) rin a n population would, in the great mass of instances, be only so mish added to the power of the large properties. The vote of a little shopkeeper, wheshod no detendantaor meuials in his employ, would on.y count as one; wink that of a large manufacturer, from the numbers to whom he supplies their daily bread for their daily toil, mi.g.t tell as five histelred, or a thousand, or in a still higher ratio. If, according to the-; lan of Mr. Cobbett, Mr. Bentham, and others, the right of Sverige sere extended to all the adult males in the Community, except lunatics and criminals, it is dear that the votes of the labouring and dependent poor would be nothing more than a proportionate accession to that predominating opulence, whose aggrandirement has no necessary eonneetion with the public interest. The votes of the master would increase in arithmetical ratio with • Close of his menials. " In an agricultural district, if we cot fine the Suffrage to the pro prietors, or occupier,: of the soil, to the exclusion of the labourers in their employ'. the small proprietor or occupier will participate in the choice dthe wpreeentative as much as the large or the rich. But the moment theaSuirrage was extended to the whole peasantry, artificers, and menial , rd the maid'. the influence of the email pro prietors and occupiers would be entirely ,ithoM'nate to that of the large. For how is the small proprietor. however cultivated his in tellect, or independent` is principles, to succeed in compeehtion with him who can bring a large train of his dependents and creatures to the hustings ? The mensels of one large proprietor would, in many instances, be found to outnumber all the smaller independent pm prietors. Thug, this boasted scheme of Universal Suffrage would, according to this view it, eventually prove nothing more than a system which is front ten to a hundred, or a thousand times more ' vitiated and vitiating titan the 1. Anent system, however corrupt and imperfect it may be. Ido not per end to say, that the present sys tem is so good ay it might be; lent shall I therefore, support a scheme that would make it worse than it is? Ant I an enemy to im. movement, because I will not write ane eomium upon deterioration ? if 1 have some physical infirmity which cannot cure, ant I therefore to have recourse to such an infallible resnitiy as the plague ? •' In a town composed of some stroller sentry of independent for tunes, and some independent householders. .possessing only a mode rate competency, with some few large and "opulent manufacturers, with a vaultitude of weavers and artificers et. different descriptions, would Universal Suffrage be found to possese such cogent recom mendations as to entitle it to be regarded as a stational benefit? " In the inftance which has just been mentioned, it we were to distribute the Suffrage amongst the weavers, emit:eery, and different descriptions of menials, the more opulent householders and larger manufacturers would then aequire a preponderarce in the choice of the representatives winds neither the probity nor the taknts of the less ( - pain householders and stealers can prevent In preportion, therefore, as Universal Saffrage added to the political potency of wealth in large masses, it would entirely destroy that wine adjust ment in the scale of elective 'town:, which renders the small pro perties, when combined, paramount over these of larger amount." How To STOP A FOOT. WAY.—The Dublin Fercnons's Journal contains the following description of a Bull, who occupies a field near Dublin, and is -supposed by the writer toffee been placed there for the purpose of deterring passen gers from using a right of footway that lies through it. The famous dun cow, slain by Ony Earl of Warwick,was probably an ancestor of the formidable boll :—" This sanguinary monster," sari the writer, ' 6 has already pursued many per and hurt several; and he is the more dangerous, as his rage is particularly directed against females, whoare less able tit la those of the other sett to escape his fury. He seems to be aware of the terror which he can inspire, and, in consequence of the suceesa that has heretofore atteaded his attacks, he is every day becoming more formidable. The unusual beat of the weather %%hien has lately pree:.iled,also tends to render him still mote furious. In a certain pert of Ih.field where he 110 W is, he %%WI his feet and horns, excavated a hollow that might contain his whole body; and in this place hg 4 , taods prepared for pursuit, bellowing frighthilly, and spurn pig and oring tbc dry hot earth, which he dings in clouds around-aim." THE NATIONAL REGISTER FOUTII ,4.11ER1C.'.1. The follow:ng a-cmrnt of the late events in Chili cornea from a private sunset- t it differs in some respects front the farnier statements, and is believed to contain an accurate unt impartial summary of the operations of both the contend- 11)::: patties: BLENos AYRES, Amur. 21.—When / last wrote to ynn, . - Chili wus Own :pet:inning to be an interesting p di.r : it has not ceased to be so during the whole period of my sibmee. The Spanish expedition troni I.ini t arrived ars''e at Talcahuano, and, as the Chili troops tinder O'Higgins half previously been ordered to retreat, the former disembarked without any r) , - sistonee. The Spanish Commander in Chief. Osorio, thus was at the head of 5.... et men, ixending the force found on the spot. He immediately commenced his march or rtliward, In the 'direction of Santiago, the capitol ; lie crossed the river Motile tbe 3;1 or :oh of Match, and fixed his rinaßl • rs at TitiCtl, ebont nine miles from the riser, and 210 fleas 'LlIC:111111110. The Chili army ()tiered no opposition, and the Spaniards pushed their advanced guard of 1•; i );1 men as far as Curie°, when on 19th of March Gen. S-tn Alartin, with his combined forces, be. twern httnOand 9000 men, tell in with them on his march for Talca, where he had determined to attack them. The Pay alists fell back, and the Patriots parsued, till they came hi sight of 'ralca, when Ilic latter had so far ont-manowivred the le, mer, as to cat them ctf from the town, and to three the main hotly to comz out to their relief. Towards the evening the battle became general ; the patriot czvalry, supported b y infantry, made a Ot, ge ; the Spaniard,. had upwards of 10 0 killed, and the greater part of the remainder fled. Pet ween eight and nine a. In. the Patriots had taken a posit!on ; the cavalry were feeding the horses, and the infantry were changing front ; when on a sudden a Spanish column rushed out of 'Paled, only about 709 yards distant, and made a most furious attack, which happened to fall on the militia; there Wil4 no time to form; a second colitnin came out and began its fire ; the Patriots retreated front between the two.cortnens, end left them fqliting ear II other. 'lt was, however, impossi -1 ble to restore order in ilia Patiiot army ; it was panic struck, and abandoned camp, boggage, ammunition, and all its alai'. lefv, saving only I t piecesdcannon. the Spaniards were so busy in firing at each other, that the Patriots made *AI easy escape ; had they been closely pursued by Osorio, the ultimate result ntiett probably have beas very different. But it teens that he hesitated, having found the Patriots in greater force than he had iii :tined ; and we are told that lie was bait inclined to recross the Manic, and re treat to Talcahuano. This want of decision, on the part of Osorio, enabled San Martin to reunite some of his scattered host, and to collect 3. - ,00 of his best troops, which, with the 34 guns he stationed, on the 24;1t of March, at Raucagua, about J 0 miles from Santiago. 14 1 lien we were informed here of this state of thins, we gave Chili up fur lost, as we could not entertain a hope of San Martin being able to make-an effectual resistance. Lie, how • ever, was not discouraged; and, having made his force fall back towards the plaiits on the banks of the Maypo, about 10 miles from Santiago, he determined to give battle. On the 5 tat instant, at one p.m. lie attackedthe Spaniards ; and, after a severe conflict for four hours, he completely overthrew them; they lost 1,500 hilted, and left besides as many prison• ers on the field of battle, with all their baggage, ammunition, and artillery. The pursuing cavalry afterwards brought in 1,000 more prisoners: in short, the .Royalist army is com pletely , annihilated. Only the General escaped with a small escort ; but as he must proceed 450 miles before lie reaches Talcahuano, where the shipping lies, it is almost impossible that heshould elude the eagerness of his numerous pursuers. The garrisons left by the Spaniards at Talcahuano and Con ception arc stated not to exceed 25 'J men. Our accounts from Santiago come down to the Sth of April inclusive. The Windham, East luiliaman, from London, arrived at Valparaiso on the 7th of March. The Vengauza Spanish 44 gun frigate, and the l'otrillo sloop of war, block ading that port, came abreast of her to the very entrance ; but they were probably deterred by her appearance from molesting her. She has since been bought for IEIO,OOO dollars by the Chili Government, and commissioned for the purpose ut capturing the Venganza. We have no doubt hut she will succeed, it' she can but come up with her enemy. Ages pass away, and the snot useful undertakings are, through some strange and.cnacconntable blindness, neglected by that people to whom they would procure incalculable ad vantages, •cutil at length, perhaps, some fortuitous eveht rouses the slumbers of apathy, and excites an attention to benefits, which, by the bye, are at tiffs moment often reaped by those who have all along possessed the least opportu nity of appreciating or ofapplsing them. These reflections cannot fail of being excited, when, on looking over the map of that most favoured and advantage ously situate; part of South America, New Granada, we find, that on no one spot of the shores of the Gtdpit of Darien. has any European povreryet bethought them of farming a perma nent settlement • ; while every inch of Wet coast is certainly of the greatest value and importance, in a political, as well as in a commercial poiat of view. Of all Spanish America, cempreliending a surface of 5503 miles in length, and 3000 males in breadth, the Viceroyalty of New Granada, in which are situated the Isthmus ate: the • Gnlpli of Darien, is by Cir the most important, and presents ' the greatest advantages, foam its geographical situation, both for the enterpriatso;: war, and for those of continence. When we oonsliter, on the one side, the effirts of the South Americans eo shake oil the yoke of the Spauish Go verument, the rapid progress -of their revolution ; and, on the other, the great interest which all nations have to partake directly of the rich commerce of that part of the New World, we cannot doubt of the ultimate emancipation of that extensive and fruitful country, nor of the establishment of A new, powerful, and independent empire, probably under the form of a Re. presentativemml Federal Government; which, uniting and disposing of tits great resources, accurdiag to circumstances, can prevok intestine divisions, and effectually maintain Its independence—a Government which, by its rapid advance- . meat towat'fis order awl regularity, will in i °cure happiness to 19 millions of people, already civilized, and pi epa re the same advantage for a vast number t,f alnaigilics, who are yet in their primitive state of independence. Such an event cannot tail to influence the commerce, the policy, and even the powm. of other nations, to an extent, at this time, not easy to cal. culatc; but to England such a change must Le. above all, interesting. It will soon become then, highly important, both for the statesman and the merchant, to be minutely acquainted with the-different Governments, and dedarimeiits "1 commercial adminietretion, into which Spanish Aati ilea is divided. ePru v blears., wiiii a boituil;til ;blot!, has bestowed its choicest gifts on that happy land. Intel - molted in all direc tions by the ksftiest mountains, and watered by the finest ri. vets of the universe, the fertility of its soil is beyond COW .. . 3tLY 27 parisan or cone: lotion. 111 illebe vrith an endless variety ut climates and temperature , , vegetation is perpetual. The vine, and the different species of grain, kid into, three, nod some four crops a year ; they sow and reap in the same held. Here nature is never itre. Here are pro:lot-4d trees of an commons size, of great durability, and excellent for the constritetion of ships; 'ionic of Coo in being quite inept ruptiWe nutter water. Here grow numberless plants and woods famed far medical s ,iy ouefi , as nvil as those ttsad in tlseiti..t. The productions of the West India islands are cultivated iu these provinces at a third less expense and trouble, and with the only ditfcreuce of their be ing al: produced here at a superior ge.dity. The animal explrtation of the pro lace of the mines of South America exceeds 63 millions el dollars ; that of the pro. duce of the soil 31 milli• as ; and that of the cattle, 102. and tallow, four millions more. On the mkt r hand, it consumes yearly the. ratite ufloo millions of dollars articles of fa.. reign onanotteture. Is this t country then, that we should look upon with in difference? •is the present glorious , itruggle of its cohabitants for liberty and independence, only important initsmurli as it regards themselves alone? The Spanish Gover i m►ent have always considered the ignorance in wloioh they strove to keep the South Americans, in every hi anchme useful know. ledge, the tinacquaintance of foreigners with the topography tif Smith America, and the total interdiction of passage op its navigable rivers, as the best support of its tyrannical add de, basing anthonity in that countty. But, thanks to the (litre,. skin of liberal ideas, their yoke is 'broken—the dark veil of ignorance and bigotry is torn by the band of freedom—awl the admiring world beloclds, with mingled feelings of indigna tion and surprise, how idiotic despotism could so long succeed to debase a country, lolessrd by nature with means and ad vantages above any other part of the globe. DISTV R ANCFS AT M ANC II ECU!: a.—We are extremely sorry th*:t we are not able to state that the effects of combi nation have subsided. The spinners, who have publicly dis- avowed a most inflammatory placard, tending to excite not merely discomeni, but gisorder and violence, have certainly behaved very peaceably ; 1 ot. evidently under a reNilar training, in order that their formidal le processions might in duce the few spinners who remain industriously at work, to l e av e it, and to overawe theirempluvees into compliance with their demands. We aresorry for their conduct, because we cannot but think it injurious to themselves and their families. The sante spirit, we are corwerned to add, hes brukca out its other trades. Monday morning, soon after midnight, a tire was discovered in the cotton-factory of 3lnsrs.Orntrod and Hardeastle, of Bolton, which in a short time consumed the mill and all its valuable machinery, amounting in the whole, we understand,, to. u pwards of 40,0001. Report states the tire to have comineuced close to the door, so that all ingress to assist in putting it out was at once prohibited. Strong sus picions front this and other circumstances are entertained that the contiaeration was not the efi - ect of acei:lew, but design. If this be correct, we trust that the vile incendi aries will very soon be discoverea, and brought to the con dign punishment they so justly mori!. A gentleman who has arrived from Grenada, in the Arundel, after an extraordinary quick passage, reports, that on the 14th of May, a schooner cleared out there for the Spanish Main, having on board C:e following gcnCeinen, w lin had at rived front England at Grenada, in thesliip Grave, and were proceeding to join the Patriots :—Mess rs. Ferries, Murray, Bowen, Mennett, Musaskey, Child, Brooker, Bite ey, Simpson, Heeley, and Seward; that the schooner had not gone more than a league out to sea, when a Spanish Royalist brig, mounting to guns, with a full complement et: officers and men, which was I)iiig oil' the island, immediately cat her cables and gave cleave ; that in a short time she castle within gun shot of the schooner, and that, after exchanging a few shots, the latter struck her colcurs. Oar informant adds, what we. feel great difficulty in believing, that after the capture every person on board the schooner was pat to death ! The fol lowing nwritii:g the Spanisithrig attempted to return back to (irenada, but the Governor ordered the Major of the fort not to permit her to anchor, and several shots were tired at her before she sheerecisoff, and proceeded to 6C3.—Star. EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE A NI) APPREHENSION OF A PRI. SON RR. —I bi the - !d inst.. J. Bond, a prisoner in Tothill-fields, on a charge of fraud,• escaped from an tinder keepci of the pri , on, as he was eonveyitig him and another prisoner in a roach to Marlhoronglastrvet office. In passing through Swal low-street, which was paving, the coachman drew up to turn back , when Bond threw himself through one of the windows, and, falling 011'4114 feet, ran off. On Saturday last information was received that he was lurking about Mitchell. Two officers were then sent to apprehend him, and that night they found him at the Horse and Groom, at that place. It being late the officers put him to bed in aback room on the second floor, and took Ids clothes into the next, in which they slept. About three in the morning they were awoke by the window in the prisoner's room shutting, and to their surprise they saw him running several fields from the house, in his shirt. They purmted him, immediately as they had slept in their clothes, mid after a chace of three miles, they got within a short di s (acre of him, and threatened to shoot him if lie did not stop; lee continued,however, running, and they fired at and missed him. They fired a second time, and wonnded hint ou the knee, when lie could proceed no further ; they then brought him to town, and lodged him in Tothili-fields prison. Monday aftei noon 011'2 of the labourers employed in bald , lug the tower which was • some-time ago damaged by the the at Northumberland Home, having fixed a stone of consider.• able weight to a pulley, remained underneath, gazing upon some other object, till the stone was pulled up nearly to the summit; when it ft II upon him, and forced his ribs through his skin.—He died soots alter. On Sunday night week, about 11 o'clock, a party of stout men, one woman, and a child, were in a boat, which was rowed by one of the men. passing under London Midge, at high tide, when the boat oversee The female was drowned; the men all swam on shore, and one of them saved the child by holding it in one hand and swimming with the other. The female walefound in about ten minutes. quite dead. An inquest has been since held on the body of Mrs. Delatond, )the name of the female.)—Verdict, Accidental Death. Last week, Kiln Croft Mill, the property of Marmaduke Fox and Co. of Dewsbury. took fire; thee:Jana was speedily given, but before any assistance could be procured, the destructive cement burst with irresistible fury through ell die windows of the lower story, where the tire is supposed to have originated, and in leas than three hours the whole was reduced to a heap of ruins. Nothing was saved, and the damage is estimated at not leas than 8,001., about half of which W insured. Last week amain distressing accident oceurred•on the Sea-banks, Bristol. Several boys were playing on some timber by the e: telaide. whish suddenly giving way, precipitated two into the a at'.. ; thirds between II and It years of age, named Leach, was • w. ed by the neck between two pieces of timber, and lived anat. I...atte s after having bled to &sigh. The two boys wisp fell Oise the wa.er re mained a long time inanimate when taken out, but are Low &ix .. / t.