The National Register. — London, England, 1809-04-09 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. be objected that the virtues of the present monarch preclude every possibility of an undue exercise of the monstrous influence which a variety of circumstances has placed at the disposal of government. This we would fondly believe; hut political in stitutions were not calculated on the virtues and moderation of men, but on their vices atid violence ; and whatever security we may have in the principles of the present Sovereign, it is neces sary to take precautions against his successois, as well as servants and advisers. it is therefore become a matter of ur gent necessity to have some countcrpoie against the accumulat ing evil, which is already so immense Ls to render almost nugatory the other broaches of the Constitution. This can, ' 'nit!) the greatest safety be found in an indepeudant House of Commons : For it is dangerous to appeal frequently to the people—they are the last resort—from their tribunal there is no further appeal. It has been frequently repeated, whenever this great question has been started, that ex periments and inno vations in political institutions should he attempted with ex treme anxiety and caution. We acknowledge the justice of this observatiott ; but ho;ovation is alt aimed at ; only a laudable isle evinced to bring back things to their primitive form; mu: so far from attenspCng aay dangerous experiment, it goes to prevent the possibility or necessity of it, by re-estzl!slishin4 the Constitution in its original purity. Those who oppo-e this salu tary measure, are no friends to the present establishment, and can have no sincere desire to maintain it ; for if the present abuses Continue to accumulate, -the period is nut far remote, when we shall possess neither establishment nor coturtr. It was consti tutional principles and an as dent love of libFrty, which placed the present family on the throne ; and the same causes, if al lowed to exist, w ill pres.2rve them on it, in spite of internal and external opposition. A dreadful crisis is rapidly approaching when the concentrated Onergies of the el.nuion-wealth will be requisite to resist its violence. Nobody ,vill have the courage, we believe, to deny, that a trial awaits u,, snore arduows . and unprecedented, than fell ts the lot of any modern people. Other nations, more popu lous, and whose institittionsl th ere more warlike, have not been able to oppose a sno , nentary resistance to the cat:smite. In at tempting to account for the disaster; of our ne:ghbouri, an tnia nimity of sentiment se;'nr; to prevail, at I; apt in this country, "bat they originated in the torpor of the people, in consequence of the abuses of their ( h A population of fourteen ho ardently love their country and institutions; who arc taught to cstisnate their advantages ; who know, from expe rience, their practical vdue, will never he reduced to the ne cessity of contending with snenemy on their own soil ; for no invader will be guilty of the temerity of encountering such a - onion of force and will. Bo N PA ave. has prostrated the na ions and grivernments of the earth at his feet, beca tv4- the ema, culating effects of corruption hail di: rinsed among them a general languor and impotence. In our schools every line we read in formed its of the prodigies perforated by communities animated with a love of liberty ; anal in our manhood, v. Uh all the benefit of reflection and experience, we seem to be ignorant of what every school-boy knows. lf our menwy he so defective, let us wince more have reconNe to our books, ant: they will tell us how invincible the ltionans mere in the inlancy of their institutions, when their population aril v•rritory lvcre a. limited, as their en inusiasiie pas,ion for their country was uncircumscribed ; they will likewise teach tri the important les.on,that the same people, >tuastera or the world, but siaves to a tyrant at home, were un able to oppose a hor:le of half-armed barbarians, as soon as slavery had unnerved their arms, and rendered them indifferent to fix inspiring name of country. If we are ttiiliog, thrive:me, to escape the disasters which hope ove:•by helm d 1 urope ; if we Oink our indepenJence and law wort i pre•ery log ; if v. e wish to create eacrgies propor tionate to flee dillie ohics That are ready to assail us—it is neve, 'iffy to impress uu toe militia and hearts of the i;reat /a)dy of the APRIL 9, people, that the superiority of their institutions is so transceia dant, that they will willingly submit to every sacrifice, in order to maintain them. To produce this impression, nothing more is requisite than to reform the abuses which disfigure them ; aryl, we hope, that the attention of the Legislature, after the present recess, will be immediately directed to this great and salutary operation. As soon as that event has re-established confidence and union, and the same enlightened policy has removed the dis content of our Irish Brethren—then great Britain will become once more what it formerly had been—the terror zald envy of the world. Si E.,4•:: Notwithstandinz public affairs are so far from being in a bet+ ter situation at present, that they are growing every day more and more desperate, et I Could not satisfy myself with being Aileut any longer ; and rather chase to send you an empty letter, than not to send you any.—Jietmoth's Letters of Cicero.' '1'() THE SIY MEN" OP LEADEN-ILILL. GE VTI',II.VEN 1)IRIECT(111S. Consistency is so admirable in all public persons, at all times and noun ail occasions, that you must not wonder if I now offer to you, astonishing as is your consistency, the tribute of my humbl•ap plans?. Some minds, with a taste different from mine, would aialiciously delight in depreciating your eminence of cha racter. Instead of consistency, they would brand your present diziplay of public virtue, signalised as it is by reciprocal sympa thies, witb the epithet of confederation ; and thus deprive ylu of the elevated consideration to which you are so conspicuously and di.tintly entitled. It is my WlOl honestly to appreciate your motives, and to render exemplary justice to your merits. It is not for me, like plain John Brown, in his Essay on Satire, to Point back to minds ingenuous, actions fair, Till the sons blush at what their fathers were ! What indeed have 1, and such as I, to do with those fabled ages Ere yet 'twas quite a folly to be just ; Ere yet 'twas beggary the great to trust : Vice flutter'd in the plumes of freedom drest, Or public spirit was--the publicjest ? Past, if ever they were, are such fabled ages; and past, sap posing toey existed, the romantic individuals who then peopled the nations of the earth ! New things, therefore, in this new world. We live when affairs take a novel course; and, as my friend Cicero wrote to his friend Varro, " what can I do better you know, than prudently swim with the current of the times ?" You appear determined, Gentlemen Directors ! nobly actin upon the vulgar adage, to hang together. Even the salvation of your entire body corporate, which seems at stake, cannot imince you to part with one single member. What magnanimity does your conduct thus exhibit—what constancy I. There still is, and there always ought to be, if practicable in any way, come honour, as they hold even of thieves, among all descrip tions of men. There is nothing like sticking to the last plank; as drowning persons will, it is said, catch at twigs. It is re ally unpleasaut to relinquish official situations of any kind. Jack Ketch himseli would take alarm at* the idea of being ousted. lias quite enough of defference been shown by you, Gentlemen Directors !. to the implied opinion of the Select Committee of the Imperial Commons; where they propose, very justly, " to curtail 1/ic pal.ronage of those who," to say the least of it, are proved to have been " not sufficiently watchful in the disposal of it" daring their adminiit ration of your eyf tensise concerns? "The uopleasant duty of increased vigilance is not," it seems, as the same Rept-rt says, now "likely to " yulrunaiie will cdnlitaiie to be abused, 50 1• of at 1) tli le lo in tr • R be performed ;" for - 1 lung as no Inct-ment A] nee 'tin $2ll 6 6 Co eni Srii SOl re, ttn sel