The National Register. — London, England, 1817-08-25 00:00:00

Oationa POLITICAL DISQU ISITION. ON THE CONDUCT CF THE IZEFORNIERS. " I have been an eye-witness of seeing many things touching these kind of imolences; -which to deliver, woull require a large dis ourse."—SPANtsit ROGUE. MR. OWEN has this week given the political mouthers another opportunity of sheaving themselves forth before the town, by holding an adjourned meeting at the Lon don Tavern. if we had beta among the number of this I, , entleman's supporters, (which we are proud to say we are not,) we would have advised him against adopting the line of conduct which he has pur sued, in calling public meetings, where, as might be expected, all the sticklers for Parliamentary Reform thrust themselves into the company of their betters. Owen has taken credit to himself for having gone unsupported to the first meeting, because he " was anxious to discover the real tendency of the pub lic mind, when left unfettered by the influence of name and authority." But he would have done well to re member, that, however anxious he might be to have an unbiassed expression of public feeling, there are certain persons who, with an abundance of wordy cou rage, will take care that no party but their own shall be heard. Wherever they are the majority, they, by hisses and groans, render their opponents inaudible, and this they call freedom of discussion ! and wherever they are the weaker party in number, they contrive, by some outrageous violation of decorum, to produce a ferment which, being once excited, is not easily allayed. Thns they accomplish a two-fold object— they keep their own names alive before the public, which, but for schemes like this would perish, and they ball:, and sometimes defeat, every attempt which is made to alleviate the sufferings of the people. For, as these sufferings are the texts on which they read such learned comments, to relieve them would be to ruin their trade. These arc the motives, which, ope rating with my Lord Cochrane, drew him to the Lon don Tavern, in August last, where he succeeded to his heart's content in producing a tumult, and, what was of still more consequence to him, in keeping up his name with the mob. These are the motives also which drew Messrs. Hunt and Cartwright, and an hundred more of. the same school, to the London Ta vern, on Mr. Owen's meetings. To attend a public meeting, called for a specific pur pose, and to annoy and agitate it by the introduction of matters irrelevant to the question in hand, is, with these gentlemen, a mighty good joke. They tell us, to be sure, with a wonderful affectation of candour. " That it is impossible to introduce the mention of public distress without glancing at the cause ;" and that " they regret that there should be any asperity of political feeling." The impudent canters ! Did nut Major Torrens, at Mr. Owen's first meting, enter fully upon the question under consideration, without ever " glancing" at the cause of public distress? and on whose side has been the asperity of political feAtling?— ILus it not been solely on their own ? Did not Mr. Hunt, whose conduct, at all times, is of the most outrageous character, attempt, at the first meeting, to brow-beat the Chairman, and frighten him from his scat ? and he would have succeeded, too, but that his vulgar and cowardly spirit stood rebuked under the manly conduct or the Chain-min. But in pursuing this plan, these men have a greater object in view. To baffle the efforts of the well-dis posed, anti keep their own n.mes alive, are but the stemdary means which they use to give e&et to their projected schemes. By the wislota and vigour of the government, an end has been put, tor a time, to those assemblies where the pestiferous doctrines of a Hunt and a ('obbett were disseminated ; they ore, thorefore, compAed to resort to more covert toms; owl meet, Our %ling, Don MONDAY, Al No. 498.—V0L. X. ) tr• ititution anti 31 a 1336. 'GUST 25, 1817. ings whose objects are avowedly not political, arc in dustriously sought out, and speeches made, which, through the medium of the press, may be circulated in furtherance of their views. " This new set of Reformers," to use the words of a very able writer, " pretend to have no other object than universal suffrage and annual parliaments, and they have chosen this pretence, first, because they must profess some principles that do not quite speak rebellion ; secondly, because this specific project has been vented by some men not of the lowest consideration in any thing but the article of good sense; and by others, not of the highest in any thing but in their wealth and rank ; thirdly, because they knew (and we know too) that should they succeed in carrying this point, the destruction of Monarchy must inevitably follow ; and a levelling Republic may then be substituted according to the imaginations and view of this rabble. " But who are the actors most distinguished and forward in carrying on this design ? In truth, they are of a description that, in other times, would render them too contemptible to be the objects of dread; but in these days, when every thing debased is to be ex tolled, and era"' thing noble and excellent is to be vilified and contemned, the very meanness of the cause constitutes the magnitude of the apprehension.— The confidence we see in them cannot be without great consciousness of strength ; and, when the progress is all under-ground, we may hear the explosion before we have any knowledge of the miners. The attempts of these Iklbrmers are all among the classes of society with which we have tuo little intercourse. Artificers and handicrafts:nen, journeymen and apprentices, in great manufacturing towns, arc wrought upon by sur mises of grievances, ' l and representations of renudies, Which set them mudding aflec polities and public at. this, with an idea of their own importance, in spired by the doctrine of unalienable rights, and the natural equality of man, makes them uneasy in their present circumstances, and ready and on fire for any change. This fiver is kept up by intlaunnatory publi cations, that are given away, or sold for a trifle, and that are dispersed with incredible assiduity, and in great numbers." Such was the character and conduct of the Reformers in the year 1795. In what do those of the present day differ from them ? In nothing, but that they arc more wicked, more active, but, fortunately, working with less art, and therefore easier of detection. In what we have said, we wish it to be clearly un derstood that we are hostile to Mr. Owen's visionary plans. We consider them as wild, as impracticable, and of as mischievous a tendency as any thing ever broached by the maniac, Spence; but, we conceive. that, as he called together the . inhabitants of London to discuss a question ofmoral polity, it was due to him. and to the public there assembled, to abstain from in tnslueing those points which the speakers knew would. create dissention. On the part of every well-inten tioned man, therethre, it becomes an imperative duty, henceforth, to hunt these outragers of public deeerim out of every respectable society, for they have no sense of shame ;—they know no touch of courtesey ; their manners arc us rude as their intentions are tyieked they are a nest of viper*, wait we must not fly froth, but crush, lit they will sting us into madness. There is some expeexatiou that the Queen will give Up Buckingh nn House 'pr the • aceouchement Of the Princess Charlotte; us a residence fier lc% exposed to noise than Camelfuni house, as well as nearer to the Great officers of State, who must be summnontal upon the occasion. The celebrated Baron's Hall, at Arundel Castle, is immediately to be completed, agreeably to the will of the late Dube. The stained glass window, represent ing King John signing " Magna Charm," is removed thither, in order to be fixed in the HA. PRICE 9,1,4 FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRANCE. PARI9 Arosr 19.—The Doke of Wellington had yesterday a private audience of the King, mho was closeted tor half an hour with the Noble Lord. Coaches arc about to be established at Rotten upon a new principle, combining elegance with convenienve. They a'e designed to convey passengers from Paris to Havre in twenty hours, and from Paris to Dieppe in 18 lours. Their arrival at both places will be regulated by the departure of the pack. ets fur England. The scholars of the Academical Institution, which has been• established for upwards of ayear, celebrated the Muth-day of . the Prince Regent ou Tuesday last. Among the tolsts given at this dinner were —" Long life to the Pt ince*-- Prosperity to England"—" Frankness and Sincerity in the Cition of the Nations of Europe." Yontb of France, Spain, and Germany, united in the patriotic feeling of their English comrades, and agreed to assemble in the same manner on the 25th of the present month, in honour of our august and venerable King. It is ascertained that the Electoral Colleges will assemble for the nomination of Deputies on the 15th of next month, and that all the Presidents are already appointed by the King. The Duke of Wellington arrived in Paris ou the whot half past seven o'clock. The august personage (King of Prussia) who travels as Count Hairpin, has arrived in Paris. He alighted at the Prussian Ambassador's Hotel, with few attendants. The festival of the Assumption was celebrated ou the 15th inst. with unusual pump. The King, accompanied by the Royal Family and attended by a numerous suite, went in %ci lium] procession to the Cathedral. Us the 25th the festival of St. Louis will he celebrated ; splendid preparations for which are now carrying on in the Champ de Mars. GERMANY, FRANKFORT. AVGUST, 9. The founigation of the monu ment is laid vi hich the Ty roles intend to raise to the memory of their deliverer, the Landwirth Hofer. Besides this monu ment, a pyramid will be placed at the summit of the moun tain on which the tavern was situated, to which he retreated with his Secretary, a Bohemian student, when they were both taken by the order of Buouaparte. This pyramid wilt have an inscription in Latin, containing the name of the Secre tary, to whom it w iil serve as a sepulchral stone. A 3 hospital has been founded on this imam:sin, on the spot where the tavern stood, and will serve to receive 16 poor per sons. __.. . The marriage of Colonel Vincent Esterhazy with the Prin.. cess of Lichtenstein wa.s solemnized with gi eat imigniticence, at \ 'culla, on the oth of the present month. ' , maul: A L. In consequence of the death of the Count de Barest, first It linist er of the King of Portugal, a new A dininist ial ion has been appointed, of which the following are mentioned as the Members : -Thomas Anthonio de Villa Nova, Primo .Minister; Count Palmellit, now Ambassador at the Court of Laudon, Minister for the Foreign and War Department :"Count Dos Arcos, (Governor of Bahia) Minister of Marine ; M. ficaerro, the department of the Treasnry, NETHERLANDS. Ilnussets, Au:est 16.- 7 tiome Journals having spoken with inaccuracy of the complaint brought Ii his Grace the Duke of Wellington against the printer and editor of the Joon:ale:If West Flanders, we give the following details as cer tain. The article in which the Duke of Wellington thinks himself insulted Is inserted in the paper of the LIM July. " Mr. Debru, Intendant of Martinique. having exceeded his . pawers, iu causing a great many French Officer* to be loads i w ith irons and sent to France, under the pretext of Bonita partism, the Ministry, in its policy, had thought tit to remove • hint, and the Chniillientle had announced the nomination of M. Esinangard : an order emanating from the Ministry of the Police had enjoined, that this news wns not to be repeated. It is affirmed, that Mr. Delon was 'administering the colony , very will in CIVOIIf of a foreign Government,-( M. Dziwagc , mat trey bier. la (-Annie en far< ur (ilia ,zottrern , ntent et? anger)-- Lord Wellington has desired to see him retain it (de le int c4ir conserver ). -No more is wanting to perpetuate hint in his ho nourable functions." This cairse will be tried on the Stith of this month before the tribunal of Ghent. Mr. Counsellor Bevens is charged with the defence of the acewked ; the Dole , of Wellington tieing plaint iff (s'estant poste ciei!tl, the Conusel• . bra Tarte, senior, Prafessur at the School_ofJerisprittlence, . and Jnuhand, arc to plead his Giaco's cause. Ate. 48.—His Nla)esty having decided that the existing_ , , churches shall have am• paintings restored to them whirl: they • Wert . posoiew , l of previously to their being is ken :away by ! the French, the celebrated picture by Van Dyke, represent ing the elevation of the Cress, which was placid in the second room of the Museum 711 this city, and which is the property of the parish church vi Notre Dame at Courtray, has been claim- _ ed by the Mayor'of that city. The Commissioners whinn ba Y.••••••• 4:2 4:4'... has named have just obtained the restitution of it. . UNITED STATES VE Alftß . ICA, • ' • ' . , ) is Dun M xsi an (Ta: acs.--.The .11ilitur.,.of The .\ - , is. • ...; _,. • ..-,.• York Columbian a few days,sinco copied front this Pape, 4.1 . .. ' I . V,Z,•i r '`i adveroseatem, notifYing that the maelsinety anti *iassp.roients • .... . t , of a woollen factory in Ra:timore would.hr 4/ prat fur r.. 4 1.4kv, I, .. ~ 4.00' . auction : he may no's further inform the ails " t aws and ii ie,, t i s ... s ite l ...-.1 -, 1. of domestic manalaeinfeis, that tilt" rtnichillOky and iliiiietileills l .. , 4.: ,, ' , ''' , 6X i were •dfici tri its advertist il, that fur some it rtic . ..2... No -If Lilts .• : i - - % ".. ~ , e.' - - part of the original mAt was hid ; for , oute 4/11/ arliirt4l,3l4l to . . ' ~.. s' ) not more than one half for at , '. Such is the c-timatiott in.. s. ~*. J . I - \ 7 , which domestic matinfecta, l's iire. held." -% tiallistroc. Go; lie.) • -••••...,:• L _ _ . 5.1911 of the nestles Joni nak of Nuitl• ►m. ' , it, 1.4%e at ai• endeavoured to euujore tip d utes between the Cootints sionyv, of the two Pail et., oil the 01 the .buitia.latsy ; butt ice are harty,to find. that 4 iiew Jnoroil, Kobjiahtd rt Ito•tn.i, 'flaky, thy fUlid‘Silig n pi) to :hose '111;*;ci . ' " l bite is nu truth in till: , pairgraliii, and it i, out dialcult ',~S