The National Register. — London, England, 1818-07-05 00:00:00

.4 /7 A i 4 • • 1 " 4 ationa4 MONSIN~ 818. / • -4 .4e-7e-- -••••• ........... t t itittr+ Our %Unfit Confititution itatud. No. 643.—V0t. XI. SUNDAY, JULY 5, 1 POLITICAL DISQUISITION. Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, the Corn the.ln dmility Bill, the Alien Bill, cum muftis slim , are be fore the public, and let the public decide. To (gavel with the past would indeed be fruitless if it did not lead us into some consideration as to the future. The measures of Government always require to be canvassed, in order that if good, they obtain the affections of the governed ; if they are evil, that those who enact theta may be dis placed as incapable of ruling a flee people,—or exercis ing mastery,—merely to play the master. Free discus sion particularly serves both the people and Government of a free state—it gives both a proper estimate of their value, and prevents conspiracy and ruin. Where the people can openly express their disapprobation, they will not use the (lugger ; where they can in ladies peti. tion and remonstrate, they will not wait till the midnight hour, to present their petitions at the point ef the bay onet or the torch. In England, we owe, protec tion of our pers ons as muc h to t h e public _ nof opinion, as to the terrors of the law, or parbspe the denunciations of the Gospel. Indeed its Influence is beyond our calculation. It must however be m manifest to every man, that we shall not dilate &edger upon it at this moment. PRICE 9d. GENERAL ELECTION. MEMBERS RETURNED. Preston—S. Horrocks and E. Hornby, Esqrs. Middlesex--G. Byng and W. Mellish, Esqrs. Dublin (tinircrsity)—Right Hon. W. Plunkett. Callington—Hou. Cot. E. E)gon and Sir C. Robinson. Ayleshnry—Lord Nugent and W. Rickfurd, Lsq. Itlvebingly—M. Russell and 0. Tennyson, Lstirs. Warwk k—lion. SirJ. Greville and C. Mills, Esq. Nottingham—Lord Randal and Mr. Birch. Pembroke (Comity)—Sir J. Owen. Oxford—A. Mactiattgliton and J. Douglas, Esqrs. Carmartbensliirc—Lord R. Seymour. C berland—J. Lowther. Esq. and Lord Morpetli. Cardigan (Counte)—W. E. Powell, Esq. Cornwall—Sir VV. Lemon and J. H. Tremayne, Esq. Cricklade—J. Pitt and R. Gordon, Esqrs. Denbigh (County)— Sir W. W. Wynn. Anglesey (County)—Hon. E. Paget. Dungannon (Itorongli)—T. Knox, Esq. Westin Itm ough)—R. Neville ' Esq. Kent—Sit E. Knatellbull and W. P. HoneVwood, Ewe. Lincoln (County)—Mr. Pelham and Mr. Chaplin. Grampound—Mr. Innis and Mr. Robertson. Glamorganslaire—John Edwards. Northampton—Lord Compton and Sir E.Kersis.m. Huntingdonshire—Lord F. Montagne and W. H. Penises. Montgomeryshire—C. W. Wynn. Northumberland—Sir C. M. L. Novick, Bart. and 4. R. Beaumont. Leicester (County)—Lord Robert Manners and M. Phillips. Armagh ( Borough)- J. L. Foster. Longford (County )—Sir rilUlll46 Fetbentone, and Lord 'VA ' count Forbes. New Ross (Burcingb)—John Carrol. Carlow (Borotigh)—Charles Hervey. Dungarvon (Borough) —General G. Walpole. Weymouth—Mr. Williams, Mr. Buxton, Right Hon. T. Wal. lace, and Mr. Cre. Westbury-11410s Franco and Lord Francis Conyngham. Pembroke (Borough)--John Ifensleigh Allen. Hayti fortlwest—(Town)—Willians Henry Scourfield. Town of Enniskillen—Richard Mauennis, Esq. Antrim (County)—Hon. John O'Neill sad Ilugh Seymour. Youghall—Lord Bernard. Ennis—Spencer Perceval. Mallow—William Wrixon Reedier. ON THE PRESENT ELECTIONS. Evzav mina is now occupied with the elections. The people have now an opportunity of re-asserting those privileges which they may have lost ; and if they omit to profit of it, every evil consequence that may hereafter bald them, must lie at their own door. We have never wished to place any one class or order of society, improperly above another, but on the contrary have invariably maintained the necessity of each pos ses,ting its proper eminence. The proud aristocrat,who would trample all beneath hint who did not equal him in title or in wealth, we have equally reprobated, as tl:e factious demagogue—who only magnifies the mis fortunes of the humble, and makes them feel averse to ' their superiors, because he may the more easily have their passions at his command—to turn them to his own account. We dislike both of these extremes, and we have not ceased to reprobate them. We are of opinion that the prevalence of either would produce our ruin, and totally destroy that constitution which must be the pride of every honest Englishman to maintain. In this conviction our course has been straight-forward. We have pledged ourselves to state the " truth without fear," and from this pledge %Thar° never swerved. W e have sometimes been accusedof violence; that is allaying used intemperate language, with the addition of itsbeing intended for improper purposes. But this we can deny most safely. Who in degenerate times can measure all his words, or balance his expresssions—suit them alike to the strong car of liberty and mind, or to spurious loyalty,—and as spurioussensibility7 Who, whetninroad after inroad, was making on our liberties, could Ilse the soft language in which lovers woo, when reprobating those who made them--or should we have lauded acts we were bound to deprecate, and pa rtertized conduct which we abhorred ? Unless those who charge us with violence are prepared to go this length in their accusa tion, we must be held completely acquitted of such a charge. One word of the elections and we have dose. The cry of independence is almost in every quarter com pletely triumphant. Before the close of thisartiele, we shall perhaps hear of another victory stchieved by the fearless assertors of their rights--the people of Westminster; and whatever our opinions say be of the private character of Sir Murray Mazwail....we should regret to see him placed in the House of Com mons as one of its representatives. [Our expectations have been realised. ppe seen in another part of our columns.] Lunt') (Count)) —Hight Hon. John Foster and Lord Vise. Jocelyn. 1 arrrn•ier--.lmin Girton:le antlneeerril !Merton. Cheshire—Davies Davenport anti W. W. Egerton. Carmarthen--Hon.J.Campbell. Somerset—W. Dielkinvosi and W. G. Langton. Wilts—Mr. Methuen and Mr. Long Wrllesley. Devon—E. P. Bastard and Lord Einington. Egeshanr—H. Howorth anti W. E. It. Boughton. iladdington (County)—Sir J. Solite. Selkirk (County )---W. Lockhart. Radnor ( Borough) —Richard Price. Edinburgh kCelirsity) —Sir George Clerk. Carlow Leoutity) —Col . Briton and Sir Ulysgeg Burgh. Wicklow k Comity)—Mr.William Parnell and lion. Nulty. CaVall (minty)—N. Sneyd and the Rt. Hon. T. Barr. 0 imtineatli( County) —Gust Rochford and Hon.ll. rakenhAm. Mona;:lian kColity)—C.P. Leine and the Hou. W „Wester) , a. Ipswich—Mr. Cricket and Mr. Newton. Peeblesliire—Sir James Montgomery. Kerry (County)—Col. Crosbie and the Knight d Kerry. King'sCounty—Thotnas Bernard and John Parson.. County or Cork—Lord Kinsborough and Richard Ham Waterford—Sir John Newport. 4 By an Ordinance of his Majesty the Wag of France, a French man of war will be constantly kept etuizing off the coast of Africa, where the French have cetab lishments, in order to prevent illicit traffic, and enforc ing the due execution of the laws which have been enacted in France for the abolition of the Slave Trade. Self, very seldom claims much of our attention, and fritould nut now be noticed, did ivy-not wish to place our motives fairly before our readers. Finn and un to in support ot' King, Lords and Commons, as by law established, we never will couseut to see either part rreponderate to the injury of the other ;—nor tau t*.lated, or curtaikl of its proper influence, without nine our best though humble exertions to restore it to its pristine glory, its proper basis, its necessary cons qume relative to the objects which it wits granted to a. romplish or procure. A letter from St. Thomaq, of May 26th, dates, that on the I Ith of the same month a desperate beittle was fought between the contending forces, in which the Spaniards claim the victory, but with an alarming loss. The insurgents were einnmanded by General NC?, who had under his orders 1,500 cavalry, and 6or :100 in. fantry. Of this corps, say the Spaniards, .1,000 were put hors dit combat, and 400 horses were tam. On the other hand, the Spanish Commander-in-Chief, De La Torre, was severely wounded, and Colonel Pillars, his Aide-de-Camp, with about 20 other °Bloats, were kil!ed and wounded by the enemy. Thalifirin rank sal the is not made known to us, nor are any distinct consequences attributed to this victory ; eneet what rests on vogue report, that the Spaniard s iud !ad vanced to some of the positions which they had formerly abandoned. Morillo is represented as having ticovered front his wounds. The above engagement, front the insurgent force which took part in it, appeatx to us to have been a skirmish, though a bloody mg, ktireen detached corps from either army. The mercantile interest of this kingtbmi mtr be as sured, that no measure respecting she Itopti Spanish Decree. rolative to the ports of entrepot for South Ame rica, has been received in this country of a posterior date to the following official document upon that high ly interesting subject. The rumour of a revocation of the Royal Decree, which her' been circulated through some of the journals of this metropolis, is totally un founded : ruesday Sir Robert Wilson and Mr. Calvert, the two succes.sful candidates fur thu Borough of South ‘vark, were chaired. Each was seated in a baruuyhe drawn by six horses, preceded by flags. After the ce remony, which was conducted with great pomp, Sir R. Wilson proceeded to dine with his friends at the f Torus, Kennington ; and Mr, Calvert, for the same purpose, to the Londtm Tavern. _ _ _ We. shall not here enter into any discussion upon rt.leive excellence of Governments ; we du not agree with many who think the cheapest is the Lest, bit we, think tha.f—the best, under which the people enjoy the greatest protection of liberty and . prcperty, where the laws are most equitably admin istered, and religious prejudices least pred ()Inmate.— But be this as it may, we are bound at present to de fend the British Constitution as established in 108, and if it has suffered uny dilapidation, either, from the :hocks of time, or the rude hand of Government Cr people—to repair it as soon as possible. That it has sx.fferetl, no rational Englishman can deny; and that all possible &snatch should be used in its repair, is too great a truism almost to recriro asserting. We wish to avoid all h.trsliaess of expression when possibly can, an il it we have been at some times su trayed into any, we are more rea.ly to acknowledge erro?, than wilfully to perseverc in it, by the way of r.he.ving our sense of consistency. i knee we shall Act cs:....racterise the past conduct of the Government, as ir_rhaps we might be justiti4. iu doiap ; we shall '.cam say, they i.Z1.C.1 as at:ciAgt In as tyra-,13. The NOT:CE TO TOE MERCHANTS. Conforni/bly to your Lorthilip' , decree of the trgth of .tpril last, hu Majesty has been pleased to order, that, until the Junta of Avon • celc couclude its labours, Li per cent. shall he I ;PA on foreign nrinuf..etures and tlibries which may be exported from the ports of deposit forAinerica ; on provnuons, to per cent. On utensils, tools, and imt:hine., 5 r r cent. ; giving credit to the parties interested tor what may he collected of the 5 per rent. ou n at i ona l pro d oct i oes , effects, and inanutlietures, the tatty of replacement and armament is to he exacted only during the cireuni 41014-.3:4• I cg;ITITIILLIICate till/ to you for its uxecution, C414112 i , May 1,10. The execution of Messrs. Arbuthnot atid Ambouswr, maliciously designated as British agents in North Ame rica, seems to have created not only some talk, but considerable vneasiness among the politicians of tint country. Now the whole case is extremely clear. If the men were British subjects, and guilty of the charg‘s alledged against them, the American Government his acted on the occasion, whether according to law or mar, assuredly not in such a manner ns would warrant the Sovereign of this country in any fiirmul impeachment of their proceedings. But if these persons, being 13ri. tilt subjects, were unt:iirly tried, and t vrongolly pu. Dished by any tribunal or tbe IJaited States, it is pos. that the Government of Great Britain may ell Clot Republic to a strict a ccount for the injury in that e ve irr p e trated. The question turns on a single fact, the guilt or innocence of the party. w e are n joiecil to stutc that our accounts from all parts of the country relative to the harvest are of the must gratilling description. In cvcry direction an abundant display of fine crops presents itself; and ap pies and other fruit were never known to be in greater plenty. The Journals from all parts of Caw Coutiutnt agree in dm MSC flattering account. ... t , • _ -+ iI