The National Register. — London, England, 1818-07-06 00:00:00

/frna, Zbt No. 513.—V0L. XI. FOLITICAL DISQUISITION. ON THE PRESENr ELECTIONS. EVERY mind 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 befal 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 netvssity of each pos sessing its proper eminence. The proud aristocrat,who would trample all beneath him who did not equal him in title or in wealth, we have equally reprobated, as tl:c fitetious 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. W'e have pledged oerselves to state time " truth withont fear," and from this pledge wehave never swerved. W t ., have sometimes been accuseelof violence; that is of having used intemperate language, with the addition of itsbeing intended for improper purposes. Bat this we can deny most safely. Who in degenerate times can measure all his words, or balance his expresss'ius—suit them alike to the strong ,ar of liberty and mind, or to spurious loyalty,— and as spurioussensibili ty ? Who,when.inroad after inroad, was vetting on our liberties, could use the soft language in which lovers woo, when reprobating those who made them—or should we have lauded acts we were bowed to deprecate, and panegyrized 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. Sell, very seldom claims much of our attention, and should not now be noticed, did we not wish to place our motives fairly before our readers. Firma and un bending in support of King, Lords and Commons, as by law established, we never will consent to sec either part preponderate to the injury of the other ;—nor mu tilated, or curtailed of its proper inffienee, without using our best though humble exertions to restore it to its pristine glory, its proper basis, its necessary conse quence relative to the objects which it was granted to accomplish or procure. 'We shall not here enter into any discussion upon the rela`ive excellence of Governments ; we do not agree with many who think the cheapect is the beet, but we think that—the. Lest, under whisk the people enjoy the greatest protection of liberty and property, where the laws are most equitably admin istered, and religious prejudices least predominate.— But be this as it may, we arc bound at present to de. fend the British Constitution as established in 1688, and if it has stall:red any dilapidation, either, front the shocks of time, or the rude hand of Government or people—to repair as soon as possible. That it has suffered, no rational Englishman can deny; and that all possible ilispatch should be used in its repair, is too great a truism almost to require assetting. We wish to avoid all harshness of expression when we possibly came, amid if we have been at some times betrays.: into any, we are mere ready to acitaaw ledge tsar ereor, than wilfully to persevere in it, by the way tf skewing our sense of consistency. I It-nec we shall t of elmaraetsaise the past co n du c t of the Government, es perhaps we might be justified in doing ; we shall ruathir say, they acted as desptits er as tyrants. The /12 atio nail Cl WM+ Our iling,Con4titution an 3EOO. MONDAY, .JULY 6, 1818. Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, the Corn Bill, the In demnity Bill, the Alien Bill, cunt nwllis uliis, arc be fore the public, and let the public decide. To quarrel 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 arc evil, that those who enact them may be dis placed as incapable et' ruling* free people,--or exercis ing mastery,—merely to play the master. Free discus sion particularly serves both the people and Government of a free stsitc—it gives both a proper estiniate of their value, and prevents conspiracy and nlirt. ‘ll.ere the people can openly express their disapprobation, they will not use the dagger ; where they caa in bodies peti tion and remonstrate, they will not wait till the midnight hour, to present their petitions at the point of the bay onet or the torch- In England, we owe the protec tion of our persons as much to the public expression of opinion, as to the terrors of the law, or perhaps the denuaciations of the Gospel. Indeed itsinfluence is beyond our calculation. It must however be so manifest to every man, that we shall not dilate further upon it at thistaoment. One word of the elections and we have done. The cry of independence is almost in every quarter com pletely triumphant. Before the close of this article, we shall perhaps hear of another victory atchiered by the fearless assertors of their rights—the people of Westminster; and whatever nnr opinions may be of the private character of Sir Murray Maxwell—we should renet to see him placed in the I louse of Com mons as one of its representatives. [Our expectations have been realise.l, as will he seen in another part of our columns.] By an Ordinance of his Majesty the King of France, a French man of war will be constantly kept ernizing off the coast of Africa, where the French have estab lishments, in order to prevent illicit traffic, and enfbrc int; the due execution of the laws which have been enacted in France for the abolition of the Slave Trade. A letter from St. Thomas, of MaylGth, states, that on the 11th of the same month a desperate battle was I;night between the contending forces, in which the Spaniards claim the victory, but with an alarming loss. The insurgents were commanded by General l'aez, who had under his orders 1,300 cavalry, and 6 or SOt) in floury. Of thi► corps, say the Spaniards, 1,000 were put hors do combat, and 400 horses were taken. On the other hand, the Spanish Commander-in-Chief, 1) La Torre, was severely wounded, and Colonel Pillars, his Aide-de-Cam , -, with about 10 other officers, were killed and won del by the enemy. The loss in rank and file is not ma4ie known to us, nor are any distinct consequences attributed to this victory ; except w hat rests on a vague report, that the Spaniards had iaal vanced to some of the positions which they had formerly abandoned. Morillo is represented as having recovered from his wounds. The above engagement, front the insurgent force which took part in it, appears to us to have been a skirmish, though a bloody one, between detached corps front either army. The mercantile interest of this kingdom may be as sured, that no measure respecting the Royal Spanish Decree, relative 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 rmucur of a revocation of• the Royal Decree, which har• been circulated through some of the journals of this metropolis, is totally un founded : NOTICE TO THE MERCHANTS Conformably to your Lordship's decree of the Ipth of Apr') hi a •13.jesty his been pleased to order, that, until the .lunta of .‘ven • ecle, conclude i.s labours. 13 per cent. shall be leual on foraign manufactures and fabrics which may be exported front the part , of deposit forAnnerica; prewitdaris, wiser cent. Ott ;:':Lulls, took, d laadtities, 5 per cent. ; giving credit to the putias interested titer what allay be collected of tit. .5 per cent. on national Intrltti nuns, eifects, and inanufaCturts, the duty of replacement and atux - .,initt is to be exacted only during the existing eircutnstances. 1 etyntininier,te this to you tot Its Las:cutlet - 1, dm Cinits, 314:0. , PRICE 90: GENERAL ELECTION. MEMBERS RETURNED. Preston-S. lierrocks and E. Hornhy, Esqrs. Middlesex -G. By ng and W. llclli.h , Esqrs. 1)111)1,11 ( Uni scrsity)-Itight lion. W. Plunkett. Callington-Hon. Col. It. Lygion and Sir C. Robinson. Aylesbury-- Lord Nugent and W. Bickford, Esq. Bleclringly-NI. Russell and G. II Warwit Sir.l. Oreville and C. Mills, Esq. Nottingham- -Lord Itanelitland Mr. Birth. Pen:bird-A. (('.miry)- Sir J. Ort o.foid-- A. allatnanghtuu and J. Douglas, F.sqrs. Caricarilienslirre-Lord It. Seymour. Cumberland -J. Lowther, Esq. and Lord Morpeth. Cardigan (('omity )-W. E. Cowell, Esq. Conks all - Si, . Lemon and J. H. 'Crearayne, Esq. ('rickladc-J. Pitt and R. Gordon, Esqrs. Denbigh (Coact)) -Sir W. W. Wynn. Anglesey (Comity) - Hon. E. Paget. Dung: union 011 (Borough). -T. Knox, Esq. Weisfold (Borough)-R. Neville, Ebq. Kent-Sir E. Knatchbrill and W. P. Honeywood, Esqrs. Lincoln (County)-Mr. Pelham and Mr. Chaplin. Grampound-Mr. Innis and Mr. Robertson. Glamorganshirc-John Edwards. Northamptors-Lord Compton and Sir E.Kerrison. Huntingdonshire-Lord F. Montague and W. H. Fellowes. Montgomeryshire--C. W. Wynn. Nortlnunberlaud-Sir C. M. L. Monck, Bart. and T. R. Beaumont. Leicester (Comity)-Lnrit Robert Manners and M. Phillips Armagh (Borough)-J. L. Foster. Longford (Comity)-Sir Thurnas Fetherstone, and Lord Vis. count Forbes. New Rook (Borong11)-John C:arrol. Carlow (Borough)-Charles Harvey. Dringarwon (Bor origh)- General G. Walpole. Weymoratli--Mr. Williams, Me. Buxton, Right Hon. T. Wal. Nee, and Mr. Ure. Westbnry-lialpli Franco and Lord Francis Conyngliam. Pembroke Borough)-Julin Hensleigh Allen. Havel fordwest-(Town)-Willinin Henry Seomfield. Town of Enniskillen-Richard Magennis, Esq. Antrim (County)-Hon. John O'Neill and Hugh Seymour. Youghall-Lord Bernard. Ennis-Speneer Pereewal. Mallow - William Wrixon Beecher. Muth (Count)-Right lion. John Foster and Lord Vise. Jocelyn. Lancaster-John Gladstone and General Doveton. Cheshire-Davies Davenport and W. W. Egerton. Carmarthen-Hon. J. Campbell. Somerset-W. Dickinson and W. G. Lisogton. 11 :Methuen and Mr. Lone ellesley. 1 rev on--F. P. Bastard and Lord Ehringlon. Ewesham -11. Bosworth and W. E. It. Boughton. iladdington(Coriniy)--Sir J. Sfittic. Selkirk (County)--11'. LoeLhart. Itarlhor( Burough)-Itichard Price. Eilinhirigh (County)--Sir George Clerk. Carlow (County)--Col. Breen and Sir Ulysses Burgh. IVicklow ((hnuty)-Mr.William 1 3 ;11nell and Hon. G. Proby. Cavan ( C01.1114)-N. Sneyri and the Rt. Hon. T. Barry. esirm•aile(eounty)-Gnat Rocliford a 111111,,m11. p a t, c o me% Monaghan (County)--C. P. Leslie and the Hoti. VI .11 estent a. Ipswich-Mr. Crickett and Mr. Newton. Prehlesloire --Sir James ',Montgomery. Kerr y k County)-Col. Croshie and the Knight of Kerry. Kim'sl:ol3lllV- 2 1 . 110111.1% Bernard ;11111 Jchei Parsons. Comity of Cork-Lord Kinsboi 'nigh and Richar d (Lure. Wats aunt -Sir John Newts°, t. Tuesday Sir Robert Wilson and Mr. Calvert, the two successful candidates for the Borough of South. tvark, were chaired. Each was scat.2d in a barouche drawn by six horses, preceded by flags. After the ee. remouv, which was conducted with great pomp, Sir R. NVilson proceeded to dine with his friends at the I toms, Kennington ; and Mr. Culvert, for the same purpose, to the London Tavern. The execution of Messrs. Arbuthnot and Amboust. , 7. maliciously designated as British agents in North Awe. rica, seems to have created nut only smite task, bi.t. con.,iderable wreasiness among the politicialis of that country. Now the whole case is extremely clear. If the men were British subjects, mid guilty of the charges alledged against them, the Armican Government has acted on the occasion, whether according to law or not, assuredly not in such a manner as would warrant the Sovereign of this country in any mal impeachment of their proceedings. But if ti sons, hciug 136. tt tish lojeets,. were unfairly tried l ' ? wrotigtiNg •p u .,, wished by any tribnnal of the UM • ! tfites, Ais pos sible that the Government of Great Britain may c ill the Republic to a strict account for the injury in that ' toso perpetrated. The question turns on a single fact, the_ ~,—,uilt or innocence of the party. We are rejoiced to state that our accounts from all parts ,if the country relative to the lairvest arc of the most. g ratifying description. In every directicii an abundant display of fine crops presents itself; awl al pies au.l other fruit were never known to be in great. i plcoty. The Journals front all parts of the CUIS !II:, "Z agree iu the saute flattering account. ri vkt . f • 4 -4 • -1 .. • , • •