The National Register. — London, England, 1808-11-21 00:00:00

• 4 1 2 f. ti 1 1:11 .. ~ , , Our Ring, eramititution. anti taw. MONDAY, POLITICAL DISQUISITION. NUMBER FORTY-SIX. THE COURT OF INQUIRY. Now that the passions have subsided, which were raised in consequence of the occurrences, that suggested the ne cessity of this Court, and foineo.ted by an appearance of wishing to stifle inquiry, we may without an imputation of precipitance, or prejudging, revert to the Armistice and its immediate consequences. Every subject in this realm, from the lowest to the highest, is equally interested in it; and as the honour of the country was, almost universally, craisidered as affected by the transaction, it was his duty and his right to dAiver his opinion on its merits, without reserve and without apprehension. We would not have . resumed this subject, did we not perceive an ill-disguised, and very inconsiderate, attempt to elude the demands of the public ; for, whatever abhoreuce we feel to foment po pular indignation, we consider it as of the most serious and imperatiVe consequence, to favour under existing cir rumstances a relaxation of national dicipline. It is mine cessary to . adopt any warmth of diction, in order to im press, even on ordinary minds, the disastrous of of . nerveless policy ; we need only cast our eves about us from one extremity of Europe to the other, to anticipate iti consequences. It is the more dangerous, as it couceels itself under the specious garb of humanity and moderation ; ;lad the misuse of these attractive virtues, in screening a delinquent from justice, may involve the whole com munity in one indiscriminate ruin. The increase of political debility was formerly slow in its progress ; the symptoms were neither irregular, nor eiarining from their violent transition: ; and the skilful statesman might, by an appli cation of judicious remedies obstruct their course, or era dicate the evil. But an alarming change 11.16 occurred s,nce a very few years; and the slightest deviation from the strictest regimen, or an inattehtion to the most trivial complaint, has been the precursor of instantaneous dissolu- With snch indications before !is, it would he no mark of judgment, or foresight, if we remained insensible to the approach of danger ; and a sure sign of a depraved heart and a perverted understanslint;, if nu,tives of momentary « , nycnience - restrainers us from conscientiously delivering war opniion. We m: be accused—it ha; been invariably the fate of every man who stood boldly forward in detence et truth and justice. in opposition to folly and egotism— et in!entiun; the reverse of those which actuate us ; but, then we weigh in one scale the ease of two, or ten, or thirty individuals, with the eLstinies, in the other, of the prernt generation and of myriads still unborn, w sea.. tnnents superior to the fear of being misconceive', the smile of.patronnge, or th e i tu l zeinent o f t h e i ncons id er: te. Jn keep ing these motives in view, we may, in common with other writers, render important service to the public cause; and a few hone4t tar, wiJi souls that spun at par- Vcr• No. . • 4 - ,e*,l 7; • 7 " : • THE a. . .• -• • . . . • (44 21 0b• ',. • NOVEMBER 3. •18 _ - . e .. . . ___,.._.,„...... 7 . ty, or selfish, motives, and with the presaut .' - .:r 44.0). sal, may form an insurmountable harrier to -titer: e'ranele meets of the executive. and the inroads of fartiee- • 7 . :1;:e object cannot be too krvently, desired, or too Wee ee. e ;e pursued ; as the character of ouragoimplies too *trete. ,•: inclination to sacrifice public to individual, and permanat . to transactory advantage. .The fetters thrown on freedom of discussion, the mystee rious sullen reserve, and the jealous euforcement of un profitable pretenSions, mi the part of some governments rendered the subject indifferent to the welfare of the state; and the first invader, deal-sighted enough to perceive this indifference, and sufficiently powerful to take advantage of it, found no resistance from men, who never saw in their government an inclination to acquire their confidence, conciliate their affections, or rely, in the moment of daub ger, on their exertions and loyalty. The state fell a . vic tim to this wretched policy ; whilst the bad advisers, who had been most ardent and zealous in reconnnending strong and violent measures sgailiet their fellow citizens . ; were the most dastardly in the moment of kleaneer ; and the first to abandon the Sovereign they misled, its hopes of ac quiring the protection of the invader. This fatal depra vity did not stop here ; it made its way from the Cabinet to the Camp ; and the pelegrene • had already laid hold on the noblest parts of the . community, before Vie s tate , phyyneiaus had noticed the existence of the evil. For our age was reserved at r same tithe the monstroea ce at radictior • that confidenti..' .I . l;unci. ,i es Herr. traitors, rent '.“)letiere cowards; whilseeti‘ people, .s.eese interfe:.ence in atia rs of internal policy was punished as i , editioesalcand moss complaints were received with animedversione . ' ; iir contempt, felt no incitement to exert theinsAves in support of a cause they were never taught to consider as their own. That this description i , not forcede oi extravagant, may be seen from the ovecerrences of the lest aiftern years ; and the fugitive, or captive, Monarchs of the c oe ti e e e t, h o . wail, now that it is too !ate, the foiiy of these meavures, trhich, in the moment . or peril, rendered' :abortive tine • resources of the state. These di enters might have been anticipated front the moment. en :. ‘tfficee was suffereil 4 with impunity, to neglect his duty, 'Onti to betray Eke tZi 4. rl'"' posed in him : fie- example, when invouraYe to ..•iiish ness, treater a thanecroes Procedent ; and as the , rpeople I were punished for' iuterferiue, or censured.for projcele•:.e.e, l every traitor found seceiity in the 'apathy, or constraieed ,•:!ence, of the pdblic, aati in the contracted, mistalcee pee . hey of the court. if the crime was so fiagrey% s o e ei .ee ins; in its coneeetences, that it wes imposelne not to !Seieg the culprit t dtriai, the e - h4le power of mini :Neje I 1 . 6(44 . 4 chicane, by multiplying tile forms of justiceel O'r ienekue e ing a new and masque, wile of trial, was exeetecl in order to screen their wreteheyl agent trout preseclelea ; whist they kept ia reserve, n 4 the last. resoorce, all Nee - I .. t o th e p re j u dices sir meeikee hemaeity of the severe: •, , whose interests they did not scruele to betree, n; 'lli '••• l emour an d ILA of . his leiegdont they felt no erepeee4.l. e. ;• - to sacrifice, b., thw CCSCIIiiI; a: o deli:ilia:eat e• . .14 At. , • • ' ._., - --- ..4 No. 47. 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