The National Register. — London, England, 1811-05-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL THE , ILOGICAL DISQUISITION. JUS ricE. Justice is the act of deciding impartially in opposition to fear, prejudice, or interest, not only between others, but between ourselves and others ; renderire to every man faithfully that Which is his due of fortune, reputation, or any other possession ; also in protecting him as much as is in our power from the in justices others would inflict upon him. In short, it is literally 46 doing as we would be done by ; for, if in all circumstances that occurred to us for the exercise of this virtue, we only took care to act upon this principle,we should find it au unerring guide.— When a husband is tempted to infidelity, let him ask himself the question, what he would require of his wife should she be placed in a similar situation ; would he not feel that he woula expect her to spurn the allurement, and for his sake overcome im proper inclinations ? Would he then hesitate a moment, if his mind was justly inclined to do the same for her, he expected her to do for him ? And here, as this is an age when matrimonial in fidelity is either more frequent, or more audacious than formerly, let me remark that female infidelity would not be a twentieth part so prevalent, if ficle:ity in men was practised as conscienti ously as it is expected from women. It is certain that female er rors of this natere have a more dreadful effect upon society than those of the other sex, consequently, society acquits men mote easily than women ; but will the Deity ? No ! I am inclined to thiek he will punish men more severely, because, the husband is the guarclan of the wife, arid in some degree accountable for her actions; as, for instance, all evil ones she commits through his evil example, or neglect of proper advice, remonstrance, or (when occasion requires it) that holy authority which is put into his hands. A n - ein's blood would naturally he fired at seeing his wife, if he loved her, coquetting with another man, or admitting the least liberty, inconsistent with female delicacy.— Justice then requires he should observe the same strictness in his demeanour with women he expects from her; and thou ; ;li We hive less than any European nation, of that criminal custom of laughing at. those married couples, who choose to appear in public, as man and wife ought, partners of each others pleasures, as well as cares, we have too much of it not to countenance hi a great degree, if not positively encourage, matrimonial infidelity, the increase of which, among a people, is, in my opinion, as great a forerunner of his decline and fall, as that of any vicewhatever. Indeed, I question if any vice, is more terribl in its effects upon the comforts, morals ,and security of society. But to consider Justice in other cases. Can the senator call himself a just man, who does not vote from the simple principle of conscience unbiassed by party ? Can the merchent call him self just who conducts his commerce only upon the principle of enriching himself without considering the benefit of the com munity at large ? Can the tradesman call hire...elf just, who eon ceels the faults of his goods from his unwary customer ? Of the Sigh ranks in society , can Nobles, knowing the influence of ex ample, call themselves just, unless they strictly and censcienti ously exhibit to their inferiors precedents of virtue ? Can the author call himself just, who for gain, prostitutes his pen in the cause of vice ?—Referring to the three great diplomatic bodies who have such weight in the community ; can the Divine, whose practice Is not as sure as his precept ; The physicien who con siders not that God requires the life of his patient at his hand, or who refuses his advice to the poor ; or the lawyer who advocates a cause he knows to be positively illegal, call them selves just ? Adverting to the relative situations of society; can the master call himself just, who exacts more labour from his servant than he %,-ould submit to, if exacted by those to wi_om he is subservient, or does not do every thing lie can for the pro per comfort and happines of that servant, to whose labour and assiduity he is so much indebted for his own ? Or can that ser vant cell hioiself just, who does not study his master's interest, honour, each other, we 4hould never be unjust, if We only considered the maxim "Do us you would be done by." There is nothing as common among the unenlightened part of society as to suppoot o if we take a piece of bud coin, and are ignorant of whom, we are not criminal in passing it to another, whose judgment we can impose upon. But this is positive robbery ; if a man picks my pocket that does not justify me in picking the pocket of ano- ther ; and the actions are similar in point of guilt. In rendering justice to others we cannot be too strict ; on the other band, in exacting justice from others to ourselves, we should act wits great. lenity; and after examining with the strictest•rigour our own claims, enforce them with gtntleaess, moderation, and charity.—To be continued in our next. May 19th, 1811 A L . iY•i:tx. DIS,SENTERS MEETING. —e-- - _ A Meeting of Dissenters took place on Friday at the Londe* Tavern, Mr. Mitts in the Chair. The CHAIRMAN having taken his seat, be proceeded to stare to the assembly, that in consequence of the zeal of the persom to whom they had entrusted the management of their interest.. not less than three hundred and fifty-six petitions had been obtained against the Bill framed by Lord Sidmouth against their rights; that they had also succeeded in interesting so great a number of the Peers in their favour, that the Bill had been ne , ratived on the second reading. Mr. Mitts then proposed a resolution, importing that the report of the C mmittee was highly satisfactory to the meeting, and that there was mech reason ter exultation, afforded by the compkte success which had been cons.-quent on their efforts. This resolution was the firs - . of a series ag,: red to at the meeting, of the most remarkable of which the iodowisig is the substance. " The appointment of a Society, consii-ing of Dissenting Ml nisters,in cot equente of the recent attack on religious free- I dom, and sundry outrages committed against Di.ssenting congre gations--to be str,ported by subscription, and whose duty it should be to watchi in future over the interests of the Dissenters, and resist ,:iillilar attempts on their fghts." A Vote of Thanks to the Methodists for their co-operation. A VOW of Thanks to Mr. Perzeval and his collet sues. When the resolution of thanks to the Ministry was proposed. 1 it was opposed very warmly by, fir ought we know to the cot -1 miry, the gishar.id Philugaomrches its propri.i'vnit»tei, on tlie ! priociple that their favour was merely the restut :.1 the ovra.- w iirt.s.insy; opposition by which the Bill had been. met, and 1 which, independently of their aid, must have ensured its rejec tion. I Mr. Wu:ices, one of the Secretaries of the Committee, bere lupon observed, that the Resolution did not g o to ex p ress any very ardent gratitude to Ministers, or high :trprobation of their I conduct, Out c c;uitesy demanded courtesy in retu rn. I The appeal of Mr. Wilhes seemed to make some impression ;. i but nevertheless, the 9tiestion was carried in the tri a___rmative by a I very slender majority indeed. Previous to the meeting breaking up, a subscripts n was I commenced. By the Malta 1 1 / 4 141., a letter, of 'which the fol lowing is a copy, was .also received. It. is dated— " Cairo, 11 March. " A droadful massacre of the Mameluke took pLice yester— day morning at nine o'clock in the citadel. AU the troops of Cairo were at Gidda, to be present at the elect on of Tv asuElt C PAcrus. which was held in the Scaare of the Treasury . , duriug which the troops of the army of HANAM PAM% and SAI.IItIC AGA, attacked Tuseu et PACIIA, who, taking refuge in the Ci tadel., were all inur.lered.• 'file troops then pillaged the town penetrated the Haram, and killed every person in it. A pro.. clamat.on was afterw"ards issued, declaring all persons having Mamelnkes in the house should be punished with death, and their goods confiscated. The number killed amounted to 822. No:hing had been heard Of ACIIMED BEY, Cbkf suf the Ma melukes, who had lett the town two mouths ugi)." 'l'he whole family . of ELFL BEY hied been de stroyed. The Porte has refused to make peace with the Russians, unless the Court of St. Petersburgh re nounce its pretensions upon Wallachia and Mol davia, and withdraw her troops fromServ,a. I REGISTER. 333 •ur, and repose, as much as his own In our dealings with