The National Register. — London, England, 1809-02-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. 'I (Our king, conkitution, anD tan . No. 61. PRicp Set. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 18094 ' POLITICAL DISQUISITION. NUMBER FIFTY-NINE. EUA.RGES AGAINST TUE DUKI OF YORK. The investigation of the Committee closed on Wednesday last ; and whatever pain or repugnance we feel, we arc forced, in compliance willi the indignant and outraged feelings of the public, and our own sense of their momentous consequence, to resume the subject of. these charges. They have brought to light a mbltiaide of &grant abuses, and detectisd a villainous system of peculation, which no 'nail, who was anxious either for the honour or the safety of his country, would credit, though their existence was repeatedly alluded to. We will not accuse his Royal Highness of countenancing, or conniving at, the malversations arrverted to during the course of the Inquiry ; and, in conformity with the humane and enlightened spirit of our laws, will scrupulously refrain from prejudging his conduct. There are crimes which an honest man feels a horror in attri buting to others, particularly to t h ose whose station and rank preclude, as he would willingly suppose, the possibil:tv of a mean or iniquitous action; and his struggling faith, with con vulsive grasp, clings fast to the idea of human excellency, till repeated +-hocks w rest from liiin this fascinating support. These motives of repugnance to believe in the official delin quency of the Commander in Chief are confirmed by the consi deration how much it is his interest not to undermine, by an encou ragement of abuses, the veneration and attachment of the public for an establishment, which secures to him, as Prince of the Blond, a number of advantages and privileges over the rest of his fellow:- citizens. If his understanding be on a level with that of the bilk of mankind; if he he in the habit of forming the simplest combi nation of ideas, or povsess the pimer of discriminating between momentary and. permanent, artificial and solid advantage, his every thought, word, and action, would invariably tend to maintain, in their highest purity. institutions so favourable to him individually. To suspect him of contrary pretensions, or to accuse him of being dissatisfied with the rank, fortune, and influence he so pre-eminently enjoys in society, and of a desire to augment, by illicit means, the advantages he already possesses, :tiouttl imply a deficiency, on his part, of common feeling and common understanding. Will any man, therefore, have the courage to condemn us if we still entertain hopes that the Com mander in. Chief might haye been ignorant of the infamous traffic which some vile miscreants carried . on under the cover of his W name. e may be accused of weakness, of want pf courage and patriotikm ; but we must confess we would feela .horror in believinglhim • capable of associating with a Mrs. Clcke, s a anda.: Captain Sandon, fpr the,igripininious purpos e of converting the patronage of the Army into the means of gratify ing his private vices, and the extravagant _wants of his mistress. We cannot fix on the idea butlvith -horror It is too mortifying for human nature, human reation, and human pride. Whilst ,Europe still resounds with the crash of so many thrones, and we ihudder_atthe misery and degradation of so many powerful em pires--whilst the tremendous and instructive example of de throned and fugitive kings, descending from the glare of great ness into the horrid gloom of a prison, or depending for subsist ence on the generosity and commiseration of strangers, strikes to with awe, and Impresses the instnbility of Lipman grandeur; .whilst.the conviekta.rushess at .titelatpe . iattafttorpory . iinds, Pol. 11.--Ife. LX I. that the extravagance of kept mistresse7. l the panderisin of mini , . ons, the base servility of courtiers, the treacherous complacency Of ministers, the arrtiganee and infatuation of princes, and the «path!, of the people, were the principal, Perhelps the sole cause of these complicated calamities;—we naturally hesitate to at jinow ledge the existence of similar vices at home, from the cer tainty we have of their leading to similar consequences. After the tremendous and 'the recent example of the !Welt , no N 5, and the still more impressive lesson of an obscure Corsi can Adventurer lording it over the prostrate Princes and Nations of the. earth, to imply, on the part of the Duce of Yoitt, a knowledge of the infamous transactions which have been exis posed in the Committee, would be to accuse him in direct terms of a turpitude of character, of a depravity of heart and head, a stupidity of intellect, and a bold, unreflecting contempt of forms and opinions, which would place him far beneath the level and estimation of No language would furnish a comparison, the records of human perversity do not afford a corresponding pre cedent to mark our horror and indignation. But no, no : we re ject the imputation with contempt; as tonyiying too mortifying an opinion of rank, education, and every thing pre-eminent or useful in society. But thougb we do not hesitate, for the honour of human na ture, to acquit him of these charges; WeEdill bestow the most unlimited and um/notified approbation on the man who institut• ed them. Ilk conduct and courage have already raised him to a level with ii A mur. , VON Lir, and Lord iiiISSEL• Eternal gratitude to Mr. W A untE for his patriotism and intrepidity ! These virtues were long dormant iu this coutrtry and, we trito, their resuscitation will be productive of the double advintta::e, of securing the State from foreign subjection, and preset-% biz. it against the undermining etrortsof dome,tic corruption. yaw pies of this kind were ardently looked for, and became imperi. misty urgent ; for the impetus and irritation they give to the popular feeling are alone capable of creating and supporting - a degree of energy equivalent to the tiectuntilatfug anealaraing danger of our situation. Yreedoai and national greatness cannot . exist long . without these violent passions ; and persons, who, in or di n ary times, have been pitied, or laughed at, for their ec centricity, feSiieSSne...:S, ex travagauce, and Originality, have pro cured, to the. sacrifice of their intrividuat ease, and frequently of their lives, for us, in common with other'fieetitates, • - • the ads an- Cages we boast of and enjoy. Our cool, fOrmal, sedate', I)l4d ditto., regular, and tool men keep aloof on these decisive 'Ocia sions ; and possess,,When the enthusiasts, whose impetuosity and rashness they condemned, are no wore, the fruits cif their . eiter. tiOns and sublime devotion. Bat thou r h We were willing to acquit his Royal ifighness of conniving at the mal-praetises of' Dirs. Clarke, suiPielan, however, attaches to his character; and he and his fr;ends, and .the public . must be convinced of the expediency " of noj having his'inya . ocence hereafter called in quest, n; that he may not be condemned r t ,ithuut atrial, or be ;deprived e benefit pro,teclion eolitch is aturdedto every subject - by those sanctions, under trAich akne euictenee is e;eccived in the ardbiary administration of the law." Tne' more his Royal highness is comcious of his innocence, the more peremptorily he should • challenge inquiry, the more .strenuoukly oiou'lo insist on the necessity of his being brought to !nut, in order to chew his .deference for the institutions of tkis country, to prove the equality of our laws, and to avoid painful surmises of undue g influence t.• Laving been exerted in his behalf. No man.is more persanull,y terested lo maintaiung,iu its utmost purity, the spirit of the GM.* S 1. i. . MI !.. • ) • preclude, as he would willingly suppose, the possibility or a re, 'or tor 1101;UUL Itt ssu sss is ii sin— , But thou“t we do not nesun 1,. Mean or iniquitous action; and his struggling faith, with con- ture, to acquit him of these charges; WeEctill bestow the most vulsive grasp, clings fast to the idea of human excellency, till unlimited and uniinalitied approbation on the man who institut. F . repeated +-hocks wrest fro m him this fascinating support. These 'natives of repugnance to believe in the official delta- ed them. ilk conduct and courage ha v e a lread y raised him to a level with ilAmur.N, gIiDNEY; and Lord II.tISSEL• Eternal ,•• . quency of the Commander in Chief are confirmed by the consi- II ‘Yratitude to Mr. WA IL IME for his patriotism and intrepidity ! •., , deration how much it is his interest not to undermine, by an encou- b These virtues were long dormant iu this country : and, we frif:/ t ragement of abuses, the veneration and attachment of the public i for an establishment, which secures to him, as Prince of the Blond, their resuscitation will be produc tive of the double adyNittae, . • of securing the State from foreign subjection, and preset - % itiz IL ';, privileges over the rest of his fello es and nu mber of advanta a g w- against the undermining etrorts of dome,tic corruption. Evittr- .t.' citizens. If his understanding be on a level with that of the liulk . 4 7 pies of this kind were ardently looked for, and became imperi. of mankind; if lie he in the habit of forming the simplest combi- ously u r g ent; for the impetus and irritation they give to the 1 - s: nation of ideas, or povsess the power of discriminating between f - popular feeling are alone capable of creating . and supporting a 1 momentary and. permanent, artificial an d " lid advanta g e ' his 1 degree of energy equivalent to the acetinittlatfug and'alartiAnw every thought, word, and action, would invariably tend to danger of our situation. Freedmie and . wit Intuit 4 , reatitess Catint7t maintain, in their highe,st purity. institutions so favouNthle to ex it long .without these violent passions; and perions, W fin, in r him individually. To suspect him of contrary pretensions, or ordinarY times, have been pitied, or loughtid at,' flit- their ec- to accuse him of being dissatisfied with the rank, fortune, and 1 01.1 t .), have pro- :• influence he so pre-eminently enjoys in society, and of a desire _ centricity, festlessnc-ss, ex travagauctcand i►ri ' ;1'; •. • cured, intie sacrifice of their individual ease, and frequently of o to augment, by illicit means, the advantages healready possesses, ' , their lives,,for us, hi cemmon with other titates z , the ti'd%'an- :tioutiti imply a deficiency, on his part, of common feeling an di !, t sedate, ' 4 ‘lages`we b o ast of and enjoy. Our Cool, formal, phut- common understanding. Will any man, therefore, have the ding, regular, and loyal men keep aloof on these decislie 'Ocia- • • codrage to condemn us if we still entertain hopes that the * Cinn- . sio'n b s , ; a - riditn ' Siess,.4;en the enthusiasts ,' whose itnpettiosity and I !mintier in.chkef might have been ignorant of infamous traffic ' ' rashness they condemned, area no wore, the fruits ilf their . eiter. Iteltich some vile miscreants carried on under the cover of his, ;.- • - - • - twits and sublime devotion. . name. We may be accused of weakness, , f) : f . want pf COUra;rf gut thou g h . But though we were willing to acquit his Royal ilighnets and patriotikat ; but we must confess we would feel a horror in of • . , 1 " - •- • • - conniving at the mal-practises of Dirs. Clarke, stiiiiician, believinglhim• capable of associating with a Nts. Clacke, a • - •• • •.. however, attache,s to his character ; and he and his fr;ends, 1 113onovou, anda.: Captain Sandon, fpr theignpininious purpose o f •_ _ i, 1 scncy converting the patronage of the Army into the Weans of gratify- And . the pwbiic ,must be conv i nc ed of the expe I' '•" of not having his inyaocence hereafter called in quest, 'n; the he may ing his private vices, and the extravagant_wants of his mistress. nat'beeondentned ‘oithont a trial, nor be dipriveil of the benefit We cannot fi x on the idea butleith horror ' It is too mortifying • , -•• . • • for human nature, human reation, and human pride. Whilst and protecliois A/40 is afrorded to every 11•itiSh snkjirt - by those . .. •►. . . sanctions, under which alone evidence is received in the ardbaury i ,Europe still resounds with the crash of so many thrones, and we adininisiration of the last." Ttie more his Royal ilighnesi is Ohudder_atthe misery and degradation of so many powerful em-' 1 pires- 7 --whilst the tremendous and instructive example of de- conscious tif his innocence, the more peremptorily he should .. . h u . 1 . , the I challenge inquiry, .the more .strenuonkly ie_s it d insist on throned and fugitive kings, descending from the glare of great- t? necessity of his being brought to irinl, in order to sliew .his mess into the horrid gloom of a prison, or depending for subsist.- to ileference for the institutions of his eounkry, to prove the equality sacs on the generosity and commiseration of strangers, strik es .„ ,-, ~ , t‘• , of our laws, and to avoid pain f ul surmises or eudge influence with awe, and impresses the insinbility of Lipman grandeur ; having been exerted in his behalf. No man is more pirsanally" in. .whilst.the cOnvi.ction.rushess At .tkelarae iTtittrt,ahp s arF . tinds, timested in inaintaiung,iu its utmost purit;', the spirit of the con- Pol. 11.---Ifs. LX I. , :