The National Register. — London, England, 1818-07-27 00:00:00

/Kgy ret)t No. 546.—V01.. XI. POLITICAL DISQUISITION. CONSPIRACY AND P %RIM, IN FRAN:CF.-FORGE. kY LAWS IN ENGLAND. • WE cunnct understand from the French Papers, that the plot which has so much occupied the conversa tions of Paris, and which seems, at length, to have drawn down upon it the attention of the courts of jus tice, has produced any disturbance of the fublic tran quillity, or the least diminution of the national credit. The Royal Court, at St. Cloud, is uncommonly bril liant, being thronged with persons of most political denominations. On the reality of this extraordinary conspiracy, which is said to have had fur its object the dethroning of Louis XVIII. anti placing his brother on the throne, with an Ultra-Royalist Administration, it has been observed, on the one hand, that the absur dity of such a conspiracy is not a conclusive argument against its reality, but it is a stmng presumption ; for it is not readily to be supposed that the Ultra-Royalists would play a game, the necessity of which would be mere fatal to them than its failure could be. On the other hand, it is alledged that the real conspiracy is not formed by, but against, the Ultra-Royalists; that the parties conspiring are M. Dc Caze with the French Police and the liberal party at Paris ; and that their object is to make the returned Emig-ants and Royalists unpopular at the arproaching elections kr the Chamber of Deputies, and odious in the eyes -of the Sovereigns about to meet at Aix-la-Chapelle. We'own that we are inclined to think this conjecture by no means im probable, it so well corresponds with the system of mystification which has always been so much a favour ite in the weak and knavish policy of France. With respect to the character of parties in that country, there seems every reason to reckon the Royalists as possessed of more private virtue and real principle (though their principles may he erroneous), but, at the same time, of least practical talent. Their notion of reviving the ancien regime is wild and impracticable, and can be only fatal to themselves. There may be, and doubt less is, considerable talent among them, but much of that talent is mis-directed, and wastes its energy on unattainable objects, which might with advantage be directed towards others within reach. In this respect, 3till more than in number+, they are inferior to their antagonists. The Jacobin party are the very reverse —energetic, active, supple, they are totally •destitute of real honesty, and arc therefore not so formidable as their talents would otherwise make them, for they cannot trust one another. The liberal party, or rather parties (for they are ssimrated into numerous sAdivisions) are liable to the same principle of weakness, for they comprehmul all sorts an kinds cf turncoats, from the profession of Republicanism to that of Imperialism, from thence to Royalism, and to and fro, up and down, through all sets of prin ciples, religious, anti-re'igions, anti political. This class (tiir we can hardly call them a party) comprr bend the g,re'test of talent, of enlargen.cnt 4 , f views, ,Itid ( what is anti al, , ovs has b:•cn so much want,:tl iA France) of comnum sc!ve ; hut, thon,!! , they will re:it - lily 17,1naonize together, they will Oat at. '. ere ; like liquid t"• will easily mix, but will not mist pros : ore. There is no dei.en.ling upon them alone, though they would ',Tuve a weighty addition to a party who hr_il principle. The error of the King's present policy is to rely too mtch npon these men, from whom, ne vertheless, be must cl,nosc the majority of the pothf;e f.;netionories. But who, eomidering what elements he `I3S to mallow', ran blame him, if he errs? From foreign vv~ t....r0 to domestic politieP, where the evils a:r.inst ,ve have to contend arise fn., aural:, st ewe to tlin.e in Fromm—not from the eLrtliquitke of iterolutien hes r fixed ..01 con a7.2. t'nings, f:an toe .antleanseti abuses et ,Al-4itse /it 7 .7 z,66, PRICE 924 WARD OF FARRINGDON WITHOUT. Friday a Wardmote was held by the Lord Mayor, ir. St. Bride's Church, for the election of an Alderman ir, t 1 room of Sir Charles I'rice, Bart. deceased. The Wardmote was opened in the usual way by pat clwmation, and tl;e reading of the precept. Mr. Deputy llerring then rose and observed, er.) as the gentlemen of the ward had been that day s t a.,. moved for the electionihnn Alderman in the man o their late worthy mag istrate Sir Charles Price, he aa. about to take the liberty b of nominating a gentleman supply the vacancy. The gentleman he should preps was Mr. Waithman, one of the members foe this city, whose character and qualifications were well known to ale present. Mr. Reeve rose to second the motion, and said he cm' •f SWUM the g entlemen of the ward that no circumatancat of his life hued ever given him greater pleasure than thy: perfhrmance of that duty. The question was then put by the Lord Mayor, awl Mr. Waithman was, amid loud cheers, declared unania moualy elected to time office of Alderman of the ward. Mr. Waithman then came forward. He had sp• peared before his fellow-citizens on many occasions ; . but on no occasion did he ever experience so great a want of confidence in himself, awl such an inability to express to them his feelings. The present insult:ea of their favour brought to his recollection so loam , past circumstances that he could net help labouring under a more than ordinary embarrassment. It was in that Church, and doubtless in the presence of many who ;hen heard him, that he ventured to make his first ef fortt iwthe cause of the public. His friends were then tartia4enough to think' well i ff hisAtertions, and to elneeive that their continuareren:Wit be usefulo-:- It was, therefore, a high gratification to him to ' **a recollect, that though he first came forward in poli tical life at a time when much violence and acri mony prevailed, he had lived to see the prejudices against him dissipated, • and lino now in that church, where he first addressed them, the inhabitants of the ward had met to place him in the highest situation they could bestow on any man. Another eiretinenanee which afibrded him great satisfaction was, that he should be proposed by the worthy deputy who had moved Ids nomination, and who had known him before lie entered into business, or made his appearance in public life. Though proud of the honour, he knew it was not a gift intended for the gratification of individual vanity, but an office of grave and important responsi bility; and when he considered the duties he had to perform, and recollected all that he owed to the public and to his own family, he could not avoid being im pressed with more diffidence on this than on any other occasion on which he had to acknowledge the kindness of his fellow citizens. It would have been a great in trusion on the part of any individual, and much more of so humble an individual as he was, to have put him self forward on the present occasion. But the honour they had now proposed, certainly was not of his seek ing, any more than that which had recently been con ferred on him by the livery ; on both occasions valued and much indulgent friends had proposed him. When, however, he considered that in all the efliwts he had made in the public cause he had always been supported by a majority of that ward ; when he considered also the weight that ward possessed in the City of London : and that through his representing it in the Common Council he was indebted for the honour of a seat in Parliament, he certainly felt that he could not decline this important office, if his fellow citizens should think him fit to fill it. On entering en the duties of so la borious an office, he was aware that it was scarcely possible for a man so to conduct himself as not to ea pose himself on some occasion or another to censure.— He would only say, that whatever errors he rniuht commit, they would be errors of jtolament only, and all he claimed of them was, what he latew he should hate, a kind and liberal construction of his actions. It would be the constant o' jest of his life to maintain that con duct which had w illed their good opinion, and con ferred an honour which was worthy to be the highest object of his ambition. He could say no more, but he sincerely and gratefully thanked them. o n the motion of Mr. Thompson, a resolotien, ex prenive of the estimation in which the late Sir C. Price was held by the ward, was ordered to be recorded. Thanks were then voted to the Lord Mayor. and the thrrncr Deputies were, on she recommendatl , n of Mr. Waitlamus, re•sch.ctcd. The Chart was the: disselved. attain: ik I It taisittr+ Our Etitta, Oondtitution tail; it tii336. MONDAY, JULY _!7, 1818. an old government, the original princildes of which arc good. The consequences of these abuses are, however, of a very serious nature, and have a direct tendency to demoralize th people. Not the least of these is the bloody abuse of our laws against forgery, which defeat their own object. On this subject much has been said, and we will now conclude with subjoining an extract from the Times, to which we could add nothing which would be more impressive : " Two out of the three unhapr, beings who buffered the awful sentence of the law on Wedne:day morning, before the Debtors' door at Newgate, were executed for forgery. De. vontly do we wish that the secrets of the prison house. and what passes within those dreary walls, could be made to claim m re general attention. The conduct of the two port, men dating their confinement was so correct and tvea exam plary, that it is highly probable, if their lives had been spared, they would have berme useful members of the corn . immity. We seem, however, to act as if we thought tha t justice could only be satisfied by blood ; the thought, tha t means for reformation might be discovered, seems never to enter our minds ; while on many parts of the continent of Europe the public would feel just as lunch shocked at such an execution as was witnessed on Wednesday, as if murder had been committed. That such scenes should have been transacted in the dark ages is not very surprising ; but that they should at this time of day be an frequently exhibited in or.c of the most enlightened countries of the earth, is indeed matter of astonishment. To exter ninate instead of musing every effort to reclaim, resembles the policy of a barbarous state—barren in expedients to save— strong only to (lei rgy... •ft _ _ ----- THE QUVICN.—The account-of the tftat:%. er..V jesty on Friday, was of it mom: favourable nature than it has been for several days past. It was, " Her Ma jesty has bad a tolerable pod night, and is easier and better to-day:' The Prince Regent spent Thursday evening at Kew-palace, and His Royal Highness went there again or Friday evening. The Duke and Duchess of Clarence went to Kew on Friday afternotm. Saturday the accounts were that her Idleltry continues much the same. The most affectionate and endearing attentions are shewn by every branch of the Royal Family, and by none more than the Regent, whose visits at Kew are frequent, and who receives, every two hours, at Carlton House, intelligence respect ing his beloved Parent. Yesterday the report of her Majesty was, " The Queen has had a very good night, and continues much the same to-day." The Duke and Duchess of Clarence have appointed Monday, 4 o'clock, and the Duke anti Duchess of Kent 3 o'clock, for receiving the Addresses of the Lon don Corporation. The Prince and Princess of Ifesse Hombourg, it seems, were almost able to step from their inn at Frol:k fort into their own territories ; u circumstance which it matt be useful to some of our readers to know, fur there re ma:) v maps of Germany in which Hombourg is not marked. The Grand Duke Michael, attended bv Baron Nice,- lay, Sir W. Congreve, General Paskerveteit, General Kledensky, Dr. Michaeloffsky, and Dr. Hamel, arrived at Birmingham on Monday evening. The next morn ing they visited Mr. Thomason's establisLi.lent, at manufactory they remained until after four o'clock, witnessieiT, with the highest gratification, th e inn incrons chyrnical and mechanical processes for whi c h it is so eminently distinguished. The Ltirsis of the Treasury have refused a petition from Newcastle upon Tyne, to be allowed tv import . grubfrom India, on the ground of the unfitness ot the harbour for mooring ships with safety to the re venue. _ _ A gentleman who has just arrived from the North, and travelled through Lancashire, Somorsetshire, Hampshire, &e. describes the crops of all kinds as most abundant and in the finest condition. In many parts :w crops are already begun to be cut down. A •• •Id • ‘ylleat, near Salisbury, wuh reaped on Saturday rem)) '.O, throbbed on Monday, uni on Toes lay u 1 Ord : was sold at Salisbury market. 'l'h2 wheat hu; r commenced on different lands in the neigh ho. • • I ewes; and, we believe, with u prospect • flattering to the respective growers. The • u,:deestato:, has been );artiolly opplh.ql • : : c et..ly sown. A sample of new nheat • .( • at East Grinstead market cm Thurotn7 ; • • las wero brought to Windsor market on