The National Register. — London, England, 1811-02-24 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. 114 Such are, Sir, the arguments which the ambitious and designing use, either in ter_kritiugcor hi speeches hi public meetings, to impose additional taxes on the credulity of the people. Their un daunted confidence alone insures their success. Conscious that a native boldness of expression is the distinguishing characteri , tic of truth, they make audacity a passport for deceit. Heralds of their own fame, they sound its note so long and loud in the ears cif the community. that those whom they at first disgusted . or alarmed, grow at length accus tomed to the sound. What becomes familiar soon ceases to be unpleasant. The first impression wears away in the minds of the weak and. tinreflec. ting, and in the course of time they become ardent admirers, zealous supporters, and unconscious dupes, of the political quacks whose folly began by excit ing their contempt, or whose designs at first struck them with dismay. That this is a fact, a single glance at the features of the times will prove. Are we not crowded with pigmy politicians, who at the call of a few ambitious men have suddenly started from the deepest obscu rity into public existence ? And what advantage does the State derive from their patriotism ? Do they even pretend to assist it, by exerting their influ ence over the people, in the tremendous struggle for national existence and liberty, in which we are engaged with France ? No : instead of enforcing the necessity of incessantly and resolutely resisting the encroachments of the enemy ; they try' to im press our minds with a sense of weakness, which does not exist. They tell us that our means are unequal to the contest, and in shameless defiance to truth and experience, denounce those very mea sures, as imbecile and vain, which have so long checked the once uninterrupted course of French triumphs in the Peninsula. They exclaim, that to support, however successfully, and successfully it has hitherto been, the cause of Portuguese inde pendence, is to waste the blood and treasures of the nation in unprofitable wars, and to disarm our country of that internal force which may soon be needed to repel invaders froM shores. Either they are. blind, or on this point of so much vital importance, they wish to deceive the nation into ruin. They know, that by maintaining on the Tagus the brave army which has never fought without conquering, we compel ./slAror. EON to col lect nearly the whole of his. veteran legions in the Peninsula, in order, if unable to drive us, as be vainly boasted, into the sea, to prevent us from snatching both Spain and Portugal for ever from perceive, that as long as the Empire is detained at such a distance from our coasts, no attempt at invasion can be _made, and yet availing themselves of the natural prejudice which has always existed in the people of this country, against campaigns on the Continent, they endeavour, through the means of popular clamour, to obtain the recall of our troops, and thus in a short time to transfer the seat of war to our plains ! Is this a pledge of patriotism ? I am mild, Sir, and put the best construction on things, when I say, it is a proof of complete imbe cility. Others may -probably deem it the result of a treacherous' intelligence with the enemy, but for the honour of my country .1 will not encourage such a supposition, although founded on the most plausible grounds. But, Sir, if the conduct of modern patriots, either through folly or design, tend to encrease the dan gers with which we are threatened,. and that such is their conduct and its tendency, no doubt can be en tertained by" those who have heard their. declama tions and perused their writings, what titles do. they possess to • our gratitude ? What claim can they urge on our liberality ? But the people of this country is infatuated. Ever ready to abuse its /130 J sincere friends, it yields a willing support to its most bitter enemies. Thus has political deceit become a profitable trade. Let a. man write or talk against abuses and administration, and he will suddenly 'be surrounded by an host of admirers. If his sole longing be after praise, he needs go no fur. they, He may add that he is the champion of the people, and he will be most religiously be. lieved. But if fortune he his aim, let hint on some popular ground make a resolute stand against the laws of his country : let him enter the lists with superior power, and however unjust he his cause, his fall will dralN down a golden shower from the admirers of his audacity, and he will ultimately rise again, renewed in his circumstances a " sub= scriptioned" and wealthy man. It is this hope, Sir, which has, I am credibly informed, braced the nerves of so many political culprits in our Courts of Law : their fortune depended on the degree of rashness w:tich they displayed before the highest judges of the land, and the temerity and impro. priety of their conduct form a fair scale, not indeed oftheir patriotism, but of their want of, or love for, the money of the people. Trusting that }you will not deny insertion to these remarks in a Paper, which has never ceased since its establishment to unmask hypocrisy. ••/ :31~?'. I remain, Sir, Your con s tant Friend, tj . • AMOR P.A.-TRIAls _ -; ,~ . -. d ' • '," leis grasp. They must strength of his. ,•, p., g) 4 - 4 • . , • . ~ • , J a . : aztr ~ 641