The National Register. — London, England, 1809-09-03 00:00:00

Tit3F4 NATIONAL REGISTER. I Cur thing, itrontttution. anD 11,0k15. No. SB. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER S, 1809. PftwE 94.% : • .WOM•M Sin, POLITICAL DISQUISITION. NUMB it LiGHTII-SIX. TO WiLLI:I 7 .4 COBBETT. We have er - Tloyed a great deil of tirrie and paper to very little purpose, if ..ur former Letters ha ..'e not convinced the Public that you: . attempt to procure Addressas to his *Majesty, praying him to interfere in . new modelling the House of Commons, is a measure at once illet al and insi dious; and we have been equally unfortuna!e, if our cast Letter has not satisfied the thinking part of the community, that the plan of incapacitating Statesmen from seats in the Muse of C )mmons would produce effects more inimical to the cause of real liberty, than any which are to be ap prehended from a continuance of that system of 'represen tation, upon the foundations of which the happiness and prosperity , of this nation have been built up. In addition to the arguments already ura7cd, in favour of the public duties of statesmen being discharged by the same persons, in their executive and legislative capacities, it may be fairly assumed, that frinn a concurrence of pri vate interests, operating upon the general interest, these duties are more likely to be fairly and effectually discharged. That undistinamishing and intemperate eagerness for the attainment of ideal perfection, which metaphysical politi cians hold up to the admiration of a credulous people, is not only in its very nature impossible, but if it were possi hie would, in the present condition of mon and of society, he impracticable. By endeavouring to remove every existing and every approaching evil, that good which we actually possess would be . endangered ; and in the pursuit of re mote and speculative advantages, we should hazard the introduction of anarchy and tumult, "with the certainty of innovation. But suppose, for the sad:e of argument, that 11 , 1inisters, Statesmen, Flacemen, or by . whatever name on choose to can them, es:ended from the !!rouse of Commons, what would by the situation of id:e country at this moment? How would i; be possible for an adminis tration, thus situated, to comlnet hcs:ness of to extea. skive empire, engaged in a condict upon 'which it 3 existence perhaps depends ? How could it disentangle itself fr,ra embarrassments which must perpetually occur from the jea kusy of those who woLild he always fo;aning an opinion upon t;:e;e measures, without :he meaus of doing Eo r.ccuraeiyi how could Ministers act with vigour tinder, restraints of an immediate and so irksome a responsibility ? How many subjects of political dotal are of acknoaledged impropri ety to discuss? How many must be referred to corinnittees of secrecy ? And even these committees. how would they he exaosed to secret management and in;lirect influence, when the ardour of novelty. of '. bad cooled, and the fever reformation subsided ? In what manner could the faithful, N igo t:s, and "spoedy execution of .ilifiieuit measures be eatorced? However plansiblc, howei:yr salatary this prin ciple may be in-theory, it is false in practitu. Look at the effect it would ha..'e in another guitar. ru;. In addition to ;:t, iu our former observations, Ir.*:.! respecting the house of I,lt.ds, the Crown seen ut!der the necessity of clieosing its Ministers front anlong Atembet-s of the two 'lunges, been I.7s” . it is I ht , itilerts' the Crown to employ such persons. as have oYained the conti , &nee of the people ; and this prac !ice has alinost obtained' the effect of a princ:iiltrikelf, and is become detititiert our Constitution. I it were otherwise, if the exerc i se cf great intellee'ual ed-Ithvrnents upen the Theatre of I.attin rnea,t were no lager a road 'to the pt.h..e confidence, and t' - ereby to the In:;:hest einplovments of the state; interior attainments and ordinary abiiities would huddle round the Throne,, and these would snatch at and seize nom tine greater emolutrents ; hnd the CrONI n itse;f, exor;ogriti,:: Ministers of ability for agreeable favourites, would °;. - to . longer 'be al , !e to fares -rte ik own rights, or to Fro!ec! . the rights of others. Instead of maintnining that power r, t - .;clk enables it, in the exercise of prerogatiN:e, to contrsde n;!Ii dignity, or resist with hr unless, it syrtild be olqi;.- , ;ed, to substitute suspicion for vigilan o!Athiacy. for fipirit. and laxity for moderat.ion. It r:theeti become abject ehd cilious by turns; and wciuld, of nrcessity, some:imei languid from deinlity, and at others vioient from ,cant of skid. Its caprices mould br; indulged, rttlier 'tleo. re . strained ; and the virtues or vices of the Monarel!. turn become the objects of the fear or jealonsy he people.. Notwithstanding these observations, %e agree ho' are of opinion that there is a catalin s rue 0h1c•1. 3 that may be abridged t.. we aiv of of Statesmen eligible fh sit in 14/;16 . 1 .pr0 priely, be fixed by riiiiiament itself gi - c7O ;!vct general principl , .!, and that the rt ie by ti Ateuk•ht. - ; governed, might hr: we relit' ion to the most 2.(4Critk:fthd most arduous, and, there,torc, he most prehty.Vor' Lions t , but as to a Lo!ai as the "i(.4,4l4.ntprs of the present thy wish to., - it rs ..•4hle =as vets irtl practwable. I know it may in: ii:ged, toaisArii a .serra tion did actually exist at a certaid i;e1.04, and tttat thta; staikimr-horse of the Patriots is—" briatin , r t., back to hies(. Gmes," But let as examine what the Reformen of ihn pr-ient day•mean by the goon o:d tinics to Clich they woh:ti b:;og back the represnla'ke part of ot:.• Col.t..itution, or Co:1)- moos House of Parham:74W ris usual in oth;.: brai.elys (If science (and why not in politics) to expiain ineauit:i; is proposed to be afrixet: to the paqicular wer,is or •xpressions'tediaical:.) . used in iehe discussi,on. The word P,eforini , i in dvery body's niouti, and if' ywi ask tweull :;e:.•;ons Rhat they Mead by it - , a s a,.plied to politic , , SOU receive as inr,cy different interpreLatiohs.. Ask 6ir FR A NCIS bt!R D aud' after al7piing to his ilf. 9 / 7 1. instetd of Ins dictionary, he will tell 3ou it is to rwentruie a corrupt bue.y ; to b..ni g it back to its . crig;nel sazies. Asti; Lord For.Ksairse, and he somethiag like the it:- 'erpretr,tivi of ..n; . ;...tcs,Ncis', - but wAI Field tor tne exce: - - -.ie-a of corrupt boroughs. If you, M. CoafiErr, are :tiled upon, you will tell us, that by refOrtaing the litr.:,:tt of Ccuimous you mean" to cut It Up b . ) the riivLs, aud