The National Register. — London, England, 1812-07-12 00:00:00

_ AL Gls TER, g o Conotitution, MID Cattle. 357, STRAND, CORNER OF EXETEit THE NATIO Our PUBLISHED AT NO. SUNDAY, JULY N, 1812. 0 tS o. POI ITICAL DIS2UISITION. 11111. COBBETT. • This celebrated writer and inconsistent politician : the advocate of England in America, the reviler of his country in England : the warmest admirer of Mr. PITT when in the zenith of his power, his foul calumniator since his decline and death: once the sturdiest opponent of Reform and Sir F. Ba bra' T, whom he represented as a traitor to his King and Coun try, and now the chief of seditious writers, and the flatterer of that same Baronet whom he holds as a sincere, well-meaning patriot; after performing his two years penance in Newgate, burst once more into public notice on Thursday last, at a dinner given in honour of his liberation, at the Crown and Anchor. Sir FRANCIS, whom Mr. COBBETT lISCd SO pub licly to "despise and abhor," generously sacrificing- all private resentment to the good of the cause in which all reformers are engaged, introduced his former libeller into the room, and taking the chair, placed him on his right, thus giving a notorious pledge of reconciliation, whilst Major Cartwright enjoyed the honours of the left. Scarcely had the feasting ceased, (without a thought of the poor starving manufac turers, who, it was reported, were to have been invited to come down and share at least one good meal with their friends !) when Mr. COEUR rT, inspired with new-brewed courage, rose to rebut a charge preferred against him two years ago, in several publications, but hitherto unanswered, and renewed by The Times %pat morning. NVe know not which to admire most, the long forbearance of this calm and patient politician, or the candour with which be exposed 1) conscious mutability of principles, in his awkward attempt at clearing himself. He was accused of having offered to give up his Register, if Government would remit his punish ment; and this proposal, justly considered as an intended abandonment of their cause, filled some Reformers at the time with indignation, and induced them to press him for an explanation of his conduct, which, notwithstanding all their reproaches, satire, and abu s e, he magnanimously withheld until the day of his liberation. Evil disposed persons will be apt to attribute this extraordinary display of self com mand, to a wish that the storm might spend all its rage at once, unprotracted by any opposition on his part, so that when be should re enter society he might find the mantle of oblivion cast over the past, and all around him should be greeting and popularity. His friends, who know his real motives, will contend that the revived attack in The Times was unmanly, base, and unnecessary, as his obstinate silence Was the best refutation of the unfounded calumnies circu lated against him; and the last opinion will be confirmed by the unfortunate nature of his defence. But he will probably consider it as the malignant effusion of a fellow P. 0. CCYIY Y. PRICE 90. prisoner, jealous of his fame, and of the superior accommo dations which the superior revenue of his publication enabled him to purchase at Newgate. Whatever be the Opinion of his foes or lends, or of himself on the subject, we, in common with the impartial public, cannot refrain from rejoicing at the forced self exposure of a political impostor, at the very moment of his apparent triumph. Had he slunk silently back into that world from which he had been so long severed, he would have avoided this mortification. But he yielded to the pride of his heart and the folly of his friends, and fancying himself a second Cicero returning from unjust baniihment, would have a public reception and public dinners in his honour. Ile provoked the blow which hal laid him prostrate in the opinion• of every member of the community, whether Loyalist or Ruf ,rmist, and instead complaining at being attacked, and begging still more time to elude, not to answer, his accusers, he ought to have felt himself duly rewa:ded, and have hung his head in merited humiliation. He might then have warded off contempt, by excising; pity. Unable to deny the whole truth of the charge brought against him, because it seemed now urged by persons in pos session offacts sufficient to expose fa!sehoodv Mr. CoBBETT on breaking the religious silence which he had kept for two years on the subject, acknowledged that it had been his intention to give up his Register. Ele asserted, however, that it was not because he repented of the nature and ten dency of his writingq, but " because he was afiaid it would be out of Ills power to carry it on, on the same principles of fair discussion as formerly." We shalt content ourselves with asking him. what could put it out (if his power to main tain the principles of his publication unalteied, if his mind remained unchanged? And what could change his mind, if he did not repent, but want of courage to bear the con e quences of his own seditious writings ? Could the imprison ment of his person chain his thought, or turn it, rum/Wing, into a particular channel, different from that to which it had, ever since his politicalapestacy been accustomed ? Did he fear that force should be employed to direct his pen ? and in that case, which it is our piide to say, in England alone amidst the nations does never occur, but to which we will for a moment grant that reality to which the terrors of a cowardly mind may have given With, did he feel his own weakness, and conscious that he should barter consistency for any proffered relaxation of punishment, did he wish to guard against him self by a timely sacrifice of that publication which must at once have recorded his fresh mutation, his timidity, or his ve nality? This excuse, therefore, instead of clearing Mr. Co s n ETT, would tend to prove him guilty of a degree ofpusillani mity and weakness not inferior to that with which he is already charged. The power of maintaining his principles, what• Imo, _