The National Register. — London, England, 1808-03-06 00:00:00

434 14 ~' r t~ i ~ ~`' ^3i • • s~ .. .. .. Z :~ • .• • • • , E NA T I ONAL RE GI sT E . : Our Vting, ConOtitution, ono taw. ; SUNDAY, MARCH 6, ISOS. I -1 RICE POLITICAL DISQUISITION. volved in the prosperity of his people. If therare de-: stroyed, and their prosperity is blasted, where is the dip: nity and the happiness of our King ? They are the mert.e-i nary, unfeeling enemies of the King, who would Fey.. upon the people. The people are the King's friends, and., the King's stewards. It is in their pockets the King nelitt find the means of aectitig the great purposes of the ::;ate, on every emergency ; but how are these means to he i found, if the purses of the people are previously drained: by unworthy demands. Detestable is the fraud which. knavery tries to work, when attempts to stem the torrent. of prodigality are represented as acts of disloya!ty. Who., • would be the first to by from the King, in circumstances • of real distress ? The wretches who now suck, or desire to , suck the sweat and the blood , of the people, and who are ready to bite with their gory jaws those who manifest the least desire to disengage them from their obstinate fangs. All history bears evidence to this. The unfortonate King- - of Prussia, we arc informed, now lives in the wrist private manner, and is surrounded and attended only by a few or- • dinary people. The great, and the noble, among whom he formerly dispensed the taxes, which his people paid, 'have all disappeared. In what situation are the people of England, at the time when a demand is made upon them to maintain the family of Lord Lake in affluence and splendour ? In that situation, in which, according to the confession of a Minister, the taxes are driving them from a house to lodgings ; from a first floor to the garret; and when a seventh part of the *whole population are parish paupers—a situation, in which No. 10. Pou NUMB. LORD LAKE'S Our readers all know that a pi tnade to Parliament, in the name 4. stowing upon Lord Lake, and his des, 1000/. a-vear for three generations yes also been proposed, that this pension she. spective operation, commencing from the thus adding 90001. to the grant, and.extenditi, in fact, to four lives. We have not witnessed any public action, ft. number of years, which has met with so universa, demnation. Persons of all political creeds have lit, their voices against it. Even those who are on ord. occasions the least sensible to the public burthens of people, and the most disposed to go along with the de wands of government, have been loud in their censures. The very alarmists themselves, who are too apt to think that the people can never be sufficiantly weak, nor the h. government sufficiently strong, till they find themselves 'hay as well as the people, equally • the victims of an undistin- In r tishing despotism, even they hare joined the common cry when a of reprobation. of Lord L The present is not an ordinary crisis. It speaks to the in which, 4. feelings of those, on whose reasokthe abuse of the peo- taxes arc dri plc's earnings makes too feebleN.n impression. When first floor to t, they contemplate the disastrous effects which taxation is whole populatio. now working in this country, and consider the arduous the very tax-gat, contest in which we are still engaged, the most unthinking another year ; that shudder at the prodigality with which demands arc con- they have no longer a. tinually made, from the most frivolous pretexts, on the pay no longer. Let an, sweat and the blood of the people. riment. Five out of six On ordinary occasions, when the produce of labour is England, will not hesitate i. but lightly taxed, add the demands of the times arc ino- Hear the opinions, not of o, th;rate, we are apt to regard a slight addition with much our Statesmen : " I beg the L indifference ; too often forgetting that such deductions arc " question now is as to a choice not merely taken from the people, but from the prosperity " must be raised for the exigenci, of the country. Wilco the taxation of labour, however, 11. Petty's Speech, 9lh -Way, 1806.) has reached that terrible and hazardous pitch, that it con " are now placed in such circumstance be raised no higher, ':hew its springs are wound up ready "to adopt modes of taxation, which nth to burst, and when at the same time we arc placed in one " affect the prosperity of one branch or o of the most awful situations in which any nation was ever "or commerce ;" (air. Fox's Speech, 9th found, a situation wore urgently demanding vast means of this unparalleled state of taxation are the 1. exertion than any 'which the histor'y of mankind can easily country called upon .to pay 2000!. a sear, an, parallel, to add to the demands upon the people, by frivo- sides to the family of Lord Lake. That the fami. lons pretexts, revolts the understanding and the heart of Lake may keep three carriages instead of two. fis all but an ignorant and hardened courtier. The general servants instead of three, a thlugand hnngry famine. sense of mankind is against it. Their feelings inlist their be curtailed a loaf ef bread in the week ; or the cou prejudices on the side of reason ; and the mostActermined mast be script of the power of maintaining 50 sailors. aristocrats become the friends of the people. You talk of the services of Lord Lake. Dave yoi. For us, our motto speaks for us, that we art attached never heard of the important maxim, " Let us be just, :to our KING, to our C'cy:•TircTios, and to oar L/tA• I " before we are generous." Is it not fit to be consider -331g every sentiment and dictate of our unJerstandint, and ed, that what vcu give to Lord Lake, you take from the of ouriteart tells us that the interests of our King are in- people of England ? And ought you not to deliberate it • 411111* • NE/Mill:ft TEN. —.1110. LORD LAKE'S PENSION. sir readers all know that a proposition has lately been le to Parliament, in the name of his Majesty, for Le vin; upon Lord Lake, and his descendants, a pension of Y. a-vear for three generations yet to come. it has been proposed, that this pension should have a retro tive operation, commencing from the battle of Delhi, ladding 90001. to the grant, and.extending the pension, Let, to four lives. e have not witnessed any public action, for a great !her of years, which has met with so universal a con nation. Persons of all political creeds have lifted up r voices against it. Even those who are on ordinary isions the least sensible to the public burthetts of the le, and the most disposed to go along with the de als of government, have been loud in their censures. very alarmists themselves, who are too apt to think the people can never be sufficiently weak, nor the lament sufficiently strong, till they find themselves ell as the people, equally • the victims of an undistin liing despotism, even they hare joined the common cry !probation. le present is not an ordinary crisis. It speaks to the 1i . 7; of those, on whose reasokthe abuse of the peo earnings makes too feeble Nak impression. When contemplate the disastrous effects which taxation is working in this country, and consider the arduous !st in which we are still engaged, the most unthinking der at the prodigality with which demands are eon- Ily made, from the most frivolous pretexts, on the t and the blood of the people. L ordinary occasions, when the produce of labour is lightly taxed, and the demands of the times arc mo e, we are apt to regard a slight addition with much brence ; too often forgetting that such deductions arc nerdy taken from the people, but from the prosperity e country. When the taxation of labour, however, cached that terrible and hazardous Fitch, that it c.na ised no highe r , ':hex its springs are wound up ready rst, and when at the same time we arc placed in one : most awful situations in which any nation was ever I, a situation wore urgently demanding vast means of ion than any 'which the history of mankind can easily lel, to add to the demands upon the people, by frivo pretexts, revolts the understanding and the heart of it an ignorant and hardened courtier. The general of mankind is against it. Their feelings inlist their ]ices on the side of reason ; and the most -determined crate become the friends of the people. ' us, our motto speaks for us, that we arc attached r KING, to our C'ey:•Tircztos, and to oar I,4rrg.-- ,I . ery sentiment and dictate of our understanding and 1 . .heart tells us that the interests of our King are in- - - - - the very tax-gatherers say, that we can hardly go on another year ; that having sacrificed, to pay the taxes, till they have no longer any thing to sacrifice, the people can pay no longer. Let any man who pleases make the expe riment. Five out of six of all the collectors of taxes in England, will not hesitate in making a similar declaration. Hear the opinions, not of our tax-gatherers only, but of our Statesmen : " I beg the (louse to consider, that the " question now is as to a choice of evils, and that money " must be raised for the exigencies of the State;" (Lord 11. Petty's Speech, 9th May, 1806.) 4 . The fact is, that we " arc' now placed in such circumstances, that we are driven " to adopt ►nodes of taxation, which must, i❑ some degree, " affect the prosperity of one branch or other of our trade "or commerce ;" (Mr. Fox's Specch, 9th May, 1806.) In this unparalleled state of taxation are the people of this country called upon . to pay 2000!. a . year, and 9000/. be sides to the family of Lord Lake. That the family of Lord Lake may keep three carriages instead cif two, five livery servants instead of three, a thlusatid hungry families must be curtailed r. loaf cf bread in the week ; or the country must bt script of the power of maintaining 50 sailors. You talk of the services of Lord Lake. Have you never heard of the important maxim, " Let us be Just, before we art generous." Is it not fit to be consider ed, that what ycu give to Lord Lake, you take from the people of England ? And ought you not to deliberate a • • \t h 4. Vt