The National Register. — London, England, 1809-10-08 00:00:00

.. 1 • .9~ ,rw+n....i. ....a+ •r • , e / ur itng, ConOttution, anD iLatuO. SUNDAY, OCTOBER S o 1809. No PRICE 9d. POLITWAL -DISQUISITION. NUMBER THE .NEW ADMINISTRATION. Why do the annals of every country offer _so many ex amples of misrule, and such few instances of good and liberal Administration ? Is the science of Government more complicated and unintelligible than every other branch of human knowledge? These arc quesiions, which having exercised for ages the ingenuity of the scholar, the statesman, and the patriot, still remain, notwithstanding their general utility, unanswered and undelincA They prove, however, that the science of liberal government is still in it: infancy; and that the passions and pretensions of men vested with power supersede their sense of duty, and , invert their understandings. We do not believe, for ex ample, that the favour. of the Sovereign can confer genius upon mediocrity, or disinterestedness and liberality upon . selfish and prejudiced men. Our political faith is not so complying, nor oar prostitution so rank, as to bestow un qualified approbation upon all public - men; nor are we willing to convert the press, origiQally designed as the great defence of popular freedom, into au engine to un dermine and destroy it. Sentiments of this kind are unfit for our time; and, when intruded, meet with merited ex ecration and contempt. It is, therefore, true that Governments,•in most ages, have been deplo rably dcfectlie in prat-Cleat wisdom and virtue. But let us examine if the evil be so inveterate.— fto connected with the system itself,- Ont it would be vain to attempt to deracinate it, or lop its growth. We find that the most perfect,theories and the best institutions did Hot afford au effectual chsek,--,-That in countries, where the rights of the people and the Sovereign were accurately as . - certained, and apparently guarded against reciprocal en croachmeati, the mut. flagrant examph7s of ma!-adminis tration have been given, tolerated, lind even defended. We are, therefore, come at the conclusion, that it is not laws alone, however perfect in ,their .principle, hot a choice of' men to preside over their execution ; which can secure to a community the great objects proposed by the social . comput. Let this be the princjple upon which we shall Proceed in .our remarks upon the late changes in the Cabinet. It-enables us at once to j!idge of their wisdom, and to calcuhate the influence they shall have to promote or undermine the prospe , ity of the country. The new Administration enter upon the exercise of their important funetioßs, under circumstances the most diatccilt aim lembarrasiiag. They find the country engaged in a destructive war, of which it is imi.olsible for human wisdom to foresee the termination, or calculate its copse iyiences. The pressure of a vast system of taxation, every day accumulating, begins to be severely felt, and loudly coinplained of. The prices of the first and most iadispeu, sable articles of consumption encrense to an alarming de gree ; -whilst the chaunet.; of oar national incliatcy are ex-. Fe. 11.—‘14. XCIle. posed to greater end - greater limitations. It must, in the mean- time, have been remarked by the most superficial observers, that a daugerous fermentation exists thia:ghout the country; encouraged by men of desperate principles ; and originating iu our military reverses and a late ever to .be lamented investigation. If we add to this catalogue of difficulties, the moral and physical resources of the enemy, with whom we are engaged in a calamitous and intermin able warfare, we shall find that no ministry had more dif ficnlties to surmonut, more pas:ions to appease, and greater dangers to encounter, than the present. We have Already acknowledged that, to administer, even in ordinary times, .the affairs of this, cr any other country well, we mean to the advantage and the satisfaction of the people, is very arduous task ; but, at the present juncture, it pre-supposes, on the part of the Executive, the greatest expanse of mind, vigour of principle, variety of talent, and popularity of character: There is no itivariab!e stan dard to judge the writs and efficacy of an Administration. It changes with the fluctuation of events; and rises, or falls, in proportion to the embarassineeti of situation. An Administration, which might be perfectly competent at one season, may, at auother, he extremely incomiietent. Some years ago, when the machiue of Governmeet was - so little embarrassed, that it would have gone on almoit': spontaneously, any body of limiest men, possessed of. mo, derate capacity, might have been perfectly able to regu late its movements. But shall we therefore conclude, that in a crisis of uuprecedeated peril, when the widest range of genius told virtue is scarcely equal to the task, the same persons wontd.be tit to be entrusted with the honour and destinies of a mighty empire? Certainly not. The question is now, v.hether Mr. Peaces , AL, at the head of the remnant of the late ministry, with an accession of some person, or persons yet unknown, inspires such confidence in the breasis of his countrymen, that they may be willing to meet, without dismay, the eventful occurrences : of the next succeeding years? This is a question which speaks . home to the feelings of us all; for on its •decision may possibly depend tlie freedom of this. and of the following generation. We should go - about the examination :nunedi. lady—for the destructive malof our time is the rapidity of its occurrences. We still preaerve, unimpaired; 'the freedom. we received from our forefathers as an unalienable right. Let us not, from Mistaken zeal for persons, or • party, trice with the sacred deposit, which ice. are pledeatd to h an d down to our children. Let us decide the question t.ispassiorately ; but instantly ; for procrastination on such a subject is .a mark. of unpardonable, levity, and ominous of the fate we shtiuld justly merit. We have been h4berto not engaged singly with_ the enemy. His ambition had another field ; and his atten tion was divided by various objecia of pursuit. Of his ae. tivity during that time, be has left terrific memorials. The several states of Italy nnti Germany, Holland and Switzerland, bow to his sceptre. The splendid edifice, which the genius of fit F,DCRICK the Second rai4ed, is levelled iu the dust; and of alt the provinces he gained by