The National Register. — London, England, 1809-12-10 00:00:00

77S test, which wiii be, perhaps, unparalleled in duration, ran cour, sufferings, and illegitimate hostility ; which requires from all her members the most cordial union of will and effort,—mildness, conciliation, and the controul of reason, on the part of government ; on that of the people, zeal, confidence, and submission to the law. The country, under these circumstances, must consider that Ministers, as con spiring against her existence, as leagued with her most in veterate enemy, who attempts, from a spirit of petty fog- ging litigation, a bias for former professional habits, and a waspish irritability, to create disunion in her bosom, a civil war of legal prosecutions, fines, imprisonment, when every nerve, every mind, and every heart, from the cottage to the palace, should throb and think in unison. Government, of late years, has discovered a manifest in competency to meet, to their full extent, the perils of our situation ; to obviate, even check, an accumulating torrent of difficulties. It has, in like manner, been greatly deficient in that happy versatility of talent, which accommodates itself instantly to mutations in the political world ; and in that firmness and perspicuity which seizes the right mode of conduct, and then adheres to it with unyielding pertina city. Balancing between principle and expedient, plan and visual suggestion, vigour and prudence, the advantages of a bold and comprehensive system of hostility, and the ter rors of failure ; it exhibited alternately the ardour and restlessness of hope, the uneasiness of doubt, and the lan gubr of disappointment. Hence that deplorable vacillation in our council ; those gigantic demonstrations, and puny efforts; the language of men, with the little passions and caprice of women. Every nation is said to possess a dis tinct character, and some of its members are said to exhibit, in a very marked degree, the qualities which constitute it. Ours is extremely ardent in pursuit, naturally addicted to what is great, splendid and hazardous, bat easily disgusted and relaxed by disappointuaent. Such has been the feature, of our late policy, It was necessary to prefix this review, to be able to ap pretiate the merits of Lord WELLESLICT 2 I nomination. This nobleman possesses a very different character from what we have just described. He displayed, upon a distant theatre, the very reverse of that policy, which has been found so in jurious and disgraceful at home. Comprehensiveness of view, boldness of conception, energy, rapidity, decision in the execution, marked his administration in the East. The means he employed have been represented rather as expe dient than moral, —striding directly and boldly to the goal ; towering vastly above the surrounding crowd, with his eve fixed unalterably upon the object of attainment, he is said to have brushed down, in his gigantic and rapid ca. rc.cr, the frail fences of Indian law. 'His object, it is true, vas aklays great; and even those, who disapproved the weans, were forced to admire the genius, hardihood, and in variable success which characterised the executicn. Such are the sentiments of his opponeas. His friends, on the contrary, admitting some points of the above state pent, describe his Lordship's measures, as not only advan tageous to the interests but the honour of his country—as b a yi ng es toli g hed a vast system pf power, and likewise of: legislation g—as having consolidated the edifice of B r iti s h greatness with the props of law, and upon the basis of In4ian order and happineu. His Lordship is represented by the 'ame party to have traversed the vast regions of India, not 01 4 m a co u tt wor, but . to hate (mph:4W it as a philoso- THE NATIONAL REG ;TER. DEC. 10. pher ; examined as a statesman, and viewed with the feel ings and eye of the legislator and friend of mankind. These pictures of the Noble Lord are extremely different. But making every allowance for the flattery of friendship, and the defortning touch of enmity and party spirit— we may conclude that his Lordship possesses very great intellectual qualities—that his mind is comprehensive; his conception just; and his character seems to unite vigour with perseverance ; suppleness with hardihood, and com prehensiveness with versatility. As to .his moral notions, ;lig private feelings, his political opinions, and the measure of his deference for popular rights, we are not competent to decide upon ; but, upon the whole, we are inclined to consider Marquis WELLESLEY a very great acquisition to the public service; and form the most erroneous opinion of his character, if his accession to the Cabinet have not an immediate, and, we hope, salutary influence upon our foreign policy. The vigorous, active, and decisive spirit he displayed in India, we have long wished to see mark our domestic measures. The theatre is different ; but the man, who displays genius and prudence, courage and per severance in one region, will not fail to develope the same qualities in every other. Those are not qualities of con vention, which lose their 'pine when transplanted. In every department, in every stage, in every clime and sta tion, they insure respect to the possessor, and give an im pulse to all who are within his reach. He is the very man that should be opposed to BUONAPARTE. To his crimes he will oppose audacity ; to his insolent mettaces firm, bold defiance ; and will pursue and hunt him through all the mazes of his deep, intricate policy. COBNETT, and some other intemperate and partial writers have endeavoured to ridicule his Lordship's conduct in India; but ridicule is never the test of truth ; and we would have rather seen a strong fact, and a sound argument, than all the humour of RARELAIS I when the discussion refers to the intrinsic merit of men, or things. There is one thing we would IT illingly see explained--.a very great friendship • is said to have existed between Mr. CANNING and the Mai quisi and the former, it is generally known, expressed a very strong wish to have the latter introduced into the Cabinet. Mr. CANNING'S secession from his former col leagues may, in a considerable degree, he attributed to this desire. We cannot conceive how his Lordship, under these circumstances, could abandon the engagements he had contracted with that gentleman—a sense of public duty can never justify private treachery. This is the only difficulty and doubt we feel on the propriety of his Lord ship's nominatiop ; and if these were removed, we would congratulate the public that the vigilant, enterprising., and active Administrator of India had an opportunity of dis playini the qualities and talents he exhibited there, in the management Of our Foreign Department. All the memberg of the WELL / LILLY family have, more or less, claims to the public esteem and confidence. They afford a praiseworthy example of union and affection as brothers ; of laudable ambition, as subjects, and of considerable and diversified merit, as awn. No meanness bas ever been traced to them ; and it is impossible to refuse them the reputation of gen tlemen, and men of honour. The Marquis , Wellesley was presented to his Majesty on Wednesday, on his being Appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. _.,..~-~ ,~---~~ -• i i t i - Ar. .. :..R..