The National Register. — London, England, 1819-10-17 00:00:00

&e , bir • Our wing, Condtitution attb a aluti. No. 219.—V0L. XII.] Jolitiatl tiettusSpert. Tarr Gazette of Tuesday last contains a Procla mation calling Parliament to, on the .23i1 of November, " for the dispatch of business•" The state of the Country assuredly is such as to demand the most serious deliberations of our National Comt e:ls, and the adoption of some Legislative enactutznts which may heal the wounds and lacerations which he Constitution is now suffering in t'ie stxuggle between the violent extremes of Radical Reformers on one band, and the still more dangerous attempts of establishing a system of lawless and military des potism on the other. We call the latter the more dangerous, because it marches on towards its object, backed and encouraged in the first place by those whom we ought to consider it a duty in all things lawful to respect and to obey, and because ptea er and authority are already in their hands. lkside4 this no man needs be told how eager are a large portion of mankind to be on the side of those whence the best recompence of their services may be looked for, how many more make it a sort of point of conscience, to support what is called Government, without ever troubling themselves to enquire whe ther it acts right or wrong. The Revolution of 1688 did much towards establishing a better set of principles, and more just motives for action, but it was, we fear, rather owing to the circumstance that the support of public freodont was at that time identified with the support of the administration, and with resistance to the dethroned flintily, than from a pure spirit of patriotism in too many of those who were firm in their adherence to the cause of Civil Liberty. We are reluctantly driven to this melancholy' view of the human character, by seeing how the greatest violations of those sacred principles upon which that Revolution rested, are now viewed with calmness and indifference by some, and st.e nuously aided and abetted by others. What would those who compelled King William to dismiss his own guards have thought and acted on the massa crees committed at Manchester ? It is on these grounds that tve really look forward with but very little satisfaction to the assembling of Parliament. Our confidence in the mass of public virtue to be found there was very greatly shaken by ninny acts of the last Session. It is still, however, the only anchor upon which our hopes rest, either fbr redress of the past, or preven tion of future mischief; and yet who can look for ward with any confidence that remembers what is our state of representation, what were the majorities obtained by a set of Ministers against whose policy the whole nation rings with the loudest clamours; what are the sentiments already publicly avowed by them upon those very points wh;ch would con stitute the leading objects of discussion, and which, in fact, constitute the sole and entire cause of Par liament being at all assembled. .7f the work of Legislation is to consist of fresh gaing Bills, fresh sospens:on Acts, and all those temporary tramels of freedom, to which we have before been subject, but which, thank God, experience has sheten to be totally indequate to controul the spirit of the times, then who would not rather pray that Parliament should.not meet at all ! 11 ith respect to Ministers, such a measure is now much too late to sure even the appearance of dick coi.duct. They should either have done this much sooner, before they had oresumed to give any opinion of their own, or they [Pima 9144. DISCOVERY Ulf PIKES. Blackburn Mail office, Tgesday evening, Oct. 12. Infortnatiou having been given this day. that a large number of pikes were made nut sold in Mellor, near this town, Mr. John Kay, constable, attended by a party of dragoons now stationed here, went ahis evening for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of the ptatemept.-- On arris mg at the spot, a person named Ralph ,Miller a blacksmith, was immediately secured, aed his •atiopt ~ earched, when II pikes were found on the'preintses! The blacksmith was immediately brought before' T. D. Whitaker, L.I. D., who after an examination °Nom* length. c ed the prisoner to Preston. Mailigice, 6 o'clock ,(Wednesday morning, Oct. V 3.) This morning about 4 o'clock a person nattird.lanies Morns, machine-maker, arrived here in a post4pise. —He was taken into cnstndy at his residence at Voce called Pike Law, near Rellthorn, by the constable and a small party of the Dragoons, who escorted him to this .place, where he is at present in custody, and la to be brought before T. D. Whitaker, Lt. D. this forenoon. A her of pistols, bullets, unfinished pikes, &c. were f lin his possession. Half-past 7.—We stop the press to state, that another person named John Know lea, of Rawtetestall, has jnst limn brought in. EXTRACT "OF A LETTER FROM MR. HARMER. , •• Manchester, Thursday -Evening, Nine o'clock, Oct. My clear G.—You will have learnt, no doubt sensations of astonishment and regret, of the exrraordiar..,* • . nary adjourisment ref the - Inquest on John Lees. flows this proceeding tsar) be reconciled with any principle of . • law and justice, I am wholly unable to perceive, an& there was only this circumstance wanting to completely falsity the assertion of the subscribers to thetoodon Ad, dress, " that the laws were open for the punishment of offences, have not the exact words before me, but I believe I have stated the sulsstance. Wp had be fore instanced the Grat.d..lrwy dirOwing out ills so as to prevent public investigation—the Mag,istrates cefita. tog to hear evidence, and to grant warrants against per. sons charged with capital offences; and now, to com plete the climax, a Coroner rejects evidence touching the daub of an individual, and just at the close or the investiaation adjourns the Inquest for nearly 2 months, thus affordinc the culprits an opportunity of boldly pas sing through the streets, insulting the relations and friends of their victims, and ate!) escaping with impuni ty. lam really so shocked at this outrage on the law, that I cannot yet compose myself to write on the sob• ject.—You are my, good friend, mistaken in supposing ' I would object to the Coroner receiving exculpatory evidence:" because it is laid down by Sir Matthew Wale, that the Coroner is to hear as well the evidence which maketh for, as that which maketh against the prisoner. But had the law been otherwise, I think it would have been imprudent in me to make the objets. tion, becati4e it would have shown a conscious appro. hension that my case could be beaten down; feeling confident, however, that it could not be even shaken, hate therefore courted and challenged my opponents to produce witnesses; they have produced them, and every one has tended most strongly to support instead or • contradicting the evidence adduced by me. I should have been in London by this time, had I not known that nor friend was on the ro id ; I was , therefore, compelled to await his arrital, which has just taken place, and I am glad to state that he is in good health and spirits. We shall probably ,et off to-morrow, and he in town on Snm.lay. !Lye the goodness to acquaint Mrs. H. and family of this, and that I am well.—Mr. Dennison desires his respects to you. Your's moat truly, JANIES HARMER. From nastadt it is stated that Sande was consi tiered to be out of danger, and that his fate would he soon decided ;we suppose the new tribunal at Mayence. We understand that the late visit of Count Capn diatria to this country, had partly for its plea the representation of the disaffection of the inha bitants of the lonian States under the present system of government exercised there. He is, in tired, reported to have publicly declared at Paris, that unless this system is changed, the British Em pire runs a serious risk of losiug this valuable up. r end a g e. New York papers to the I tub, and Boston ult., have arrived. '1 My supply tin at'ilit Bence respecting the negociatirms with Florida treaty. A letter from Green Bay, ' chigan territory, dated July 19, gives a curious of the visitation of that country by clouds which may be compared with the swarms , moire darkened the air of Elvin in their j Tumid, as tar as the eve could discern, was f lh,•?•c insects (called by the French the Intim in consequence of making their appearance quitos arc most numerous and devouring I vezetatiou of all kinds was utterly devilled. ~ ~.1 ~_/ 1 to the 15th ~.V II lona' intelli.( ../ t ' * 7 -• \ 1 , ,ain as to the ''- .„...„,,,-.:‘ i.:.. in the Mi. 3 . i.... ; . ~ 1 non secoon ;;;;- tro . ki . tii i; ds of insects 44, killi which her ak,' - ritirht. Th ; -!!..' ~..k , .. ens fret! 14'11 V;;N, 0 0 01, ittio hawk .' .ry when nt, 404 ' , /.; ........) (hem). an d SUNDAY, OCI OBER 17, 1819. should have let the laws fairly and fully take their course, and have aided instead of doing any thing which would either retard or influecce their impar tial execution. Meetings contirue to be held throughout the kingdom, for various objects. Gene rally indeed for the wise and constitutional purpose of declaring their aLhorrenee of the fi,ul murders at Manchester, and of the violation of Cie Laws and Liberties of the Country which they involve, but but others, and those too frequent to be enumerated amongst the Reformers themselves, whose numbers seem to be daily augmented by the fresh causes of discontent which arc every day arising, and some few even for the extraordinary object of rearing Iresh Corps of Yeomanry, us if the lesson we have hal of their services weer not a sufficient antidote against the power of the Military mania. The funds have besn for several weeks gradually declining, and the accounts of the Quarter's Revenue just published, presents a deficiency of upwards of a million as compared with the corresponding quar ter of last year. Amidst minor creurrences, we may just mention, that the boasted Norwich Declaration turns out to abound with ABSOLUTE forgeries of names, and that the The Times has been excluded from the Reading.room, because its accounts of the proceedings at Manchester, are too true and faith ful to be borne. 'Upon this last point we can as sure our Readers that we h :ve bethre us a very considerable number of private letters from Man chester itself, all of which agree in every praise of the minute accuracy of that Paper. The Editors state, that its circulation has, from the public con fidence placed in its veracity, augmented Three Hundred a day within the few weeks last past ; and we have ourselves, great pleasure is thus adding our humble tribute of thanks to dust valua ble journal. PARIS P A P.EItS. Paris Papers of Tuesday last have beerrreecived. The indisposition of the Duke of Berry does not appear to have been so serious as it was at. first re presented ; lui Royal Highness, howevei,. is con fined to his chamber. The Deputies elected to represent Corsica in the Chamber of Deputies, are General Sebastiani and M. Ilatutdino. The former is known as one of Bonaparte's officers, and a Deputy of the Hun dred Days--the latter is cousin-german to Madame Letitis ilonaparte. It is remarked in the Journal de Debuts, that the stupidity of Itornolino was so great, that Napoleon, who studiously endeavoured to give political rank to every branch of his family, could make nothing of this fellow beyond a director ()rinses. It would thence appear, that his only title to his present elevation is his reiationship to the exiled Emperor. The private correspondence of the ConsiiMionnel, dated Madrid, the SOth ult. announces the irrevo cable breaking up of the Cadiz expedition. The military clothing and provisions, it is stated, have been burnt by authority ; and the soldiers, on re ceiving orders to march, fur the interior, deserted in all directions ; the Minister of War has issued orders for their being arrested. French and Eng lish merchants, it is observed. have had ail their hopes of advantageous speculations frustrated, and " have only come to die beside the ashes of their bales, which they have been compelled to resign to the flames." Arrests continue to increase in Ma drid and Granada; nt the latter town, it is said, the heads of the most distinguished families are now in prison. _ _ French Fund, Oct. 11.—Five per Cents, 69 f. 90 c.; Bank Stock 1,460 f. WT. 2 —The students of all the Prus sian Universities have been absolutely forbithlon from attending a general meeting of the a&socistion of Burschenehaft, which arrear s to h ave b een sum moutil by circulars. • onali Lk' A Dr* • l cj \Z %\ . ‘ r., : . 1 i i : . • .. , t k 4 .\.% r .1