The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-09-03 00:00:00

*allegisaMi to she Constitution uuder winds I rem'
(Clieent,)-1 'mow how stale this doctrine will appear to
those who wish to Merin, not whet ought to be done under
esiating circumstauces, but what they would do were every
thing to begin gain. 1 wish not to ♦eeome a pholosophr r
from the begio•ing of the world, by being a bad subject to
the age in which 1 lire.—(Cheers.)-11 say that a popular as-
sembly, according to the refornsieg principle, would laugh
al Monarchical Government, sod would be essentially a
repoblee. I shall not now inqiiire whether a republican
tom of government would be better time the present. I
feel myself bound by the laws
" Sparta. names es lane esoru•."
Improve the Constitution as Mach as you cart, but when :n
stteroast is made to renew it, 1 feel myielf benefit-if by the
law, and I og r re with the law in prefereuce to the theory.—
(been.)-1 remember • story told of a certain Kiiig of
Bobeinia, who was most anxious to become a great naval
power, bit •efor tunetely for his disbitioo, • gnat obstacle
presented itself, which was, that lot bad not a seaport in his
demialues.=(Cheer.• aid lireglite47.l feel wapatlf le lb*
same situatten with Ino Majesty ofßehemi• when a repute-
, pencils assembly is spoken of, I fed 1 elm not free to
choose, for 1 leave • monarchy lied ad aristocracy in my eye.
Etre within the limits of our own time, it is Magniar to ob-
serve the rarimis modes to w►ich Reform has been advocated.
Six years ago great and oppressive calamities burl the coon--
try. The price of corn bemuse ►ugly and fond became so
• dear that it wan unattainable by the lowest classes of society.
What was the remedy proposed then ? It•rliameatary Reform.
Parliamentary Reform was pointed out to the suffering people
es a remedy for every grievance. They were told that the
great landholders had passed the Corn Bill, sod that the
only remedy left was to put down those arsenical land-
holders, which could be effected only by Parlismemary
Reform. Well, the times are come round, the men.
Inds Me glutted, the people are feeding in comfort and
a®ience ; we see the happy effects of this le the steady ea t-
.ploynient of litho& at something of a reduced rate of wages
certainly, but still more than suffitiest to proctors the mess-
series of life; we see it in the reduction of poops rates, and
in the dissinuticie of crime. It wasld be rather hard if
those wbo, seven years ago, thought the country reined,
and declared the Parliament good for nought for having
passed the Corn hill, w►o saw the increase of crime conse-
quent upon the scarcity; it would be ember bard, 1 say, if
they dial not sympathise in that prosperity which bail
grown out of the reverse of what they had complained or.
—(Laughter.)—Well, low priers came, and landlords be-
eline distressed, sad what was then the reined; ? Par-
liamentary Return' *gain ;—(Liteghter)—so that by •
Parliamentary Reform they were to restore thegood old limes
of 1817, which times • Parliamentary Reform had been
called for to remedy—(Laughter.)—l do not wish to under-
rate either evil ; God forbid I should. Is both there is
much which 1 lament sad could wish to cure, but as to •
Reform in Parliament cerise both, I leave to the judgment
of any man who has seri it prescribed as • specific for such
opposite evils Reform is prescribed • panacea for every thing.
1 remember having • short time since somewhere read of an
artist who had attained considerable eminence in painting,
but who fur some unaccountable reason confined himself to
one branch of his art, that of painting a red lion.—
(laughter.)—He was employed by the landlord of • public
house, for whom he paneled s red hoe, in such excellent
style as considerably raised his professienal reputation, sad
he was in esesequeece sent fur by a geutlenme, who chewed
him a langopsusel in ►is parlour, upon which be wish-d to
have some pointing ted. The artist, after gram" con-
sidestiob, recommended that the vacant paunch should be
filled up with • large red lion—(Laughter,)—and a large red
lion was accordingly painted. to a short time after, he was
called upon by ■ neighbour in more humble eircomstaucer,
wbo had a small pannel in which he wished to have painted
• landse. pe, or some pretty trifle in water colours. The
painter opposed this plan, and warmly urged that, in order
to produce • pleasing effect, the pommel should have depicted
on it • small red lion.—(Cbeers sod laughter.)—ibis is the
case with the advocates of reform, in whatever direction you
meet them, and the most you can get from the most moderate
of them is, that they will introduce only the enattred lion
(Laughter.) Geoliensen, I wish these things were only en-
tertaining ; but there is mischief in them, and the country
most be on its guard; for, believe me, it the small red lion
once gets is, he will only be a precursor to the whole mena-
gerie—(ebeees)—and we shall have nut only to turn him cut
as he came in, but as be will have grown when pampered
end fed in his cage.—(Laughter.)—This subject becomes
the more important, when we consider that in the age
in which we lire, there exists is some countries an open,
and is others • secret, struggle •gaitnt monarchy and
aristocracy. God be praised we have not our pan to take In
such a struggle—God be praised we have sheerly delved
all the benefit which can Ise derived from the conflict, •nd
therefore i► is our duty set to side is the assault with those
who ask too mac►, or with those who will grant twilling.
We ought not to stimulate either party, we ought In stand
upon a firm basis as specimens interested in the contest, and
perhaps ultimately the umpire. But if we prematurely make
ourselves s party, we shall kw the comenandsag position
which we hold ; we shall also lose the power of doing much
good, sod perhaps rim the risk of Mavis( our own institutions
not altered but overthrown--(Clicers.)—To an audience leas
enlightened, I should fr.l ashamed to enter thus far into the
generalities, but our ceane,ioal Is one of principle, and to
that only do I owe any claim to your lineation. Whatever
may be my future destination, It will be • co•sulstiou to me
to niter., that 1 have laid is your hearts the foundation of
most lasting regard (cheers); asd believe me, Gentlemen,
' that nothing shall efface from my mind the recolkettin of
the many kiedsteises I hove received at your tituds.—(ol.eers.)
It may perhaps be thought oeceesary, after the speesh of ins
Honourable Mead, and the •lluaions he bas made to me,
that I should offer a few words to yo■ on topics cunnemed
with the preterit affairs of the country, and to the rumours
which have grown out of it. I cannot pretend to be igno-
rant of that part of those cantos,' which concern myself;
but I have felt great difficulty Id deciding, whether, by pee.
isig them over in mistime, to Weer the risk of being hereafter
messed of having concealed from you something that I
ought to have disclosed; or by allurlorg to them, to t imam
myself to the thousand miscoostructioes which beret every
word spokes of himself by a person connected with active
!editing. I hove decided epos braving the latter danger; ,
became I am sure that too asioconstruction nor rocoorentence
w►ich I may bring upon myself by speaking the truth, ca..
be soirksome to me as would be the suspicion, if ever 'wie-
ldier it should be excited In your minds, that I had wilfully
repaid your confidence with mistrust. Gentlemen, after
this preface, I have nothing to say to you, except that I bay,
really, and upon my honour, nothing to tell. 1 knew nu-
thiug, I have heard nothing, more than you, G• la!, woo, of
any political arrangements likely to arise from the resent
state of things. It is not for me to presume that I
should be le any degree concerned in such arrangements,
sae to do any tleng which should appear to imply such
a presumption. I have, therefore. utiliser proposed to
defer Slits meeting wit► my eonatitsrnrs, fixea, as pm 71
Meow, many numbs ago; our ►ave I suspended my pre
immune for departure; nor hive I any ground, berried. r.
those which lie open In common to me mid to all the world,
for appeekeroding that that departure at likely to be intercept-
ed. It will sot be expected of me thot 1 drould say mallow
of whet might, in a contrary suppostimar, be the vbeetlirue •
which it wouW become me to form. I can reply declare, wit.
the most perfect mucerity, that' such • dec,rton wou,l4lw
'fumed by me upon an honest and important review rat
eonsiderations mid Wonld be deerredaired, tot illy a:eitV•
entities ret my entered*, but upsoa Wham. ut nay distiltO A- • •
Ge•tleaes, misreads of this topic, upwoombecb I miglreiMii,'
perhaps, have hesitated to atter a murk 14 1 had not loess
infuriated that my silence pespecting it open a former ores-
'llion has beeornisinterpreed. 1 tryst I shell a.t now be mini
Interpreted AY other day; Ned that levier h-en understood
osicanosiaasty atsjoriug otlice at home, bum .iot adverting

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