The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-11-05 00:00:00

n
fellow countrymen, in consommes of Hsi commis-
'ion or approval of an act tablet] it cannot be de-
nied was at least stained with the blood of several
unresisting melt, women. and children, than be
attached to Those who joined with the majority of
the 'intim: in lamenting the act, and praying that
it might he made the subject of a solemn inquiry.
The crime., however, with which the Whigs of
Yorkshire are charged are, that they suggested
the necessity of 'his inquiry, and that a consider-
able body of the Radical Reformers were present
at the county meeting. We are told, that be-
cause the Patsicn RECENT had expressed
approbation of the conduct pursued by the Ma-
gistrates and yeoinany of Manchester, therefore
every good and loyal subject ought to re-
main satisfied that it was distinguished through-
ant by wisdom and temper. Thio is the di-
rect accusation urged ■gainst Earl FITZWIT.•
LIAM. and for this that illustrious patriot was
declared unworthy of sharing the confidence of his
Sovereign. Those who urge such a doctrine are
profoundly ignorant of one of the first and most
important principles recognised in the Constitu-
tion. It is au established rule in either House of
Parliament, that the opinions of the Sovereign
shall not he repeated in debate, lest the know-
ledge of them might bias the Members in the dis-
charge of their sacred duty; and as an improve-
ment upon this rule, and for the purposes of ad-
mitting the greatest possible latitude in discussion,
she salutary doctrine was instituted of regarding
every expression proceeding from the Monarch in
hi. political capacity, as conveying the sentiments
of his Nlinisters only. By the former it was im-
plied that the opinions of the Sovereign might not
be in conformity with the true interests of the
State, else why should the knowledge of them be
so jealously concealed from the Members of Par-
liament ?—but by the latter both Parliament and
the country were saved from the indecency and in-
convenience of entertaining or avowing such a sup-
position. Upon this, as the principles of freedom
began to be better understood, was founded the
doctrine of the responsibility of the Ministers of the
Crown; but if the avowal of the Monarch's senti-
ments were to prevent all discussion, and to shut
the mouths of the whole people upon any subject,
no molter what may be their opinions or its im-
portance, not only would the doctrine of the re-
sponsibility of the Ministers, so salutary not to the
people only, but to the throne itself, become a con-
temptible nullity, but the freedom of mind and
the liberty of interchanging thought would he lost
to the country for ever. For these reasons, and
with the respect which the Constitution inculcates,
we assert our belief, that, upon the atinir of Man-
chester, the PRINCE [Wiwr lire as yet formed no
opinion whatever; that he has not been constitu-
tionally advised upon the subject ; and that he
is altogether unable to form an opinion upon it
until he shell have received iiii..rmation respecting
it aflicislly. either by the judgment of a Court of
Law, or the decision and address of either House
of Parliament.

The argument, however, of the Ministers and their
adherent.' ,rfr
an Tunes,

rites of a

or of STUA
Prince of t!

same style
hle to any

performed

to which t►
sanction of

son and soulb
the First re►ol,
ct.nsent of -

is now esteemed
whet. he resisted
party as •

now condetni
false to their

•nd if diuge

tion •re unworthy
reign, wis!

the Court
not to odl

trates' justil

cultivating
to act upon
of Earl F'
complaint
upon the ground
and approved

were thry
impropriet
of punishing

meat reoide

no nectssit.
against men

aurdily be
the Executi,
not ourrely
A trial wool

could not consirtently

use mode by
their Sovereign.

The next
Radical•

rowdy meeting.
Duke of W
other Whip,

~~~_~

o%' Nit

• ~.2. \,. I r .., .
stances over which They could exercise i comot 1
that they must answer not for their own foult.,lh.it
for the faults of others. A meeting of th« fr,,_
holders of the extensive and populous comity of
York was summoned in the ;Dual manlier, ate

"lien such Meetings are held in the open air, it is
impossible to exclude persons, even ti.i.tivi:
claim to admission may not depend upon » fire!int.i
lease; it is generally thought sufficient if persoi.
not freeholders are prevented from speaking. Bet
it is said that the Radicals marched into
Castle-yard in large bodies. How was it /moo
to distinguish the great body of these people from
freeholders ? or have we been assured that the
jorily of diem were not freeholders A 'ladiest
may hold lands and tenements for a life or lives, .5.
w.ll as a Tory, and should a Radical be a Gs,:
holder, we are not aware of any law or usage ley
which he can he excluded on account of his poll.
tical opinimia; moreover, we think it world palti•
LAVATER himself to tell a Radical by the angle f
his nose, the shape of his mouth, or the thin of LIS
chin. But why should we presume that there were
any Radicals present at the York meeting? We
can estimate the character of a public well;
solely by the nature of its acts, end it is reamt:i.
able that not a word was spoken either its the lit.
solutions adopted by the meeting, or the stritiairt.is
uttered by the speakers, with the eyceptien of ,
few words from a man who is strongly su.pecird
being a hired agent of the Minister., and that rct
one of the flags exhibited on that orcai-ion,
sonic of them had been brought from a disarm er
forty miles, contained as emblem or motto ieftr.
ring to Parliamentary Reform.

The Tories, however, take especial care that co
Radicals, whether freeholders or not, shall intrude
upon their snug little meetings, consequently titer
are as free from the reproach as they are from the
inconvenience of their presence. Bet let the
cumstances of the country be changed. Suppoft
the present Ministers we►e popular (etis hard i•:dr~
to form such a suppositiop), and that their sikeisiii.
dared boldly to appeal to the public voice, worild
they conceive their object, whether of congrutuiii.
tion or condolence, defeated by the presence of a
man, or a number of men, not being freeholders,
provided their sentiments accorded with those ef
the leaders ? We question whether the drummers
and fifers who signed the Norfolk Declaration are
freeholders, and yet in some few days their names
will be referred to by Ministers in Parliament, acd
they will he counted against the names of Noe.
TOLE, A LiEMARLE, COKE, and the long cr eetr•a
by which they are accompanied. This, hvrerer,
is certain, that there is no more obvious mefrif of
obtaining a knowledge of the sentiments gri.eraly
entertained in a county at large, than by conven-
ing a general meeting in the usual minim; •h'•e
all who are entitled may appear, and if the noem-
bly permit, may express their opinioiis.
shewit by the multitude is the most con, hiring proof
that he who enjoys it conveys the sentiments of the
miljoyity, and if the man who experiences nothing
from them but hisses and execrations be not saii.tiell
that hie opinions are not pleasing to the people there
-mbled. shall him down --

is perfectly consistent with their principles assembled, we shall write him down an inentrigii)le
, and would have better suited the filvoit. I madman. From all the recent public meetings the
N Sovereign of the [louse of Tunoa, Tories absented themselves. Why ?—Feint the •r
lair. than the responsible Ministers of a own conduct shall we condemn them. They well
the illustrious House of BRUNSWICK. The knew that the current of public opinion ran tit noir is
eof reasoning would be equally applies- against them, and that their feeble exertions would
r act (of arbitrary power which might be be unable to stem its progress.
I by die command of the Ministers, and
they might obtain, or affect to obtain the We are extremely sorry to learn that a vpii:t of
if their Sovereign. It was excellent res. disturbance prevails in some parts of Ireland, where
mind law, when the Ministers of CHARLES the most exemplary loyalty and patience nadir
resolved to levy ship.money, without the severe sufferings have hitherto been mstiri-steil.
f Parliament, and „lowa IiaMeDEN, who We perceive that a Requisition has been
steetned by all a virtuous patriot. was. hysoate Magistrates of the connty of Rosconintoti In
resisted payment, denounced by the Court the High shwa, requiting him, requente
a traitor and a Roundhead. If all who of the disturbed state of the county," to :.tart mot, a
letnii the Magistrates of Manchester are (nesting of the Magistrates of the 'Suomi, !or tl:e
teir KING, and enemies to their couutry— purpose of devising the most proper messures to, he
Live who respectfully desire an itivest,ga. adopted hi salon circuussiancrs. The result wilt
unworthy the confide/see of their Sore- probably be an Add-ent to the Loan Ltit-rai.atur.
tat will be thought or the Judges of to put in force, in she most disturbed districts. the
rt of King's Bench, shield they chance provisions of Mr. Pit es Police Act. Ily skis Art.
Nitwit the sufficiency of the Magi,- I should any individual be found out of hie home
intication ? Were the Judges desirous of between sunset •-I...:Anrise, he is ;Ater 0? e.trtke.
g the favour of the hi mister% they ought 4 tion sif this cdilet.4lo. ivy two IhiagiPt 'SOW, 109 thee (41"
in the principle which led to the removal of credible witnesses, en be tral,sliurtid for sect:,
FlTzWit.Llam, and refuse to hear any }ears I We hare heard of untre instances
t against the Magistrates of littrachester, Magistrates were thought to 'hew somewhat roo
ground that they had *heady been tried much precipitancy to requiring from GoverntrriA
owed by the Sovereign himself. Indeed such vast and eatrsordioary pow., e. We SljN..• •
to act thus there would be but Mile bend, however. that these dirtarbavices are'tc
ty in the decision ; because, as the duty old character, and have nothing to do with the -
ling and the power of resulting pinkish- dice! Some weeks have elapseil since •
de in the Executive *ply, them would be anwesweed that the *ld party, called the ittl.fun
ity for entertaining a criminal process. men, bed extended their ramifications to V,e
d,-
ten who could not without uunifest rection of those parts, the tranrintllity of which it
e punished, if we were to 'approve that now threatened.
utive had already determiugd itt
fats,
yof their initorewee but of their manse Paris Papers of Monday inform us of the in-rival
sold now be useless, because punishment of the young Queen of Scant in Melfri.l olt 11'P
consistently follow guilt. Thus is one of 21st, sod of the solemniastion of her merriage nu
iveniences flowing how the precipitate. the 22d ef last month: _Mr Wows was actin»•
by the Ministers of. the meted mime of ',vied into the capital hy the KING, And wiei re-
gn. exited by the Ishabstauts with the liveliest %utmo-
st charge against the Whigs that the ill" of erePeet sad raft-ties.
formed a considerable portion ef the Thryelloo fever daily ioreesses. its Cadiz.
eeting. It is somewhat strange that the King pf Srsitr, has argoessert• the amt.,,,,,„ee
Noaroca, Earl FITZWILLIKIWand the celebrated French physi:ien, distingin,hed
igs, should be accountable far circutso cularly by his skill in treating the yellow lever.