The National Register.
London, England, 1815-02-05 00:00:00

FEB. 5.

!hock will ht. great, and must be severely felt. But we
do not despond, if the resources of the country are but
utieri-41 to develOpe themselves ; if the talents of its sub-
ject.; are called forth ; if the hearts of the people are
but united in pursuit of the national good. Should stpch
be the case—should we avail ourselves of the improve-
ments of modern art, and the experience of the last event-
ful twenty years, we have only to will lt, to be a gredt, to
b? a free, and to he a happy nation.
Since writing the above, we, find that the.parties in the
great contest in which thk: question of starvation is to be
tlecided, have taken their stand.
The party advocating the measure is happy ,to find that
the o7inion of Mr. Malthus sanctions the idea of a restric-
tion on importation. We are bound to respect the opi-
nions of this learned, intelligent, and ingenious writer ;
but, ou this occasion, we must beg leave to withhold.our
approbation. We do, it under the idea, that there arc
general principles that no ingenuity can alter, no sophistry
invalidate, and the overthrow of which would endanger
the safety and disturb the peace of the state.

But it seems that on this occasion there is to be an union
of interests. The great body of landholders, headed by
those gentlemen from Ireland and England,"• more gener-
ally found in the ranks of opposition, have formed them-
selves into a phalanx, which, aided, as it is said, by the.
Government, they think will prove equal to that of Ma-
cedon.

Indeed so confident of success are these gentlemen,
tint the coffee-house politicians have procured the name
of the member, who is to introduce the measure into the
I.Nislature ; and the prices at which importation is to be
restricted. So that the people of Great .Britain have t?.l
wait but a few days (for we understand it is to be one OC
the first measures of Parliament) to learn the result of this
combination of movement in the various parties of the
State.
It is possible, nay we fear we may say, that it is pro!.
bable the measure will be carried, unless there. be
such an expression .of the popular feeling as during the
course of the last year arrested its course. We deprecate
it as the fertile 'source of mischief—it violates the.true
principles of political economy—it touches the re.elings
of the people in the tenderest point—it cannot pveu be
iscussed ithout the reputation of its advocates being
hazarded—it cannot be carried into
.etrect without the
utmost danger to the peace and happiness of the State.
There is nothing around us that calls. for sue,h a discus-
sion at this moment. On the other hand, there is much
to make it imprudent *nd dangerous. We are compelled
to abandon a fruitful source of supply to our revenue.
The Sinking Fund,which its great founder intended should
he guarded as vigilantly as the sacred lire of antiquity, is,
it seems, to be again invaded, and we are to look forward
to no relief from a pressure of debt, the magnitude of
pith, without. the aid of this ineqimable fund, must
alarm'the most sanguine ; but which, aided by its benefi-
cial influence, would prove, itself easy, very easy, to be
borne. This is our prospect,. with a rival before us unen-
cumbered with debt,. her subjects unfettered by injudici-
ous imposts, her raw commodities unclogged with almost
prohibitory duties; and yet with this prospect, the people of
Great Britain are to learn, that there is to be no reduction
in the prices of the necessaries of life, and that this measure
is to be trade an act of their ewe, Ms itis to erilinate with
their representatives. •
. •

do

As to the arguments to be used on this occasion,
not know whether much novelty, or merely unfounded
alarm, and that alarm- excited by self interest, is to be ex-
pected. But we trust we shall not hear of the diabolivat
doctrine attempted to be enforced last S€ssion of Parlia-
ment, " that labouring people perform more work when
corn is dear than when it is cheap." " There is no coubt,
observes Mr. Naismith, " that the powerful call of pa-
rental z,ffection will,. in times of dearth, force the parents
of a number of helpless children to make uncommon ex-
ertions to stilt tha clamour of hunger in their families
but such exertions, if long continued, must produce dis-
eases, premature old akr, and depression of mind in the
parents, and a total neglect of proper education among the
rising generation. Humanity shudders to think that it
should he the desire of people in the higher ranks to reduce
their inferiors to such a miserable situation."

Take physic. pomp,
Expose thyself to feel ►chat wretches feel.
That thou may':-t shake the supet flux to them,
Aud show the Heavens more just.—lit N G LEtR.