The National Register.
London, England, 1820-06-05 00:00:00

THE PITT CLUBS.

The Metropolitan and Provincial News-papers
have been lately filled with long accounts of the
celebrations of the memory of the lateWrtuusst PITT,
and we are thereby enforced to an examiration of
the grounds and reasons which Englishmen can pos-
sibly have to celebrate his memory We would tread
lightly over this dead man's ashes, although we
maintain that such a man is open to the free
animadversion of posterity, and that posterity, fur
their own sakes, are bound not to tamper with truth
in estimating such it character. It is our opinion,
or at least our hope, that had Mr. Pitt lived, be
would have watched the opportunity of returning
paw, and have returned to those principles upon
which be set out, of reform and of attachment to.
and furtherance of, the popular principles of the
Constitution; and that it was merely a mixture of
apprehension raised by others in his mind at the
opening of the French revolution, warped also by
ambition and love of maintaining his polities] amen.
daney, which diverted him from that course of
which, for the honour of hums. natures we will
lir he never ends* lost sight.
But after this ceneessims to charity. mad which is
mere opinion after all, let us look to those facts anti
actual circumstanees upon which the Tory faction
in this country celebrate his 'sensory; nee because he
prodeldisify delayed, but because be, during the
peat and most important era of his political life,
entirely put out of the scale of public action any
magmas for popular privilege; because be sup.
ported not the general interests of the people, or
their voice, but because he upheld those institutions
which had alone their origin in the intended good
of the people, without listening to the people as to
any modifications in those institutions which were
felt necessary to the general welfare, and which,
having grown old by lapse of time, required in the
opinion of the people some inspection and repair.—
For we ask, is Mr. Pitt ever toasted by his admirers
at Pitt Dinners, for having advocated which he did
advocate in the years of youth, innocence, and feel-
ing, the cause of an improved representation of the
people? and yet did he not pledge himself before he
was first in power to forward this object ? When he
got into place, he might, it is true, have found that
this did not suit the ideas of his 'loyal Master as to
royal authority. But we ask, is it intended, when
we consider the controul over the public money and
the power of impeachment of Ministers vested in
the House of Commons, it is intended, by the spirit
of the Constitution, that a Mc:arch's single wish
should be a sufficient reason for a Minister to give
up what he knows to be his duty ? Let public men
be hontst enough to say to the Crown, " We can
not accept place unless such and such measures be
carried," and then the Crown must feel a coustitu•
ties* necessity of complying with the wishes of the
people, if those who manage the affairs of the people
were true to their fellow.subjects ; and thus it is
stud, and truly, that the King can do ...I) wrong.
because nothing offensive to the people can be dune
Without Ministers, and no one is obliged to accept
tlie office of Minister upon terms hostile to the
wishes of the people.
But the truth is, that there has been sown (so
tree is it, that at our birth we have the seeds of our
dissolution within us), at even date almost with the