The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-08 00:00:00

it itiittr+

Our Eting, Coniaitution anb gai33o.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1817.

nerally been a man of high naval reputation, and to
this practice Lord Cochrane owed his first election,
facilitated, indeed, by his prudence, in not having
shewn his teeth until he thought he had it in his
power to bite. By this conduct of his Lordship, an
entire change was produced. The ministry and their
friends had supported his election, in return for the
services he had rendered the State as a brave and enter-
prising sailor; but no sooner was he seated in his place
than he became an opposer of all their measures ; and,
flattered by the huzzas of a Palace-yard mob, he joined
in the cry of " radical reform." Thus was the balance
destroyed which had so long existed between the two
parties, and, from that moment, those gentlemen
among you who arrogate to themselves the character
of " independent," have been unceasing in their en-
deavours to improve the adrantage which they had
obtained. They argued, that it' Westminster could
do so much, what could not the other parts of the
kingdom do, if constituted like Westminster? And
what could not be done it' all were still more free—if
annual parliaments and universal suffrage were esta-
blished on the ruins of the prusent system.of " corrup-
tion and oppression."
No man should set himself up as a pattern to his
neighbours, without he has some pretensions to supe-
rior virtue himself; neither should you be fixed upon
as an example of political purity, without your actions
well accord with the character which is attempted to be
given to you. Let us look at some of the candidates
who have at various times solicited, and some of whom
obtained, your favour. Horne Tooke, John Graham,
Paul, Cochrane, and shall we have to add O'Connor?
What a list ! p low complimentary to your judgment !
how flattering to your vanity ! Not a bold and fac-
tious demagogue, nut a stabber of private character, not
a tricking plunderer of the unwary, be he as ignorant
as Hunt, as impudent as Cobbett, but finds support
among the " independent Electors of Westminster."
It is not my intention in this letter to investigate
how your representatives have fulf►lled the duties of their
high station, or what were the precise merits of those
candidates, who, though unsuccessful, fimnd favour
with thousands of you. These considerations will form
the subject of a future letter, in 'which I will endea-
vour to shew how far the plenitude of your elective
rights has secured you from the attempts of factious
innovators, or tricking, jobbing

AN Ei.,cron.

A memorial has been presented to the Board of Trade
by the merchants of Kingston, Jamaica, on the state of
the tradebetween that port and the Spanish Colonies.—
The great advantages which Great Britain would de-
rive from the establishment of the independence of the
Spanish Colonies are placed by this.memorial in a most
striking light. It states, that since these colonies have
been thrown open to the Brit;sh flag, the trade with
them has multiplied beyond alt expectation ; that up-
wards of ten millions ster/ing of British manufitctures
alicady have been introduced among a numerous but
almost unknown people; and that, being now familiar-
ised to their use, there is every reason to believe that
the increase of consumption would be incalculable were
the intercourse to be kept free free interruption. The
swarm of insurgent privateers which have lately infested
the South seas are stated, however, to have greatly
alarmed the traders and endangered their property;
and a hope is expressed that his. Majesty's government
will see tit to afford the interests of his subjects that
protection by convoy, which is common to the trade of
outlet and consumption of British manutlieturers in
these parts of the world.
The Duke of Devonshire, prior to his leaving Eng-
land, ordered several Vases of. classic tbrm to be exe-
cuted in the finest Amethatipe fluor of Derbyshire,
with a view of assisting the nt3nut:ictory, then declin-
ing, from the influx of Italian alabaster, These beau-
tiful vases, &c so pleased the highest circles in St. Pe-
ter,burgh, surprising any productions of the Emperor's
mines in Siberia, that several oral rs have been received
from this, his Grace's introduction,

PRICE 9ili