The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-01-01 00:00:00

t
power and dignity by being enforced with as little
unnece►sery rigour as possible.
The Wagon Curler does not specify the pre-
cise nature of the suspicion winch these 20 or 30
loludgeoned heroes were calculated to excite; but,
from the business in which they were engaged, one
would auppose that their object most be to effect
some design against the Government of the cools-
try. Their purpose, however, we find was of a
more ignoble character—for, after souse difficulty,
one of the prisoners confessed that they proposed to
attack, not • royal castle, or a barrack, but an
humble farmer nt the neighbourhood, who was
peered of having some money in his strong box.
The Radicals in and near Manchester hive re-
solved to hold a general fast this day, bring the first
of the year, as an expression of their grief for the
loos of their long-loss liberties. No intimation is
given of the milliner in which this fast is to be .o•
lemnized, whether in private or in public. The
new law against seditious meetings does not prevent
an assembly of people, however numerous, provid-
ed tiwre be no discussion of political ►mbjects.—
Possibly this scheme of holding a solemn fort mielit
have been devised as an expedient for assembling a
multitude of people together without incurring the
peiishies prescribed in the new Art. The itinerant
molars will mow prob.bly siotopt some of Cans,-
WELL'S character, arid btcedte preachers as well as

,•I
lanes of Are Bank at the prereet‘menieet are a Tit-
tle more than twenty-two millions. This, however,
may be considered as the lowest point of redaction,
being immeduitely preparatory to the payment
the thriJeritls commencing on the 6th or 7th of this
mouth. This circuit:taloa*/ alone would induce

.)

hope that we are not doomed to suffer in the ensuin,
or any tutor.. ',elm the sameagitatinn astriahirm which
were felt during the year just terminated ; for,
the value of property will Irons this forward
regarded as more pe►manent then hitherto, and as
it will by the operation of the plan of bullion pay.
mem+ he secured hum any sudden or extensive
variation in the amount of the currency, capitalists
will he induced to employ their money with confi-
dence, and profitable labour will thereby receive an
infusion of new life and vigour.

It cannot be denied that • considerable portion
of our distresses arose from • superabundant popu-
lation, and when we reflect upon the extensive
relief already afforded in this respect by emigration
silotte, and the discouragement given by poverty to
early marriages, we may di►cern soother cause
fir entertaining a hope that the present year will
be less calamitous than the last. We are also told
that tine revenue begins already to improve, and
that trade begins to look brisker than usual. The
improvement of the revenue will be found nut
only an indication, but a cause of commercial im-
provement : for if by any means, either of increased
revenue, or diminished expenditure, some portion of
our national debt, however small, can be bona fide
redeemed within the year, the employment of capi-
tal will be proportionably facilitated and promoted.
This is an advantage winch the perverse policy of
our Ministers will, however, not suffer us to ex-
pect in the present year is for even should the sink-
ing fund redeem from three to four millions of the
public debt, the Government will sweep it out of
the market. The policy of the ',resent Ministers has
brought England to the brink of ruin, and they
stein incapable of discovering, or correcting their
error, the financial condition of the coun-
try demands their utmost concern, their only soli-
citude lois been to strengthen the power of the
Crown, and to abridge the privileges of the people.

The commenceinent of a new year is always felt
by every individual as an it►terrsting epoch in his
life, and generally gives birth toe moment of sell-
out reflection, in which the events of the past, and
the hopes or fears of the ensuing year, are rapidly
and anxiously considered. Those whu are most
accustomed to examine or record political occur-
rences, or to inquire into the nature and cha►acter
of political measures, will be directed by a similar
feeling to review the public events that distinguish-
ed the year just terminated, and to eudeavour,
by a consideration of the past, to anticipate the
prospects which the future is likely to taufold. It
cannot be now questioned that we have closed a
year of great and singular calamity—singular in the
evils which befel the country, and unhappily sin-
gular in the measures. proposed for our relief. It
will be remembered that at the commencement of
tl►e last Session of Parliament the country was told
by the highest authority that its trade,
tures, and commerce were in the must fl.airishing
condition, that the revenue was improving, .and
that the Crown would readily unite with Parliament
ii securing to the people the foil advantages of
peace. The year seemed to commerce under the
most auspicious circumstances, yet we have been
since told by the Ministers of the Crown, that
this representation was altogether deceitful ; a
fair ■id flattering exterior was thrown over the
condition of the courtly, but all within was dis-
tress and misery ; ■ diabolical spirit was actively
employed, taking advantage of the courtneicial
difficulties under which the country laboured, mid
private calamity wits perverted into the means of
disturbing the public peace ; sedition and blas-
phemy, we are told, walked hand in hand through
the station, filling the mouths of the people. and
polluting their hearts. The Parliament did not
sit one mouth brfore the incorrectness of the Tr.
preoeutations given by the Ministers was manifest,
to the world. Instead of a flourishing commerce,
we had a forced and unnatural exportation, whicltr•
only drained the capital of the country, and gent
no return; instead of a contented and inditstriom,
population, giving health and vigour to the Ouverssr
n►eut, we had mobs of paupers, inflamed by pauper
demagogues undertaking to correct the errors of
the Legislature, and seeking to alleviate their own
distresses by rendering calamity universal ;
iu-
steed of an improving revenue, which might enable
Parliament to carry into effect the gracious desire
of the PasseE RFOSNT, of securing to the people li
the full advantages of peace, the Ministers main-
tained a war establishment, increased the deft of
the kingdom by the addition of capital to the
amount of forty millions, and imposed new taxes
calculated to produce three millions. Such were
the promises and hopes held out by the Ministers

Paris Papers of Monday and Tuesday last have
arrived at our Office. The Chamber of Deputies
met sin the 27th, but the members were occupied in
bureaux, in examining the accounts of the year
NIB. The Gazette de France of Monday con-
tains a mysterious paragraph, respecting some
strange rumours which have been circulated in
Perla for a few days." For prudential motives the

E•hitnr of the Gazette de France declines giving

greater publicity to these reports; but it adds, that
an order was issued to distribute five hundred
rounds of ball-cartridges to the several posts oc-
cupied by the national guard of the capi,al. An
individual has been arrested in Amsterdam, under
very mysterious circumstances, and detained in
dose confinement. Conjecture has been very busy
in endeavouring to ascertain the prisoner's name,
who is now asserted to be the notorious MERLIN
DE DOUAY.

The Bank of France has appt.is.ted a dividend
of 30 fr. per action to be paid to the proprietors of
stock, on the 3d of January, being for the second
half year of 1819.
The Ga:ette de Madrid contains a Royal Order
to the Council of Castile, that the members should
proceed to the formation of a new Penal Code for
the kingdom of Spain, in which they are carefully
to define 14 class criminal actious, and apportion
the various kinds and degrees of punishment.
The trial of General SATAILY. Duke of Ruvign,
fur the purpose of clearing the contempt for which
he was, in the year 1816, condemned to death, was
held me Monday last, before the First Council of
War. The General was unanimously pronounced
Nut Guiliy. A report of the trial will be found
in another part of our Paper.
The French Five per Cents, on Monday last
were, 71 fr. 30 c.—Bank Stock, 1,40 fr.

AVe learn from German Papers winch have sr.
rived at our Office, that the benevolent intentions
of the King of Wrivramaarc towards his afro.
fiance subjects have not been biassed by the seer.

,_,...r.tseacement of the year, and such the
bitterness of the realty.- Vol 'lieu -the fruit which
MILToI raises to punish his fallen angels—
a Fair frail, like that •
Which pew in Paradise, the bait of Eve, -
Used by tbeTesoptee—
could be mote delusive thou the picture of internal,
prosperity held out by the Government. TheA,,
people have " chew'd the bitter ashes" of tli.aps
pnintusent, and now, to increase their sufferings,
they nod their rights curtailed without any prospect
that the sources of their distresses will Le explored,
or any effectual relief be granted.
During the course of the year, however, one
great and solid good was achieved by the formation I _
of a certain plan for the gradual restoration of We are happy to lean that trade begin. to im-
our ancient currency. N. man could have ex- prove. and that in some instances an advance of
petted that this, or any other plan for effecting wages has been given to the labusering classes.
this great national object. could be carried into Theme _
a] following is an extract of a letter received
cw heater :
operatioss without producing a large share of prim.
" MANCHESTER, DECEMBER 29.
tics' evil. The country. however, we trust, has 's Our cotton market continues healthy, and
encountered all the difficulty which could have for bowed. higher prices WV already obtained.
been fairly apprehended ream ate plans. The Bank Brasil cottonsli are else beldefoir higher, prices ;and.
boa reduced its imam to the Iteseitw-iteint stecessoy, ohmilkHewriwfee")
s'„ we
hore lusts imheoryeN4 c)r.iugeslrn could oes ore still
per be
haps we
"jibe add, even kelt Shim the eirculls" improving, sod likely to be better. This has in.
iteMee. of the ea" "Via". •Dr ON accounts duced some of the losnsfaCturers to give 9d. per
laid before -7 Parliament. it will be Amor *it ohs piece advance as weniug. Twig )e also higher."
... ..... . . --
-•e kr, ..a. -„,;

Ili* Majesty is resolved to fulfil all his promises re-
specting the observant of the constitution, which
the Assembly of the States, in union with their So-
vereign, framed during their last Session. He has
1 convoked the States of Wirtemberg for the 15th of
this month, notwithstanding the earnest lemon.
strances of the greater Powers of Germany, who de-
sired that he should postpone the meeting of his
people mail the decisions of the Congress of Vienna
were known.
A contagious disease, supposed to be the plague,
ham broken out on the frontiers of admatia.
•