The National Register.
London, England, 1819-06-27 00:00:00

No. 1193.—V0L. 1I I.]

VoMica' llctrozpect.

Tut new taxes seem to go down with more dif-
ficulty, and to be less easy of digestion than we be-
lieve his Majesty's Ministers were prepared to expect.
Our own opinion can only be one more repeated,
liy condemning in toto the principle itself of peace-
taxation. We are therefore not likely to be satis-
fied with either the time or manner in which that
principle is now acted on. But we cannot, nt the
same time, in comnion justice, ihrbear stating,
that we think the administration most unfairly dealt

with, by those upon whose uniform and zealous co-
operation they had an unquestioned ground to
reckon. Their own partisans and friends are not
only crying out, but have been putting themselves
at the very bead and front of the battle arrayed
against them. Now that those, who have, front the
very outset, never failed to lift up their voice•against
that fa.al and ruinous system which has brought us
to the dilemma we are in, should feel indignant at
being called upon fir sacrifices which no act of theirs
has contributed to render necessary, but on the con-
trary, whose warnings have Leen -slighted, whose
advice has Leen contemned, and themselves, made
the object of ohliquy and reproach, for the very op-
position they have given, is fair and natural ; but
where, let us ask, is the right or justice of complaint
from those who have hallooed on, for five and twenty
years, a most profligate and wanton expenditure,
having harangued at Pitt Clubs upon the sublime
conceptions and daring courage of a Minister whom
113 financial difficulties ever could appal, who added
above six hundred millions to our debt, and aug-
mented our taxes raore than sere')-fold ; who when
a tax was not sufficiently productive actually- set it
up to sale as a freehold inheritance, and when all
the precious metals of Europe would hare been ina-
dequate to supply his demands, by the magic of his
\vand, could realize all the fabled ctories of the
philosophers stone, and give to a scrap of paper
ssuietl by a trading company all the character and
currency of real gold.; who after having stunned our
ears and astonished our senses by encomiums upon the
strength, and wealth, and resources of this treat
nation, and laughed at the idle fears and croakings
uf discontented Whigs, arc now seen " turning their
backs upon thentselees," and their darling system,
and meanly murmuring at thepayment of a reckoning,
which they not only never objected to being run up,
but aided, supported, and encouraged whilst it was
contracted. We have seen a prodigal spendthrift
sil;ander away his fortune, and carelessly toss up firr
stake of his last shilling. 'But in this there
was at least consistency. There was what the an-
,:cats called the ePeency of a character uniformly
sipported. But we really know not to have ever
heard any thing so truly paltry, so truly unworthy
of that high-flown lore of our country which we had
been taught to believe distinguished every " genuine
son of Pitt," as their recent opposition to Taxes,
which we arc told have been rendered ipevitably
necessary, by the very measures they have ,all
along hauled as the only system that could se-
cure to us the blessings so repeatedly
.promised by
t!.2 " Heaven-born Mini:ter" We had thought
that the patriotism of a Pittitc contained nothing
selfish, nothing interested, and we are quite sure
that their Munitions master left them on this point
a toast aitairablc lc:atm—for he cared so little for 1