The National Register.
London, England, 1819-05-10 00:00:00

MONDAY, MAY LO, 1819•

1 ject. It might be the means of checking much
ext•avagance, and exposing many immoral expedi-
ent, that arc persevered in under the plea of state
necessity. Were a knowledge of what is passing
in France more generally diffeted, or the spirit that
is working there better apyreciated; it would appal
the most determined opponents of retrenchment, and
make them shrin,- from the coaseqnences of that
•selfieht trity pinorift, "fed zutkpAa if ittpliies ;11.07 ~n. rl,l
Inmate.. 1t %.,otildatso• go' fair totisras iuTiprerrieje '
thc.t 'tone :cf dictati2n and ro.proach which'!he
English joninals,',dhvoted to ministers, are4h;the
habit of iisiiig;•as'oft .n as They advert to, ttre:pfro-
ceedings of ilie'Frencli 'Legislature, or •thecondect
of the French governmetit. Such linguage is a
• violatioa of all courtesy, mid is certainly a gross
•
incite}, of the equality supposed to exist. between
independent States. At this moraent it evinces a
glaring dereliction °fell the ohvions rules of policy;
for the French people, whatever nay be the feelings
of the French government, are not in u temper to
bear it calinly. It also endangers the security of
that legitimate orikr ef government, as it is called,
to vindicate which Englai..l poured out her best
blood, and expended immense treasures. To speak of
it us mildly us possible, it. is as contrary to the spirit
of peace and goud neighbourhood, as it is insolent
towards Fuel, a nation as France.

•There is not a country upon earth, in which a
more determined resistance exists to every pretent'Am
that has rally the sanction of ancient usage in its
favour, than in France. -Time does not consecrate
titles, privileges,, or even services; and it may be
confidently asserted that no honorary distinction,—
no meritorious act which has its oigin in a period
beyond th of the revolution, is held in repute. We
are fir from pretending to say that tbis feeling is
correct; we merely maintain that it exists; and nu
one can believe to what extent it prevails, unlesshe
has bad ocular proof. Th..: name ot' Montmoiency
is not held in any t:iing like the same estimation as
that af..L.nnues; and the far greater part of French-
' men' see more lustre in the title of Montaello than
in that of—Luxemburgh. ‘Vith sue!' sentiments.
they were not likely to acquiesce in an order of •
things, in which the old nubility should I.ave the
the exclusive, control. Yet this forlorn cause has
still many adherents amongst men of great political
influence in Et ;;land, and some hoptless.adherents
in F ranee, ‘vi- :,-I.nrine the chimera selely in cense-
' quence of hopes held out by tl:e former. The per.
*one, who, iniaer the shield of British influence,
were to act this part, have unfortunately not a r:n-
gle quality of mind to justify the choice. They
arc, besides, totally devoid of political expericare.
They moreover display an unaecountable ignorance
of the character of their countrymen ; arid, in al
their discourses, proclaim opinions that ore held in
the deepest abhorrence. They are not eves
distin-
guished far eloquence: and have performed no
achievements that denote courage or greatness of
mind, and which wood -qmdify them •for the peril-
ous part they were selected to act. They furnish in
fact an exact criterion of the old French character—
vain, restless, stipectie:al.and indiscreet ; and it is
strange, as well as in the highest degree suspicinns,
that these weak and truly insignificant men have
porcrftil .patrour in this country—who feed their

A r -.-

-

LP MC E 94d.

wild hopes, and encourage them in their factious
attempts.

We can assart from personal ea well as recent ob-
servation, that they art objects of the utmost con-
tempt and abbotream to at blast mine-tenths of the
French people ; and that nothing leas than the ex-
termitiwion id' all the enterprising spirits in Franae
could give them the ascendancy. When an attempt
was made On the return of the Duke of 'Richelieu
from the Congress at Aix-la-Chapelle, to place treat
pere;rakiflnot possible to describe the surprise
4,1'1*(4f-ton rit :opeasitined. 'Hai it succecsied,
ranceatta.l4l:lie'the scene of a general tronsairaey ;
-4. id agmaidoraliteaareparat ions were actually made to
• use it wilt foace. The defeat of that :t ill-ean-
ip
•certed and intemperate plan saved the party, wilts
were to Is: actors in it, from sweeping destruction.;
though it must be confessed that the scheme itself
• has done the greatest injury to the. royal cause, It
shewud tan plainly the weakness of its partisans ;
and therefore the advisers of it conmeitted Alt irre-
parable error. No experienced Statesman would
have raised the veil which concealed the feeblenesn
of the Royalists ; and that °veva:et:n:llg act has
daahed for ever their pretensions to power. Tha re-
turn of the Exiles, the removal t.f so many °bun -
ions -Prefects, the accession of new Peers, and the
law on the liberty of the Press, have been ull conse-
quences of that measure. The popular party•have
beets made conscious of their (ea a strength, as well
as of the entire insignificance of their opponents ;
mid their success will no doubt encourage tbtan to
aim ut much greater results:, Tile hapulse which
has been given in cousequence to pstblie faeli g is
astonishing, The French youth in particular dis-
play the most lively interest on the ssecasion ; and
begin already to give vent to fealings and to hopes,
which, if not checked, would hod eat but a very
slight praspeit for the caatinnance of general. tran-
quillity. However, the government has the appear-
ance of being vigilant mak/cave ; and if it can only
escape from •beiog hurried away by the current of
feeling that flows so rapilly at this moment, tl:c
danger may pass away.
In the mcan time a great change has occurred is
the conduct and situation el the government ; and a
much greattr must take place. The charter is ras
longer a dead letter ; and 'no at taistrate would now
dare resist the positive instructions, or defeat the
intentions a Ile ministry. • The nation Lasapokec ;
and fact;m-has disappeared. The military are again
at . the absolute disposal of the Cabinet ; and time
Prefiects and Mayors execute its orders punetualla.
Thetoverament is strong ; because it has the peo-
ple on its side ; and there is no security•for a mi-
nister at this moment in Franco, unless he be sup-
ported by papitlar favour. Besides this inducement,
Oae ministers have another motive fir acting libe-
rally ; turd onsets !banded on the haowledge they
possess of the foreign ift!lnenee that has been used,
unit is probably used at this very time. to procure
their removal. To counteract those intrigneat they
may be obliged to court popularity still more; and
thereis no doubt but that the 42tUSe of the people
will gain in the strtiggle. Shoull the time come,
when France, woe]." lie virtually free—when k
should enjoy the fall benefits of a free press, and
of a representative ratem, it would rkerci•e an
astonishing influence upon the policy of other na.
tions. No cause bet, one can prevent this result;
:and this would be .fiscead in a new revolution, or
perhaps in a new way. It is to he hoped therefiare
that the Frenckacill have the wiadom to avoid both.
Woe, howevaa. to the .government that should med-
dle in their itetirs, and precipitate th an upon either !
It would probal.ay be the prelude to its downfall ;
for the time •it past when such atroviuus palicy
might be practised with impunity ; aral a war or a
revolution, is -the present temper of the humaa
mind, and in the embarrassed state of the finances of
every coantrn might prance results at the bare
i lea of whiaa the imagination shudders. It is so
decidedly the interest of other States to combirt
themselves honourably in their relationa with France,
that only infatuation can urge • them to pursue .a
Ziflizent caeursaa

"

a• .. OWN.

••• ":

:

.„

i

1. g ) . I\
,C*t ..."
J.- ' '
4" 0*
r,.•,x, 4 •
w‘et.,
.4...„,
.-N---, '..

146

ki:().11 Tlik:Sl).4Y NIGIIT'S G.izETTE.
CARLTON-HOUSE. MAT 4.
The Prince Relent has been graciott.ly plesszsl to oproint
Arthur WellzAl2y Torreua. E. Pap of Honour to his itoyal
II ighuess i.t or Ir4itiury, vice I. redo ack William Culling Smith.
promounl.

CROWN-OFFICE. MAT 4.
MEMBER returned to serve in this present PART.I.XMENT.
Borough n 4 Westbury —Willi:eto Lender M awly, F.,q. in
tile room of Ralph Franco, Esq. who has stecepted t.O Chiltern
Ilundr,nls.
BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED.
T. A. Cocksedge, Woo:pit. SufEwlk. merchant.

BANKRUrIS.
W. Manning. Bristol. dealer.
W. 111.vkliiirn and P. C. S. Bousicau, City-road, Finsbury-
sq•ure. corn deal: s.
R. Wild. Craven-street, Strand. tailor.
S. Hale. Bishop:gate-street. tavern keeper.
G. Cooper, Wiikon upon Thriller, 'newer.
T. W7att, Sr. John's.street, Snikhfleltl, stage coach master.
H. Vs;x. junior, Norwich. bilk mercer.
S. Bourne. Leek, Stallbrdshire. ironmonger.
J. Ewhank. Little Bus!t.lanc. Cannon-street, bottle merchant.
At'. Hall, Highgate, victualler.
W.J. W. Lindsey and A. Hewer. Bath, silk mercer'.
W. %Verne, Great Queen-aUeet. Lincoln's Inn 1. kids, boot.
so i!:er.
J. !lenders:in and J. Morley, T.udgate-hill, linen drapers.
W. I'. Watts. Gosport. victualler.
J. R. Griinshy. Kingston upon Hull. lieberdwihcr.
(s. Brooke. Lockwood. Yorkshire, woollen manufacturer.
Goode, Leominster, HcrefOri!sliire. draper.
.1. tillnitsby, Manchester, calico printer.
D. and T. Mallinson, Lepton. Yorkshire, clothiers.
W. Dixon, junior. Liverpool. wine merchant.
W. Jopson and C. ‘Vignall, 1-iitrpool, turpentine distillers.
Wotherspoon, Liverpool. merchant.
6. Pver, Newport, Monmouthshire, shopkeeper.
E. W ilson, Newcastle upon Tyne, merchant.