The National Register.
London, England, 1819-11-14 00:00:00

'bt AP

No. 219 .—VoL. XII.]

Volitirat la etrofspect.

Tun late County Meetings, from the high im-
portance of their object, from the character of their
attendance, unequalled in numbers, in reek, ie
talent, and in respectability by any former preec.
dents, constitute an ere too memorable to l e
sufkred to pass• hastily into o'Aivion, and especially
whilst not only the causes from which they arose
are in full operation, but also whilst the engines
intended to counteract their benefits are in full play,
whilst corruption is at work with all its arts and
etsereics, and influence is commanding obedience
where n cannot enforce conviction, in order to trump
up more of those notable documents called Loyal
Declarations. Yes, the loyal good people are
invited to declare that acts of at least the most
questionable, if we may not be allowed to call them
the most atrocious kind, ought not to be either in-
vestigated or punished ; and above all to declare in
tit! face of truth, a direct, palpable, and unblushing
falsehood, viz. " That the'concluet of theMancliester
Magistrates and Military of Manchester are about
to undergo an investigation before the legal tribu-
nals of the land," an assertion as yet perfectly
woundless, though we hope the voice of the people
of England will yet make it true hereafter. In
fact the shameless character of these modern instru-
ments of declaration constitutes one of the worst
features of the times we live in. In our better
days, a plain, open, and manly conflict of honest
opinion, alike suited to the maintenance of freedom
and honour, was the grand feature of political dif-
ferences and discussion, and the party which found
itself outnumbered in support, and outreasoned by
argument, retired from the contest with a conviction
of the propriety of submitting to the majority and
weight ofopinion arrayed against them, even though
their individual sentiments might remain unchanged.
But now, with equal disregard both of de,•ency and
thhe ancient rules of honour, every corner, every
hamlet of the country is ransacked to get names and
signature', " per Jas nique 11i:fits," to proclaim
against decisions fairly and publicly tried and made,
and even those whom any honourable man would
formerly have thought scarcely f t for society under
such an imputation until honourably met and
Jeered, we mean the my persons implicated, are
moving earth and heaven, and thctnse•lves signing
declarations against all enquiry. For instance, the
I.7uke of Wellington and Lord Palmerston have both
had the assurance to attach their names to those
extraonlinary pr, .auctions, though the former of
t:+ese two gentlemen is not only as a member of the
catinet, nemesia-4 an of whose conduct a par-
liamentary enquiry would most materially concern,
but reported and believed to be the very individual
at whose pressing instigam ion the letter of thanks to
the citizen soldiers af Nlancliester fur their butche-
ries was addressed, with the name of the Prince
Regent attached to it. A brother of that notorious
stipendiary• magistrate, Mr. flay, whose name ranks
foremost in the list of that anomalous corps of time
New Bayley, at Manchester, whose summary method
of quelling tumult befiire it has been begun, is the
direct object of investigation, stands also pruinimait
amidst the wise and honourable names of one of
the declarations. W him often ;mended the
cp.. •