The National Register.
London, England, 1819-08-15 00:00:00

•
No. 1207.—V0c. XII.]

Political Itetrosspect.

Since our observations of last week, every day
has tended more and more to establish the doctrines
we then laid down on the subject of those popular
Commotions which have so much engaged the atten-
tion of the country fur some time past ; b shew on
one hand the folly of the alarms attempted tobe ex-
eited, and on the other the wickedness of those who
would have gladly'readc them instrumented to pur-
poses of encroachment upon the little we still enjoy
of civil Freedom. Nay, the very seizure of Har-
eison, at the acme of popular phrenzy, was found
inadequate to the purpose of creating a Riot, and as
there was neither an old stocking filled with balls,
nor a single pinch of gunpowder detected in any
body's snuff-box, as Mr. Oliver has declined busi-
ness, and retired into a quiet corner of Norfolk to
liVe like a gentleman, not even a tolerable farce, and
much less a tragico-comico piece of five acts, for the
amusement of some, the m:sery ofothers, and the be-
nefit of his Majesty's servants could be produced.
The good men of Cheshire have sworn upon the al-
tar of their valour to defeaul their King and support
the dignity of the Crown, and their Lord Lieute-
nant has Fiblishei a most darning Manifesto, and
called upon the Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire to
follow him in this path of duty. Lord Fitzwilliam,
however, was too old and experienced a bird to be
caught in so palpable a mare, and again made the
tool of abridging or suspending the Liberties of his
Countle . Government has also sanctioned the
fortuatioa of volunteer corps for the
:protection of
Ad:mei:ester and - Salford, as if the enortneus military
estaldisliment previously on feet was nut either ade-
quate or disixieeable for the dispersion, if it should
recessary, of a wretched and paltry rabble. But
a little time has also effected wonders in another
respect, it has enabled the lies and exaggerations of
the Ministerial papers to meet with that conviction
of their falsehoods which is sure to overtake them at
last, though unfortunately the mischief they pro-
dace has sotnetitnes taken place before the antidote
to the poison could be administered. No one can for-
get how Lord Fitzwilliam himself was duped upon
the last suspension of the Liberties of Englishmen,
and how vainly he afterwards had reason to deplore
h:s error, when a minute end personal examination
u: the state of his own county had enabled him to
ascertain •that truth whichhad been so grossly and
scandalously distorted. Yes, the delirium of the
moment has subsided, but the misery which led to it
still we fear retrains. The harvest expected to be
gathered front it by those who fatten upon such
tLI has entirely failed. Lord Castlereagh cannot
even hope for the plaudits of listening senates on
letviive put down rebellion, nor can his beloved as-
s iciate Mr. Canning agile exercise the humanity of
Lis eloquence upon the ritidured awl revered. A3tat
though these poor and dla,led wretches are now
Partly by the lams of the land, and partly from the
sense of their own late follies induced to abandon
their 'Meetings, and to withhold the expressions of
their discontent, yet it will deeply behove botlrGo-
• ,_•rto meet and the Legislature not to be unmindful
of the spirit, that will still groan though forbidden
loudly to complain, and to arply themselves to re-
m* those evils which it is impossible either to de-
test, CO to d►sguise. Let theta give to the large and
populcass.places in te kith these disturbances, if so