The National Register.
London, England, 1809-03-05 00:00:00

TIDE NATO Al, III;rIfiTI T#.

a FREE

Yes ! the last lien for Freedom let the draw,
Witco Tau. Tit STANDS G ON THE INOC:11 OF LAW;
AII4I for that cause which made your fathers shine,
rairby the votes of their degenerate line!

Port.

tsci SAMUEL WHITBREAD, Egg. M. P.

Sin—One who knoWs you only as a public person, but whd
has lately watched, with sympathetic solicitude, your conduct
in the senate of this country, now presumes, distanced as he is
front on by adventitious circumstances, to claim, for some few
moments, 3 our most serious attention. Our common country,
demands our common cares. Frnin the highest to the lowest
order of sticiety, rich or poor, ennobled or ignobled, every man
among us feels deeply Interested in the fate at hii tlalive land;
and is justified, by this feeling, as well as by the eventful scenes
of which we are all witnesses, in stepping forward to assist tlfe
treat work of national patriotism. Yes, Sir, these are times in
which the humblest individual may, if possCssed of ability and
integrity, With propriety assume his public character. It is thus
that 1 take the liberty, of addressing to you some cursory r&
marks on UK! manner in Wlifeh you have treated certain recent
encroadhibents agaiiist the optration of what is called a Fn. .rs
Pit uss.
Anxiously looking around for independent senatorial Characters
(according to the legitimate interpretation of the wont nide-
pendence), whom can 1 more profterly select, fur the purpo-e of
communicatin my sentiments respecting a Free Pres:, than
Whitbread ? You, Sir, have already endeavoured to all ILL
the attention of our parliamentary reisrescotatives di:• im-
portant considerations inseparably connected with the Molly of
openly discussing whatever may concern, collectively or indi-
vidually, the people of these kingdom:. Let it be hoped, hott-
ever, that you will not stop here. tour countrymen (those of
them, at least, who mast value all that gives value to °dr
country !) are pleased with the prospect of your patriotism; and
fondly contemplate it as the promise of ultimate security to
their al waye acknowledged, but too often assailed, privilegeti
Glory Pig in your real iiideghdence, and having experienced
your integrity, they look up to your exertions with uocomaion
emotion. A. on, Sir, are knows. We have not now to ascertain
to what party YOU belong; who have stouts aloof amidst the
official struggles of all our petty parties, and whose hands are
uncontaminated with the proceeds of corruption.
Assuredly, Sir, you are endued with too utpch sagacity of in-
tellect, and have acquired too deep an insight into human nature,
to rest contented with the evasive answers by which your in-
quiries, as to the Liberty of our Press, are attempted to he
silenced ; while you possess too much representative iserepidity,
1 am persuaded, to &Aime the difficulties to v% hich you ina• be
exposed in pursuing your patriotic inquisition. It will not ap-
pease yon, Sir, that the " existing laws are found adequae to
the punishment" of modern " libels." Can it escape your re-
flection, that it is not so much upon the laws themselves, fts upon
the interpreting and administerirk,,,, of them, that the felicity ut
misery of legalised Society depeeds? Alas, it is vain for Juries • .7
to try thr, fact of libel—if Judges arc to decide in :chat Ethel
ought to consist! Look, Sir, once more, to the conduct of our
courts ; review, solemnly review, the verdicts given into
them; Knd do not sulks yourself to imagine, for one saltier,
moment, that you have at all accomplished, as it respects !he
Doctrine of Libels, the noble object of your late parliamentary
interference. It is mortifyingtd talk of a Juty, when we know
that a .letTeries could invalidate the puiest coae of laws in the
wtirld !
Do—if nothing mere is to be done—do, Sir, exert yourself
on behalf of tortured Wheite and crtatibuted intiodnee, to 'ob,.
s