The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-10 00:00:00

b it, 0,

No. 470.—V0L. X.

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.
AN ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT TO AS-
SEMBLE AT SPA-FIELDS TO-DAY.

FROM the impression which our appeal to the peo-
ple against the modern reformers has generally produced,
we are led to hope that the purity and sincerity of our
motives stand fairly established in the public mind.
Baund to no party—biassed by no enmities—circum-
scribed by no selfish views, we speak openly the lan-
guage of the Constitution. When we see it violated
by extravagant and frantic innovators, we cannot re-
main unconcerned or unmoved ; we have reproved their
audacity—we have exposed their inability to promote
the public u elfare—we have laid open their real objects
and dispositions. For this we claim no peculiar merit.
The Constitution of England is the first and greatest
blessing which a Briton knows, and, it is only natural,
when he beholds that blessing prophaned by the unhal-
lowed breath of ignorance and insolent pride, that all
his energies should be animated in its defence. What
is home—what is family—what is wealth—what is
country or life to us if we be robbed of our Constitu-
tion ? Who that has about him one feeling of British
liberty can witness, without resisting, the revolutionary
proceedings of such men as Messrs. Hunt and Cobbett ?

Of their intentions they may make whatever proles-
si ms they please. With the secret recesses of their
minds we have nothing to do ; we judge them by their
public acts, and, in this view, we do not hesitate to pro-
nounce our opinion, that these reforming companions are
the greatest enemies to the sound and practical freedom
of this country, of whom history preserves any record.
Why they are so, we do not take upon ourselves to
determine. The author of the Political Register has,
most probably his reasons in the pecuniary emolument
he derives from the developement of his principles ; and
that gentleman is surely destined to raise a considerable
turd in this way, because he neveradvocates a cause with-
out previously assuring hitnsell that he shall be amply re-
commenced for his exertions. To him it is no considera-
tion what side of the question he maintains, provided it
be that side from which a greater sum of money may
be expected. For Mr. Bunt, we believe that a desire
of notoriety originally impelled him to become a public
man ; but., we are sure that he has gone much farther
than, upon cool reflection, he would go again, if his po-
litical life were to be re-commenced. In his letter of
the 4th instant, addressed to the SecretarsF for the
H:,:ne Department, he candidly acknowledges that,
" the most ardent zeal is never accompanied with the
utm.‘st tlegree a circumspection ;" thus, in truth, admit-
ting, that it was solcdr from the advice of Mr. Cobbett,
and other equally profligate monitors, that he had been
driven to those extravagancics, both of language and of
act ion,wh ch have particularly signal ized his recent career.
We trust, for the gentleman's own character, that this
is the commencement of a full and solemn retractation
of all his past enormities—that he has determined to he
no !eager the slave of such vile and grovelling influence
ns that which has hitherto misdirected his conduct. He
has a considerable property, sufficient at least to secure
him a genteel competence through life. Let him retire
then to his estate, while he can retire without infamy,
and resume these rural occupations and amusements
which engeossed the earlier dram of his life. lie may
thus, in some measure, atone fin- the detriment which
he has caused to the public safety ; he may be able to
deserve the character of an independant country gentle-
man, and, Vat county elections, he now and then throws
a little of his characteristic boldness into the elective
mind, he may even hope to heal some of 010,4; wound*
which he has lately inflicted on the freedom of the
land.

We give him this nvi:•e in the spirit of kindness.—
We deem it one of the tere:t!:t c-aktruitiee 17hich Can

i
.
FE RV.
befall a human being, to o srough a long life without
having conferred some one bOefit on his fellow-mortals,
and, it can only be exec: '. in bitterness, by that
dreadful misfortune of Sink td g
into the grave,
lover-
whelmed
by the hatred, a cursed by the anathemas
6
of the free and elevated por of the community.
Now we are convinced, thlt, through all his political
career, Mr. Hunt has not peibrmed a single act of real
utility. He appeared at dui first Spa-Fields meeting
at the invitation, it was ,of those with whom it
old
originated. But what g did he elect ? Have his
exertions contributed, in theslightest degree, to remedy
the public sufferings? Wit widow have they com-
forted ? What cottage have they cheered ? To what
perishing artisan have they 'Larded relief? To-mar-
row, the same scene of action is to be re-visited, but,
may we ask, to what purpose? It is not to receive or
reply to any petition, because, the only petition which
remains to be answered, could hot have come under the
full deliberation of Parliament within the short interval
which has elapsed since the opening of the Session.—
No necessity for this meeting can therefore be derived
from any of its former proceedings; and. as no new pe-
tition will be proposed for its adoption, it is probable,
that the only measures w:iich will be pursued, will be
in the first place the proposition of a string of resolu-
tions, confirming the last votes of the assembly in fa-
vour of universal suffrage and annual Parliaments.
Ulan these two important questions we beg to offer
a few brief observations. By universal suffrage is meant
the extension of the elective franchise to all persons above
the age of twenty-one yesrs. This species of suffrage is
a thing totally unknown to the history of England. Its
advocates assert, that it was the ancient practice and
right of the country. We deny the truth of this asser-
tion. There is not a single page through all the re-
cords of our story which warrants such a conclusion,
and they who maintain it upon this ground have never
read the annals of our Engine. A certain qualification
beyond that of age was always required to impart the
elective franchise ; in the more remote periods of our
history, those alone could vote fur deputies to the great
council of the nation who owed suit and service in the
county courts, and none possessed this right who did
not hold lands either in chief from the Crown, or as
sub-tenants of the mesne lords ; these tenures were car.sd
free tenures, as contradistinguished from base tenures ;
they were, in truth, what we now call free-holds.—
Their value was not specifically determined until the
reign of Henry VI. when a Statute was passed, ordain-
ing, that all electors should be possessed of free-holds of
at least the value of 40 shillings. It is unnecessary to
refer farther to history ; the fact is established, that
free-tenures, of whatever amount, were at all times ne-
cessary to bestow the elective franchise ; and, it is evi-
dent, that every male inhabitant of Frigland, above the
age of twenty-one, could not have possibly held such a
tenure, and therefore that no such thing was in exist-
ence as universal suffrage. Now we say, with those il-
lustriom and fi.arless Barons who extorted from King
John the great charter of our liberties, nolumus /eger
Anglia meloni—we never can consent to change the
ancient laws of England ; ant l we believe there is no
man who duly appreciates the value of liberty that will
not join us in this our snleum and determined decla-
ration.

It is quite unnecessary to add that, even upon the
grounds of reason, nothing could be more absurd than
a system of universal sutle.ruge. If the sQtvengers,
the porters, the grooms, and servants of whatever kind,
had it in their power to return a numb2r to Parlia-
ment, is it not clear that as their poverty and abject
stations would render .tk-,tn inure aeces.sible to bribery
and more subservient to influence, than those who hold
a higher rank, the Parlianient would, necessarily he-
cone infinitely more corrupt titan it can even be sup-

Piney: 94(1.