The National Register.
London, England, 1817-11-30 00:00:00

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Our titnateomitttution ant itaimd.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1817.

up the tear from the cheek of the broken hearted, he gods
on (whatever be his station among men) wrapped up in
:e!; and, not to be an aggrester is the highest point of
perfection at which he aims.

It has been urged that poverty has introduced the
depravity which now exists, but this assertion is easily
refuted. Much of the crime which we have to de-
plore proceeds from persons beyond the reach of
positive want. The moral and political health of the
middling classes is little less affected than that of the
lowest members of the community, for the political
empirics of the time have skilfully modified their
potions according tothe intelleettralstrength or weakness
of those on whom they operate. They are skilful
cooks, capable of pleasing all palates. The coarse
and vulgar viands of Paine, and Price, and Cobbett, and
their puny followers were well adapted to the pot-house
andthe forge, and the loom ; then came the more polite
Esamincr, uttering the moat disgusting falsehoods with
the most courtly smile, addressing himself to the better
classes of society, and cooking up in his own way for
the use of tender stomachs, the We of his werthless
contcrepciraries. Even the very highest ranks were
not left without the needful supply of infidelity ;
Sir William Drummond, with the dexterity of a eon-
jurer, had converted the Bible into a sort of Hebrew
Moore's Almanack, and if those who could fathom the
profundity of his learning, would believe in his bed-
lamite theories, they might sit down perfectly satisfied,
that the Biblical account of a Divinity was just as
much to be relied on as the learned hieroglyphics which
adorn the annual labours of the profound astrologer
whom we have just mentioned. ;:.:ed re. etc surpiiscd
then, that all these effurts 5h00..1 produce an effect ?
and more particularly when so little was done to coun-
teract them. Nay, wLen so much was done to Ibrward
them ; fur at the very time when it was obvious to all
men, that the most dangerous principles, both moral
and political, were gaing ground amongst us, a moat
powerful check to the dissemination of treason and
infidelity was removed by the repeal of the pamphlet
stamp duty which had previously acted as a partial
, bar against the circulation of those cheap publications,
as they are celled, which have since produced such
inealedable evils.

As one step, then, towards restoring the nation to
bcalth, we would earnestly recommend the renewal of
those duties. The measure would have the effect of
cutting off that supply of poison which is hourly in-
fecting the community. Mr. Sheridan mice enume-
rated " the raising of the price of cheap publications,"
among the various ways which a Minister might use
to destroy the liberty of the Press, but we are con-
vinced had he lived to the present hour, and seen the
effect of those " cheep publications" he would have
found abundant reason to alter his opinion It has never
been denied that the liberty of the Prcrs is much en-
dangered by the abuse of it, an if this be true, surely
never was a period which thres.ened so much danger
as the present. Blasphemy and reason are daily pour-
ed forth in the sane stream, ever-lowing the whole
land, awl by a timely check, only, can the country be
saved freak the deluge of infidelity. We would be the
last to Etter a free Press, but tit., measure we now re-
come:cud is no new thing, it is only to return to that
state which we ldt for a worse, it is to take the wea-
pon from the hand of a madman, which had been placed
there in the belief that he was sane and might be
trusted. This done now, may prevent the adoption of
of more restrictive measures, and will not fail to have
a powerful effect in restoring the National character for
fidelity, loyalty, and humanity, which we are on the
point of losing for ever.

The French Papers of the 2fith state that the Pere
Llyeee, is in a state which leaves no hope of reLovery.

PRICE 90.