The National Register.
London, England, 1817-04-21 00:00:00

alionat I iOttr+

Out latita, ConOtitulion anb i atuii.

MONDAY, APR:

11, 1817.

cannot altogether approve of theNteans indirectly re-
co.mneneeil by the Secretary State for the Home
Department, for their suppression. Every attempt to
approach the sacred threshold of the Temple of Liberty,
except by he: avowed and sincett devotees, should be
regarded with an eye of sitspicion and extreme caution.
We fear Lord Sidtnouth's letter to the Lords Lieuten-
ant of the counties, inserted in our last number, hus
at least " the appearance 'of evil," and we are taught
to shun all such appearances. The Liberty of the
Press is a privilege which no low can rightfully
abridge—no authority safely curtail—lt is a right
which cannot he eventually hurtful to the interests of
truth; though the most remote ettael upon its pri-
vileges may do most essential mischief to the best of
causes. The laws are sufficient to punish licentious-
ness of every kind; but there is no licentiousness ne-
cessarily attached to an open avowal of a titan's own opi-
nions, whether religious er political. It is only by
collisions of this nature, that important truths arc
elicited, and as one wan lias a moral right to dissent
from another in opinion, so every man has an equally
moral right to the public expression of his opinion. * It
is Conezt's doctrine that might constitutes right; it
is ours that right is, in its strictest Renee, abstracted
from might, and, consequently, thong no law can com-
pel us to be of this or that mode .1 thinking, so no law
should compel us from the free ,expression of our opi-
nions. We of course, except, in these concessions, all
open, gross, false, and obvious libels, which come with
" the marks of the beast in their foreheads;" and by.
levelling all distinctions of right and wrung, manifest'
that their authors have no regard for any opinion but
what is base and wicked. But these sort of writings
appear not once in a century; and though we abomi-
nate the disgusting ribaldry which is now. digr.ified
with the name of politics in most of' your two-penny
publications, though we shrii:k with horror from the
blasphemous parodies of the Holy Scriptures we do
net think either one or the other required any means
to put them down beyond their own absurdltv, incon-
sistency, and natural disposition to the bathos—at all
events, if the friends of order, religion, and good govern-
ment cannot write down the attacks of their oponeuts,
they can never heat them down by legal statutes and
unconstitutional Acts of Parliament.

I-tow trite is the observation, that " truth is great,
and will prevail." Let, therefore, the loyal and serious
part of the community exert their own mental energies
in support of truth ; and the disorderly, though multi-
tudinous, friends of anarchy cannot long stand against
them. Let us not strive to " brink the %lotion." Let
us not pronounce that to be blasphemy which may, for
aught we know, turn out to be truth ; met mouse, with
indiscriminate rancour, every man ease twilling, a rebels
and jaeohin, who may deem it right b write in-sup.
port of' principles and practices whoali isogent will 'Oen•
ture to pronounce infallible and perfect. •We trust,
by this free and candid expression of * opinion, we
are otkning the best support to government ; end are
persuaded, that whatever tends to create an idea
that Ministers have any wish to silence the public
voice by the strong arm of the law, wall be found, in
the end, to be productive of the most Aiming conse-
quences. If such publications as thoe which we have
alluded to, in a former part of this Disquisition, may be
justly suppressed, and their authors be subjected to lose
their freedom at the bare suggestion, of a magistrate or
a common informer others more philomphical (if we
may he permitted the term), inure refined, more ra-
tional, and more sober attacks on the proem larder of
things may also be put down by the tame authority;.
and, in that case, where would be our boasted liberty
of the press ? Where that free exercise of the right of
private judgment which constituted the basis of the
Reformation, and is the glory and prided the English
laws both in church and state? We for Lord Sid- ,
mouth's Letter savours of being righteonseverituch."
It partakes, in too great a demi, oftee puke Raper-
gatorius—teo strongly of the !‘ dansmebry clauses,'
which a late learned prelate so heartily prayed that we
were well rid of. At least, it is Liable to this construc-
tion ; tad such is the use which his Lonlship'a enemi.ss
make of it. We wish, therefore. be bid not put this
sword into the hands of our rots ; aer affordei them
this CIMPE to accuse us of persecution rand cowardice. •
We rijoice in any proper MC:0111 Arlie% tend to silence
the voice of error ; and it was in this vie* of it, that
we first expressed our approbation d leis doomment ;
but upon more serious and mewl timmidatation, and
• eseoriaUy since the mains s( Lad Iffallaad is tie

PRICE 91d.

House of Lords on this subject, we should not act tt!e
part of impartial and honest journalists if we aid not Low
express our fears that, however well-meant, that letter
will he found calculated rather to serve than to hinder
the progress of erroneous doctrines respecting religion
and government. One false step, or ill-judged trea-
sure, is sure to be noticed, with no very favourable con-
struction, by our vigilant antagonists.

bUHbCtI inwicnientst.

PM TINS NATIONAL 81101ST N.

RESIGNATION TO PROVIDENCE.

HAVING lately conversed with a man who seri-
ously murmured because he had fallen from very pros-
perous circumstances, by his own intemperate use of
riches, I was led to reason, from his ingratitude, into
the necessity of counteracting such mistaken objections
against the goodness of Providence by the many evils
and miseries that are in the world, most of which ate
owing to ourselves, and therefore the sting of them is
the keener. It is not always in our power to avoid
many sufferings, because we are knit and bound ton-
Sher as members of one family, but it is our own fault if
we sink under them. National courage and steength
of mind, the powers of reason, and a wise consideration.
of the nature of things, the bc:ief of a srood Providence
which takes care of 113 and orders all things for ofir goods
and the certain hopes of immortality, will support good
men under their sufferings, and render them compa-
ratively light and easy. No man is miserable whose
mind is cheerful and unappalled, full of hope, and feels
the support of PrJvidenm. It is our pride that consti-
tutes worldly poverty to be a di grace ; and the frown or
fortune, that casts us down frvm our elevation, to be a
sting %A easily eradicated. Had we .boon played upon
a fair level with the rest of mankind; this severity would
not have been fi-lt, and thus the envy of riches is futile;
for we not only suffer by the reverse, the loss of some of
our personal luxuries, but also the homage of depend-
ants ; and that suffering is less in proportion as we
have made them essential to our existence, whereas
they were only so to our transient career ; and if we
add guilt to the privation, either in the acquisition or
in the enjoyment, the murmur at l'rovidence then be-
comes the result of remorse, and the sting is of our own
seeking and cherishing, and the justice of Providence is
not to be blamed, for Providence is often very good to
us while we suffer ; and the Bay will arrive when we
shall know that all we suffer was a blessings.* correc-
tion for a short time to work for us a far more " ea.
ceedir.g and eternal weight of glory." .
Besides, an inequality of fortune is consistent with
divine goodnma ; there is not env thing more necessary
to the happiness of the world, than good government,
and yet there could be no government in an equa-
lity; and there is nothing makes such an inequality, as
an unequal fortune. Were all men equally rich and
great, there would be neither subjects nor servants ;
and if this plan be necessary to society, and is the cause
of the drawing out many of the most amiable virtues of
the human heart, it is s sufficient justification of Provi-
dence, for human society cannot subsirt without it.
It is a great mistake to think that their happiness
differs is much as their fortunes; that a great man is
happier than a°rte. Elevation may have its
advantages; but poor, accompanied with muds more
alloy than priverty, inasmuch as the claims are en-
creased, the difficulties and perplexities are augmented.;
and we may estimate the case by the outward skew—
the greater it is, the less is the scope of real happiness.
Idle the indulgence of eeting and drinking, appetite
furnishes a far preferable taste; so the hard labour of a
poor man is far more enviable than the highest luxury,
with the disorders incident to it. Again, Its to self-love
and self-flattery, in which all mien are tolerably equal,
for many who would change fortunes with others, would
not alter themselves: the difference of firtune must be
eery inconsiderable, when no rash ss ill change better
self to obtain it, and while he is so well si:tistie 1 with
himself.

This mentality of fortune liltewise renders the less
prosperous more active to tnaintaill themselves and their
families. it inspirer a virtuoos emuhttion ; it gives as
activity which would he useless if all were constit‘tted
tube oral; or were iiusited, us they are in the costars
govesnments, to their own cuts. It affur‘is enenurages
agent and reward to virtuous exertions. estol lishes :as
dittiartialta of reward and posidusent, places inja.o.iy

and prudence in their just st:.tion, and casts down pro-
rh:,:ility and impiety; and thus the ordinations of Pro-
% Men•l: are visibly exemplified in this world, and are not
left to truth ; the things that are seen, are the grounds
of irresistible conviction of a just and a superintending
Providence ! What ingratitude, therefore, is found lurk-
ing in the heart of any man who, while he lives and
moves, and has his being at the mercy of God, hesitates
for a moment to submit, but repines and murmers at
any dispensation which he is too selfish or blind to com-
prehend ; who cornplains, that in a state of discipline
and prohimion, he is tried ! How short sighted to think
he can be proved ivorthy, without being tried ! flow ill
devoted to his Nfaker, who forgets the blessings of ex-
iltence and of immortality, when he might have been
left as the sand of the desert ! I hope such reflections as
these may teach us a patient resignation in every trial ;
and however severe it be, the great precept, " Not :fly
will but thine be done," should be embraced to strengthen
as, as an angel of Gethsemane! H.