The National Register.
London, England, 1820-05-08 00:00:00

BLACKSTONE ON THE CIVIL LIST.
At the moment when the consideration of the
Civil List engages the attention of both Houses of
Parlii.ment, the following observations on the subject
by so celebrated a writer as Blackstone, cannot fail
to produce great interest :
•• It is to be considered. that every Prior., in the first
Parliament after his aeression, had by lung mole I truly
toyed addition to Isis herein's, v revenue settled slam hint
for his life ; and has never any occasion to apply to Par-
liament for supplies. but upon some public nree•sity of
the whole realm. This retell es to leini that constitetional
iudependeeme, shit+ at his first accession seems, it must
be eta teed, to be wanting. And then, wills regard to power,
we may find prehaps that the hands of Cluverstinent are at
hoist sufficiently strengthened; and that an &oafish Mo-
narch is now in sin danger of brim( oyes borne by the
nobility or the people. The instrument. of power are not,
pee haps. so open and avowed as they formerly were, and
there tore are She less liable to jealous and lovidious re-
flections ; but they are out the weaker upon that account.
lei sheet, our national debt mud taxes (besides the inconve-
niences before mentioned) have also in their natural
eunsegnences thrown such a weight of power. into the
executive smile of Goverament, as ws CORIIOI think seas
riarellad by our patriot ancestor', who gloriously struggled
for the abolition of the then formidable perm oldie prero-
gative, and, by an unaccountable want of foresight, esea-
blished this system in their 'triad. The entire colleetion
and management of so vast a revenue, being placed in the
hands of the Crown, have given rise to such a multitude of
new officers created by and remits obis at the royal plea.
siere.that they have extended the influence of Government
to every corner of the °alien. Witness the commissioners
and the neultiende of dependents sea the customs in every
port of the kingdom ; the comm is-loners of excise, sod
their numerous subalterns, in every inland district ; the
post masters and their sertants planted in every town,
and epee easy pehlic road; the eommiulouers of the
stamps, and their distributors, which are fall as scattered,
and hill as numerous; the Aileen of the salt dusty, which
awash a ,specier of tsetse, and conducted la tho same
nissister, ere yet mad. a distinct corps from the ordi-
fiat* imensgers of that sevewes; the soiseyors of houses
and wiedowss the receivers of the lewd tax the WM-
masers lotteries; sad the eesionissioaers of hackney
coaches; all of which are either mediately or haw.
• snarly appeksted by the Crewo, 1 reve:lWe
Alt. **Mrs ',kibosh Way Malabo assigned : these, it re•
:shires bat, little penetration tomust glve Mal power
, Ike; depend for sibsistence an influence most
tender. To this istay be added the frequent
apieet of cooforrissebitierips on bar obligations, by
pret‘reare is loam, tickets, remittauces,
and ammey trammelled*, which will greatly increase
this Intranet 1 and that 41•41 r those persons whose at-
Mebane-M. .0s semen{ ti their wealth, is frequently the
most desirables AN this Is the natural, though perhaps
the adore:wee. miesequesses of erecting our foods of
credit, and to support- than; estalslishiag our present
perpetual taxes; the whale of which is mu isoly new since
the restoration he lOW ; and by far the greatest part since
die Revolution iu 1888. All which put together give the
executive power so persuasive an ewers, with respect to
the persons themselves, and so prevailing au interest
with their friends acid • families, us will amply make
amends for external prerogative.
" But though this profession of offices should have no
effect on individuals, there is still another newly ac-
quired breech of power; and that is not the influence
only, but the force of a disciplined army; pond indeed ulti-
mately by the people, hat Immediately by the Crown;
raised by the Crewe, officered by the Crown, commauded by
the Courts. They are kept ou foot it is true. only (cone year
to year, and that by the power of Parliament ; but duriug
that year they must, by the nature of our coustitutioa, if
raised at all, be at the absolute dispose' of the Crow u. And
there need bet few words to demonstrate how great a trust is
thereby reposed kr the Prince by his people—a trust that i.
more than equivalent In a thoesaud ,little troublesome
prerogatives.
" Add mall this, that besides the eivil.l6l, the immense
revenue of almost '1,000,0001. sterling, which is annually
Laid to the creditors of the public. or carried to the sinking
fund, is brat deposited en tlw soysi exchequer. tied tiseuce
nosed out to the rapoctiere offices of payment. Thu revenue
the people can sever 'refuse to raise, because it sus made
perpetual by Act of Patlinnieutu which also. alien well
considered, will appear to be a trust of great delicacy and
high imperient e.
" Upon the whole, therefore, I think It is clear that.
whatever nun have become of the nominal, the real power
of the Crawls has sot twee too fur weakened by any traits-
actions in the keit century. Muria Mistelerd give.' up ; hut
much Is also acquired. The stern ememuedi of prentgetive
have yielded to the matter voice of eufietaire.; the slavish toed
r splutled doctrine of nun-resistance has given way to a mili-
tary establislinks in by law; and to the disuse ell'urlianieues
ha. succeeded a Porlinieseitteey trust of an league:we perpe.
sisal reveuwe. Whim, Mile. el, by she free operation of the
biasing (mid. our it:enamel debt. shall be has etedi when tile
gowdere of foreign eitfmrs, and the anivervial introduction en
a wellylaeued mad national militia, will suffer our (minutia-
ale army to be thinned nod regulated; mid whet, (tu con-
s queer, of till) sear Inverie shall tie gradually reduced ; this
eal veils it Mere power of tat. Crown will slowly and inspereep.
list) elemisiosh, as I slimly and senverceptitilv ruse. Bus
toll Iltien shall latyrn it will be ear item' as good
C. glisiduese to revere ewe the Crown, and yet guard against
corrupt and 114 11011 r influence from Chute who ore nutmeat
Itb authority ;to be 10)51. yet free; obedient, and yet
itelepeuellesd."

OLD imictlr sE,NIfoNS, Saourday, May 8.
___

TII li LATH CONSPIRACY.
This morning, at nine o'clock, the Common Sergeant took his
scat on the bench, and shortly after Abel Hall, shoemaker;
John Firth, cuakexper ; Robert George, --; William !im-
moral*. servant; Thorns. Preston. diet:make:: and Thomas
Hazard. coffee shop keeper; all charged on suspicion of being
concerred in the late 'f reasonable Conspiracy. were brought into
Court in the custody of Mr. Nodtler. Keeper of Tothall Fields
Prison, .nd Mr. Adkins, of the Home ut Correction.
Abel Hall was Hirt put to the Bar, and having answered to
his name, the Clerk tit the Arraigns told Inin that there twitig no
person preuni to give evidence ai„ainst him, or to prosczute 'lino.
he was discharged.
The same iY.illtbe was gone thr..ugh with the remaining firs
prisoner..
Noce of them attempted to eadress the Court except P.estos,