The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-17 00:00:00

glationa

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

lIINTS TO THOSE WHO FREQUENT PUBLIC
MEETINGS.

WEIF.IsT, I stated in my lust letter, that the Rulers
of the State hal set their shoulders in earnest to the
wheel, to promote the great work of Retrenchment and
Reform, I only anticipated the munificent sacrifice of
the Prince Regent, now announced in Parliament, and
that of the large sinecure, enjoyed by the Marquis of
Camden, which may be hailed as the harbingers of many
more sacrifices, not less disinterested in principle, though
less important perhaps in value and in magnitude.
These, in conjunction with the self-imposed tax of
the Servants of the Crown, shew that Government is
in earnest in considering Cie wants, and in wishing to •
alleviate the burthens of the people.
These are only the commencement of a series of re-
trenchments which will shortly take place, and which
must convince any reasoning mind, that the interests
of the lower orders arc identified with those of the
higher, and that they must hereafter stand or fall to-
gether.
If the sensible part of the Community are once eon•
sinced of this important truth, they will look with sus-
picion and disgust on those visionary schemes of ideal
amendment, which can never be realized.
We have seen within these few days the sensations
excited in the minds of the best and wisest mcn of the
present age, by the bare mention and promulgation of
such crude, wild, and extravagant opinions These dis-
tinguished personages have made within the walls of
Parliament a general disclaimer of all participation in
such fanciful and fallacious theories.

Should not the good sense of the people reflect on
this, and pause a little before they blindly adopt the
Wad schemes of the modern Reformers ? It' men of ac-
knowledged talent and ability, living in habitual hos-
tility to the measures of Governmeut, take the earliest
opportunity offered of disavowing all connection with
these Reformers, and their System of Universal Suffrage
gm! Annual Parliaments, will not the thinking part of
the Community be led to suspect, that such schemes of
Refbrin are not in fart the panacea they hare been re-
presented to be for all the disorders of the oosatnon-
wealth ? If they were likely to prove such, why should
they be rejected in lefo by men, whose great political
object in their character of opposition, is to destroy and
supplant their political adversaries in the adminis-
tration ? They would not willingly forego any opportu-
nity that presented itself of giving a mortal blow to
their opponents, and yet they eagerly come forward
to disavow the new doctrines. The tribe reason of this
is, that they conscientiously believe the new doctrines
to be pregnant with mischief to the State,—that they
consi•.ler them to be synonirnous with anarchy and mis-
xule,—and that, if carried into effect, they would,
tinder the specious mark of popular privileges, distmy
the civil rights and liberties of F:nglisinnen ; they stand
therefore thus early in the front of the battle. This
should operate as a warning to thme who are likely to
be misled by popular clamour, without having taken
the trouble of judging for themselves, or duly estimat-
ing and appreciating the merits of the new system re-
commentletl.

There can be no doubt that property, which has
hitherto been comidered as the parent of taxation,
would be wholly lost and merged in Universal Suf-
frage ; and there can be as little doubt that Annual
Parliaments would open the door to reiterated scenes of
riot and disorder, and annually expose the lower orders
to a floodgate of bribery and corruption. If this be so,
might we not naturally expect to witness shortly the
degradation of the most useful order in society ? Should
we not soon see the habits of the people demoralized ?
And has not tb Poet told us, that
" A bold Peasantry, R country:4 pride,
" When once destroy'd can never be snnplied."

The consequences are too obvious to be dwelt upon ;
an idle, drunken, venal popular: would usurp the Otte

Our tling, Contititution anb 31a13)6.

MONDAY, FE

.VARY 17, 1817.

of an happy, free and .industrious yeomanry. From
such a constitution of things, so inimical to the best
interests of the countW, may the wisdom and vigi-
lance of those in power, and the constitutional op-
position of those not in +tower, save and deliver us !
We have weathered all the dangers of a long and pro-
tracted warfare—we have expended our best blood and
treasure, and have amassed a debt which presses heavy
on us, in fighting the bsttles of our Country—we have
now to fight the battlo of the constitution—may we
amend and reform—not disfigure or destroy the vene-
rable edifice, which hat stood the admiration of ages,
and which it is our duty to transmit to our posterity,
not dilapidated, or tarnished, but enriched in value, and
strengthened by improvettf nt.
Feb. 15, 1817. A NtlalS PATRI.II.

IMPERIAL PARLI.IMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY, FF3. 10.

Their Lordships heard Counsel in tlic appeal cause respect
ing the Duke of (Inet.n3buty's estates.—Adjourned.

TL't•SDAY. FEB. 11.

On the motion of Lord it was ordered that no
Petitions for pt irate Bills be received sifter the 3d of March,
and no Report of the Judges upon iVriSate Bills be. rectiscd
after the 1..11s of ApriL—Ackiourtird.
WEI/NFSPAY, Frn. 12.