The National Register.
London, England, 1808-11-21 00:00:00

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Our Ring, eramititution. anti taw.

MONDAY,

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

NUMBER FORTY-SIX.

THE COURT OF INQUIRY.

Now that the passions have subsided, which were raised
in consequence of the occurrences, that suggested the ne-
cessity of this Court, and foineo.ted by an appearance of
wishing to stifle inquiry, we may without an imputation-
of precipitance, or prejudging, revert to the Armistice and
its immediate consequences. Every subject in this realm,
from the lowest to the highest, is equally interested in it;
and as the honour of the country was, almost universally,
craisidered as affected by the transaction, it was his duty
and his right to dAiver his opinion on its merits, without
reserve and without apprehension. We would not have
.
resumed this subject, did we not perceive an ill-disguised,
and very inconsiderate, attempt to elude the demands of
the public ; for, whatever abhoreuce we feel to foment po-
pular indignation, we consider it as of the most serious
and imperatiVe consequence, to favour under existing cir-
rumstances a relaxation of national dicipline. It is mine-
cessary to
.adopt any warmth of diction, in order to im-
press, even on ordinary minds, the disastrous of of.
nerveless policy ; we need only cast our eves about us
from one extremity of Europe to the other, to anticipate
iti consequences. It is the more dangerous, as it couceels
itself under the specious garb of humanity and moderation ;
;lad the misuse of these attractive virtues, in screening a
delinquent from justice, may involve the whole com-
munity in one indiscriminate ruin. The increase of political
debility was formerly slow in its progress ; the symptoms
were neither irregular, nor eiarining from their violent
transition: ; and the skilful statesman might, by an appli-
cation of judicious remedies obstruct their course, or era-
dicate the evil. But an alarming change 11.16 occurred
s,nce a very few years; and the slightest deviation from
the strictest regimen, or an inattehtion to the most trivial
complaint, has been the precursor of instantaneous dissolu-

With snch indications before !is, it would he no mark of
judgment, or foresight, if we remained insensible to the
approach of danger ; and a sure sign of a depraved heart
and a perverted understanslint;, if nu,tives of momentary
«,nycnience- restrainers us from conscientiously delivering
war opniion. We m: be accused—it ha; been invariably
the fate of every man who stood boldly forward in detence
et truth and justice. in opposition to folly and egotism—
et in!entiun; the reverse of those which actuate us ; but,
then we weigh in one scale the ease of two, or ten, or
thirty individuals, with the eLstinies, in the other, of the
prernt generation and of myriads still unborn, w sea..
tnnents superior to the fear of being misconceive', the
smile of.patronnge, or the itulzeinent of the inconsider: te.
Jn keeping these motives in view, we may, in common
with other writers, render important service to the public
cause; and a few hone4t tar, wiJi souls that spun at par-
Vcr• No.

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THE a.
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(44
21 0b• ',. •
NOVEMBER
3. •18 _
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e .. . . ___,.._.,„......7.
ty, or selfish, motives, and with the presaut .'-.:r 44.0).
sal, may form an insurmountable harrier to -titer: e'ranele
meets of the executive. and the inroads of fartiee- • 7.:1;:e
object cannot be too krvently, desired, or too Wee ee.e;e
pursued ; as the character of ouragoimplies too *trete. ,•:
inclination to sacrifice public to individual, and permanat .
to transactory advantage.
.The fetters thrown on freedom of discussion, the mystee
rious sullen reserve, and the jealous euforcement of un-
profitable pretenSions, mi the part of some governments
rendered the subject indifferent to the welfare of the state;
and the first invader, deal-sighted enough to perceive this
indifference, and sufficiently powerful to take advantage
of it, found no resistance from men, who never saw in
their government an inclination to acquire their confidence,
conciliate their affections, or rely, in the moment of daub
ger, on their exertions and loyalty. The state fell a. vic-
tim to this wretched policy ; whilst the bad advisers, who
had been most ardent and zealous in reconnnending strong
and violent measures sgailiet their fellow citizens.; were
the most dastardly in the moment of kleaneer ; and the first
to abandon the Sovereign they misled, its hopes of ac-
quiring the protection of the invader. This fatal depra-
vity did not stop here ; it made its way from the Cabinet to
the Camp ; and the pelegrene• had already laid hold on the
noblest parts of the. community, before Vie state,phyyneiaus
had noticed the existence of the evil. For our age
was reserved at r same tithe the monstroea ce at radictior •
that confidenti..'
.I.l;unci. ,i es Herr. traitors, rent '.“)letiere
cowards; whilseeti‘ people, .s.eese interfe:.ence in atia rs
of internal policy was punished as i,editioesalcand moss
complaints were received with animedversione.';iir contempt,
felt no incitement to exert theinsAves in support of a cause
they were never taught to consider as their own.
That this description i , not forcede oi extravagant, may
be seen from the ovecerrences of the lest aiftern years ; and
the fugitive, or captive, Monarchs of the coetieeet, ho.
wail, now that it is too !ate, the foiiy of these meavures,
trhich, in the moment .or peril, rendered' :abortive tine
• resources of the state. These di enters might have been
anticipated front the moment. en:.‘tfficee was suffereil4 with
impunity, to neglect his duty, 'Onti to betray Eke tZi4. rl'"'
posed in him : fie- example, when invouraYe to ..•iiish-
ness, treater a thanecroes Procedent ; and as the ,rpeople
I were punished for' iuterferiue, or censured.for projcele•:.e.e,
l every traitor found seceiity in the 'apathy, or constraieed
,•:!ence, of the pdblic, aati in the contracted, mistalcee pee .
hey of the court. if the crime was so fiagrey% so eei .ee-
ins; in its coneeetences, that it wes imposelne not to !Seieg
the culprit t dtriai, the e-h4le power of mini :Neje I 1.6(44.4
chicane, by multiplying tile forms of justiceel O'r ienekuee
ing a new and masque, wile of trial, was exeetecl in
order to screen their wreteheyl agent trout preseclelea ;
whist they kept ia reserve, n 4 the last. resoorce, all Nee - I
..
to the prejudices sir meeikee hemaeity of the severe: •, ,
whose interests they did not scruele to betree, n; 'lli '•••
lemour and ILA of
.his leiegdont they felt no erepeee4.l. e. ;• -
to sacrifice, b., thw CCSCIIiiI; a:o deli:ilia:eat e• .

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