The National Register.
London, England, 1820-11-20 00:00:00

*44, gAirgigl4lt, 4,
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..ur Sing, Consititution, an

IER 20, 11

No I,2BI—VoL. XI

ON TOE ISSUE OF TM!
...Mlllr.

the House of Commons
had increased, was

WHLN we first entered the
Majesty, we did it with the perfect couvitaon that
on the issue of her trial would depend whether we
were to remain, or cease to be, a fie* people. The
more we reflected on the subject. the more we felt
persuaded that our first impression was correct ; and
it is our opinion at this moment—an opinion which
nothing can *her) that if the Bill had rased, the
nation could never have been induced, but by down-
right violence, to submit to its enactments. Un-
utterable calamities must have arisen out of the
conflict, that would have been thus raised between
the government and a very large majority of the
nation. There is every reason to suppose that it
would have been a deadly one, and that one party
would Lave lidless, mortally wounded,in the struggle.
The people would have not yielded, and the govern-
ment could not, for, aaer carrying so odious a
measure, it must have supported it by a succes-
sion of violent acts, one exceeding the other in its
emconnitutional and coercive character. The Bill was
founded on that sort of policy, which admits of no
compromise with the party attacked, and leaves only
the alternative of complete triumph or total defeat.
It is, therefore, difficult to say 'Whether the govern-

diminished." The ma-
don had no other effect than to record the fact ; and
the rapidity with which the nation recovered from
the difficulties occasioned by the American war,
counteracted the effects intended to be producel by
that motion. The crown continued to receive an
seeession of strength and at the period wises the
Queen returned, it had reached a height 'that was
pruMbly never contemplated by the statesmen of
the last century.
One ill-advised and intemperate measure has been
the means of restoring the ancient powers of the
constitution ; and the crown has lost, in the course
of a few months, what it had been requiring in the
space of half a century. It is nominally the same,
and to a superficial observer as imposing as ever;
but it is in reality as weak, and perhaps weaker,
' than it was at de-beginning of the last reign. It
has shewn, by its abodoning the proceedings against
the Queen, that it is not aide to oontend with the
power of public opinion ; and as it has betrayed the
secret of its weakness, it will be pursued without
respite, till it be driven batik is its old ground. The
people, where they are the assailants, act with far
more impetuosity than their rulers ; and as they
have in general injuries to resent, as well as prin-
ciples to support, they always make the moat of
every advantage they acquire.- Vilma they hart
enacted Me arieessigsy is.' only a 1061 * intim-
ingeo matithat;' anti alsoilostiwg
tits party that' yielaa, strengthens that which
mends. When once a government, long accustomed
togive the law, is compelled to receive it, it is very
rarely able to 'grime it; and it is our firm belief,
that the crown, having filed in this great trial nf
strength, will be obliged to act for the future on the
&kaolin, instead of pursuing, as heretofore, a sys-
tem of aggression. Such are often the consequences
ofa single error in politics, and such is likely to be
she memorable result of the proceedings against her

ment or the people have most reason to congratulate
themselves on its rejection. The former could not
gall that an advantage, which would deprive # for
ever of the attachment and confidenee,oftise &We;
and when it would have to seam its parliamentary
triumph by the entire destruction of the reemining
rights and liberties of the country. It is well known
how insecure any system .of rule is, though fenced

round by all the mighty and terrific means, at the
disposal of a tyranny, if once the people Teemed k
with implacable distrust and aversion. We therefore
advise ministers to bear their defeat with fortitude,
and to topsider it even a fortunate civeumstance that
they bare gat, as they have done, out of se perilous
a dilemasa.
But as the result of success on their part would
have been the curtailment of the people's rights; the
penalty of having miscarried will be the reduction of
their own induence, and perhaps their dismissal. In
politics. as in war, the party who engages in a
desperate enterprise, and fails, usually loses ell the
ground it had previously gaisted: the general, who
collects all his 'Noumea, in order to fight a pitched
battle, and is defeated, is generally driven back to
the position be occupied at the commencement of
hostilities. A government, also, which has been
waging war for a long time with its free.borq sub-
jects, is always forced back to the ground it held
at the beginning of the struggle, as soon us it is
beaten upon a question of great and decisive mo-
ment. It is surprising, therefore, how ministers
could entertain and persevere in a measure that was
sure to cull forth every energy of the natiott, and to
make the cause of the Queen that of every one, who
would not see Might triumph over Right, and the
crown set aside at pleasure all the safeguards of con-
stitutional liberty. This was one of the greatest
blunders ever committed by the servants of the
crown in this country; for, in the first place, they
tore oil at once the veil with which they had pre-
viously endeavoured to conceal their encroachments
upon the constitution; and, in the nekt, they risked
the fruits of fitriy years• MlCCrssful efforts on ono at-
tack. It is now about forty year. since Mr. Dutinitaz

Majesty.
We confess the more we examine the state of
public feeling, as excited by that ill-fated question,
the less we feel ourselves competent to fix the limits
at which the desire, so strongly evinced by the na-
tion for redress, may confine itself. The public,
indignant as they are at the attempt to force upon
them the Bill of Paine and Penalties, will probably
require far greater securities for their liberty than
they would have otherwise deemed necessary. They
have now little or no confidence in the justice and
moderation of the government; and as they imagine
that they have been threatened with a military rule,
they wi.l probably be guided by that apprehension
in their future precautions. They will endeavour
so t 3 restrict the influence of the crown, as to render
such an attempt fur ever impracticable. An unqua-
lified jealousy of the executive will be the rule of
their conduct, and it will require great temper and
great management in the leaders of the people, to
prevent this feeling from running into any danger-
ous excess. Royalty never stood so naked in the
eyes of mankind as it does at present; it is not sur-
rounded by any of those illusions which used to
fascinate the many, and without which it can exist
but with difficulty. We deplore this change, for
there are some things, and those of the highest uti•
lity, which cannot exist without the aid of splendid
pitjudiuts; and royalty is one, which, in our ori.

f Palcz 9iii.

nion, is absolutely necessary to every scheme of
liberty in a highly cultivated stnte of society. This
spews how careful statesmen ought to be in pro.
serving the regal dignity from the slightest degra-
dation. Much as we love liberty, we could not
easily reconcile ourselves to the rude familiarity of
modern republican manners. Royalty takes of the
rough edge of freedom, and renders it more titusbk,
by its tendency to check its luxuriance. We there.
fore deplore the injury it has received front the
accursed Bill of Pains end Penalties; and, to rietify
this misfortune, we confide more in the good sense
of the public, than in the steal of its intemperate
supporters.

:8067 II AMERICA.
The following is an extract of a letter AM die
son of Mr. O'Connell, who accompanisil
D'Erereux to South America. We bailees it *Om
most authentic account that ha reatild
from this quarter.
" Head-quarters,
Monday, Aug.
" My dear Father—Mr. Burke, a most particular friend.
of the 131entrars, having told one that he will have am ripe
purtunity uf sending Idlers to-morrow to Jamaica, I em.
brace the opportunity to genii you a few lines. g Lau; an
account of our viiyage and arrival here. After i few
weeks tedious passage irons Jansen-a, we anchored in the
Bay of Savenells, and noire but the General ryas allowed
in laud, act ompauied by two Aides.de-Camp ; your lims.
We servant was one of those, brit the General nut bring
able to procure horses enough f r us, I ear left behind.
" As soon as the General saw Adnoirel arise, lie soli-
cited perinisNion fur ail of us to land, which the Admiral
granted, and sent down a large beep, or boat, for us to
come up from Savenelle to Barranqutilia, 22 miles distant
—the berme mune down, bat the c:aw eerier ineutioned a
word of Use message; therloaded her from ;teem! yes.
&dui 'Auk dijoisat. rrtielett went up Ilia river, WO we
ne.ir knee she weak for us end! she web *one. The pens
sego up the river always weepier from 31 to 30 bodes for
large beats, la eenaelemsee of doe strength et' the current
rupoiteg deem ;as soon a* the Geeernasew we were not .
cow, impairer Jorge boat was de.patcheil, and after lying
at SavelseU4 for near a week, we came up here after 24
hours passage. On our arrival here, the (Ayers and sol-
diers ware billeted on the inhabitants, and supplied with
excellent redoes of beef, Sib. each—or bread, a geed loaf,
sad rice, candles, &e. I being ors the General's Staff stop
It the same house witit him. The Admiral believes very
well to the General, and indeed we are ail treated here
with the greatest respect.
" It seems tisil Montilla has recesed to give ap the com-
mand of Ike army to the General; in coessequesice of
which the General has despodied Hall and Bennett to
the Presideet, to lay the matter before him. The General
regrets greatly my not bele; sip her. iu time, else be
would have sent me to the President instead of hennett.
Bolivar is at present withiu less days journey of this.
" I rode yesterday, with Mr. Burke, to Seledads about
seven miles of, elide 409 Creoles are stat;uned. I was
presented to Admiral Brain and to Madam a set-
perauirated old Duchess. You will be surprised to hear,
and au doubt rejoiced, dud I have got Thinly O'Sellivau
as advert!, who came out with Palmer, of the Latbeers.—
My dear father, lii write again to you before I leave this.
" MOBOAN &WIC\ ELL.

" The messenger who goes with this is just going istr, so
I mut tiniAh abruptly. Mr. O'Alwilen, Maurice ()Ur.
nen, cirs.. 6:c. use all wall. We are to attack St. Martha
in a fee. days."
The same gentleman writes from Kinston, Ja-
maica, under date July 17, stating that the Viceroy
of Carthagena had arrived there, accompanied by
six officers and four friars; that General D'Evereux
took with him about i6O Irish troops and 100
Creoles, whirls, aJded to 150 on board Brion's fleet,
and 300 at Angnutura, will constitute a torte of
GOO Irish and 1(10 Creoles; that the army under
the President's special command is 12,000 'strong,
which is intended for an attack on Caraccas, in con-
junction with the divisions of' General Pees and
Urdunetn.

Extract of a letter from East Florida of' a late
date :—" We are at length derivir
e anticipated from the change
which the Cortes has given us.
gen, who is most respected by the
ed as a portion of the river °minim
St. Mary's, where preparations are
siderable business. This new port
St. Joseph. One French ship from I
arrived, and others are expected daily.
and port charges are quite light, -
for a bra trade, in which the
United States arc expected to
largely.

•'

1

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. .
MIMMINE=I.•=I•
.11.3 •Si'' '6' ..
1140,1 DAY, NOVEMI
us
re
qua . 4i, bib ne)teti: oteCgastian in the
raw ad teown
the power
he lists in &sow d kis
lamming, and ought to be dimi
_ ___o___ ______L—i.... .t...•

sing the udv.intage
e of Government
Governor Gppin. fccO •
people, _ has grant- ( Z., •
mute the town or •'
•
re making fur con- jack
ort is tu he called
Pm Havre is already i
daily. The diu• • •
and wa Are Kati , Ape
e merchants iet
) participant very