The National Register.
London, England, 1822-05-27 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL. REGISTER

another place (alluding to the Members of the /loose of Com-
mons who were present), and many be knew were absent from
particular circumstances ; one from a domestic affliction, who
bad lately made an able, though ineffectual, effort to obtain a
a reform of the House of Commons,the refusal of which clearly
&hewed that Ministers were adverse to the slightest, as well as
the most effectual Reform of that House. Still Lord John
Russell's motion for Reform met inure support than any motion
on the same subject since that made by Mr. Pitt, when a Mi-
nister. Indeed it is impossible fur any but the wilfully blind
not to see that some effectual reform was become indispensable
for the safety of the country. It is now, fur the first time,
avowed in Parliament, that it is necessary for Ministers to
maintain and excessive expenditure of the public money, for
the purpose of supporting their influence in the House of Com-
mons. If this be a necessary part of the British Constitution,
then the eulogies that have beau pronounced on it are false and
absurd ; but the great Locke, at the Revolution, entertained an
opinion so directly contrary, that he asserted, such conduct on
the part of the Executive Power would justify the People in
' resorting to the last right of freemen—reaistanca to oppres-
sion.--(Hear, hear! )—The late Speaker of the House of
CM/010116 pretended to be greatly shocked at the mention of
the influence by which votes in Parliament were obtained ;
though probably no one was better acquainted with the practice;
—but decency was not then laid aside.—(Hear. hear, hear.)—
Much had been said of late and partimlarly by a right hnn.
gentleman (Mr. Canning) at the nireting of a literary society,
about upholding the monarchical ay stem and the Christian re-
ligion. This occurred iii drawing the attention of the meeting
to the French ambassador, because he was represented as hav-
ing begun with writing in defence of the Christian virtues, and
as having ended with upholding monarchirsal principles. Ile
(Sir F. Burdett) thought that a literary society was the last
place where monarchical prilciples should be introduced,miless
indeed, what was called the republic of letters was intended
to be converted into a monarchy. It appeared to him that the
principles of monarchy and the principles of Christianity wore
entirely dissimilar. First of all, he would say, in the words
of a great and able man, whom the electors of Westminster
and the people of England would never forget—(he meant the
late John Borne Took )--•• Monarchy we abhor, though king-
ship we admit." Undoubtedly, the constitution of England
was no monarchy. It was a constitution of a very different
description indeed. It was different from the principles of a
monarchy as monarchy was from those of Christianity itself.—
To use the winds of the poet, monarchial principles
--•• bad taught to realms undone
The enormous faith of many made for one."
•

It proceeded ou the ground that one family bad a paramount
interest over a who e C 01101111.11.1. AN1131100.) That was not
the principle of English constitution, much less was it the
principle of Christianity, wiLich was, in fact, quite the reverse
of it. Christianity was opposed to the splendour of monarchy
by its litimility : it was oppostd also to it by this essential
principle—that the Christian was told to sacrifice his own inte-
rest to the iuterest of others; arid they well knew that the
great Preacher of that doctrine sacrificed himself fur tile good
of the whole world. Nothing appeared to him so incompatible
to each other as the principle of monarchy, the principle of
Christianity, and Ric principle of the English constitution.—
Ile admitted that, for the benefit of the community, the kingly
ollice was hereditary in one particular family, under certain
limitations ; but at the same tone there was another particular
class—the class of the nobility—arid the whole weight of the
superstructure was suspended by a fouridation as broad as the
people at the base. This was done that the whole Government
might be borne, both in an advantageous and ornamental point
of view, lbr the benefit of the entire community. itu. it they
left out the people, and placed the MOUdrelleild principle by
itself, the Gsvernment could not stand in this country. No
throne could he supported on so narrow a basis, and to propa-
gate such doctrines was to give publicity to what was most
injurious to the family on the throne, and likely to introduce
that confusion into the country, which those who held such
doctrines seemed so apprehensive lest others should excite.—
The hon. hart. alluded to the case of Mr. Hunt, whose punish-
meut, he said, was the most severe inflicted on any individual
since the revolution, and chewed great want of judgment in
ministers, as by their conduct towards him they had exalted
him in the public estimation; and Mr. Huai, by bringing to
light the abuses iu Ilchester jail. had acquired a solid claim to
public support. The commercial interests of the country were
also sacrificed to the support of the system of ministers ; why
not open a trade with South America, and with Greece ? why
was Poland overlooked, and Italy given up?—(Hear, bear.)—
If the country geutlemee see the Exchequer full, and their
ponkets empty, they will begin to suspect what is become of
their rents—and the clergy will be obliged to imitate the apos-
tles, and preach and pray without receiving tithes. Then, if
not before, ministers will fund that the system has worked its
own overthrow, and that reform must take place.—(Hear.)—
They would all bear witness, that from the first monieut he had
addressed them to the last, the burthea of his song was always
the same—that the country could only be saved by an effectual
reform in the Commons House of Parliament.—(Hear.)
Lord ERKINGTON proposed time health of the intrepid op-
poser of borough oligarchy, tlie independent supporter of popular
rights —John Cam Holulausse.
Mr. Honntrucse said, since his entrance into public life, he
had never looked to any reward but the approbation of the
people, and it was must grateful to his feelin:A to find his con-
duct approved by the electors of Westminster, who were so
capable of estimating it.
The following toasts were then drank with three times three:
—" Trial by Jury, unpicked and unpacked."—" The Liberty
of the Press."—Air," Liberty or D. ath."
Sir F. BURDETT proposed the health of J. S. Whitbread,
Esq. who was absent in consequence of a domestic calamity.
" John George Lambton, Esq. and the reformers of Durham."
—" Aldermen Wood and Waitliman, and the Reformers of the
city of London."—Lord Nugent anti the reformers of Ayles-
bury and Reading."—" Sir Robert Wilson and the electors of
Southwark." _ _ _

The ooinpany remained till a late lion/ in the midst of con-
viviality.

On Wednesday morning, the Prince and Princess
of Denmark, viewed the House of Lords and Com-
mons, and Westminster Hall, where some officers
connected with the Board of %Yorks described the
arrangements made fin. the banquet the day of the
coronation. They afterwards went to the Speaker's
house, and thence to Westminster Abbey, where
they were much delighted with the solemn gran-
deur of the place, and the various antiquities.
The Comet steam-boat was launched on Thursday
at Deptford-y.7d. S!ic is a very fine vessel, and
the first of the kind built in his Majesty's yard.

COURSE OF EX
Amsterdam, 12 C. F.
Ditto, at sight, 19
Rotterdam, 12 9
Antwerp, 12 3
Hamburgh, 37 6
Altos's, 37 7
Paris, 3 rt.ivs• sigh t, 9S SO
Ditto, 23 .60
Boitrdeasis, 25 60
Frankforton the Maine, 155
Petersburgli, 9 3 U.
Vienna, Ef. Flo. 10 19
Trieste, EI. Flo. Id 12
Madrid, 37—Cadis. so
Bilboa,3B}—Barcelona, 381

PRICE
Bank Stork 298
3 per Cent. Bed. 18/
3 per Cent.Cusniols 10/
3/ per Cent. Nil
4 per Cent. 94/
a per Ceut. Navy 104
laatsg Autry 19}

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Letitia :
MONDAY, MAY 17.

The follies, to give them no worse a name, of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer would be amusing, if
we did not remember that to so weak a man arc
confided the finances of our country—he some time
since brought forward his plan to contract fur the
payment of the army and navy half-pay, by granting
annuities at 45 years' purchase—but so intricate and
incomprehensible was his plan, that no offer was
made for the contract—he now proposes the same
sort of measure, but Government is to contract with
itself, in order, as the Right Hon. little Gentleman
says, that the country may have the profit of the
bargain—or, as any plain-dealing honest man would
say, a plan is adopted, by which two sets of expen-
sive Commissioners are employed, when, by doing
away with the sinking fund, the same effect would
be Foduced, without the charge of any Commis-
sioners at all—but then there would be less patron-
age ! " Aye, there's the rub"—less corrupt influence
—less command of votes in the House of Commons.
—The Marquis of Londonderry becomes more and
more whimsical and paradoxical—at the commence-
ment of the session no further retrenchment could
be achieved—left in a minority on the questions
of the useless Lords of the Admiralty, and the
equally useless Postmaster General, a reduction of
nearly four millions is effected, and then his Lordship
ascribes it, nut to the opposition shewn to his wish
to continue lavish expenditure to its extent, but to
what ? why, " to the support afforded to Govern.
ment !" Admirable logician! The only good to be
derived by the present plan of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer is, a present diminution of taxes—a
postponement of evil ; and even this is done in such
a way as to saddle the country with the same ex-
pence in the collection of the diminished taxes as it
has had to sustain in the collection of the whole—
but this again forwards the favourite system of cor-
ruption—this keeps those fast friends, who might be
honest men if they did not gain something by being
rogues.
The sentence of the Court of King's Bench, upon
Messrs. Shackell, Weaver, and Arroswmith, for a
series of libels upon her late Majesty, Caroline,
Queen Consort of the present King, has been ',wised,
and is therefore fair subject of animadversion. The
libels selected for prosecution, were only a few
among the many that appeared in " The John
Bull," during four or five months the atrocity of
them was such, as we boldly assert, never before
disgraced the Press in England—the falsehood of
them was equally well known, and the publishers
never—even to the moment of their receiving Judg-
ment, expressed any thing like sorrow, or contri-
tion, fur their guilt—according to the common law
of England, husband and wife are as nearly equal
as two persons can be, preserving a show of supe.
riority to either, and the particular laws applying to
a Queen Consort, invest her with peculiar pri-
vileges—thus, her Majesty's situation was us nearly
equal as possible, in the estimation of the Constitu-
tion, to that of the King—and yet, for a continuity
of libels upon her, more infamous andexecrable than