The National Register.
London, England, 1808-03-06 00:00:00

No. 10.
Pou
NUMB.
LORD LAKE'S
Our readers all know that a pi
tnade to Parliament, in the name 4.
stowing upon Lord Lake, and his des,
1000/. a-vear for three generations yes
also been proposed, that this pension she.
spective operation, commencing from the
thus adding 90001. to the grant, and.extenditi,
in fact, to four lives.
We have not witnessed any public action, ft.
number of years, which has met with so universa,
demnation. Persons of all political creeds have lit,
their voices against it. Even those who are on ord.
occasions the least sensible to the public burthens of
people, and the most disposed to go along with the de
wands of government, have been loud in their censures.
The very alarmists themselves, who are too apt to think
that the people can never be sufficiantly weak, nor the h.
government sufficiently strong, till they find themselves 'hay
as well as the people, equally • the victims of an undistin- In
r tishing despotism, even they hare joined the common cry when a
of reprobation. of Lord L
The present is not an ordinary crisis. It speaks to the in which, 4.
feelings of those, on whose reasokthe abuse of the peo- taxes arc dri
plc's earnings makes too feebleN.n impression. When first floor to t,
they contemplate the disastrous effects which taxation is whole populatio.
now working in this country, and consider the arduous the very tax-gat,
contest in which we are still engaged, the most unthinking another year ; that
shudder at the prodigality with which demands arc con- they have no longer a.
tinually made, from the most frivolous pretexts, on the pay no longer. Let an,
sweat and the blood of the people. riment. Five out of six
On ordinary occasions, when the produce of labour is England, will not hesitate i.
but lightly taxed, add the demands of the times arc ino- Hear the opinions, not of o,
th;rate, we are apt to regard a slight addition with much our Statesmen : " I beg the L
indifference ; too often forgetting that such deductions arc " question now is as to a choice
not merely taken from the people, but from the prosperity " must be raised for the exigenci,
of the country. Wilco the taxation of labour, however, 11. Petty's Speech, 9lh -Way, 1806.)
has reached that terrible and hazardous pitch, that it con " are now placed in such circumstance
be raised no higher, ':hew its springs are wound up ready "to adopt modes of taxation, which nth
to burst, and when at the same time we arc placed in one " affect the prosperity of one branch or o
of the most awful situations in which any nation was ever "or commerce ;" (air. Fox's Speech, 9th
found, a situation wore urgently demanding vast means of this unparalleled state of taxation are the 1.
exertion than any 'which the histor'y of mankind can easily country called upon .to pay 2000!. a sear, an,
parallel, to add to the demands upon the people, by frivo- sides to the family of Lord Lake. That the fami.
lons pretexts, revolts the understanding and the heart of Lake may keep three carriages instead of two. fis
all but an ignorant and hardened courtier. The general servants instead of three, a thlugand hnngry famine.
sense of mankind is against it. Their feelings inlist their be curtailed a loaf ef bread in the week ; or the cou
prejudices on the side of reason ; and the mostActermined mast be script of the power of maintaining 50 sailors.
aristocrats become the friends of the people. You talk of the services of Lord Lake. Dave yoi.
For us, our motto speaks for us, that we art attached never heard of the important maxim, " Let us be just,
:to our KING, to our C'cy:•TircTios, and to oar L/tA• I " before we are generous." Is it not fit to be consider-
-331g every sentiment and dictate of our unJerstandint, and ed, that what vcu give to Lord Lake, you take from the
of ouriteart tells us that the interests of our King are in- people of England ? And ought you not to deliberate it
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411111*
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