The National Register.
London, England, 1817-03-31 00:00:00

Dr

Na. 477.—V0L. X.

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

ON TUE PRESENT STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

Causes of the present Embarrassments—Parliamentary
IkAnners—Poor Lams—lnjurious Efects of ihe
Country Banking System—SlN ECU Iles—Lord _irdeu

—Retrenchment—Our present Prospects.
WE have recently had put into our hands a Pamph-
let on this subject, published by Murray, of Albe-
marle-street, written by some one (tor it is anonymous)
so evidently well-informed, so clearly alive to the evils

which we all deplore, so cogent in urgumentatiou, so
lucid in the statement of facts, and, withal, so perspi-
cuous yet elegant in hi, diction, that we shall Lvote no
inconsiderable portion of the present article to a carefid
analysis of its co n tent s : ut the same time earnestly
recommending to our reatlers a diligent perusal of the
pamphlet itself; in which, if we are not greatly mis-
taken, we perceive many traces of the same pen which
several years ago favoured us with some judicious " Re-
marks on Blackstone's Commentaries."

This writer, after manfully acknowledging the ex-
istence and extent of our embarrassments, proceeds to
state the most prominent causes of those difficulties.

" The exigencies of war ereate an immense and almost
incessant demand for manufactures of various descriptions.
We have lived in an extraordinary crisis in a state of the
world unknown in any former period of warfare. The
continent of Europe, struggling with difficulties in every
branch of its foreign commerce, spiritless, depressed, with-
out energy, and without reliance, carried on her principal
trade with Great Britain, in whose power alone she could
confide, and on whose integrity alone she could de.
pond. British goods consequently forced their circuitous
entrance into every foreign port. But peace necessarily
put au end to advantages arising exclusively front the war;
—tom maritime superiority became no longer available.
Competitors thronged into those markets which had been
monopolized by the British merchant. At home, the limi-
tation of demand for the supply of government was deeply
felt. This sudden interruption to industry was experienced.
not merely in those manuthetnres connected with the direct
demands of war,—it was felt in every branch of trade; for.
one extensive chain connects the whole : no branch can suffer
alone. The sudden stagnation of demand threw vast numbers
of inditstr' poor out of employ. The sudden and extensive
reline' ion of the army and navy, and (Witte naval and military
establishments, cast thousands on the world, without re-
sources. and ssithnut bread. The complicated embarrass-
tocrit ot commerce extended itself to the landed interest—
es er dependent for their prosperity on each other."

The seeming paradox arising from the assertion that
though the consequences of war are injurious to the
welfare of the country, yet that the present distresses
arc ascribable to its termination, is solved in the

most easy and satisfactory manner ; as is also the so-
phism, taken up by those who lay all the blame on the
xvar, that if a transition from war to peace has been
found injurious to the public weal, a recurrence to a
state of war must restore us to wealth and happiness.

" A man that, long accustomed to intemperance. should on
a sudden abstain from all strong drink, may for a time, and
moil his constitution has adapted itself to the change of living,
undergo much real suffering,.—the absence of all -stimulus,
occasioned by his return to sobriety, will be the cause of this
depression and debility; but because we affirm this, we are
not therefore prepared to contend that he ought to return
again to a course of drunken:los as a restorative."

Speaking of Parliamentary Reform, this sensible
writer observes--

" The word reform presumes some amendment to he made.
It well becomes us, however, to pause a little, and to inquire
whether that which its clamorous advocates are pleased to
term a parhanientaly reform, would be actually a rrforon: or
whether the alterntiou which they propose to us under that
seducing appellation, hr any thing more or less than to make
parliament othrruisc thou what it is—ter the rest is clearly an
Whir of experiment.
" If my constitution be a little out of order, and some one
ins.sts that I take his remedy. it could no doubt appear some.
what foolish to decline it. What man having any ailment
ould not desire to be-relieved? Very true; but I sin not
grate sure that it is a remedy ; the nostrum may be so denomi•
muted, but tais ottimous zeal in uoy behalf may be without
cowirtigt ; the dose may increase the distemper, and this
nu, ly tray entry me ofh. They must he forgiven, therefore,
Mho have a little prudent distrust, and are not to be hurried
•ray quite so fast by ',tele words and pretensioes. The hod:,
telitle is s much noire per emus subject of experiment than
itte body mamal. A hale and robust constitution may carry
wa.througir eperat i i of a poisonous drench; but when
seapities °tower nub established systems, under a sperioui
Seel for what they :bay please to term reform, their rashness
Ray