The National Register.
London, England, 1819-05-16 00:00:00

imperious!:

rarliament, which has now been sitting for some
menthe, bet during which time scarcely a question
had arisen, previous to the Catholic Claims, which
seemed of sufficient importance either to ensure the
attendance! of its Members, or fairly to try its senti-
ments upon the general policy so long pursued, but
which, both on that occasion, and again since upon
the hardly less important Question of the Scotch
Burglv, bas so nobly done its duty, it is impossible
not to feel a deep anxiety as to what may be its con-
duct and decisions upon the great Trials that are
now immediately before it. The Plot of the Drama
is now at its very height, and the developement, he
it happy, or be it miseraltle must be soon disclosed
A want of some strong and decisive measure en the
part of what is called the Opposition, had begun to
be much complained of; but the uniform resistance
ehewn to any amelioration and hnpravement, the
notice for an extensive Loan for the current Service,
without a symptom of Retrenchment, and the Report
of the Bank Committee, which holds out no hope
of any carly.return to a more wholesome Basis of
Public Credit, or a more rational medium of com-
mon Barter, has at length roused them. They are
now tieing in proportion to the exigence that calls
for their exertions. Mr. Tierney, we arc happy to
observe, ha:teem notice of a motion for an Enquiry
into the State of the Nation, a motion which to some
may perhaps savour of the character of an investiga-
tion of an old and entangled account between a
spendthrift and his creditor, which the former so na
turally hates to contemplate and shudders to enter-
tain, but which we have yet no he:;itation in affirm-
ing, is due to Ministers themselves, if it can be the
means of proving the impossibility of avoiding the
difficulties in which we are involved, and still more
due to the country which hos a right to expects
ither that such a case should be made out, or that
all conlitlence should be immediately withdrawn
liom those hands in which it line been abused. If,
then, his Majesty's Ministers should chilir directly
oppose or attempt beget rid of it by any of those
miserable expedients so often had recourse to as
screens for a bad cause. whatever may be the fate of
such motion in the [louse of Commons, yet the
real motives on which such investigation is ace
f iuted, canrot fail to be clearly understood or pro-
perly appreciated by the whole country. In a
sizoation like ours it will not do to tell us that
intutiry is not needed, nor shall we readily believe
tnat improvement is not bothpracticable and abso-
iutely required. In the first place, the Finances of
the country are universally admitted to be in a oon-
ilition in which a national bankruptcy might almost
ht-• greeted as a blessing. We have spent in the
fast 12 months thirteen and a ball millions of money
beyond the amount of our revenue, and, contrary to
very former precedent, as we proceed in the duration
of peace, we proceed also in the depression cfpublie

present
be possibly discharged. Our army, tvhich is the
modern instrument of conciliating allegAhnee, and
promoting tranquillity, costs within 9, millions and a
half of the charge of the whole Peace Establishment,
Army, Navy, Ordnance, Civil List,' &c. &c. in
the time of Mr. Pitt. Commerce is every where
stagnant and depressed. Petitions are day by
day crowding the tables of tho House of Com-
mons, stating that the persons 'employed both in our
cotton and woollen manufacturic cannot by their
utmost exertions earn above five shillings a weak,
whilst !snipers, as a necessary consequence, are
multiplied by hundreds and thousands throughout
the land. Agriculture, which can never' prosper
but in union with Commerce, any more than Com-
merce without Agriculture, is fast sinking under
the civil policy of the times, from the weight of
taxation, from the depreciation of money, from the
gross abuses and defects which signalize our system
of parochial relief, and, above all by the glaring
mischief arising from the crude and absurd enact-
ments of our present Corn Laws—Laws, which
instead of affording any steady and pt:rmanent
support to agriculture, are only found to encourage
a spirit of gambling and speculation, to throw the,
markets into et al ansi-vioient fluctuations, and to,
produce to fan orris, to tenants, and to the poor, a,
total derangement of those first principles upon
which their respective connections can alone-prosper.:
How, for instance, in a year like tine, is any fair
average of the value of land to be drawn from the
value of its produce? How is the landlord to fix,
mrequitable rent? How is the occupier even to
guess what he can atlod to pay ? How is the poor
man to value his labour, or to hope that his wages
will keep pose with the perpetually varying price
of that upon !he production of which his labour
is employed? Ilotv, again, does this horrible
state of uncertainty in the first necessaries of
life, operate upon their price to the general
consum. r, even beyond the actual variation of
of the market ? Great profits must necessarily be
imposed by the merchant or dealer, as the only
means of enabling hint to guard against the sudden
reverses to which he knows and feels hhnsellexposed.
That such a state of things is wrong, that if left
without investigation, mel without remedy, its
consequences mnst soon be dreadful,-no one, surely,
needs be told. The last Corn Bill was a measure of
his Majesty's Ministers ; and ithas all the character
and fruits of their common policy. Now with these
and a thousand other aggravations which we have
not time to enter upon, what is there on the other
hand to soften the harshness of this picture? Alas !
nothing. What has been done to conciliate attach-
ment, to protect morality, to relieve the pressure of
cur burdens? Alas! nothing. Nay, as if their
seats should endure for ever, and their very names
were above reproach, ,they have, in the compass of

this short Session, resisted the revision of our eau-
guitiary Criminal Code with all their might, they
have continued the infamout, gains scraped front the
Lottery, and they have moved and carried a grata
to the Dole of York, of ten thousund pounds* year,
fur a weekly viait to his aged mat atilluat foam.

Mr. Orenfell, on Thursday nig4tt,, brought for-
ward his motion for a Committee of.the whole
House, to consider the expediency pi aulscribing.tie
Sinking Fund of the year to any loan whiNusity be
necessary for the year's public service. It was opposed
by the Chancellor of the Exehequer.; and if the
question depended upon evidence and argument, kis
opposition would Eave been feeble indeed. He suc-
ceeded, however, in persuading the I-louse to reject
the motion by a majority of 117 to 29. The pr".:.
cipul grounds urgill by him were, the inexpedieut
of interfering, by the authority of an Act of Farti:,
meat, with the discretion vested by the former Act
in the Commissioners, and the danger of len% ing the
market at the mercy of the Jobbers, by withdrawing
the Commissioners from the mallet. With respect
to the first, it is difficult to see why the LeOslatute
should not direct the application of the Sinkivi•
Fund from its ordinary purpose to the current ser.
vice of the year, if the public iaterest demand it;
and we think the dealers is stock (for stock is
come a commodity like any other) nmy be safebf
left to their owe .wits, sharpened by their interests,
to guard them against any attempt ut deceptica by
the Jobbers.

The stuce night the Attorney-General obtained
leave to bring in a Bill to prevent cr.listments into
foreign service, and the equipment of vessels of war
without lice"ce. This sill may, we think, act in its
progress ma test of attachment to general principles
ofliberty. We regret that the learned gentleman did
not express his intentions more fully to the House on
one point; we mean, whether he proposes to give a
retrospective action to his Bill—whether he wears
to give Ministers the power of recalling, wider 15, -
naliy of detia, all those who have already engaged
in the patriot war.—Sir James Mackintosh most
truly • described it " as an enactment to repress the
rising liberty of the South Americans, and to ena-
ble Spain to re-impose that ycke of tyranny which
they were unable to bear, which they had nobly
shaken off, and from which he trusted in God they
would finally be enabled to flue themadv-s, what-
ever attempts were made by the ministers of this
or any other country to countenance or assist their
oppres.nrs." And if the retrospective clause we
have above alluded to be introduced, we think he
might have added to his description " that it WES a
manifest attempt to continue the system of perse-
cution against an enterprising nobleman, whose
services had shed brilliancy over our own naval an-
nals, and whose success in the patriot eanA! was
ardently wished for by every lover of the real
rights of Man." The latter part which relates to
shipping, is destructive of a considerlible branch of
commerce, and our already half-star4d
turers of Birmingham, will doubtless feel griateful
to the proposer of a mPasnre which will certainfv-
drive their custerr tc other warket. ••

fte
-- - _
•
• -
./7-7-77. • ifgveroitfititution ant VE at
- . . •
• -
No. 1191.—VoL.itII.] • ATNIVIV,OtAir 16, 1819.
• •
W credit. e 3 per Ceitti. arc actually 12 per cent.
• OW TO
lower than 'they were 18 mon.tlk alo, and let us
SI,',ATE OF TILE NATION. not forget how confidently these funds were then
appealed to by Mlniaterm as a clear and unquestioned
TIM attention of the country was never more criterion of pub ,prosperity, and of public wealth.
Iperiously directed to the proceedings of the legis- We ow 800 debt. and let the
tore, than at the present moment. With a new "leek ebon,
.even j 1 pene
hat linty lean grittino, for ElMAshould beleterral, this debt at the prespnt rate can

OF LORDS.
MONDAY. MAY 10.
The Duke of Newt:are: pienented a PCti(iJt from tnst
Netforel. against the lintnim Catholic Claims.
The House udjounted.
TY IrSDAY. MAY 11.
A RUY TUNOT XI) A MIIRIS:"}:II.—The Matquis of Inne-
n:rent rae. in puretianen of melee, to nib I the intention cf the
Lords vs the conduct of the American General Jackson, with
ropect to the execution of !.rbittlitiot and Ambrrater. He owed
i: to the character of the distinguished indivhbral at the bead of
tine American Government. to :Winn, that lie believed the Go-
e et:lntent of America inespnble of any deliberate intention to
int:mit au gores an outrage to the foclusgs of humanity.. The
:snide Marquis pine:l4W to state the facts of the ease. lit
sonsemsence of outrages committed by the Indians on the
.•irenes of Georgia. r.nd rcpened quarrels between them and
nine an bordtrers, General Jackson was ordered to carry the
war intothe enuitry of the Seminoles. In April last yaw lie was
welt-a the necessity of invading the ventral territory of Spain, on
CA alleged motive that the. Seminoles might make tnetuselves
t. renters ct that territory, to the injure of the United States. It
•RSto a circumwtanmc,nincrwtl with that transaction to which
It. forth.: attention of die House. Gen. Jackson committed
set net of wennessiots by invading a neutral territory, but that act
*4l rendered more übrioxious by his conduct after he got posses-
niun. Omen/ingest was takettpossetion of Last war in viol:Moo
of ronitmlity, hut it would have been a great aggrava.ion of that
art, if edvaritage had been taken by Lord C.atecart sith roman
so die seizure, trial, and execution of persons. for crimes
athiged to bast been tem witted anainat the Government of-Great
Britain. General Jackson no sooner made himself master of
fort St. nark, which was no matter of difficulty, than he pro-
ceeded to try and execute !Shish subjects, fur offences committed
agniast die United Stites. Perhaps, with respect to Ambeister,
there might be some difilmlty in saying General Jackson haj
not the power to put him to death. That individual had been
in arms against the United Soma, and was canteen-41 with the
witeitantrl on by the Seminoles, but lie was not taken with arms '
in hat banda.and ahould not have been denied quarter. He was.
however. led to trio'. sentenced. raid that sentence altered by
Gomel Jackson to the pain of death. which wasonocated. He
had :hos laid down a emit I principle new in Elie sit of war, which,
if adopted, world open ad species a cruelty a si nguinary Gene-
ral cm&be daystaid to anantin and leads to acts renugnalit to
neva" &Meg liesnanity. With regard to Arbuthnot, [lie Cabe
-woe diairtnt. It was net found that lie was in arms; he was
'brine peaceably in I art St. Mark, under the Spanish Govern-
ment. The manse inipateni was eat of supply ins the Indians
win. prouder and a mull quantity of lead. whici he had been in
tic kabita vending as a trader. These individuels were tried.
esod.nne 'Athol,/ was carat...ulna to (leash, the ether to an infa-
mous; anahment : General Jackson thought right to alter the
rnent, ynnialsitent, and (ardor death, from which the. Court•
srartitd had shrink.—The Marquis concluded bs moving an
addicts to the Regent, for all communications hetinien the Bri-
%Wl Government and the United trams, relating to die proceed.
itno the Aineriesen Army in ich.. ida, in Joni, and paraculiirly
na•Me Wieland extortion of British aubjects.
Lard 11ATHuasT declared that Arbuthnot and .tribrister had
amen Arai in, the situation of Agents known to the Iltitish
eieternment. N.:it:tech:id Arbuthnot stood in the relation of a
4ritidnaterchasst. lfe was the agent of the Indians, and liable
so the hostility which the mums were czposed to in shrove ser-
vice they were engaged. There could be but one opinion in
linghind and the United Scutt. it. to die atrocity, at the came
dine he called on the Muse to consider whether it win a cane in
which room:lrian could be demanded.
The Marquia of I.ANSDOW NE , ism explanation, stated the view
be had- taken et' the qnestion was to *Riad an opportunity of
she% big that the trananctsim was disavowed by the respective
4; ivernments.

_
Ai.:: the Earl of I.lvcepocl had oddresetl the House on the
the:LOW:II •as pot aril negativcd.—Aojournett.

WEDNESDAY. Di AY 12.

Seven,' Members from the Co:uroons brought t.m a number
of pill. The only public one was, she Membersidualiikation
. _ .

---
The Clergy aspenastion Bill. and the Chimney Sweepers'
legulatioa B:11, west: t'icougit the Commiatea.
A Deputadoo from the Commons brought up a Copy of the
Itepoct leKie by the Committu o MC Commoe.s upon the
AffAirk I,F th.! Bank. pursuant to a Ittcs4age from Cie I.OldS.
Tia Mt:siman afro requested a Copy of the Report made by
t-e Lords' Coomiiuse on Bank Attairs.—The House w'jeurned.

TIfraSDAY, MAY 13.

On the motion of the Earl of I iserpuol, the Report !of the
Euiiiinibsiumrs uppoioted under the Act for Building Claire:lee
vas arach.:ii to be piloted.
The Clcro7 Dispauesiou Bill was read a third time and passed.
AJ:murr,ed.