The National Register.
London, England, 1819-07-04 00:00:00

Om teeunelvea. We are mot musk d
Coma es to glary4e public wilily, er

from causes which bring woe to the had: of our fel-
low creatures, though even such caws may contri-
bute to rouse the indignation sad augment the
hatred against those whom we candidly avow our-
-selves to believe to merit, as pubik characters, net
one single sentiment of veneration or regard.—
But we cannot be unmindful that Taxation is a feel-
ing point of public policy, and that a very numerous

description of.persues may be surely and effectually
roused to reflation by this sort of appeal to their
pockets, when every appeal either to their heads or
hearts would be vain and useless. If this were not
the case, .if a low and calculating selfishness were
not the character of the tines, would it be seen that
Reposestatives is Parliament world dare to vote
away•our liberties one day, and our money, millions
after millions in the gross, abe nest, and support
items of acpenditure which outrage every feeling of
decent regard to the public weal, and then•calculate,
yes, and truly too, upon riding horse, as it is called,
to the bosom of popular affection and esteem, on a
.vote given in favour of souse paltry local interest,
given as *sop to their constituents, and :smiled as a
mantle by themselves which is to cover every base

No man can deity that this is a game every day
played, and more especially when the day of rec-
koning is yet at some distance, when five or six
years of sweet oblivion are in imagination before
them. A return Ao the old Constitutional period of
Parliament is therefore every day more and mere to
be desired. The aceounts of Representatives and
Censtituents are like the accounts •of debtor sad
creditor in mullion life, best setiod and adjusted at
short intervals. Fraud and tblly are then more
cautiously indalgitcl, as well us more surely visited
by their proper tecotopence. The present Tuxes
would not, could not have been carried at the close
of an old Parliament.

But our principal motive in again adverting to this
topic is to dim- a few observations on the Tax upon
foreign wool. As an useless and unconstitutional
demand of money on the part of the crown, we entirely
condemn it. As a Tax, supposing:the amount it was to
'raise were really needful we should view it in a dif-
ferent aspect. To the claims of Commerce tbr pro-
tection and support, we are not insensible, and we
sincerely deprecate any opinion of that kind being
laid to our charge. But there are two points of ra-
tional policy which we have always thought both
Government on one hand, and Commercial Men on
the other, to have .too much lost sight of. These
are the great and paramount importance of Agricul-
ture to the well-being of a State, and the mperior
value of the hourc-eurrl,vl to any advantages which
our foreign Trade ever did or can affird us. Every
writer on Political (Economy 'bile laid the foundation
of national strength in the means of national subsist-
ence, and has judged a Government to b. well or
ill. conducted, in proportion as it has fostered or neg-
lected thin sole and inexhaustible source of solid
greatneot. Great:Britain has inherited from nature

a climate and soil admirably adapted to supply the
wants, and reward the industry of its people. Even
its apparent difficulties and disadvautages are eventu-
ally productive of good. They stimulate exertions,
they rouse to energy, they brace the nerves, and
invigorate the activity of her labourer% and operate
with a beaefioial influence on the whole range of
bee moiety. Ne eater souNlrriiirlimilsimaid
produce a corresponding dam et mite, equal in
public and private virtues, to the country-gentlemen
of England : no region upon earth has such a des-
cription of persons to cultivate its ail as English
farmers; and above all, our peasantry, that proudest
boast of freedom, with all the horrible memos of
degradations which have been se long at work
amongst them, are still a nobler and better race of
men than can nay where else be met with. But
these blessings are nevertheless intimately connected
with our public policy ; and a had or oppressive
Government may easily destswy them all. Spain has
the finest soil and climate in the world, but the
execrable character of her laws and constitution
render it the worst cultivated, and eunsequestly
the most abject and degraded country in Europe:—
Now the way of Riving that degree of mu:mirage-
ment to Agriculture, which wo feel disposed to plead
for, is to let it .alone, to leave it freeassi unfettered
in its energies, and moderately burdened nh'th pablic
der.ands. If this course had been followed in
this country, we should have have no need to be
now discussing the merits er oxpediency of any
other. B:t the fact has been rutoriously the re-
verse. The church, the poor, the public rosals,are