The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-03 00:00:00

BUONAPARTE.

A singular and an astonishing rumour reached
this country on Friday, from St. Helena, that a secret
correspondence between Buonaparte and Europe, con-
ducted by Lascusas, had been intercepted through the
vigilance of the Civil and Military authorities of the
island. The Larkins. left the island of St. Helena on
the 15th of December; and letters, bronght by her
state the following circumstances :—A Creole boy of
the place had frequently attended or visited Buonaparte,
to whom his ex-Majesty had appeared to pay a singu-
hr degree of attention. The boy was, therefore, at
first only ordered to discontinue his visits; but having,
in spite of this prohibition, being discovered to have
found secret means of access to Longwood, it was
very naturally supposed that some uncommon motives
existed for s,) uncommon a pertinacity ; and the youth
was very strictly interrogated as to the intercourse be-
tween himself and Buonaparte. He at first denied all
improper conduct; but having, in consequence, been
dismissed and sent home, it appears that he was not so
well able to baffle the domestic authorities to whom he
was known, as he had been the legal ones to whom he
was unknown: and to his fitther or masterheconfessed,
that he was the guardian of a secret letter which Las
Casas had given to him, and which had been sewed up
between his coat and the lining: the buy likewise
charged the Pole Pistowski, the Count Montholon,
and some female, as privy to all the circumstances
which he related. Las Casas had, it is said, bee*
placed in close confinement, in consequence ; and the
others were to be tent of w the Cape.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

LON. I,ON
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3.

The French Papers which we have received this week
do not furnish much information. The debate in the
Chamber of Deputies on the law regarding the Liberty
of the Press has at length terminated. The law was
passed by a majority of 39. It is stated in one of these
papers, that the Pope has entered into some tutisfactory
arrangement with the Prince Regent on the subject of
Catholic Emancipation.
If, however, the foreign intelligence of the past week
be not of a very important description—the scenes
which have taken place during that period before our
own eyes, present several features of interest, if not alarm.
The attack made upon the person of the Prince Regent
has, we arc confident, excited but one sentiment through-
out the Kin4dom. All ranks and orders of men, what-
ever be their political opinions, must unite in execrating
so flagitious an outrage on the peace of the country. If
the measures ofthe present Government be not acceptable
to any set of individuals, have they not a plain and con-
stitutional method of remonstrating against them ? The
laws shield the Executive Member of the Government
from any personal responsibility as to those measures.
He stands apart from them altogether, and is secluded
and protected in the sanctuary of the Constitution.—
When this fundamontal principle of our laws is violated,
it becomes the duty of every good man to rally round
the throne, and to repel every aggression upon its dig-
nity and its rights, at the hazard of his life. The privi-
leges of the Sovereign arc inseparably connected with
the privileges of the people—they stand or perish to-
gether—and it' the former be assailed with impunity,
the latter cannot long remain unendangered.
We present our readers with a detailed report of' this
audacious outrage. It will be recollected that a similar
attack was made on the person of his present Majesty,
at the opening of the Session in 1795. Indeed the cir-
cumstances not only of the outrage, but of the country,
so nearly resemWe each other, that it is worth the reader's
attention to compare them.
" In Isis Majesty's way to the Home of Lords, which lay
through the Park, hi; coach was surrounded, on every side,
by pc l',OllS of all descriptions, demanding peace, and the dia.
snisseus of Mr. l'itt. Souse voices were even beard exclaim
lug " Np King" and stones were thrown at the state.coaels
as it dre..v near to the Horse Guards. In passing through
Pal see-yaril, one of Ilse uindows was brol,esi it was said by
a bullet, discharged from an air gun). These outrages were
repeated on the King's return from the Muse, and he nar-
rowly escaped the fury of the populace in his way haek flOlll
St. James'. Palace to Ilnekingliara House:*

" On the Gth of Novem!ier, Lurd Grenville bronzlit fr.r-
ward a bill fur better ecuriu 4 the King's person and govern-
ment. •

" Sorb was the temper of the commotiellty prevhns to the
nie.4linz of Parliament, about the close of o;mher, 1793. A
fermentat,on of tii most ahrinials kind sec Hied to pervade
th.. tslide 1111,S of the people. The various associations of
node,' for th !povpose of obtaining a Parliamen-
tary Reform, were, at th.s period, peculiarly notiet d for their
boldness and activity. That vi hich was known by the name
of the Corresponding Sniety, ditanguiviltd itself by Lk. rc.'

sulnte speeches of its principal members at the several inr et
lugs which took place in the course of the year. That wl,lea
was held near Copenhagen-house, in the neighbourhood of
Islington, wu, the most remarkable. The numbers that
attended, tither through zeal in the cause, or through curi-
osity, were computed at about 50,00 n. Some et ty daring
addresses were made to the multitude ; the conduct cf
Ministers were arraigned in t lie most unqualified language,
and a remonstrance to the mi the iierefodly of real e,
and a Reform in Parliament, was IllliVel sal!, agreed on."

On the Prince Regent's Speech we think it unne-
cessary to of any commentary. The topics which
it embraces, have been already amply discussed, and
we have only to add the expression of our sincere hope,
that the confident tone in which it speaks of the di,-
tresses of the country, will be justified by events.
A proclamation has been issued offering a reward of
10001 f w the apprehension and conviction of the person
or persons concerned in the outrage on the Prince Re-
gent.

By the arrival of the Catherine, Captain Hessen, from
the river Plate, we arc enabled to contradict the report
of the reduction of Monte-Video by the Brazilian army.
They had advanced no farther than Maldonado, which
was surrendered without resistance. The Buenos-
Ayres Gown-um:tit had coalesced with Artigas, and the
forces of the former were expected every moment at
Monte-Video, to defend the place against the common,
enemy. _ _

Or Thursday, a Court of Aldermen unanimously
agreed to present an address to the Prince Regent,
expressive of their horror at the late attack upon his
Royal Highness's person.
It is reported, that a Proclamation upon the state of
the country will shortly be issued, and that strong
measures, for the preservation of the Peace, will be re-
it sorted to.

There was a meeting on Friday at the London Ta-
vern, of Merchants, Bankers, Trailers, and others, of
the city of London. Its purpose was in fact to for:n
some ostensible resistance of respectable men to the
mass of disaffection now unhappily put in motion, nut
against the evils of the Government, but against the
Government itself, the chief Governor, and the peace
of the country. The motive was honourable and pro-
per.
REFORM.--A knot of journeymen carpenters met
together at the Argyll Arms, in Argyll-street, on
Tuesday last, to discuss the distresses of the country,
the duration of Parliaments, and the extension of the
• elective franchise, &c. Hunt, who thought nothing could
be done without him, made his appearance among them,
to instruct and direct them. Whereupon, with the ex-
ception of one young man, they all declared that they
thought themselves fully as competent as he was toprovide
remedies flir the difficulties of the country ; they wanted
none of his advice : they thought his intrusion imper-
tinent, and begged him to withdraw : with which ad-
vice, after he had made a few very cold observations
about himself; Cobbett, and the little boy, he soon com-
plied. The resolutions were then penned, without him;
and signed by Thomas Moulton, Chairman.
At a Common-hall, which was held on Friday by ad-
vertisement, a series of resolutions were debated and
passed. The proceedings of this assembly were, we
understand, more orderly than usual ; anti their opinion
us to the duration of Parliaments more moderate. It
is not perhaps remarkable that Hunt should make his
appearance any where; he was therefore present here :
but on his proposing that the address and resolutions
should move for annual Parliaments, he was outnum-
bered by three to one. His tone was humbled ; but
he was succeeded by a man of great fury, of the name
of Mitchell.

Lotto ExNourit,—Atler the adjournment of the
Common-hall, the Lord Mayor proceeded to the Com-
mon Council-chamber, where Lord Exmouth had been
in waiting a considerable time, in consequence of invi-
tation, to receive the splendid sword voted to that noble-
man, as a mark of public approbation and thanks for
his splendid victory in the bombardment of Algiers.
A,,uther mectiott of the Di legates fin l'arliament.iry Re-
form took place on Mondcy, at the King's ,Mons Tavern,
Palace Yard. There were about thirty present, Major (art-
w•right was caned to t:te chair. A motion was made to tli3-
sub e the meeting, which, after some oop.:sition and discos.
,ion, was agreed to; awl it W:l3 arranged, that thrse Dele-
4att a haring pentium to present to Pc,inoncat, s:kouid
is-
sentble nest day, at three o'clock, in Palace YAM, to rt
them into the hands of Sir F. Burdett and Lord Cochrane.
the meeting was then timilly dissolved.
It appears by a Document from Hayti, that the
French have as little probability of regaining that part
of St. Domingo by negotiation as they had et.' sulxking
by force.
There is found in the Port-au-Prince papers, a notice
of the Secretary Ceneral of the President Valor), pro-
mulgated on the sth of November, to the merchtnits cf
the liepublie.that by official dispatches, from the Em-
pszor of Austria, through his Chargc-des-Aflidres, dated
the 15th of August la,t, at Triste, the ports of Austria
arc open to the Hay thin flug, cad that the Emperor is
desirous of promoting a mutual intercourse between the
two countries.

THE NEW COTN.\ Prortvnation was on V:edne,:t:ay or-
dered, to he is:nett respecting the iyucl of Cite Nroe Coinage. By
pretious order the period for exchsngiog hkw for Ohl Coln wa,
nixed to be from the 3d to t:e 17th of Fcioulry. Both ef thme dat•cs
have been deferred for ten CLVP, thit is, the exch,,•,7,• tt, e e..•!•iwe • •
%et the I.7t;', And Sll 0:: tlt 1•:•1•;••::::,..

POLITICAL DISQU I SITION.

AN APPEAL TO THE prom .r. AGAINST MESSIEURS
HUNT ND connrrr.

WE believe that the long and eventful history of this
country furnishes no instance of the Legislature having
assembled under eireumstanms and prospects altogether
so portentous as those which have characterised the corn-
memetnent of the present Session. The misery which
pervadts every order of so.iety—the strong and irresisti-
ble spirit of rofonn which inspires the public mind—
the clamours for extensive retrenchment in the state
expenditure, which are raised from every county and
almost every parish in the kingdom, cannot in the na-
ture of things cease to fix the general attention, until
some important concessions are made either by the Go-
v_Tr.ment or the People. It is morally impossible, that
the national athiirs can remain in their present disturbed
and fluctuating condition. No foreign wars, either on
I mei or (wean. exist to divide and occupy the community.
4 Inc great subject engrosses the faculties of every Indi-
a i•luai—the and peril in which the country is
iuvolved.

We took an opportunity in our last Number, of re-
pellin the assertion now so generally advanced, that
the late War was unnecessary and unjustifiable. We
apprehend that the contunlictory of this proposition was
clearly established ; and hence we concludial, that if
the war had been the source of our present calami-
ties, and we admitted that it was, we should bear those
calamities as men of reason and of' fortitude would
sustain any of the common mist:,rtunes of' life. We
confess it is our sincere wish, that these principles should
be deeply impressed upon the minds of our fi2llow sub-
jects. The modern enthusiasts are exerting every nerve
to extinguish them. It is the incessant pursuit of Mr.
Cobbett, of Mr.-Hunt, and of all those who, either in
private conversation or in public journals, recommend
their extravagant doctrines, to remove such sound and
rational feelings from the public contemplation. The
grand object which they have in view could never be
accomplished, if the people persevered in those true and
steely sentiments of freedom, which have always sig-
nalized and exalted the inhabitants of Great Britain.
Their object is to increase—not to heal the wounds of
the Constitution--to overthrow, not to repair the liber-
ties of' the Country—to plunge the Empire in one abyss
of ruin, fur more deep and horrible than that in which
it is already precipitated. They prfess a regard fbr the
Constitution—they exclaim, that Englishmen arc de-
prived of their legal privileges—But what do these men
know of the true foundation of either? Mr. Hunt,
according to his own declaration, spends his time in the
amusements of the chase :—we do not find fhult with
him for indulging this disposition—we would wish, in-
deed, that he confined himself entirely to such pursuits.
Mr. Cobbett, if we may believe his own confession, re-
ceived his education in the lowest ranks of the army,
and took up politics as a trade. He presented himself
before the public view, without a particle of solid in-
telligence—he calumniated every man, and every party ;
and it was this qualification, unhappily too congenial
with the general dispositions of men, which acquired
for him an inflinums notoriety, If Ministers had con-
ferred
upon him a pension sufficient for his avarice, Mr.
Cobhctt would have been the most servile and adulatory
declaimor in England. There is not a measure which
has issued from the Cabinet these twenty years bail:, •
which he would not have justified, and crowned with
more flowery epithets than ever adorned the columns of
the Moniing Post. But the Ministers refused his pro-
posal—therefbre Mr. Cobbott is a Pat,let—a Refiffmer,
and a friend to the Constitution !

One man possesses no talents, nor an v Tecies of literary
or legal acquirements. His chief distinction is, that he
agrees in principle with no nian—because he has no prin-
ciple. He descends to the meanest arts to win the popu-
lar approbation, and his opinion of his own powers and
dignity will suffer him to admit no riral.—The other is
a mere artisan in his way ; and he would compose phi-
lippics to-morrow against his own Register, if he thought
it wouhrproduce him a large weekly return of pccuhiary
emolument.

In the name of Liberty, arc we to be guided in our
political opinions by such men P ftaiwil from their ori-
ginal obscurity by their hardy imptulenee, without a
binftla attribute which entitles men to the esteem or
:::lutiration of their fellow men, they are now endeavour-
1r Constitution,
vn supremacy.

ing to Till down the venerate fabric of cti
and to substitute the system of tLfir oa