The National Register.
London, England, 1816-04-14 00:00:00

SUNDAY, .A.PRIL 14, 1816.

It leads the pious mind to the contemplation of its Sa-
viour, like the star that guided the wise men to the place
where he lay, and makes it a partaker of the joy which
the shepherd felt from the songs of the angels that an-
nounced his birth. The festival of EASTER is accompanied
with recollections as interesting, as it places before us
the consummation, that train of labours, suffixing:4, and

instruction, which he undertook to regenerate the world.
The word Easier (or want in German is rolled Ostern),
is of Saxon original, and the season is so called from the
divinity to whom April was dedicated; but both iu ,the
learned, and all the southern languages of Europe, the
term for expressing the festival is derived from the Pus-
dial feast of the Jews, during the period of which our
Saviour was crucified. The observation of it began early
in the Christian church. The disciples of our Lord, and
their immediate converts, would remember with peeuliar
interest, and with ardent piety, the anniversary of so as-
tonishing an event that happened so near their own time,
or within the verge of their own experience. The prin-
ciple of association being natural, would gain strength
by its religious consecration, and extended the ►ame pious
regard to other days than those connected with the his-
tory of our Saviour. During the progress of etriesiasti-
ail corruptions, the number of festivals was accordingly
greatly multiplied, a powerful host of saints usurped the
calendar, and a gr.:at portion of time was enjoined to be
observed in their pa.ssover. This evil had grown to such
a height before the reformation, and is now so inveterate
in the Roman Catholic system, that out of the 26.5 days
of the year, there is not one which is not appropriated to
some saint or other, and some days are even encumbered
with several. The different reformers that arose about
the time of Luther, had different ideas with regard to the
number of feasts to be retained, though they all agreed
in purging the calendar from ficticious or obtrusive saints.
The English church perhaps, retains too many, the Cal-
vinistic churches too few: "Jack (to use the language of
the Tale of the Tub), tore all the lace off his cis.t," and
perhaps with the violence of the action, rent a little of
the coat itself. Though there be too great a tendency in
the popular mind when ceremonies and festivals arc mul-
tiplied, to depend on ceremonies and festivals alone, they
ought not to be entirely disregarded as aids to devotion.
There is surely a medium, and as no good Christian
would pass the field of Bethlehem without thinking of his
Saviour's birth, or the holy sepulchre, without recalling
his death and murrection, so we ought not to forget that
Christmas and Easter may be rendered subservient to
papaws ss pious, and recollections as vivid and inter-

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Mommv, APRIL 8.

The Weights and Measures Bill was brought up from the
Coannous„ and on the motion of Earl Stanhope, was ordered to
be teat' a second time on the 7th \l:w•.

BUONAPARTE'S DP,TENTION.

Earl Bsritvasr moved the second readin; of Bnonaparte's
Detention Bill.

Lord Hai t ssn said, on such a motion be had expected the
Noble Secretary of state would have given some explanation
as to the purport nt• the Hill; and as to the wisdom mid policy
of the measure; fur his part he saw neither wisdom, policy, or
magnanimity in it. Still he admitted that the greatest part of
the people of this connn•y agreed with Ministers, in the pro-
priety of detaining Htionaparte its custody; hut he could by no
means agree in it; and it wax his intention to record his dissent
from this Hill on the Journals of that House. This Bill said
nil that it was iricessary to consider linonaparte a, a prisoner
of war. Now he w Wheel to know from the Judges, whether an
alien enemy could he detained as a prisoner of war after the
signature of a Trt uty of Peace, and for that purpose he moved.
that its se'•ond reading be postponed till after the holiilas is, in
order to ;;is e the Judges opportunity of uttendiug, they be-
ing now absent on the Assizes.
Earl BA TH URST had coneeised the object of this Bill to be
so clear, and so evident, us to require no explanation. The
iiiiii ent Ituonaparte surrendered himself he was as much a
prisoner of war as ir he had been taken at Waterloo, became
no act of his had put an end to hostilities between us and France.
The character of a prisoner of war was wall known to our
statute book ; and this Bill was only meant to- declare !Nowt-
parte a prisoner of war. The Noble Lord had forgot that our
uhtriniog possession of fie Isersou of Bitonaparte was the (-
salt au common etiert with our allies, and they load a right to
be consulted in such rin4 hint. To do which a...cut:My, it be-
came neetissary that one of the Allied Powers should have the
custody of his person; and he believed lie was securest with
us, anti would base loss chance of again disturbing the repose
of Europe, thin he would have lila it he had been placed under
the power of ROSS:11, Austria, or Prussia.
The Earl of IL it 01121)A LE thought that liminaparte might
have remained in this country perfectly safe, under the care ut
peare•ottivem
The Bill was re el a second time, the amendment of Lard
Holland being ne4ati Cgi ,% ALM t a disi,ion.—Adjutotwd.

Argti. 9.

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