The National Register.
London, England, 1819-10-11 00:00:00

"A DEFENCE OP TIIE IVIIIGS."

Sonne time since Lord Erskine published a very
able pamphlet, under the above title, in answer to
which a publication appeared under the title of "A
Defence of the People." It was front one of the
Il.tutc.tt.s, from one of those men 'who anathematize
all those who arc not mad enough to carry their
ideas of RijOrm us far us Revolution, from one of
those, who, having nothing to lose, are eternally
abusing those whose "states arc not so desperate."
---
A new edition of his Lordship's pamphlet has just ap-
peared, in the preface to which he expresses himself
as follows'—

" My object, from my very beginning of public' life,"
says Lord Erskine, " lies never varied; it has bees, and
always must be, to obtain such a I louse of Commons as I
have uniformly described. My change of opinion, repeat-
edly avowed, and, unfortnninely, too strongly confirmed
by every thing passing around us, was only as to the best
and most probably successful MCIIII4 of effecting an un-
ehangealtle purpose under circumstances that have
changed. Declaimer', who look only to thepopularity of
the hour, when the multitude are in a state of irritation,
have only to flatter and infi ante them ; -bort they, who ho-
nestly contemplate the prosperity and happiness of their
couutry, I, though they continue stedfast in the pur-
suit of their original object, assiontlate their exertions to
the means that are safely in their hands. The scenes, (o-
ctet rl,which have so lately convulsed some of the most
populous and indostrions parts of the kingdom fa repeti-
lieu nearly of those-which immediately followed and dis-
appointed she original exertions of the Whigs, when the
society-alike Friends of the People was instituted), render
any other answer to this-author stiperfittons and useless.
TIMMe amongst the Whigs, who at any time supported a
Reform in Parliament, have not, that I know of, departed
Iran their declared opinions, that an extension of the re.
presentation is must desirable, and is a jest expectation
011 the part of the people; brit in my opinion, and speak
Mg fur myself, they never can rationally act with those
who defense them.—They ought for eser to stand aloof
front all such Reformers; not from reseritmesit, nor esen
trine a decent pride, however natural and justifiable. but
because the defamation proves their views to be ditfrierai,
and that their defamers are seeking nothing like au im•
plovrinent of theatinse of Commons, by a wisely adjaiteil
halaae of represeitt.stion, but, on the contrary, counter-
ailing es try prospect of it by chtiminz tig'its in defiance
of the establidied laws; and, instead of promoting Peti-
tion-, encouraiiing their billuert rs to revile-lite Legislature
of their country.

•' Nothing certainly could be more iinfortitnate, if this
system were rountenance .1 by members in general estima-
tion, but happily there 3VCIIIS to be but one prevailing
sentiment r.;eienst it.

•• 'Serertlieles", if, in the repretetinn of any sleetings of
!lie pe,ipie fur any object of };.tuna, wise ur inspraolea-
ble, tileir bight" have been iuf.ing rl, ur any .rungs to
intik i.inal" have been co 11111 l itit•4l, I shotilll be aininii;,t the
iii•t to vindicate evil, re,ires" "%inch Our law" eau
Lion, and shall be foitinl at all times really to re ti.t the
"lightest enertetellinent upon ti,n public Ii ; lint
holding ,nerrd, it" I do, the nevvr to he surrendered priri
lege of Ltiiiittli oiltjeet• to aswinltlc peaceably, to express
to itch Whet and to the Cluviirutuebt of the cutiV',Qt their

fyaicE 91'l.

opinions autl complaints, I kel no ditheulty in sayite:.
that nothing can he more obviously useless and Inhales
ons than the assembling of immerse multitudes, not its
their own communities or neighbourhoods, bit moving
upott other thronged and agitated districts. Ruch Meet_
ingot, however legal they may be, cannot hot be clungerotis
to the indust►ious poor, collected at a distance front their
own homes only to disturb the industry of others, aggra-
vating the sufferings of poverty by the interruption of
employment, by the hazard of fatal accideuts, and tint
probable temptation to crime..

" Nothing Ind procesdiugskf this ill-advised description
can bring the immemorial and invisinable rights of this
People into question. They tender the calm and diguilie•el
cakse of keforin an object of terror to many, who would
otherwise • Anprort it, and furnish its adversaries wills
plau•ible stigmata.; moiust •LL popular eat Lion, how-
ever well intended they may be.

" The real interests of the People might not, however,
on any account, to be compromised nor neglected. The
privations and distresses of thousands in every populous
district are at this moment so grievous as to demand the
most indulgent consideration; audit*, instead of claiming
rights to which the laws-are strangers, they were advised
by those they bust in to subunit the expediency of an ex-
tended Representation to the wisdom and justice of Par.
lianicat, their illra tenee could not but be powerful its the
opinion of all reasonable oleo.

" If indeed the visionary claim of Universal Suffrage
and Annual Parliaments, or other extrema change., were
entertained and acted upon by ninarbers of enlightened
mass of any description, it mien then be thought hazard.
ous (as has Iness often alleged) to withdraw the high sane.
tion of antiquity from the present forms of election, le4
when a breach had been made in them by the liberality et
Parliament, the Radice/Reformers might break in like a
Roods but curb en apprehension is stow surely at ars end.
This claim of right has no supporters who can give It dee.
gerona, or even plausible effect I and every other theory'
having been happily swallowed up by it, Parliament it.
thus left the undistarbed masters of the field.
" Let Par Urania then avail itself of this crisis. • I ran.
slot but think, that if the elective franchise were now fatly
and judiciously extended, without 'Res ins the character
of the House of Commons, or violating any psinciple of
the ancient Conseihnion,tunsults could not easily be raised:
the orators of sedition would be silent, ts lien their tories
of invective were destroyed.
" I consider the present time also as a crisis in another
respect—Representative Governments, thongb certainly
neither contemplated nor wished fur by than, who first
interfered wills the French Revolution, areal, begin to
be looked for throughout Europe—. France, at our very
door., has obtained one, and England, by too rigid an
adherence to the forms of the.fendal world, should not
remain en exception herself to the principles she has
taught the world.
When the civenmstanres which I have been AIWA
to dwell upon are actively considered, the dirty of the
.Aristocracy seems tionmestionalsie. Placed an airy urn
bow ern the Crown mud the People, they onebt at this
moment to exert the inflnences of rank and property,
wideli, when wisely, honestly, and srasun..bis exerted,
are of incalculable value in every State.-I look forward.
therefore, *Oh a +irons' intetest so the tratilt of Lord
John 12.,ass :I's prorii.ition on tl ia seamen:ons subjr et in
the -ensuing fles.ion i f Parlh,,sient Htt a Auk and chi.
tater ought to be accepted as hreltlitie4 ay (invent:new,
and the ptiticipleo of la. 1.411111 y aura awSco.nt pledge to
the People.'

These truly consti:itional sentiments, expressed
so wurt!.ily of their noble promulgator, are so appo-
site to the present state of affairs, that we should
have accused ourselves of u dereliction of duty had
we not given them a diAinguishcl place in our
columns.

'lle letter of rouJolence written by his Nlajestr
the King of Prussia to the Princess Blucher, A
‘Valilstadt, is rs
received with grc.tt I.OTTOW the news of the death of yam
bu.hzut 1, f'rt.)ce lllueher, Of Watillstadt. I unwiliingly rent:re
your gi-:.4.1)y ti., mentiou of the great lose whiz!' you have sit ;.
rent unable to sapprra the expre,sion of my ono t
int-tiripetion in it. T...e country ntourns wide us out
the loss of M.o.:mated commander. It will glatef.dly hold blot
in eremal rsmensbr.mee. To otrer you consulatioa, the want of
which 1 my..ell feel, I can only wish that tittle ituy allevisne y 042
110 POW, and add ills: •lIONITAOCC of unalterable nwsol.
(Signed) "1:111:D EMI': IC W IL/A.IM."
• " Balla, Supt. lis 1819.

33n

QUEBEC PAPERS.

THE LATE DUKE OF RICHAICIND.

PO'

QUEBEC, SEPT. was stated at Quebec that
his Grace the Duke of Richmond died of hydropho-
bia. While at his summer residence, at William.-
Henry, before be commenced his tour to the Upper
Province, he was bitten by a tame fox, which shortly
afterwards died of the malady. No symptoms, how-
ever, appeared for nearly 40 days after the circum-
: Lance, when his Grace being on his return from a
visit to a new settlement, in a very obscure situation
where he had to walk :10 miles on foot, in excessive
hot weather, no road for a horse being yet made, he
fliund himself atft..eted. It is stated his Grace was
sensible of his approaching fate as soon as his indis-
position manifested itself, and expressed his appre-
llcrutions to his attendants. On approaching to de-
scend the Ottawa, or Great River, the sight of the
water instantly threw him into convulsions, and, in
little more than 24 hours, this most dreadful malady
terminated his existence. His remains arrived at
Quebec on the 2d ult., and were attended to the
chateau by the military, till persons holding shun.
lions under the Government, and the greatest part
of the must respectable inhabitants. The remains of
his Grace, at his most particular request, were to be
interred at Quebec, on the 4th nit , in the cathedral
church of St. I'aul, and nut, us stated, to be brought
to .England
Most ['KEA L. Suer. 3.—Every circumstance connected
with the history of our lamented governor must be pe-
culiarly interesting at this moment of general sorrow ;
and we regret that we can furnish but an imperfect ac-
count of his lave illness. It appears that his Grace left
.Kingston on Friday the `.2olii ult., and arrived at Perth
on the evening of the following day. That on Tuesday
he again resumed his journey for the Richmond settle-
ment at the confluence of the Rideau and Ottawa livers,
am!, as we before intimated, proceeded on foot over a
ranged country of thirty miles, accompanied by Lieut..
Colonel Cockburn. His Grace was much overcome by
fatigue, and passed a restless night at a house called New
Store. On Wednesday, however, (the day following)
he continued his journey, and arrived within 3 miles of
Richmond, where he rested well, and walked to the
s:ttletnent in the wonting, which he readied about to
o'clock. While here, he expressed considerable relief,
and attributed his healthy sensations to his laborious ex-
ercise. Ina few hours, however, he again complained
of a returning illness, but passed the next night with so
touch compostire, that he continued his journey at fit e
o'clock on Friday morning. He ha 4 walked but three
miles, wheat has SyMptimis returned with increasing
•iolence; ionveyed by his attendants to a
Limn, where he remained till 7 o'clock in the tvanitig,
%ben he was removed to a neighbouring house, and
there expired at 8 o'clock on the following morning.
In the death of every individual, society sustains a,
lass psoportionate to Ins al qualifications, and to his
ability and disposition to advance the knowledge and
happiness of others. This sentiment, indeed, embraces
all our social relations and relroive duties , 2f1,1 it h by
this we are to estimate the worth and excellence of au
departed Governor.
Without reverting to his long life of usefulness in the
various public offices which he sustained in other qu it
tern of the globe, we shall find the most ample swiree
fur eulogy in his short administration of the govermuent
of this country. From the system which his Grace has
pursued since his arrival, there can be no doubt that he
left his native land in the spirit of improvement, and
with an ardent desire to elevate these colonies to a rank
sv hicit should be worthy his great ambition. In the
curnmeneetnent of his scheme, and as an object of pri-
mary importance, we have seen him promoting institu-
tions for the rAitoval of pri judice, and the dissemination
of liberal and enliglnened principles atnong the lower
ranks of society. To agriculture lie has given an adtii•
tioual impulse by his liGeral patrona;e, mid co-operation
with existing societies : the husbandman is now pursu-
ing his art with the zeal of an impatient rival ; he seeks
fur the aid of science, and studies the application of ge-
neral principles ; what was before a dull and laborious
routine of unpluductite duties, has now become the
pleasing and luerativc employment of laudable compe-
tition. Csuala hate been ',injected, and were already
an progress, ender the auspices of this great man ; and
there can he li•tle clutilit of his intention to have inter-
sected the vs hole country, sod unproved the advantages
whi;h nature has bestowed with a bountiful liberality.
his journey to the tipper province, when he fell a sic-
tint to his assiduity, had probably an immediate refe-
rence to this object, as al,o to the general prosp rity of
the country. IVhile thus employed in laying the basis
for an elegant superstructure, lie has been diligent in
adopting the necessary precautions to secure it f lie
grasp of multi-voracious ambition. The carious forti-
fications which border its threshold already bid defiance
to the most determined aggressor : amid while happiness
is 51561111 g within, she drys the peaceful repose of con-
scious security.

e regret that our limits will not allow us to review
the various events which [line partially do eloped the
great system which his Grace had projected for the
growth and prosperity of these provinces. He was emi-
nently calculated to mature the plan, as his political
knowledge and unshaken integrity would have exerted
a greater influence in the British Cabinet than is ever
)fielded to a titled name ur fortuitous renown. IVe had.
looked with prophetic ken through a short s ista of years,
and beheld a prospect which had rendered us impatient
for its approach ; and should nut disappear with its
trious ougiu, his memory will eser line in the gratitude
AA the country.
We kuvw but little of the private life of his Grace,