The Sun.
London, England, 1819-01-04 00:00:00

WILLIAM CORBEIT.

This notorious character has addressed a long
Letter to Mr. TiPPER, the Bookseller, one of his
creditors in this Country, dated 20 Ii November,
1817, North Hampstead, Long Island, (Awe: ice).
We have extracted the following passage front,
this letter, as it folly nevelOpes the. peculiar
notions of gratitude, morality, and justice of the
Writer :

" I hold it to be perfectly just that I should never, in any
way whatever, give up one single farthing of my future
earnings to the payment of any debt in England. When the
Society is too weak or unwilling to defend the property, whe—
ther mental or of a more ordinary and vulgar species, and
where there is not the will or the power in the Society to
yield him protection, he becomes clearly absolved of all his
engagements of every sort to that Society, because in every
bargain of every kind it is understood that both the parties
are to continue to enjoy the protection of the laws of pro—
perty."

A more contemptible display of ingenious craft
in a theory so detestable, and sophistry so dis—
honest, has probably never before been attempt—
ed, and certainly has never before been avowed
wi~li such shameless audacity.
It should be observed, that Mr. COBBETT abuses

Government in gross terms, and charges it with
confiscation, because it demands the Stamp Dit-
ties, which be had incurred by his publications,
though these very publications were virulent li-
bels against that Government which it seemed to
he his intention to undermine and overthrow. it

seems that he is willing to waive the principle on
which he refuses to pay his debts contracted in
this country, in favour of Mr. TIPPER ; but then
it must be observed, that he wants to publish
-works in this country by means.of Mr. TIPPER,
whose assistance on the occasion seems to be in-
dispensable, as he probably thinks that be can
find no other person who has credulity enough to
become his agent in the business. It appears

that the letter in question was transmitted to Sir
FRANCIS BURDETT, enclosed in another Letter
addressed to the Baronet himself, whose answer
we subjoin from The Morning Chronicle, wills the
introductory paragraph from that Paper:—
" The difference between his (Sir F. B.) manly
declaration of his feelings, and the mixture of con-
sciousness that he i 3 in the wrong, and bullying
and embarrassed attempts to conceal it, in Mr..
COBBETT'S Letter, is worthy of remark .
" TO MR. nILLIAM COBBETT. •
St. James's-place, Jan. 31, 1818.
" SIRSI have just received your's of the 20th November,
and carefully, and according to your desire, perused the en-
closed to Mr. Tipper.
" It is not my intention to enter into Any controversy re-
specting the honesty or hishonesty of paying or not paying
debts according to the convenience of the party owing. It
seems that if it should ever suit your convenience, and take
nothing from the comforts and enjoyments of 'yourself and
family, such comforts and enjoyments, and means too of dis-
tinguishing themselves, as you think they are entitled to,—
all this being previously secured,—then you think yourself
bound to pay your debts :—if, on the contrary, that, can-
not be effected without sacrifices on your and their part, in
that case your creditors have no claim to prefer, and your
no duty to perform. You then stand absolved, rectus
in Aro conscienti;e, and for this singular reason, because
those who lent you their money when you were in diflienity
and distress, in order to save you and your family from ruin,
were and are unable to protect you either against your own
fears, or the power of an arbitrary Government, under
which they have the misfortune to live, and to which they
are equally exposed. These principles, which are laughable in
theory, are detestable in practice. That you should not only
entertain and act upon, but openly avow them, and blind
your own understanding, or think to blind that of others, by
such flimsy pretences, is one more melancholy proof of the
facility with which self-iutere.•t can assume the mask of hypo.
crisp, and bv means of the weakest sophistry, overpower the
strongest understanding. How true is our common law
maxim, that no man is an upright judge in his own cause:
how truly and prettily said by the French, ' La Nature se
pipe ;' nor less truly, though more grossly in English, Na-
ture's her own bawd.'

In expressing my abhorrence of the principles you lay
down fur your conduct, and concerning which you challenge
my opinion a little Unfairly, considering the ridicule with
which you at the same time Uneaten to overwhelm the un-
fortunate wight who presumes to differ from. them, I do not
desire that you should act upon any other with regard to me;
I should be sorry your family were put to any incon-
venience on my account ; should your circumstances ever
prove so prosperous as to enable you to discharge your
debts without infrir.•ging upon those new principles of
moral obligation you have adopted. and which, for the first
time since the commencement of the world, have, I be-
lieve, been; though frequently acted on, openly promul-
gated. As to complaint or reproach, they are the offspring
of weahness and folly; disdain should stifle them; but nothing
can or ought to stifle the expression of disgust every honest
mind must feel at the want of integrity in the principles you
proclaim, and of feeling and generosity in the sentiments
you express.
" 1 am, Sir, your most obedient and most huml)le Servant,
" F. BUitvErCr

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