The Sun.
London, England, 1821-01-15 00:00:00

WEEKLY RETROSPECT.

There has been,less Address, on the part of
the Wttios, and more Addresses, on the part of
the Toasrs--for we must still pres-erne that dis-
tinction, or use a harsher one—displayed in the
course of the last week than has taken place for
some time past. As the lock-picker displays
more ingenuity than the downright housebreaker,
so most certainly would the insidious politician
surpass those whose ingenuity • being wasted
without effect in endeavouring to fix a popular
odium. upon Ministers are now reduced to their
last shift, of getting up mobs to cry " Turn'em
out," in hopes of once more getting 0. P. or
-Old Places in -which to rest their weary limbs.

In the patriotichowling of the moment Reform
is totally forgotten, and the whippers-in of the
pack now give the view hollozo of " Dismiss Mi-
nisters and save the country !" Happily for us,
however, the country is saved, in 'one way at
least, by h's Ma.ns rA 's I resent Cabinet—the
country is preserved perhaps the Opposition, in
'recommending a change of men and measures,

wish tb pickle it—and a pretty pickle it would
goon be in, shouhLit be again broiight under their

management.

Somme of the Whig Addresses do indeed allow

that our Constitution is the " envy and admira-
tion of the world ;" and one of them them mo-

destly requests his MAJESTY to restore that Con-
stitution to its " native excellence," and to re-

medy the " inroals upon it, if any," by political
care, trusting also to the " healing influence of
time." Now we should like to know where the

nutite excellence .of our Constitution is to be
found ?
With the PETERSTIF.Lb Addressers we can so far
-egree as to laud their determination to submit
patiently to many deprivations, but we are not so
totally disposed to grant that these arise from

" a general stagnation of trade," or from a.
":depression on agriculture," or from the
44 burden of the poor," nor even from " over-
' helming taxation." That is to say, considered
in a PEACE point of view ; though it must be
owned that all, or nearly all these things have
been aggravated by the cessation of employ for
nearly one half the population, by the transition

from war to peace, though unfortunately net to
public tranquillity. In fact, EVE are only sur-
prized that occupation for those thrown out of
employ has so soon been found to its present cx-

tent—a sum total of occupation which would
not have taken place if the passing complaints of
stagnation of trade were founded on fact.
tut what is the fact ? As to taxation, how can
it be remedied ? The public expenditure is re-

•duced from 150 millions annually to 75, or there-
abouts ; of which 50 are for the interest of the
rational debt and sinking ,funtl, whilst of the re-

-sing 25 no one has yet been able to show how a
fair and reasonable saving of one million can be
made. But suppose five millions of retrenchment
were to take place, would the country be richer
Of that diminution of circulation, and what in-
dividual would be the richer for it Even if its

etfects were to be felt by each individual in

proportion to his taxes, it would only be one fif-
teenth party or little more than one halfpenny in a
shilling—a saving by no means equal to what
ought now to be a fair reduction to _ the poor
=an, even in his pot of porter. A poor man,
-whose taxes of all kinds, direct and indirect,
Parliamentary and parochial, amount to 51. per
annum, might thus save SEVEN SIIILLING3 ; but
the man whose taxes amount to 51. per annum,
must drink at least one pot of porter per day,
one halfpenny of unnecessary overcharge upon
which amounts in twelve months to FIFTEEN
SIiIL-
LINGs in that article alone !
So much for Retrenchment—as for the burden
of the POOR, that is diminishing; of the depres-
sion of Agriculture, it is enough to remind our
Readers of the recent Whig cry fpr Peace and
Plenty, at the period when the Great NAPOLEON
was straining every nerve for our ruin.

But " Stagnation of Trade" deserves more
particular notice, now- the CUSTOMS of the past
year amounted to 84 millions, independent of 'War
Taxes, and of sums carried to Excise ; whilst,
in 1815, the same amounted only to 7.1, includ-
ing also the annual duties ! That surely is not
stagnation !
in the last year the Eactsu amounted to 26
millions ; in-1815, only-to 184, exclusive of war
duties ! That surely has some appearance of
irt-
ternal amelioration ! and all this, too, be it re-
roembered,:in spite of the non-consumption ar-
guments--of I.ltiNT, CO,bRETT, WOOLER, and the
whole tag, rag, and bob-tail of Radical Aristo-
cracy, joined to Aristocratical Radicalism.
But our City Addressers of the CommOn Coun-
cil, elated by their ftesOlutions and Addresses
being copied by their brethren in Portugal, now
ply at higher game than before.. and seem deter-
-mined to be Archbishops of Canterbury and
Lords of the Council, as far at least as regards',
the reviion of the Liturgy. Nay, they now
insist upon her IVIAJEsTy being put in possession
" of all her RIGIITS as QueerjCONSORT !" Now,
if, the word ALL means any thing, when joined
with Consort, it must certainly have some allu-
sion to a new edition of cake and candle, at which
those sapient Gogs and Magogs no doubt expect
to attend the throwing of -the stecking. But, if
reports are true, there. is ilready caudie enough
at Brandyburgh House ;•and, as for- cake, it is
enough to know that the Alderman still remains
there.

But this is tender ground. Another wise Ci-
tizen complains that Ministers employ their emis-
saries cc to degrade and vilify the .Corporation ;"
and we shall doubtless be accused of that ivlAch
every man of common sense. sees and acknow-
ledges to have been-the work of those busy agi-
tators, and of themselves alone, until themselves
and their plans. have 'become too contemptible
for opposition) and too absurd even for retort !.
I.G.N.