The Sun.
London, England, 1819-12-04 00:00:00

LETTER

Having endeavoured to sliew, how utterly
YOU would be your own enemies in bringing
. .
about an equalization of property ; I proceed, ac-
cording to my promise, in the examination of my
next question—Whether Liberty would be pro-
moted by Universal Suffrage.
No one can be free, whose life anti liberty are
not placed by the law in a state of inviolable se-
curity. But, whoso is prevented from doing as
-he will, or compelled to do what he will not, by
the apprehension of evil to his person or his pro-
perty, is neither free nor secure. Again, whoso
holds that person or that property at the discre-
tion of universal legislation, possesses neither se-
curity nor freedom.
I wish that the Radical Orators who are so
fond of Liberty, and make such high-sounding
speeches in its praise, had been kind enough to
favour their hearers with its definition. I will
define it -for them. Liberty is the power of doing
every thing which is not hurtful to another. And,
paradoxical as it may seem,—the limitation of
Liberty constitutes its extension; for, if every
one could do as he pleased, no one could do his
own pleasure. Thus, too, the extension of Liberty
would constitute its limitation ; until it becomes
extinguished in its own universality.

And, if universal Liberty would have this effect
in the whole, so it would in any of its parts. As
the equalization of property would render all im-
poverished, the eqiialiiatiOn of suffrage would
render all disfranchised, 1, know not which of
these equalizations is to pave the way for the
other ;I.bur sure I am, whichever follows would
destroy itself and its predecessor in the same over-
whelming ruin. Liberty• cannot exist without
Law ; and Universal Suffrage would destroy all
Law. The Law which depended on the will of
the multitude, would place property and life in
unceasing and hopeless jeopardy. For with the
multitude, the highest promiser is ever the hero
of the Hustings ; and experience, though she sel-
dom convinces a mob, has shewn that every pro-
miser will cheat them as thoroughly as they have
been cheated already. HUNT gets himself ap-
pointed Treasurer, and pockets the cash : Con-
BETT anti WA•rfort * proffer themselves to be
bought : all are acting for their own selfish ends,
and the people are gulled by all in (Leif. turn.

And so it must be. Effect never followed cause
more naturally, or more inevitably. If power is
to he given by Universal Suffrage, he who bids
highest will be the favourite ; and he who has the
least to lose, being of course the most desperate
at gaining, will be sure to give the largest pro-
mises. The shorter the period too, for which
power so given were to be held, the more eager
and the more profligate would its holder be in
getting his fullest.avid-speediest advantage. Be-
sides, Universal Suffrage; like equal property,
would make every individual's share so small as
not to be worth having, and ao easy to have as
not to be worth seeking.—ln destroying confi-
dence, it would destroy security ; in destroying
security, it would destroy freedom ; in destroying
freedom, it would destroy enterprize ; in destroy-
ing enterprize, it would destoy emulation ; in
destroying emulation, it would destroy industry ;
in destroying industry it would destroy wealth.—
Lint I had forgotten—wealth could not exist with
equal property.—Thus, then the mischief would
end where it began, in the 'revolution of its circle
of min.—lndividual and national security would
perish together.

And if the Candidate for a seat in this Univer-
sal Legislature would look to his own advantage,
the Voter would not be less selfish.—All that the•l'
.multitude desire, is to get as Mauch as possible to
themselves, anti to work as little as possible for
.Unleis this is to be obtained by Universal
Confusion (for which, indeed, .Universal Suffrage
is but another name), they would, however, find
themselves sadly disappointed. There are more
liherty, more security, and more independence, to
be gained in the existing state of the National
Representation, than ever could be found in Uni-
versal Suffrage.—Under Such a State, the Repre-
sentation, which is now National, would become
individual only : and the very name of the Nation
would perish with her strength and her character.
But, under the present State, every man who
chutes to be honest and industrious, may obtain
not only a share in the election of his Country's
Legislature, but a seat among her Legislators.
He can transmit, too, the fruit of that honesty
and that industry to his children ; because the
Government under which he obtained it, and in

R The Editor cannot forbear adverting, in this place, to the
charge so repeatedly made against Apothecary WATSON, of
having offered to sell himself to the Government,. for a petty
subsistence at home, or the means of transporting himself to
his assassin son, in the common refuge of Ebgland's out-
casts—AD:erica,

,~

which he participates by its means, assures to
him and them its permanence, and is therefore. a
worthy object of his emulation. The Radical
scheme, however, of Universal Suffrage, which
is desired for the sake of equalizing tind destroy-
ing all property, would prevent even the hope
of retaining any thing ; for, when once the mul-
titude make the law, they will take especial care
that none shall be better off than themselves.

Mark then its further consequence. When all
security of person and property is vanished, the
very gainers by this pernicious bcheme would hide
their gains ; they would not have the folly to ex-
hibit wealth, when its exhibition would point the
way to its privation; if they had the hearts to
do a benevolent act, they would not have the
hardihood. They would escape with their wealth
into some foreign State, where property is sure
of protection. And this, you may be assured,
every prudent man will do, upon the very first
danger of their success :—since no man will, when
the, State of England shall be subverted, forgo the
protection of civilized countries ; where his rights
will be guarded by the Law, where the diligence
of youth may contribute to the comforts of age,
and where he whose industry has prospered may
enjoy its best reward, the right of transmitting it
to his children.

To them, and to their children, if they emulate
his conduct, every Briton may hand down the
frui:s of his industry. The highest honours, the,
most profitable offices of his Country are open to
him, while be labours to attain them by honest
exertion.---How unnatural is it then, my Coun-
trymen, that this happy and equal state of society
and Government should be lowered in your esti-
mation by the wicked and fraudulent falsehoods
of selfish men ; who look to their own advantage
alone—and not even to that, had they unpervert.
erl wisdom ;—who care not if the glories of Eng-
land should be expunged from the future page of
history, so that their mischievous designs might
be accomplished !

If then you value the protection of the law
against the violence of a mob—such violence .as
the quarrels among parties would occasion in the
contests of Universal Suffrage ;—it you value the
comforts of your families and of those most dear
to you ; if you value the blessings derived from
industry, and the obtaining to yourselves and to
your,
,posterity, power, and wealth, and dignity—as
the list of the two Flouses of Parliament will
prove to you so many of your fellow-citizens
have done ;—in a word, if you value freedom,
public and private, civil and religious, avoid—as
you would avoid a pestilence or a serpent—
AVOID UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE

A LOVER OF LIBERTY.

The High Bailiff of Westminster has agreed
to the Requisition for a Meeting, and it is sup-
posed that Wednesday next will be fixed upon.
A RA.quisition is handing about for signature in
Southsvark, for a Meeting of the Electors, rippeet-
ing the new laws which arc now passing:in the
House.
BREAD.—The quartern lOaf is nnw-selling by the
upper class of bakers at 11 d., byotherS at 9d., and
both are of very good quality; the average price
of wheat in the last month was 675, 6d. ; in the
inland counties the aggregate average price of the
12 maritime districts, by which importation,is to
be regulated in Great Britain, was 6.55. lid. ;
at the same time the price of flour per sack was
60s. to 655. on the 22d November ; and salt stood
at 20s. per bushel, or 4FI. per Pound. The
baker's profit may be rstadily computed, and con-
sistent with all his necessary
.outgoings, seems tti-
be fair ; but where he is undersold at 9d. per
loaf; we have not found that the bread itself is
wanting in its properly nutritious ingredients, or
in the quantity (though •in some instances this
may have been the case) ; the reduced price
has for the most part arisen from a desire of
getting business in the neighbourhood, content
with less profit.

The small-pox has been so prevalent lately
in Worcestershire, that a Meeting of the Medical
and Snigical 'Professorrhad been called, to devise
the best means of stopping its rapid progress.

IMPORTANT I NFORMATION.-FrOITI calculat ion
by the College of Physicians, no less than 40,000
die annually in Great Britain of Consumption,
and at least 10,000 in Loudon. The late William
Turnbull, Esq. a very ingenious Surgeon, ascer-
tained that every 20th person was ruptured.—
These complaints are truly,islarming to every in-
dividual who uses th'e leaqt exertion. It is also
incredible the number tharsuffer from a certain
Disease, by being improperly treated. It was
those circumstances induced Dr. Coo to select
eminent Physichtus and Surgeons, of at least 30
years' axperienee, to form a Medical Board ; and
since the establishment upwards of 30,000 Pa-
tients have been cured without confinement—
many of them alter hospitals had failed.

Messrs. COOPER and .Co. are consulted at
Woodstock-stree., Oxford-street ; and. at Char-
lotte House, Great Charlotte•street, opposite the
Rev. Rowland Bill's, daily, from tight till eight,
Nlechai.iics have advice gratis every evening, from
six till eight ; and on Sunday mornings until I'2
o'clock.

*** IturTuttEs of SO year; stand►ng radically
cured %without co►►finement.

*f*-There are private daorsat each house, and
private rooms for Females.-
N.B. The Afflicted would do well to read
Messrs. COOPER and Co.'s Lectures on two pre-
vailing Diseases., published at one shillinr, by Mr.
Harvey, 22, lilacliftiors-rdad. They will also
prove usetul to young Practitioners. •

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