Star.
London, England, 1830-12-11 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE JOURNALS.

Trams.—The declaration of the Duke of Wellington in the House
of Lords, on Thursday evening, with respect to the late revolutions on
the continent, has excited much conversation, and provoked 'several se-
vere remarks, the knowledge of which It would be uncandid to withhold
from his Grace. At his disapprobation of the Belgic commotion we
are not altogether surprised : it is certainly an affair of much more du-
bious merit, and, we might even say, of a totally different character,
from that by which it was preceded in the neighbouring country. How-
ever, foreign nations and governments will be pleased to observe,
that the Duke is no longer a Minister,—that he no longer
directs the councils of this country,—and therefore, were his
censure much more decided of the efforts by which the
kingdom of the Low Countries has been broken in twain, and its
Sovereign dispossessed of one-half, it is only the censure of a private
person of high rank in civil society, and of great and just military re-
nown throughout Europe. It has nothing warlike in it, unless his
Grace were the chief Minister of State, and at the head of a majority in
Parliament. With respect to the revolution in France, we do not think,
more particularly at this time, when the whole conduct of that misera-
ble creature Charles X. has been: brought to light through the evidence
adduced before the Chamber of Peen, that any man in his senses can
do other than approve of the removal of such a wretch from the kingdom,
or can smother the feelings of admiration which rise in his breast at the
gallantry of that people who asserted their rights to have at least some-
thing human to reign over them, he being ebvioualy much below huma-
nity. But a good act may be drawn into a bad example, and it may be
in this sense, that the Duke of Wellington thought or designated the
happy events of July and August last as " misfortunes." Nay, we
observe that in another part of his speech he says—" This" (i. c. the
mischief in England) " has been encouraged and heightened by the
misrepresentations and false ideas, which have been too generally cir-
culated throughout the country. of the causes and chancier of the un-
fortunate events which occurred last summer in an adjoining kingdom,
sad above all, by a want of knowledge on the part of the people, of
the real nature of those events, and of the mischiefs sure to follow
front their imitation.' The nature or the event in France was a most
ttngrateful and unworthy ant ropt on the part of the Sovereign to over-
throw the constitution : nobody doubts, or can doubt, that a brave
'•eople arrested his detestable project ; the mischief would be, if others,
:ti,out a similar provocation, were to attempt the ovine course.

lIERALD.—The determination of rtlinisters to submit their own
-sissies to a Select Committee of the House of Commons, with a view
to reduction, shows that they are resolved to begin the promised work of
retrenchment and economy at the right end. The late Administration
began exactly at the opposite end, and stopped there. They contented '
themselves with cutting down the salaries of hardworking clerks, who
auc in general nut overpaid, while they left untouched the splendid '
revenues which the idle and pampered children of patronage drew from
the public purse. This was a one-eyed economy which looked with mi-
croscopic glance to small matters but was blind to great profusion. Who
can wonder that the public were disgusted when they saw the hard-earned
pittance of industrious men reduced, while those who scarcely lent more
than their names to public offices, and whose mode of attending upon the
business of their departments, showed that they considered themselves
more for ornament than use, were allowed to pocket the undiminished
.mount of their extravagant salaries ? Thus industry was taxed to sup
port indolence—and the acquirements and experience requisite for the
public service in various departments of the State were obliged to sub-
'Ha to severe sacrifices, that luxurious incompetency might con.
iinue to revel in its unearned riches undisurbed ! It does
Lut require any reasoning to prove that that reforms was but
a delusion and a mockery, which applied its pruning-knife
unly to the small twigs, but left the broad branches of pro.
digal expenditure untouched. We hail, therefore, with pleasure another
era when, so fur as political connection or family influence from being a
hindrance to retrenchment, which renders official extravagance the in-
violable right of a particular class, that ministers set the example of an
impartial and equitable reduction of the public salaries, by submit.
ling their own in the first instance to the revision of a Parliamentary
unimittte.

CHRONIC'. e.--Nothing has, we believe, contributed so much to the
I:romans:idol) of the southern counties as the existence of tithes • and
I i 4 astonishing how a tax so oppressive in in operation should have
INen so long suffered. There are at the present moment several dl..
.ricts in which the tenth of the gross produce actually absorbs all the
• iirplus after defraying the charges of cultivation, leaving nothing foe
roil. From this cause many estates have been thrown on the owners,
"no have the mortification of seeing the titheholder derive a large
trout lands which yield him nothing. In some of the clay s, for
"tuna, the produce, though great, can only be obtained by an enoe.
'loos expenditure for labour. In a season like the last, the tenth of the
!,reduce may often in such lands considerably exceed the surplus, and
:nos not merely absorb the rent, but encroach on the capital of the ettl.
ivator. Hence the temptation to throw the charges of cultivation on the
liiiie.owner, by making the labourers paupers and defraying wages out
0 the rates. It seems strange that the mode of paying an artablish-
rnent appointed for the avowed purpose of improving the mends of a
maple should be the very means by which the month of tin pal& are

destroyed. Yet so it is throughout England. The mode of paying the
Clergy must be changed, or most assuredly the Church will not long
continue to exist. There must be a permanent commutation—not a
commutation from time to time—and then owners and occupiers of land
may expend money in cultivation without apprehension of others
sharing in produce obtained from their outlay alone. We know,
too, that in many instances the distress might have been matcrhlly
relieved, but fbr the influence of tithes. There arc few ranxllch in
which there are not pieces of land of little value to the owner,
from which men without employment might obtain crops equal at
least to the value of their labour ; but when schemes of this kit d have
been attempted, the Clergyman, (as we know in several instances) by
putting in his claim fora tenth, has instantly caused them to be aban-
doned, the tenth in such cases being an enormous rent. So well known
is the determination of owners and occupiers of land to have a perms..
nent arrangement with regard to tithes, that advowsons, at present, are
absolutely unmarketable. The support of the Establi..hed Church ins'.
suitable manner is what no one feels disposed at present to oppose;
but this object ought not necessarily to produce distress and demorali-
sation. With respect to Lay-impropriators, they must be dealt with
on the principle of fair compensation. The interests of individuals in
possession of livings must also be respected. But with respect to the
Church itself, as, like all other Corporations, its existence depends on
the good-will of the State, the State may also determine the mode in
which it shall be supported. It is clear that in Ireland the question
approaches rapidly to an issue ; and that In this country the owners and
occupies' of land are looking anxiously forward for relief from the op-
pressiveness of the tithe system.

TIMICII.—Tbe death of a Pope, was never leas likely to occasion any
sensation in the world than at the present moment. In the first place,
the chief nations of Europe are too much occupied with their internal
affairs—their own civil and political rights--to think of the fate of an
old man in a distant capital. In the second place, the ecclesiastical
power or influenceof the Court of Rome has of late diminished so much,
beyond the precincts of its temporal authority, that foreigners have
scarcely any political interests at stake in any fresh transfer of the triple
crown from one head to another. The trench, by their new char-
ter have deposed the Roman Catholic religion from being the reli-
gion of the state ; and by a recent law have declared a Jewish
Rabbi as much entitled to a salary from Government as a
Catholic Archbishop. It was formerly thought a great feat in a
French Ministry to procure a red hat for one of their dignified eccle-
siastics. Now we finds proposition ander discussion in the Chem.
berg, to deprive the French Cardinals of the pensions which they received
to maintain their new dignity as Princes of the Church. Some per.
sons are even daring enough to recommend the deposition of the
Catholic Church from the Budget as well as from authority in the
State—a change more alarming than that contained in the article or
the new charter to which we have alluded. It is not likely, therefore,
that Louis Philip, who has exchanged the title of Moil Christian
King for that of citizen King, will feel much interest either in the
death of one Pope or the accession of another. If the French
Cardinals cross the Alps to attend the election at this inclement
season of the year, they must do it at their own charges. Even
the promotion of one of them to the see of St. Peter would excite little
interest at Paris. It will be curious, however, to see the change in the
formalities which must take place in the approach of the Catholic Am-
bassadors to the Princes of the Church assembled in Conclave. bast
election we remember M. do Chateaubriand made a flaming speech to
these fathers in the name of Charles X. the eldest son of the church.—
Will the French King now abandon the rights of his spiritual primo-
geniture ? Neither in the other enlightened countries of Europe--Bel.
gium or Germany, for instance—will there be so much curiosity felt in
the personal character or fate of the Pope, as at the last, though very
recent, election. The thunder of the Vatican cannot be heard in the
clear bright sky of chi' and religious liberty. Even in Ireland the Ca-
tholic Relief act has deadened its sound, and taken away its tenors.
From the extreme old age at which most of those sovereigns of the
Catholic world are advanced to the throne, their reign must necessarily
be short. Three of them have died within the last five or six years,
Pius VII. Leo XII. and Pius VIII. If the holy fathers were sparing
in their additions to the sacred college, and if the conclave always 'e-
lected the oldest or most infirm candidate for promotion, most of the
cardinals might enjoy a short taste of supreme power, and consequently
of infallibility, before their death. St. Peter would thus have more nu-
merous successors, and the election of a pope would become nearly as
common u that of a lord mayor.

Post.—Without imputing to the numerous bodies composing that
procession—the Trades—any directly evil intentions, we yet cannot re-
tract one iota of what we have advanced on the subject. Will it be de.
vied that this assemblage was similar in character to those which so
alarmed and endanger the metropolis during the trial of Queen Caro.
line ? Can it be said that they bad no iniquitous designs in view—
that they did not, in fact, meditate treason and revolution. Yet
were they fully as peaceable and orderly in their demeanour as
that which paraded London on Wednesday last. We have
brought no accusation against this particular assemblage; it is the
prinpple, which such an array of physical force would seek to este.
blish, that we denounce and oppose. A notion is abroad that the
congregating in masses, however large or formidable, for the purpose of
addressing or petitioning, is warranted by the law of the land. Nothing
can be more erroneous than this idea, notwithstanding that it has ob.
tained the unction of the present Lord High Chancellor of England.
So outrageous a doctrine was never heard as that proclaimed by Lord
Brougham in the House of Lords on Wednesday evening. The Learned
Lord asserted, that no assemblages of the people, however inconve-
nient, or even dangerous they may be, are illegal unless acts of
open violence are committed ; a principle equally at variance
with reason and with the letter of the law; The pas-
sage of the Act of Parliament which we quoted yesterday
expressly prohibits and condemns the presenting or delivering any intl.
tion, declaration, or other address, accompanied by excessive numbers
of people, or at any time by above the number of ten persons. Reason
also leads to the same conclusion, and proclaims this to be a wise and
salutary regulation. If the legality 01 any one assembly, organized
under whatever pretence of loyalty, be admitted, another becomes equally
legal, and a principle would thus be established dangerous in the very
highest degree, and which could inevitably result in an utter derange.
ment of society. Security fur persons and property is the right of
every subject living under a Constitutional Government, and
not security only, but the confidence and certainty that it shall not
be threatened or disturbed But how can this .confidence exist if the
peace of society is to be menaced, at pleasure, by the brute force
of the multitude • if intimidation may at any time be resorted to by
displays of the Physical strength of mere numbers One expedient
only would remain to be adopted ; the Government must assume a
military character, and be ever on the alert to oppose force to force.
We need not dwell on the situation to which, under such Prelim-
stances, the country would be reduced ; yet such would be the infal-
lible consequence were the principle advanced by the Lord Chancel-
lor once admitted into the Constitution. We therefore do not dispute
the propriety or good intentions of this or that assemblage of immense
bodies of people ; their general tendency is dangerous, and it is abso-
lutely essential to the safety of the State that no such proceedings should,
upon any plea, be sanctioned or permitted.

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

BERKSHIRE.

RZADIXG. Dec. 9 —There was a farm on fire yesterday, at Shottes.
brook, near Maidenhead ; it broke out between four and five, p. tn.
There were a wheat rick, two hay ricks, and two straw sheds full of
straw, burnt.

SUSSEX.

A few benevolent persons are about to form a society for improving
the condition of the agricultural labourers in this county. It is founded
on the consideration, that as them is a surplus of labour in the county,
which its low price sufficiently proves, the most effectual relief for it
would be to enable the peasant to sell the whole ors portion of his la-
bour to himself; or in other words, to assign him at a fair rate, to
cultivate with his own hands. It has been proved, it seems, by repeated
experiments, that 1 acre of land cultivated half potatoes and half eom,will
enable the labourer, while earning wages from the farmer at the rate of
2s. a day, to support his family in comfort without any necessity for
applying to the parish foe assistance. The Society propose, in the
outset, to apply themselves to the obtaining correct information of the
situation of the agricultural labourers in various pans of the county,
and will promote by all possible means, wherever it may be deemed
eligible, the allotment of land and the building of cottages for them.
Other objects relative to the moral condition of the peasantry are also
included in the plan of this society. The Committee for its formation
already includes a number of highly respectable names; and the Duke
of Sussex, it is said, has expressed his consent to become its President.
The King, it is expected, will be the patron of this society, which is to
bear the name of the Peasant's Friend Society.

A tumultuous party of three or four hundred persons front the neigh.
housing villages lately entered the town of Reepham, in Norfolk. A
party of the let Royal Dragoons had arrived at that place about a quar-
ter of an hour before the mob entered, end some of the principal inha.
bitanta of the town and neighbourhood were also hastily MOM hi as
special constables. T. T. Berney, Esq. and the Rev. J. B. Cony.? (the
only Magistrates then present), at the bead of the constables, with the
military in the rear, met the mob at the entrance of the town, where
they were stopped in their caner; and Mr. Collyer addressed
them at considerable length, representing to them the dew
and folly of their tumultuous proceedings, the impossibility of con-
cedi any thing to them by force, the liability they incurred of
bringing down upon themselves the penalties of the law, the exertions
whi were actually staking by the Government, on whom every reli-
ance might be ylaced, for the amelioration of their condition, and the
necessity of their departing quietly to their respective houses, to pre-
vent the unhappy consequences to the netdves which would otherwise
ensue. The remonstrance of the Magistrates and other Gentlemen had
the desired effect—the crowd soon 'ignited their desire to return home,
giving a promise that they would never again assemble in the same tu-
multaous manner. By these Arm bet conciliatory measures, this lugs

' concourse was dispersed, and to the credit of the people, they have kept
their words, none of them having been since found in riotous meetings.
Wednesday, Dec. Ist, a meeting of the magistrates and other owners
and occupiers of land in the hundred, was held at the King's Arms Inn,
at Hackford, near Iteepham, to swear in special constables, and for
other purposes connected with the constabulary force. At this meeting,
resolutions respecting an advance of wages of the labourers, and other
measures supposed to be beneficial to them, were moved and passed.—
During the meeting, a party of labourers assembled in the market-place
of that town, and Mr. Collyer, the chairman of the meeting, was re.
quested to inform them, from the window of the inn, of the resolutions I
which had just been passed, with a view to their benefit. He accompa-
nied
the communication with an admonition, that the law would be en.
forced against those who violated it, with an expression of his reliance
on the new Administration to adopt every means for the improvement
or the condition of the people, and his confident expectation that from
these means, and from the general wish to remedy the evils complained
of, much benefit would soon be found to result. The people quietly
dispersed, and have since gone to their work with apparent contentment
and satisfaction.

SUFFOLK.
WALPOLE, DEC. B—(Eztract of a letter.)—" As early as eleven
o'clock yesterday morning this very beautiful little village presented
a scene of the utmost confusion, by the assemblage of about 300
persons, principally farming labourers, who had been summoned by
Ithe Magistrates on the previous evening to attend here for the purpose
of being sworn in as Special Constables. By twelve o'clock the num.
bens hail increased to about 1,000. The Magistrates proceeded to
swear in special constables from amongst the neighbouring trades.
people, chiefly persons, it may be said, in some degree connected with
or dependent on the Slagistracy or their friends ; but the Magistrates
had not long proceeded in such useful duty, when a very general
agitation amongst the labourers presented itself, displayed in grum-
bling.. noises, and all sorts of signs of uneasiness, accompanied with
exclamations from the crowd of labourers, &c., We are stare.
ing 1 Do you want us to be sworn in to starve one another ?"
Amidst this confusion, and a tolerably general refusal amongst the
agricultural labourers to be sworn in special constables—a refusal which,
though :it may have accorded with their own views, was no doubt
strengthened by the orders of many of their masters that they would be
visited with discharge if they submitted to be sworn in—amidst the
confusion that had by this time arisen, Major Bence, une of th?. 31a.
gistrates in attendance, entered into some dialogue with one of
these malcontents. He was indeed knocked down, and in
the scuffle be lost his hat ; he, however, was soon afterwards enabled
to recover his legs, and to regain his hat, and the worthy Magistrate
(f am informed) then made the best of his way home, without staying
even to attempt to swear in any more special constables from amongst
such a disorderly group.