Star.
London, England, 1830-11-17 00:00:00

to that anxiety, to govern himself, by the interests and sen-
timents of the country,which bays rendered his MAJESTY PO
justly and universally beloved. We sincerely hope, that
the peculiar difficulties of the State, will have a tendency to
produce a reciprocal inclination among the public
men, looked to on the present occasion, to modify,
or smooth down, any slight discrepancies in opinion
which may exist ; and prevent that homogeneity which
can alone render any administration, either permanent
or usefully efficient.
On many subjects—and on none so much as on reform—
there must be entertained, by public men, very different opi-
nions. If the paramount object of our enquiry be, what
extent of Parliamentary Reform will a•ld to the security of
our constitutional edifice, as constructed of three materials—
of an amalgamation of three estates—King, Lords, and
Commons—then our enquiry has a legitimate object ; and
its solution, we conceive, will not admit of much difference
of view. But if we allow ourselves to be careless
about the existing structure, and to speculate on
the probability of forming a better, should it, while under
repair, fall to the ground, our enquiry has not the same
object, and must have a different solution. Without acced-
ing to all that is said by DE LoLsa,and other panegyrists of
our constitution, as to the fine equilibrium constantly exist-
ing between the three estates; and rather inclining to believe,
that such an exact equilibrium is theoretical, and that it
has existed at no period of our history,—yet, we are in-
clined to believe, that to adopt the hacknied metaphor, the
constitutional balance has generally, owing to a happy self-
adjusting part of its mechanism, kept as near the equili-
brium as the uncertainty of human events, and the changes
in human character render practicable ; and we are of opi-
nion that the existing energies—the industrious and moral
habits-end the influence, among the nations of the world,
of the people of a country geographically inconsiderable—
prove to demonstration, unless we deny that causes must be
adequate to effects, thatour social structure has been hitherto
felicitous. We conceive the desideratum then is, to do just
so much, and no more, than will be consistent with the
safety of our main timbers.
We have ventured to make these remarks, as prefatory
to what we think should be the public disposition at the
present moment; which is, to be moderate in their expec-
tations of what public men can do, advisedly, at such a junc-
ture. We have often said, that we think some reforms in the
representative code necessary. We said we expected the
Duke of WLLLU G TON to i;itroduce them; and we have
said, that we cannot but regret he has not done so, because
he, of all ministers, seemed formed safely to accom-
plish the enough, and withstand the too much.—
There is now little doubt, but something will be done; and
we would recommend our readers to be satisfied with small
and timid rectifications, for we are convinced no public men,
with the legitimate object in view, which we have endea-
voured to define, would deserve well of their country, who
were experimentally bold. We would likewise recommend a
disposition in the public, to be liberal towards those who may
come forward to serve them; and not exclude the utility
of any, by exacting from them an unaccommodating,
impracticable, scrupulous adherence, to the letter of early
opinion. •

With respect to the retiring Statesmen, we yesterday
expressed our opinion. We believe none ever retired from
office more generally respected. We are forcibly reminded
of a passage in the ballad of Chevy Chace--vix.

The news was brought to Rdinburgh,
Where Scotland's King did reign,
That brave Earl Douglas suddenly
Was by an arrow slain.
0 heavy news, King JAMES did say,
Scotland can witness he,
I have not any Captain more
Of such account as be.

His Majesty King WILLIAM, may, we think, with great
truth, express himself in somewhat similar terms on the pre-
sent, which however, fortunately, is not quite so melancholy,
an occasion.