Star.
London, England, 1830-07-14 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE JOURNALS.

Ti stn.—Sir Robert Peel last night made some very just remarks
in answer to a sort of application of the Irish landlords for a grant of
public money towards relieving the Irish poor. It is, indeed, quite
time that the Irish aristocracy should be compelled to support their
own poor. The account which the Right Hon. Secretary quoted re-
specting the infant settlement at the Swan River, affords an addition
to the numerous illustrations which the last twenty years have sup-
plied of the inefficient, clumsy, and injurious mode in which the
emigration-system has been conducted. Is it reasonable to expect
that the idle and unenterprising, who, with all the appliances of civi-
lired employment about them, have neither skill nor energy to ob.
lain a comfortable subsistence, should, by the mere act of deporta-
tion, succeed in conquering diffieul, les often times the magnitude of
those which beset them at home? Colonization, to be beneficial,
requires considerable wealth, invincible firmness and perseverance,
And great mental activity. We fear, amidst the swarms of emigrants
'who have of late years poured into our colonies, it would be vain to
look for many persons distinguished by those necessary characteristics
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Tratzs.—lt ought to gratify the friends of Ministers, that the
only fixed and definite ground on which the electors throughout
England are openly canvassed in opposition to them, is their sup.
port of the cause of religious liberty in the session of 1829. We
have not seen amongst the political publications addressed to the
constituent body in the present instance, an attempt to depreciate
the existing Government on any but that single charge. And by
whom, and on behalf of what party in the kingdom, have such ap-
peals been circulated ? By and for a set of men, we answer, who
boast of no distinction or pretension but a certain dogged and un.
reasoning attachment to the material of the Church of
England, representing as that establishment does in their eyes,
the principle of hostility to all change in the system of human
politics,—an utter contempt for all efforts at improve-1
ment—an absolute consecration of all inconveniences, and
abuses, provided only that they bear the chronic type, and have'
operated in favour of partial interests, and in detriment
to the public welfare, for a given series of centuries or generations.
This party, characterized throughout the United Kingdom as "
Tories," consist of the ancient, inveterate placeholders—the most
narrow-minded, servile, and thorough-going courtiers—the most
insolent and exclusive advocates of every shade and form of mono-
poly, whether game-laws, alehouse licence laws, anti-Catholic penal
laws, anti. Christian corn laws. No matter what modification of
monopoly the grievance complained of may assume, it only it be
complaisant enough to the wealthier classes, and sufficiently op-
pressive to the poor, these men are sure to be its supporters, with a
zeal and pertinacity worthy of the noblest ends, but by them pa.
verted to the most iniquitous. Yet, will it be believed that a faction
so constituted and so actuated has had the front to proclaim itself,
in the language of other times, the " country party ?" The deuce
take such country parties! Why, their true character is that of a
band of desperadoes,—old, possibly, in a gnmter proportion than
young,—incapable of conceiving any object of high or generous
ambition, tied together by resentment at their fall from power, and
condescending to cringe to the people, simply because the Court has
rejected them. This faction might as well hope to re-ignite a burnt.
out volcano as to inflame the country over again by the old war-ay
of "No Popery."—lt is of value, however, to the community, that
such incendiary pretexts should be now brought forward. In no
case can "Protestant Ascendancy" be resorted to here or in Ireland
by candidates or their agents, without fixing the mark of the beast
upon their cause. In no case henceforth can a public man seek to
revive the heart.burnings of the crisis which preceded emancipation,
without avotoing that his motives are factious, not honest, unless he
has ingenuity enough to persuade himself or his auditors that by his
getting into Parliament the Catholic bill may be repealed. But the
truth is, that the knot of " ultra Tories," being the sole organized
foe to Ministers, confers on them the solid advantage of a disposi-
tion to approximate towards the more estimable and distinguished o
the tl'higs. This we take to be the union with which, if any should
take place, the constituent body will be beat contented, and which
they may conscientiously encourage, by at once deciding to vote
against any man who rails at religious tolerance, or invokes their
suffrages in the name of the " Protestant cause." As for in-
fluence being used over electors, the modes of such influence arc
innumerable, and one or other of them will never cease to be
employed by superiors, by neighbours, by friends, through hopes,
and fears, and prejudices, and arguments drawn sometimes from
praiseworthy, at other times from less pure sources. An intelligent
constituency will best know the characters and qualifications of pub-
lic men—a virtuous constituency will act upon such knowledge ;
but, coterie paribus, the most numerous body of electors, if we do
not descend to the mere brute mob (ace in Ireland before the abo-
lition
of the 40s. freeholds), must be that over which the least pro-1
bability can exist of acting successfully, whether by corruption or
delusion, upon the well-meaning or the shrewd. A pledge, there.
fore, might be sought from candidates in favour of a more extended
infusion of democracy into the elective power. To this, if we mis-
take not, the "country party" will lend but a languid support.

HERALD.—It is confidently said by the 31 inisterial papers that
Government will be strengthened by the result of the ensuing elec-
tions. Why it should be so we cannot tell, seeing that Government
was daily losing ground in the Session now expiring, and, at last, had
nearly come to a stand-still. It would, perhaps, be difficult to point
out any preceding Session, since England first had a Parliament, in
which both houses sat so many hours, and in which so little public ha.
siness was done. In fact, the historian will have nothing more to re-
cord than a series of abortive measures as the result of the sitting of
the great council of the nation from the beginning of February to the
middle ofJuly. Even with respect to that most pressing and essential
business of State—the Supplies—Government was see checked and
embarrassed, that, had it not been for the melancholy event which
gave them an excuse for proposing a vote of credit, it smnis ex-
cZedingly doubtful that the Administration could have outlived the
session. A new reign is always a season of promise and hope. The
commencement of the present reign has opportunely happened to
enable the existing Administration to take ineasitres to protract its
existence. The vote of credit gives a new impetus to die wheels of
Government, which had nearly stopped, and allows Ministers Id.
sure, from the fatigues of the Parliamentary campaign, to endea.
rout to repair their shattered resources by secret manoeuvres and
political tactics. Such expedients may prolong the existence of
their power for a time, but the difficulties of the empire arc still ac.
cumulating, and nothing can save the country but the honest
arts of political wisdom and public virtue. ‘l'e care not what
the names of Ministers are - we look but to their actions. We judge
I them not by what they profess, but by what they perform.
How magnificent were the promises which they gave to the
public at the commencement of the present session in the speech
from the throne l How have the anticipations which they excited
been disappointed ! They pledged themselves to retrenchment and
economy ;.—they made a show of saving the public money in small
things, but they were as reckless and profuse as any of their pre-
decessors in great matters. They pledged titans, lets to a thorough
reform of the administration of justice ; they have done nothing of
the sort. They have, indeed, pressed on a measure which increases
their patronage in Westminster-hall, but they have left the
fountains of justice as turbid and as impure as if they never
pretended to cleanse them. They promised great reduction of
taxes; yet every interest in the country still groans beneath the
weight of intolerable taxation. We care not what changes may
take place in any departments of the present Administration
it there be not a change of measures;—such • change, we
mean, as may relieve the country front the pressure of its great
and increasing difficulties, by cutting away all extravaAant expen-
diture, and thus enabling the taxes to be so reduced as to give the
energies of the people an opportunity of rallying ; for confident we
are that the energies of England are still as great as ever, and that
they only want the aid of a judicious policy to excite once more the
admiration of the world. of what consequence is it to the public
whether this or that renegade Tory or recreant Whig barters his
principles for place or pelf ? The country is in that state that no
Administration caa long sus:ain itself which does not rely for its
claim to support on rigorously and honestly reforming the whole
system of our finances, and enabling the indurry of the people to
become as productive as under the genial prot.ction of a wise
goverrattent it assuredly would be. It is absurd in the extreme to
talk i.f tice-tradc systems while the industry of the people is shackled
by au enormous weight of taxation. Nt'here industry is net free,
trade. which is but the result of industry, cannot be free either.
Taxation, by destroying the industry and tire comforts of the people,
is not only impoverishing the country,but producing at the same tune
the most demoralising effects. Let the elections turn out as they
will an Administration which relieves the industry of the people
from the burden of a war taxation, and introduces salutary reforms
into all the branches of the State, can alone obtain that confidence
and support of the public which is stronger than the votes of ob-
sequious majorities.

TIMES.-- It is amusing as well as gratifying to observe wish
what fretdum the French journals now discuss the military opera-
tions of their countrymen, and the plans of their Commander at Al-
Fiers. Had this been one of Buonaparte's expeditions, they would
have no more dared to say any thing respecting it but what he had
dictated, than to face the Ste of the troops to which the place has
been surrendered. But being a triumph purely French, and spring-
ing from a Bourbon, it is obvious that it gives pain, and is offensive
to the old Jacobins, the obsequious or trembling slaves of a Cor.l
sican. The National, a paper set up lately, actually regrets that
the place has been surrendered with so little bloodshed • and would
attribute the final success to the interposition of the foreign consuls,)
and their representations to the Dey, or to the barbarian's apprehen-
sion of internal revolt. So much for the patriodem and loyalty
French Jacobins. But now, Algiers bel!tg taken,. what is to
be done with it ? We should s" What the eawleetwral
please." Bat, in so raying, we app ag—athat we dithr kw the
British Government in opinion. The Duke of Wellington rosy
probably view with suspicion such an aggrandisanseat of a rival

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