Star.
London, England, 1829-12-03 00:00:00

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

TO THE EDITOR-VI/Pr-Di EVENING STAR.
SIR—To a man of a thinking and observing mind, the
state of his country must always be a subject of the deepest in-
terest ; yet the very interest be feels often renders him incapable of
judging discreetly of her affairs. To the sides of those who proclaim
her prosperity the ears of most people are open, and the tidings of
her increasing wealth and spreading influence are received so
greedily as to allow little time to examine their justice : while
should one wiser or bolder, mistaken or more fearful, as the event
may prove, than his fellows, dare for a moment to direct their at-
tention to those damning proofs, which arise on every side, to rouse
from their supine security those who have closed their ears to all
but favourable representations, he is stigmatized by them with
the epithet of croaker, and considered as desiring those evils which
he only foresees and regrets.
It thus becomes the duty of those who have the public ear, I
mean the press, to warn the people of all that in its prospects
forebodes misfortune, and to rejoice with them over all that in its
effects proves beneficial—to tell them that " all that glitters is not
gold"—to tell the people of a free country, possessing a consti •
tudon that: has been tried by the test of time, that by themselves
and none other can that constitution be destroyed ;—that cor-
ruption alone can undermine its foundations, and that, so long TO
they remain firm and true to their own interests, ministers may in
vain dictate—ln vain oppress : for so long as they and their re-
presentatives remain proof against bribery, liberty must protect and
prosperity advance the interests of themselves and the glory of their
country. It is pleasant to tell, and gratifying to reflect on all
this, but we have in our own time seen much that may excite in us
far kw pleasing reflections. It is a painful necessity, but it is
necessary that we should not omit to notice disagreeable, while we
dwell with gratification on agreeable, " signs of the times."
We have seen one country divided, and another, an old
ally, invaded and disabled by—as all must confess--a
and a grasping power ; and they are not few nor foolish,
who look upon this as an advance to oar Indian possessions : front
those very possessions, the sound if a deep and pervading murmur
of dissatisfaction has just reached our shores. We have seen the
throne of another ancient ally seized by an obnoxious and detest-
able usurper against all this, Ragland—which was wont to
be the friend of the oppressed and the mister of the right—has
entered no decided protest. Indeed, with respect to the last-men•
tioned affair, not contented with tacit connivance, our Ministry are
about to place the last stamp to their baseness or imbecility by
neurally acknowledging the Portuguese tyrant as a lawful sove-
reign !0 We have seen, too—though last-mentioned, not toast re-
markable—the great part of our Commons and Lords change their
opinions upon a subject of the most momentous importance, almost
at the beck of an individual : why they changed, they best know,
and their co nsciences can best answer.
If these thing., Mr. Editor, be not worthy the consideration of
every nun, I, at least, am mistaken in the spirit which reigns In the
bosoms of my countrymen ; and those who think them not worth
attending to, I would remind that the name of " Roman"—which
was once the boast and glory of every possessor of it—afterwards
became a by-word and mockery to the nations of the earth. Let
them take heed, that the name of Briton do not.
POLLIO.
• We can tell our Correspondent that Ministers are pausing in
this.—En. STAR. --
FASHIO*ABLE INTELLIGENCE.