Star.
London, England, 1816-12-14 00:00:00

. ,
any people veer be srougat--bet beyond wfildt is
physically impossible to catty the system. This
however will not be the nine in all circumstances.
An industrious community, cateris pariliu, can al•
ways pay more tazek than one that is less so ; and
the sanie people in a time in which they can find
ready markets for all the products of their industry,
[can bear a load of taxes which, in a period of a dif-
ferent description, will 'almost grind them to powder.
Till within these two years the pressure of our
taxes was comparatively light, owing to the extended
'ramification's of our unrivalled commerce ; and
most fortunate thing it has proved that we were
enabled, by any circumstances whatever, to bear the
load, till the machinations of our inveterate enemies,
who sought to blot out our name as a nation, were
completely frustrated and blasted, many of the con-
trivers and agents scattered like vagabonds over the
face of the earth, and the arch leader himself im-
mured in a solitary island.
Our circumstances are now distressing, bet let men
of sober minds only contrast them, bad as they are,
with the condition in which we should have found
ourselves, had our enemies succeeded in their schemes
of subjugation and rapine. For one that is now out
h)f employment we should have had twenty; the
whole produce of our industry—our whole wealth
would haVe been regularly transmitted to a foreign
country; and the best of our land would have been
apportioned out to furnish estates for our oppressors!
away then with unavailing regrets about the el-
-1 pence that our deliverance has cost us ! Let every.
Individual think of the best means for retrieving our
circumstances; let each be willing to bear as much
AL possible his share of the pressure; and let none be
so little of a patriot as to seek to enjoy, without any
diminution whatever, an income derived entirely from
the labours of those who, with every species of fru-
gality, cannot fully satisfy their own necessities.
A part of our present distress is of a nature which
time will remedy, by a judicious employment of
capital and industry in pursuits wl;ich the spirit
of enterprize will by and by point out to our mer-
chants and manufacturers ; but in the interim, the
distress presses, and demands amelioration. At this
moment the gifts of benevolence are essentially bene-
ficial, and furnish a high proof of the moral character
of the country; but if our present difficulties shall bei,
allowed to operate without a perfect remedy so long
As to lay, in this country, the foundation of a Laza-
roni system like that which prevails in Italy, we shall
be ruined past hope. Let benevolence continue its
Labours, for without this, many of our poor neigh-
bours must absolutely perish of want ; but let some-
thing be speedily done to remove the cause of the
malady, or at any tate to spread the ex6ting quan-
tity of evil more equally over the general surface,
that its pressure on any portion may become more
bearable.
None but madmen or bad men will deny that tl—.!
public distress calls for amelioration. The question
is, Where should this begin ? How is it to be accom-
plished? In the answer all are agreed. The nation
calls for frugality and economy—the Ministers have
promised to exert themselves on this head. But in
the practical application of the doctrine there will be
found a great diversity of opinion I for it is not to be
expected that any individual, whose income arises
from taxes paid by others, will readily discover that his
is one of the appointments which, without prejudice to
the public service, may be dispensed with ; or t: as be is
the person who:ecei yes more than an adequate remune-
ration for his services, whether tendered perionally or
by aiding the Government with his money. When we
say 44 more than adequate," we mean in relation to
his own circumstances and condition, compared with
those of the people from whom he demands and re
ceives his recompense; far in questions of this nature
all things are comparative—what may be too high a
remuneration at one time may be too low at another,
and tare versa. When by adverse winds a ship is
detained on her voyage, and the crew reduced to short
allowance, the question never is, how much each in-,
dividual would require from the common stock' to
satisfy him Fully ? but, how much the public stock.
in their circumstances, CAO afford to each, to make
their store hold out for a given time ? The one who
should insist on having his full allowance, because he,
chanced to be an officer, would, were the rest of the
crew as inhuman as himself, be tossed into the sea.
In fact, the national bark is at this moment pre-
cisely in the predicament which we have described.
The crew is upon short allowance. How should
matters be managed, so as best to meet the meal
-
ties of the case till better terms arrive ? Or rather.'
what course should be followed to insure and corn-
' mand a return of snore prosperous circumstances ?
The first and most obvious answer is FRUGALITY
RETRFACIIMENT—both as a body politic and u indi-
viduals—due attention to the cases of the various
classes composing the community—find the adoption
,of such measures as may be best calculated to rea-
der the pressure as equal as possible.
' But whatever may be possible to be effected by
economy, will, in our present circumstances, afford
but little relief. Adhering straws and dust may be
swept from the load, which shall yet be left heavy
enough to make the animal sink under it. What
relief can be obtained in this way should be admini-
stered ; but more powerful remedies must be resorted
to—and tb this subject we mean, from time..to time,
to devote a portion of columns, in the hope that bowel
of the ideas, which. we may suggest, will at least be

vigour.

Wins ceserving or serous eutnleatiOn. Our Unit,
do not allow us tu:pioixecrfarther to-day than to re-
mark, in addition to what we have stated above, that
mere palliatives will be of little rival/. The remedies
must suit the teal case, or we must, as a nation, sink
under our difficulties. But we hope to spew that thtell
CAS( IS not desperate—that our stamina is still sound,
and only requires a due application of means within
our reach to restore perfect health, soundness and

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