Star.
London, England, 1829-10-12 00:00:00

FOR TUE STAR.

Never pe:taps at any period of British history did the
conduct of affairs demand a more positive unequivocal
ability, foresight, tact, and energy, than at this very
time. Eidently on the eve of great political convul-
sions, rushing with accelerated speed towards final decay,
surrounded with enmity, mined by debt, and brawling
with our Sister Kingdom—kept only to her allegiance
by the presence of an array of ruinous magnitude—the
salvation of our country depends on first rate ministerial
capacity ; while, at the same time, it is governed by men
of the most doubtful talents that ever yet conducted
the cabinet of this country. With feelings of the most
intense anxiety, you must contemplate the now rapidly
rising tempest—so long prognosticated—that is to sweep
like a hurricane over the face of Europe. From the
blackened horizon you turn to the pilots of the bark—
anxious to descry in their movements some indication of
security ; but they are " muitres ho;nmes" endowed
with genius so impenetrable, that it is as abortive to spe-
culate upon their intentions as to calculate on rouge et
noir.

The distresses of the manufacture: must increase as
winter advances ; late events in the east of Europe
have struck panic into the hearts of the maritime ; the
agriculturist, kept in painful suspense by the indecisions
of Parliament, suffers profoundly from inclement seasons
and the whole mass of society are sunk into a portentous
apathy—indicative of excess of suffering. In France
you have lost the friendship of the people, who would
engage in a war against us with transport ; Prussia is
decidedly hostile, and evidently ready to coalesce with
Russia; the King of the Netherlands sits on an in-
secure throne—his Flemish subjects, at religious va-
riance, are combined in their hatred of Holland,
and animosity to the English, whom they ac-
cuse of detaching France from their intereets.,
Denmark and Poland entertain for us the deepest
feelings of resentment :—" You might have served
them, and you would not." BERNAOOTTE Sus-
pects your sincerity ; Spain and Portugal curse you
for your cowardly indecision and damnable intrigues ;
Italy raves against the abettor of their tyrants ; Austria
considers you as tools—and so you are ; the people of the
United States of America have resumed all their antipa-
thies; the 'Bain:non of the BRAT' Ls smarts under the
infliction of a series of cruel injuries ; and the rest of
those shores apprehend your underhand support of in-
vasion. Returning to Europe, you find Greece loud in
complaints against yoc—coupling you with your ally,
the Turk :—and the latter, undone and almost captive,
deprecates your treacherous friendship ; while Russia—
triumphant Russia—now sure of her conquest, points the
finger of derision at you, laughing to scorn your impotent
rage and iinhecility.
Such, within the short duration of the present Minis
try, has become your situation at home and abroad. You
are now driven to this alternative—peace, under insult
and contempt ; or war, without money and without heart.
Nothing, in this dilemma, can rescue England from the
most fatal consequences, but an immediate reformation of
system. The actual Ministers feel they are not popular,
and daily prove they are not successful. Their accession
to power has been productive of the most alarming results.
Why, then, this tenacity in wrong ; or why this apathy
in the people under such a visitation ? It is time the de-
linquents—whoever they may be—should retire from
office. The army is about to require its General; and it
were well lie culled a fresh laurel or two, seeing how he
has wantonly withered the old ones. An immediate meet-
ing of Parliament is of necessity : the longer it is delayed
the greater latitude for mischief: a tempest is lowering
over the House, which to disperse, will require more trips
than one to Battersea-fields.