The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-25 00:00:00

desires of their hearts. ' To shew, Sir, the propriety of this
reasoning, • let us suppose that the people, instead of this mixed
monarchy, which we celebrate as equally the pride and envy Of
the world, should wish to introduce a democratical form of Go-
vernment. Should we act as good subiects to our king by a
compliance with such a treasonable wish ? Should we then do
what we are sensible is wrong because the people desire it ?
Are we to sacrifice our reason, our honor, our conscience, for
fear of incurring the popular resentment? I may possibly be
told that nothing but the " soul of absurdity" would suspect the
people of a design against their own happiness : I do not sus-
pect the people of any such design, but I doubt their capacity
to judge of their true happiness.. I know they are generally
credulous, generally uninformed, captivated by appearances,
while they neglect the most important essentials, and always
"ridiculously ready to believe that those who have the greatest
reason, from their extensive property, to be anxious for the
public welfare, are always concerting measures for the oppression
of their posterity. From what I have advanced with respect to
our duty to the people, it naturally follows, that we are by
no means to act against our own judgment, merely to gratify
their ill humour or their caprice.
It is very well known, that in Charles the first's time, the un-
limited indulgence of the popular wish occasioned the destruc-
tion of the constitution; and if the present allegations of popu-
larity deserve the least weight, they show what incompetent
judges the people are of public prosperity. For these reasons I
pay no regard to the voice of the people. It is our duty to do
what is proper, without consulting what may be agreeable. If
we are driven from the direct line of justice by the threats of a
mob, our existence becomes useless to the community. I stand
up for the constitution, not for the people : if the people attempt
to invade the constitution, they are enemies to the nation. Be-
ing, therefore, convinced that we are to do justice, whether it is
agreeable or disagreeable to the people, I am for maintaining
our existing institutions in all their comeliness and purity, and
will not be a rebel to my King, my country, or my own heart
by supporting those innovating doctrines, with the adoption o:
which will commence the downfal of Great Britain.—Yours, &c.

INTENTIONS OF MINISTERS.

F. F. L.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Stn,—You have, on one or. two occasions, been indulgent to
me by inserting soy hurried communications; I, therefore,
grow bolder in my pretensions, and venture again to address
you. The late election for this borough I shall not dilate fur-
ther on,- than merely to observe, that I fully coincide in your
views of the ungenerous proceedings carried on by our political
opponents to annoy the friends and adherents of Lord Sandon,
whose wise and statesmanlike views on the most popular ques-
tions of the day, appear, at length, to be viewed by our Govern-
ment in the same light. I was much pleased, on reading Mr.
E. G. Stanley's speech to the electors of the North Division of
this county; to find that our ministers were determined the re-
form bill should be a " final measure ;" or, at all events, that
they would pause awhile ere they ventured on any rash and ul-
terior proecedings,,and give their decided opposition to those
absurd phantasies of the ultra-Whigs and Radicals, triennial
parliaments, universal suffrage; and vote by ballot. The last
of these un-English propositions is ably exposed by Mr. Stan-
ley, and it is some consolation to find he is already become the
object of attack of that portion of the Radical press, whose very
existence' is,• in some degree, endangered, if they give the least
credit to ministers, should they deem it wise to judge.for them-
selves in opposition to their former friends and supporters.
That the Radicals will turn round and vituperate the Govern-
ment, cannot astonish any body; this' course 'they are sure to
adOpt,ibut I trust ministers will act up to their late professions, and
resist their exorbitant and foolish demands. As to triennial
parliaments, I think our parliaments are already short enough;
besides the legal duration of them 'during the past thirty years
has scarcely. ever been attained, and, their present term (seven
years) is rarely accomplished.. For the last ten or fifteen years
it has not 'been even nearly approached. But the greatest ar-
gument against;in any way, shortening the term of our legis
lative assemblies, is, in my 'opinion, the excitement and
(not to mention those- more horrible disasters that • too fre-
quently occur, robberies, murders, &c., &c.,) ocdasioned by a
general, election.-,.1 put the .question of expense' aside, but it
cannot. bo•denied it is often enormous—the party feuds caused
in manylowns on these occasions frequently estrange families
and friends who had previously lived together on the -best
terms, and for this reason alone: the shortening the duration .of

pdiliameiiii would, I apPrehend, be a serious injury instead of
benefit to society at large. Few members of parliament, too,
would be-Unwilling, at the close of each session, to resign'the
trust reposed in them by their constituents, if a majority re-
quested and wished for such a step ; for the man who, so ad-
dressed by his constituents, could still adhere in a course of op-
position to them., could not but
.be uncomfortable, at least, in
his situation as their representative. I dare be bound this is a
pledge that would,' at a general election, be refused by no man.
Where, therefore, is the necessity for triennial parliaments,
except to excite. those who can ill command themselves, and
give demagogues and ultra-Radicals an opportunity of intrud-
ingthemselves into that house, where deliberation and sound
reasoning alone should prevail. As' to universal szji•age, take
America for an example, search the most democratic of their
newspapers, and you will then see how the system works there.
It cannot be denied universal suffrage is an absolute curse to
mankind in those countries where it is unfortunately adoPted.
So much for these three Radical proposftions: • They will not,
and cannot bear the scrutiny of the more deliberative portionof
the community.

A few words on slavery, if you please, Sir. That it is an evil
no man will question ;—that, unfortunately it is a necessary evil,
I am, nevertheless, of opinion.—Still, however, I would abolish
it as early as can properly be effected; but, this can only, (to
be well done,) be done by degrees. Those who, without delibera-
tion, would madly emancipate the slave at once would be his
greatest enemies. The black poputation of our colonies, (to ren-
der them useful members of society,) must, previous to their
disenthralment, receive the benefits of such an education as
would enable them, in a free state, to understand what is right
and what wrong. This can only be effected gradually. There
is, at the present day, a great out-cry in this country against the
planters for, what the anti-slavery men are pleased to denomi-
nate, their cruelty and oppression. If those who have visited
our colonial possessions are entitled 'to the same belief as those
who have never seen them, (except on a map,) the balance of
opinion will be found greatly in favour of the former, who assert
the comparative happiness of the slaves, and yet the latter give
no credit to the assertions of those, who are, on every principle
of reason and justice, better entitled to judge—from actual ob-
servation having come to their conclusions.

I trust, Sir, the Government of this country will not rashly
give way to those who, while they profess themselves the op-
ponents of slavery, have in very few instances (if any) put forth
a plausible plan for immediate and inconsiderate emancipation.
I may, on a future occasion, address you more at length on this
subject.
Before I conclude, permit me to remark, how much the elec-
tions are going in favor of the whigs. Still we shall have a ma-
jority of men in the next house of commons, whose stake and
property,iin the country, will be a sufficient guarantee for their
guiding the vessel of state over the shoals and. quicksands which
may impede its progress. If the ministry only use their Jorce
judiciously, all may yet go well. But, I confess, my fears over-
come my expectations on this score. Let the motto of theie
who wish to see Great Britain maintain its high station amOngst
nations, be "Mediu tutissimus ibis."—Y otqs, &c.
Liverpoo', Der: 22, 1832. . ANTI-RADICAL.