The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-07-07 00:00:00

COBBETT versus REPUBLICANISM.

The following hearty and wholesome sentiments eman-
ated from the late Mr. Cobbett when he was uncon-
laminated by faction, and in the fresh vigour of life. It
is a graphic description of the canting vagabonds who,
began the revolution in America
" Having, in America, witnessed the fatal effects of Revolu-
tion ; having seen piety give place to a contempt of religion,
plain dealing exchanged for shuffling and fraud, universal con-
fidence fur universal suspicion and distrust ; having seen a
country, once the seat of peace and good neighbourhood, torn to
pieces by faction, plunged, by intriguing demagogues, into
never-ceasing hatred and strife; having seen a people, once too
feud of what they called liberty to bear the gentle sway of a
British King, humbly bend their necks to the yoke, nay to the
very foot, of a set of grovelling despots; having, in short, seen
the crime of rebellion against monarchy punished by the tor-
menting, the degrading cu. se of republicanism; it is with the
utmost astonishment and indignation that I find many of those
who have the press at their command endeavouring to bring
down on my native country the very same species of calamity
and disgrace. Notwithstanding the example of America, add
the more dreadful example of France, I fied the emissaries of
the republican fiction (for such the', really are) still preaching
fanaticism and infidelity, still how. ling for that change which
they have the audacity to denominate re-form, still exerting all
their nefarious ingenuity in- sapping the foundation of the
church and the throne. Those who %cunt experience of the
consequences, may, for aught I know, be excused for conniving
at these atte.npts; but for me, who have seen acts, passed by a
republican legislature, more fraudulent than forgery or coining;
for me, who have seen republican officers of state offeling their
country for sale for a few thousand dollars; for me, who have
seen republican judges become felons, and felons become repub-
lican judges; for me to fold my hands and tamely listen to the
insolent eulogists of republican governments and rulers, would
be shameful abandonment of principle, a dastardly desertion of
duty.
" It is with no small mortification that I find too many of the
periodical publications (as well pamphlets as paeers) in the
bands of fanatics and infidels, all of whom, however numerous
their mongrel sects, however opposite their tenets, however
hateful their persons to each other, do most cordially unitein
their enmity to the national establishment, and most zealously
ca-operate for its destruction. Convinced, as I ani, from the
experience.of America, as well as from history 'in general, that
an established church is absolutely necessary to the existence
of religion and morality; convinced, also, that the church of
England, while she is an ornament, an honour, and a blessing
to the nation, is the principal palm' of the throne; I trust I
-never shall he base enough to decline a combat with her enemies,
whether they approach me in the lank locks of the sectary, or
the scalp crop of the jucobin.
• " I hold it to be the duty of men in power to employ the past
as well as the sword in defence of the government committed to
their charge; if, therefore, I hope to yield some trifling support
to ministry, it is not because I have received, or ever shall re-
ceive, any gratification at their hands; but because I am most
sincerely persuaded, that, next to the virtues of his Majesty, and
the general loyalty of his subjects, this country owes its preserva-
tion to the wisdom of Mr. Pitt and his colleagues.
" The subjects of a British King, like the sons of every pro-
vident and tender father, never know his value till they feel the
want of. his protection. In the days of youth and ignorance, I
was led to believe that comfort, freedom, and virtue, were ex-
clusively the lot of republicans. A very short trial convinced
Me of my error, admonished me to repent of my folly, and urged
• one to compensate for the injustice of the opinions I had' conceived
During an eight years' absence from my country I was not an
unconcerned spectator of her pei ils, nor did I listen iu silence
'to the slander of her enemies.. Though divided from Eng-
land by the ocean—though her gay fields were hidden, perhapi
for ever, from my view, still her happiness and her glory
' were the objects of my constant solicitude; I rejoiced at her
victories, anti mourned for her defeats ; her friends were my
friends, and her foes were my foes. Once snore returned, once
more under the safeguard of that Sovereign who watched ewer
use its my infancy, and the want of whose protecting arm I have
so log had occasion to lament, I felt an it resistible desire to
commenicate to my countrymen the fruits filmy experience; to
show them the injurious and degrading consequences of discon-
tentment, disloyalty, and innovation ; to convince them that they
are the freest, as well as the happiest of ,the human race ; and
above all, to warn them against the arts of those ambitious and
perfidious demagogues, who would willingly reduce them to a
level with the cheated slaves, in the bearing of whose yoke I
have had the mortification to share. " WM. COBBETT.
" Pall-mall, Sept. 29,1800."