The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-22 00:00:00

TJ I'llE EDI FUR OF /'HK srArsmi.v.

Sta—l beg to submit to the public, through the
medinut of your truly constitutional paper. the follow-
ing remarks on rossible contingent events ; iu the
first place I have to remark, should ever any legisla-
ture or government grounded on the free principles of
the British Constitution, become eoutaminated and
corrupt in the greatest pussiik degree, then the de-
meanour of the Judges in courts of judicature will be
glaringly courteous, the Barristers truckling and
subservient : and then mark the bent and inclination
of special juries, particularly those puffed up with a
pride of hearing commissions of the peace, &c. If
unfortunately we should ever arrive at such a state of
things In poll 01.1 England, then will not be the
time for a sterling independent Whig to throw don ti the
gauntlet to a high Tory in a court of law ; then farewell
to the chartered Rights and Liberties of Englishmen.
In such time', when the mere wreck of our once glori-
ous Constitution can be only left u,, we must be pre-
pared to bear from the pulpit the doctrine of non-re-
sistance, and passive obedience to Government, if
even Government should he as corrupt and dege-
nerate as in the Reigns of the arbitrary Stewart
Family. And further, should ever the excellent
institutions of eur Courts of Justice become
perverted and pr stituted to favour political party
views, we should ascribe the canse solely to close and
rotten boroughs. This arrogant and monstrous system
(which, it is presumed, has sapped the very vitals of
our constitution) should have been nipped in its bud :
and now, though late in the day, may the light of
Heaven infuse into the minds of our borough pro-
prietors and usurpers (if any such there be) a kindred
sympathy and spirit of conciliation towards their de-
pressed subordinates and suffering counttymen, by re-
storing to them that dearest and ancient privilege of
Britons—freedom and purity of election. It is my
opinion, friend, should Legislators tlegrade themselves
so much as to become traffickers in close and venal
boroughs, that such nien would scarcely sz.rnple to sell
their country. In fact, it is hnt one step further to-
wards the perfection of corruption. And if unhappily
they should be actuated by sinister se:fish motives, or
should have an abstract distinct interest from the
people in their measures, then all is lost without a
hops of salvation. And, lastly, permit me to observe,
when Governments (spesiossly fie.) become exceed-
ingly unpopular, and their principles untenable, then
arbitrary measure' will be resorted to, as a matter of
course, to prop up a tottering system, and to avert, or
rather postpone, impending and fearful *vile . Depend
on it, my friend, and I speak confidently, that the ex-
cellent principles of Lord libriortot will rrentaally

be cherished and prevail, not only in this great comae,
but thronghoat all &gland, in despite of any legis.
lative restrictions, united with all the sophistry and
influence of portly Magistrates and political Priests,
to counteract or prevent it. When the Courts of Jos-
lice shall be prostituted to favour party politics, or
when the laws become elastic, then the vessel of the
State is rotten, to the last plank ; and lo! when limb
corrupt and critical times shall, arrive, in order to
holster up a tottering system, or a weak ease, there
will he hired spies in the land, and an odious cowardly
species of assassins termed anonymous writers, to stab
the characters and wound the feelings of the vir-
tuons patriot writers. Farewell, friend, hut mark thte
well my foretelling.
Devonshire, Dee. 17. IRO. A DEVONIAN.
P. S. Too much praise cannot be ascribed to that
excellent, pure, and coo.titotional plan of reform laid
down bv Sir Francis Burdett, in the year 1809. That
little piece is a master-piece on the snhject of our ju-
risprudence. The independent Whigs of the present
day cannot do better than to digest well its contents.

LIVERPOOL, Dv:. 20, IS2O.

[►ROW OUR LI% tit root. con Reiroxinvr.l

write this to inform you that a Requisition having
been signed by npuards of ;411 respectable and opulent
inhabitants, calling upoa the Mayor to convene a
public meeting to address the Ring, on the present
alarming posture of public affairs, and petition hint
to dismiss his present Counsellos ; it was handed to
his Worship yesterday, who t,ok till ten this morning
to consider the subyct. As he had refried the lii-
nisterial as' request to sanction their unconstitu-
tional object, it was pretty generally supposed he
would not comply, in which contingency it was de-
termined to convene a meeting in the Tennis (Curt:
fur the wind,. course of proceedings adopted by the
eahal who haul met in a chamber at the King's Arms,
had, to the highest degree, o(fended, not only the
Whigs and Reformers, but the liberal Tories ; and L
am informed, although I cannot vouch fur its truth,
that amongst the requisitionists there were persons
who had never before opposed Ministers.
To the extreme chagrin of the degraded faction who
had so recently insulted their townsmen, by endea-
vouring to mhiletrash 31inisters, ward off investiga-
tion, and pave the way fur new persecutions against
the Queen, the Mayor has co»splird with the re-
quest so respectably supported, and the meeting is to
take place 10-tmort ate week.