The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-03-05 00:00:00

1.

ciple that we are indeseed to publish a Declaration
that has jnst reached es from Palermo. in presenting
this document to our readers, we are actuated by no
other motive than a desire that both parties should be
beard; for, while the grievances of Sicily are suf-
fered to remain unnoticed or concealed, it is not likely
thatany effectual steps will be taken to effect a recon-
ciliation; without which, the independence and free-
dom of both countries can never be consolith.ted.

In thus calling public attention to the points at
issue between Naples and Sicily, we must differ with
those of our contemporaries, who have suggested the
propriety of occupying the latter by a British military
force. Convinced that no measure would tend so
much to compromise us with the rest of Europe. A
ssuall sqnadron at Messina will be a sufficient barrier
So the Austrian hordes, and seconded by a spirited
amenstrance from our minister at Naples, every pur-
pose will be fully answered, and our character, for
rood faith, so frequently called in question, in some
degree re-established.

With regard to the ulterior steps proper to be pur-
sued io this important matter, it will more properly
form the subject of a future article. Meanwhile, our
readers will hare time to reflect on the various causes
of complaint contained in the declaration.

The people of England have, with a spirit worthy
of their ancestors in the best of times, performed their
duty, in the cue of the first subject of the realm, her
lIIAJISTY the Queue. They are now called upon by
circumstances to evince, with a similar spirit, their
attachment to a man, whom we do not hesitate to
consider as second to no subject in the state, if rank,
it the scale of subjects, be awarded according to
merit. It is of little consequence to Sir FRANI IS
licaoarr whether the people pay the fine, which has
been imposed upon Lim, or not ; but it is of very
great consequence to themselves. By making his
cause their own, they shew a due attachment to, those
constitutional principles, which, for five-and-twenty
years, he alone has uniformly and strenuously ad-
vocated, which others have only occasionally, and to
suit particular purposes, maintained ; and with the
value of which the whole population of the United
Kingdom, are now, from tiro pressure of distress, even
more than from the progress of knowledge, becoming
duly impressed. It is upon an occasion like this that the
friends of reform ought to come forward, and, by
showing their attachment to the man, shew their
attachment to his principles. If it were possible that
the decisions of Parliament, the verdicts ofJurits, and
the sentences of Judges, should invariably be made
wholly to depend upon the party or measure before
them, without the smallest reference to the justice or
law of the case, the number of victims might be en-
creased at the pleasure of their persecutors, and
liberty would then indeed be only is same. We
can conceive Parliaments, Juries, and Benches, to
become so corrupt, or so badly organised, as to
be a nuisance, instead of a blessing, to a
state. We can conceive a Parliament, than which an
absolute despotism would be infinitely preferable;
Juries, to which drum-head Courts-martial would be
a decided blessing; anti benches enveloped with all
the forms of 14w, to which a Turkish Cadi might be
a desirable substitute. When such things arise in
any State, its institutions must be approaching their
dissolution ; and certainly he must be the beet sub-
ject of a State, whose efforts are all directed to a re-
storation to their first principles of such of its instils-
lions as are tending to decay.

With ourselves, the most able and upright men
have, fur a long time, held all danger to our liberties
to depend upon the increasing corruption of our
,Par-
liaments. To illustrate this doctrine, and to obiiate
this danger, has Sir FRAIL BIIRDITT devoted thewhole
of a political life of no inconsiderable duration, and of no
ordinary spleudor. It was in resisting, is the case of
one individual, the power assumed by that Houses
of imprisoning for what they call a •• breath of privi•
lege," that Sir FRANCIS BUillingiT. as the public will
recollect, was committed to the Tower, in 1810. by
skier of Speaker's warrant, which Sir Faencts per.
sisted in considering an illegal instrument, and to the
*outwit: of which lit refused to yield obedience. As
the exercise of authority on the part of that branch
of the legislature has not certainly been diesiaished
white that period, and as many are at thin moment of
opinion that it constitutes the principal source of al
the Finances of the country, it may be useful to-
wards the illustration of its character and skated's', as
writes the appreciation of the merits of our illustrious
patrio►, ►o present our readers on a future occasion,
with a cirsory view of these transactions. In the
sumustime i.e are glad to find from different parts of
the ementry, that a disposition to evince a doe respect
to the worthy Baronet, appears to be spreading
and as an evidence of this we insert to-day an
address transmitted to him from the scene of that out
rage on account of which he is at present soffering;
/Nue a respectable holly of gentlemen of Manchester
and Salford.

The Queen, we understand, has maimed to re-
eeive the 50,000/. a year vetesl Masi/Mas—ines sad
seppert w Parlianient. 1t is to couttallase from &a
Stl January, IS2O.
Hee Majesty has paid 15,0001. for Cambridge flame,
by a draft en Messrs. Counts and Co.
A Messenger arrived at Lord Castlereagh's oSAis
Saturday, with dispatches from Sir William Allegan
at Naples. lie sou also the bearer of dispatches'
frets Adouirsi Sir Orakato Moore.