The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-12-28 00:00:00

THE STATESBIAI

seemed to be the very lest thief in consideratioa, eon-
, sequently, neither themselves nor any part of the mai-
-1 ewe, could understand a single seen of the play. We
hope to have snore convenient opportanity of oedslog
this truly excellent performance.—The Pantomime is li
founded on the popular nursery tale of Jack and the
Beam Stalk, under which title it L tuseonosed: The
woos epees before the cottage' of Jack's (Miss Pores)
malkar, where the favourite cow is seen and shortly
dhpssehed, as in the story, to be sold. The deelatteni
are very slight, and the principal one is, that the mo-
ney Jack receives for the cow is changed into brans by
Arpe, the Hood (leaks of the Harp, who iepedts to
him what he has heard in his dreamt—

" The seed shall be sown,
The stalk shall be grows,
Then op, Jack, up, and the day's your 0.11."
The beans are accordingly throws into the prim and
the stalk grows until it has reached the Castle of she
Ogre. Jerk's ears are again saluted by the mysterious
sounds, which urge him to p tip the stalk. A song is
here introduced and executed very prettily by Miss
Poeta, in whose singing we are glad to recognises rapid
improvement. IVben she first came oat her style was quite
at variance with good taste; but the upsetter in which she
sang this song, and another, after her arrival in the
realms of enchantment, received universal plaudits, as
deserved as they were vehement. Jerk's &welsh:es oa
the bran-stalk produced great effect, and the stews
changing immediately. discovers him emerging through
the clout's, ow the top of his bean, at the gate of the Ogre':
Castle. Having gained admittance,Ledispatches the Ogre
when overcome by sleep, in strict concordaecewith dacha.,
aid a magnificent and massive harp, which is played by
an invisible hand, opens, and the Geed Genies appears; ;
by her power, Jerk is transformed into Ilerleeria (Bo- ,
Leona), and a captive of the Ogre (Miss Tare), into
Odom/inc. After seising the bin' and the gulden eggs, I
they disappear, and return to earth. Nitre, the wife
of the Ogre, comes home, and finds him slain. The
fiend is immediately held in requisition, and two horrid,
figures, which support his car, vomit forth (Vora and
Puetelooa (Mortises and ELLIOTT). as spirits, who are
to pursue and recover the culprit fugitives. Here the
Harlequinade commences, and a long ascertains et
tricks and changes are executed with a precision andl
rapidity seldom to be attained by the first operation or
Pantomime tuachinery. Amongst the most amusing
is one, where the norm and PeaMlees are seating
themselves at a table, ed with refreshments. seem-
ingly anticipating much pleasure from the approaching
repast. On a sudden, they are whirled round the table
on their seats with astonishing velocity, in the midst of
a brilliant shower of fire, and of course the flimsy viands
vanish in smoke. Another good scene is in the Mena-
gerie at Exeter 'Change, where the wild heists break ;
, loose upon all the company who are visiting them.
The new scenery is not generally of • splendid de-
scription, with the exception of the last scene, and the
interior of the Ogre's palace. The Pantomime peas re-
relent with unclouded good humour, and annoußced for
repetition, in the midst of applause, amongst which we
could nut hear a dissentient voice.

FOR TIM

Extracts from a Trod of hoed Souses, entitled, o
popoli Algtkosi; or, The Subjects Right qfPetitivo-
iog."—Loodes, printed sumo. 1701 :
" The woad thing proposed is the subjects' right oil
petitiosiag. This tight I take to be &stance and ample
a one, and what will as little bear controverting as and
thing that we can think of, since it is justified by the'
law of nature, the practices of all States in the world,
`and is allowed by the laws of this land. It is certain
that tithing can be more agreeable to nature, and a
of reason, tli.ut that those who apprehend
Ilitmosolves to be aggrieved, be allowed a liberty to ap-
pals& these by petition who know their grievances, or
pleirp are the authors of them, and consequently AM
0446111645 therm. Where.there has been no government
but Ms rdesse. will, even there this right has seemed,
os satOsel and agreeahle to reason, that it has not been
denied. This might be seen in all the arbitrary gayer*.
mints of the world. In the Roman empitesr Jae,
Omar, when he was in the heighth of his power, and
vede himself Perpetual Dictator, permitted the people to
reptesest the hardships that were pat upon them, and
pray Ibr redress ; and in the reign of other Princ•,s who
exorcised a despotic power nerribere Priaripi, to pod.'
Ms the Prince, and set forth their grievances was al.,
leered the subjects as the natural right of mankind. Ifi
this right be natural. the people of England, who have
lost as little by entering into society as any others, mad
have es Jett and ample a claim to it as any nation in the
world. That they have a right to represent their smilibrt
logs and, pray for a relaxation of them, is evident front'
the opinions of our Sages of the law—from what oar
kings have permitted and declared, and from what has
been declared sad enacted in Parliament. Our books
are very clear in this matter. My Lord Chief Justice
Hobbie► says, that it is lawful for ANY 'object to peti•
lion the king fur redress in au humble manner ; for says
he, • access to the Sovereign must not he shot up in
6900 of the subjects' distress.' This right was fully
proved at the trial of the seven bishops. It was one of
the crimes for which the Spencers were banish. I, that
they hindered the king front receiving cod noetrcriag
positions. And one article against Lord Strafford was,
that he issued oat a proclamation and warrant of te-
Seesint to inhibit the king's subjects from delitering
their complaints of wrongs and oppressions.
1" lk. Burnet (Hist. Reform, p. I. f. 2.31), informs as
that King Hears VIII. told his subjects, when in arms
against him in Yorkshire, that they ought not to hate
rebelled, but to have applied to him by petition. King
James, its a proclamation (did. 10 July, 19 Jar.) declare%
that it was the right of his subjects to make their ismer
diate addresses to hint If petition; nnol in another
(Proclam. 'lat. 1I Feb., YIP Jar.) declares, that his own,
and time ears of Isis Privy Council, did still continue open
to the just complaints of his people, and that they weee
not confined to times and meetings of Parliament., we
to particular grievances:—Resolution of the House of
Commons,27 Oct. 16941, That it is, anti ever hath been,
the undoubted right of the subjects of England to peti.
lion the king for the calling amid sitting of Parliament,
and redressing of grievances.
Although I have published a pamm,llet on the Sub.
jects' Right of Petitioning, the above instances appear to
me so very strong, that I cannot refrain from giving
them, In addition to the proofs already adduced in that
pamphlet. and to remark, at the same time, upon the
impedimenta by which the Throne seems to be blork-
amled against the complaints of the subject. According
to the shove statement of Lord Chief Justice liobbart,
areets to it nand not be shut ap,' The meanest subject
has a right to poor fourth in humble petitions his prayers
for redress of grievances, mod yet there are at this mo-
omit of time Addresses and Petitions to the Prince
= signed by several hundred of respectable Cree-
-1 Borough Electors, he. that cannot reach the
011wooe, because it is necessary to have a Peer of the
Realm to present them, and very few like the job. Even
among those who wish to be cubsidered as the Rehm/
liaredcrs of the people, and the steadfast friends of the
Otstotitotiens, such excuses are made, as that the Ad-
I doom is nut worded in terms suf.:lent courteous, or that
it does net exactly harmonize with their sentiments.
Such auditing is matt disgraceful; it is not the .lopi
nions of the Noble LorJ who may present the petitions
to the Threat that is requisite sad proper to be
known to the Monarch, but the sentiments of his people.
It is their opinions and their griefs with which be onght
to be acquainted; but he nerve can know them whi'mst
the present etiquette at Court continues to cast, which
has all the effect of a wall of brass erected between the
Sovereign and his people.
" I remain, he.
." Buckinghamshire,
Dec. 2.4, 1919."

Tausisx."

LIBELII.—When laws so severe are being en-
acted against libels, it may not be unapt to give an
ancient historian on that subject. The Emperors
Arcadian, and Honorius, wrote to Re-
Onus, the Pretor's Prefect—" If any one libels, our
persons or government, it is our will that no pu-
nishment be indicted. II they ollbnd through le-
vity, we must despise it ; if through folly, we must'
pity it; if they do so to injure us, we must forgive
them."
Nos:.—Some wag, assuming the name of a re- I
speetable inhabitant of Hereford, bas transmitted
to Lord Sidmouth an account of various unsetba-1
riled meetings, which be states to have been lately I
held in that city. An active oorrespondeeee has
ensued between his Lordship on the one hand, and
the Mayor, Magistrates, and the inhabitants on the I
other • the latter disclaiming all belief of the nem-
tire, and assuring his Lordship that the whole ir, • '
gross and wilful impositiou. We have not yet
heard what " ulterior measures" are to be adopted,
or what regiment of cavalry may be destined for
this service ; but the hint for tow boys is evidently
borrowed from the celebrated protest which lately
emanated from that county, and declared that part
only of the inhabitants were well afeetml.te the
laws and coostilution. . •