The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-09-16 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE 7STATESMAN.

SI R,—ln your Paper of Friday last, I observe
you copied a paragraph from the Morning Chronicle
. the preceding day, relating to that celebrated chts.
- icier, L. GOLDSMITH, which excited my attention,
and has induced me to trouble you with a few re-
larks upon the subject.
I have often been surprised that the enlightened
:olumns of the Chronicle shoald give circulatton to
the writings of a man, whose detestable conduct has
placed him in the lowest stage of human degrada.
tien. I have heard that many of the gentry in Italy
are in the habit of countenancing the heroes of the sti-
letto, but I could never have supposed that charac-
ters equally depraved would have been countenanced
in this kingdom. It seems, however, that Mr. Natty
has condescended to adorn his Paper with Extracts
from the ,Intigallican, and has assigned a reason for
so doing, which, I must confess, is not very satisfac-
tory to me.
Perhaps Mr. PERRY felt it necessary, for the good
of his own character, to make this statement to the
world ; because, when an honourable man has, by
some indiscretion of conduct, been seen in company
with a directly opposite character, he will naturally
feel a little uneasiness for the purity of his awn fentei
Mr. PERRY says, " we have again and again copied
from Mr. GoEnssurn's Register the accounts that he
has given of a most disgraceful mission to the
Northern Courts, in which we suspect he was him-
self employed." This is very extraordinary language
for a copyist to use towards the original ! But it
seems Mr. PERRY gives as much credit to Mr.
Gotessurn as MILTON does to the Devil ;—he
supposes him to speak truth when it suits the
base purpose of his heart ; for he continues, " we ,
have copied them, because we believe the narratives
to be genuine :" and he farther says, " Mr. GOLD-
SMITH has the countenance of the Earl of YARMovTia
in what he has done." Will the Noble Earl feel
the same obligation to Mr. PERRY, for thus coupling
his name with that of an acknowledged traitor, as
he did when that Gentleman joined the common i•
herd of Ministerial writers in giving the Noble .
Earl's letter, in contradiction to a statement in the !
Gazette de France, after such letter was rendered
unnecessary, from the circumstance of the Editor
of that Paper's having himself had the honour to
contradict such impeachment of the Noble Earl's
character in his succeeding number. Mr. PERRY
likewise joined the herd, about the time alluded to,
in using his negative endeavours to withhold from the '
eyes of Englishmen the Petition to the PRINCE RE-
GENT, of his oppressed and distressed countrymen,
who are confined at Longwy, in France. Mr. PERRY
could copy the Noble Earl's unnecessary letter from
the Courier, while be accuses its author of having
violated his honour in having " betrayed, through a
public Journal, the secret instructions which he re-
ceived from the Court that employed him ;" and he I
could copy articles from the writings of a man whom
he proclaims as a traitor, because he thinks those ar-
tides
""to be genuine;" but the feeling]) written
Petition from his unfortunate captive countrymen its
France, which appeared in the STATESMAN, and some
other Papers, he neglected to copy, not, surely, be-
cause he thought such Petition was not " genuine,"
for it was signed by upwards of sixty of those
unfortunate individuals, whose names were well
known .to thousands of his readers. If the sup-
posed genuineness of an article is the criterion
hich guides Mr. PERRE's judgment in copying
it, independent of every consideration which should
influence the sympathising heart, he is paying but an
ill compliment to his own understanding; for he
prefers the testimony of a man whom he dignifies as
a traitor, while the testimonies of sixty-four men,
who have filled honourable stations in life, are
theug!.t unworthy of his notice. Nor is the contrast
tery honourable to his feelings as a man, in particu-
lar when his principles are so professedly designated
by the name of parka The whole position forms
a two-edged sword, and Mr. NM may chuse that
which suits him best.

But what mighty circumstance is it which is
brought to light by the aid of a traitor's peg ? Ac-
cording to the credit given it by Mr. PEARY, it is
this—The Rums* Butrzron and the Kings of Pans•
CIA and SWEDEN had agreed to act in conjunction
with this country against BONAPARTE ; but when, the
two latter of the Northern Monarchs found that the
PRINCE REGENT had committed the management of
the Government to such men as a CASTLEREAGH and
I VANSITTAR;, that they no longer saw any depend-
.nce to be placed upon the faith of the REGENT'S Go.
rernment, which induced both of them to secede from
he coalition, and one to join the contrary side.—
Chia places the herd of Ministerial writers In a
trange dilemma, who have constantly eulogized
kLExszrozn for his wisdom in destroying hia towns,
ities, and magazines, and leaving his country to
.he ravages of the enemy ; while the -true reason
eems to have been the defection of his two Northern
neighbours; and the root of such defection is riretted
► pen our Ministers themselves. What will the herd
“ty to Mr. GOLDSMITH, for thus eiposing a man
whom they have long borne en their wings of fame,
rnd who was patronized by their idol, Mr. PERCE..,
' ►4? They will, no doubt, say, that this man, not-
•ith standing his professions, and the wages he has
iceived in common with themselves, is a traitor M.
Yours; acc.
ottbamptoo, September We. GIMOR.