The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-07-31 00:00:00

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*fenced the misfortune of long and servile Perlis•
topitrg, it was then dedlered, that they 'Would beheld
vdryquently. But it seems their foil meaning wee not.
*uteltkratend by this •deelaration; and, therefore, ash
in every new settlement'the intention of en • parties
should be spatially manifested, the Parliament
na'br erased struggling with the Crown, uotit the
Trimilliat lAIO was obtained. William, however,
frequently rifled new Parliaments, and they were
ieetnetiolea dissolved Oval dt tee 311—
Dios. Alt Acts, however,

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THE STATESMAN.

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birilotbwer by the 2d of Gwelgillnilsich made them
lepteeolal • the pretests, was Niles/ of h Jacobite
t
Vatlisaseno--the reel Touson-Libat, moo ,in pow's:r
were desiroes of Contiiiniag hiciflice; and, had they
4erneroyitty chosen to Mei elected themselves for 14
years,, or mu for lag, it was equally within their
grasp;for, on the same principle oo which t ey msg.
pilled their powers, deceived their eonstitee ts, and
li,
invested themselves with new privileges, the might'
lave made their seats tenable for life.
Frious the above very brief historical aketel of thel
goes* of Commons, we shall deduce two or thten
*Nervations relative to Annual Elections and Gent-
"pi Suffrage. It is the opinion of a celebrati poll-
tied writer, " that _where Annual Election ends,
Slivery begins." Truth and reason, however; it is
certain, never gave Age to a doctrine of right more
vehemently contended egainst by the lovers of pas-
sive obedience, and be spOlogists of arbitrary. ower,
than that of Annual Parliaments and Universal Suf.
',rage. Thh dangers of anarchy—the loss of popular
sabordinildien—the destriction of the British. Con-
*Ration,- bad, in fine, the overthrew of all govern-.
`mot, religion, and social order, have been repro.
sented to the People as the certain miseries which
Oust result from the establishment of this important
change in the constitution of the British House of
Commons. It is evident, however, that short Par-
liaments have been always' less corrupt than long
ones; and that, like streams of water, they always
grow more impure the greater distance they ran from
the fountain head. it is plain, likewise, from the
• annals of oar own country, that when they existed
in the form referred to, they were the means of pre-
venting, instead of generating disorders is the State.
We find it likewise, indeed, universally acknowledg-
ed, that great power held long by the same body of
men; is liable to be abused ; and if we consult the
page of history, we shall see, that in all ages, no.
lions desirous of maintaining their freedom, have
:acted upon this presumption, and have always
-entertained great apprehensions from power long
'held by the same individUals. Thus the Tharians
bad laws, by which no individual could be twice
• Stade Pretor, without the intermission of five years ;
• 4ind when this decree was abrogated; tyranny became
Ptriamphant. The Magistrates of the JEtolians held
. - theli offices for the space of one year. The Consul-
ship was annual at Rome. The Carthaginians like-
wise, finding the term of the power which their Prz!
tors enjoyed, too king for the safety of their libestf,
made it annual. The citizens of Parma elected their
Podesta annually. And if we search for precedents
in modern times, in the Constitution of Corsica,
which was sanctioned by the King of Great Britain,
we find the Parliament Triennial, and the Represen..
tidy@ Body chosen, not virtually but actually, on a
-basis of alistost Universal Suffrage. America, likewise,
'lndulged the same fears of inveterate power ; that great
a-Republic ela' her President every five years, her Re.
;presentative Body annually; and so strictly has she
perused the maxim of Universal Suffrage, that in
alien, after 12 months' residence, is entitled to At
privileges of a Citizen, becomes an Elector, and is
himself eligible at the end of seven years. As
Members of the great political body, we all assist in
sustaining the burdens of the State; we participate in
her troobles, and rejoice in her prosperity. To de.
pits any one, therefore, of the privilege referred to,
is to strip him of a right, to which he is entitled on
the ground of nature and society. The present is a
- season of political virtue and public spirit. The
- Howie of Commons, beautiful as it is in theory,
like all other human institutions, is still susceptible
of further improvements; and it is to be confidently
hoped the period is not distant, which will be dis-
' tingnished by the repeal of those laws which infringe
on our liberties, and the introduction of such as may
restore the vigour of our indent Constitution.

NEXT TUESDAY LOTTERY DRAWS.-TWO OF
,890,0 .10. TWO OF £2,000. '2,000 SOVEREIGNS,
CLARET, PORT, MADEIRA, GOLD, ONLY 8,000
TICKLTS.

PRICK OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT OMB O'CLOCK
...Skink Stock 4 per Cent. 971
per Cent. Ked. 77j 78 5 per Cent. Piney 1051
3 per Ceot.Contels 7711 India Bonds 94 93 p
3$ per Cent. 8741 Lo m Ann. 201 11-16
4.81.140 r Ace. 7111 Esoequer Bills 19 21 p

LONDON:
MOLY, Amy 31, 1118.
It is stated that preparations are already making
for the soacomion of the French territory by the
Armies of the Allied Powers, and the report to this
effect adds, that the ordnence stores of the British
contingent are to be sent in the coarse of neat month
to Calais, where they will be embarked for England.
We know not what credit is due to this statement.—
We have been taught to believe that nothing would
be determined upon in regard to the evacuation until
the meeting of the Congress at Aix-la-Chapelle.—
Letters, we are told, were received yesterday from
the Duke of WELLINGTON, from which there is reason
to expect a visit from his Grace to this capital in the
course of aday or two. The projected review of the
Army et Occupation is postponed till the Duke's re-
tort' to France. This does not look like au ima►e-
, diets evacuation.
The letters from Liverpool to Lloyd's this day
novaint us with two more acts of piracy upon ves-
sels from Savaonab, by privateers under the Spanish
and Mexican flag. The perticalen are stated in our
Shipping List.

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