The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-02-21 00:00:00

T'

Dot &scree praise instead-1A Gentuge,
that punishment ? Do „not such pi
however humble the means or obscui
iontitle Them to respect, except tbeiL
evidently selfish and disloyal ? As the po(
many respects on account of their ignarance, are not
those who stoop teinstruct them the real friends and
oot the enemies of their country ? And may not tha
use of terms which have no definite meaning, and which
way, therefore, expose persons to unforeseen danger
or espence, fetter and intimidate teeny virtuous and
able men, who might render their country the most
essential service if freed from such restrictions ? Is
this almost the midnight of Christiinity, When the
blast of the Archangel's Tromp is about to rend the
rocks and summon us to judgment ; and_is there no,
voice to be allowed in the wilderness to expose the
hirelings that are forsaking their flocks, or the wolves
that are devouring them? Is this the alarmiug
period of the world's approaching dissolution, whets
every mind enlightened with a ray of virtuous know-
ledge, should impart it for the reformation or benefit
of otheri, and the thunder of reproof echo round the
walls of the adulterer's noisy palace, is well as pierce
the gloomy felon's solitary cell. Is a war of words,
carried on through the peaceful channel of a Free
Press, so dangerous to the State, that we most re-
turn to our Gothic dependence and taciturnity ? Was
it the licentiousness of the tongue or pen that °Cc.-
lipoid Magna chart, to be written with blood instead
of Ink Was it the unlimited freedom of speech that
retarded ger emancipation from Popish tyranny and
? Mal would have become of the Re-
foPmation if Lerrwasa's rebellious writings had been
suppressed, mod hii body consigned to a dungeon ?
And is not religious and political freedom so blended
that we cannot explain the este without including the
other? Are we the. at liberty to expound the word
of Goo. and illustrate the predictions that may be
now fulfilling; or is the Bible taken from us and sent
to Rome, lest we should make a comparison between
a Pope and an Archbishop; or lest we should be able
to prove that tlse Church is nom in Spiritual Egypt, ,
groaning andtr its bondage, and PHA R4Oll in-
creasing his oppression: to drive them out, And is
then the voice of reason and religion, which would
lighten the afflictions of the one, and avert the jodg-
asents of the other, more to be dreaded than the sud-
den and volcanic explosion of rebellion's mate and
vindictive rage? Lastly, is IT EVEN LAWFUL to
treat the records of Divine Wisdom with impious
contempt. yet must we be fearful of offending a
worm of the earth, or of erposing the contemptible
trash of his uncircumcised lips It—Ye virtuous
Rulers ! does not this awful truth flash in your face
like lightiritif ; dues it not shake ye like a clap of
thundar ? Then what will be your thoughts, when
the Heavens shall split asunder and roll away with
a great noise ; wheu the earth shall reel to and fro
like a drunkard, and heaving with convulsive throes is
laying every mansion and city in ruins ; when
the sea is boiling with billows of tremendoes
height, and tumbling with frightful roars around the
trembling world ; when the sun, ashamed of his
powerless role, is covered with a midnight blush,
and the moon confounded, is flying from the dread.
ful scene ; when Satan, with his innumerable host of
ghastly forms, is filling the bottomless pit witb horrid
clamour, and bursting its adamantine gates, is rush-
ing with inestingeishable rage and hideous shouts on
A Dam's carnal race; when a fiery deluge, rolling in
mountains round the globe, is sweeping them head-
long down the vast abyss, and the elements in wild
uproar hurling them up to the lofty concave of Ilea.
ven's stupendous vault; then falling swifter than
the lightning's flash then what will be your
thoughts of your verbal patriotism in the British
Senate, or how feelingly you talked of year coun-
try's injuries and wants in your splendid palace or
at a sumptuous feast ? Will then the upright Judge,
who condemned a startle( thief to death, " call for
a bason of water to wash his hands from innocent
blood ?"—Will some spritual Lord pot on his decent
robe of modest merit, his nicely-powdered :aphid
wig, and crown of humility and grace, and spread-
ing his hands over his deluded flock, bestow on
them his valuable benediction ?—Will each nomintpl
Saint, without repentance or good works, bid deli-
ance to Satan's accusations of inhumanity and un.
cleanness, and boldly take his seat among the
vir-
tuous elect ?
What will our female idols then think of their
Grimalkin virtues and Jezebel airs ?—Will they put
on their transparent veils to hide the blushes of their
painted cheeks ; their Cyprian girdles, whose power-
ful charm had kept them chaste so long ; their modest
dress, which excited no carnal thoughts ; their meek
and gentle manners, which prevented domestic strife,
and their amiable sensibility, which made them so
generous to the poor ?—Bat let me pause and lay
down my pen, lest it become so rude and law-
less as to offend same modern Jezebel or titled
paramour; for then, like ELIJ Alf, my name may be
proscribed, and my child be made an orphan, except
the arm of Omnipotence should save me, or the ex-
piring freedom of my country protect me from tyranny
and oppression.
Jun. 16, Iblik

PIIILO•SABINUSI

FRENCII PAPERS.

Petals, Fss. 17.—M. Theodore Morellet, the new
Mayor of Dijon, pronounced, on the day of his in-
stallation, a speech very remarkable for the royal
words which that Magistrate communicated to those'
over whom his functions are to be exercised. We
hasten tp transcribe them as they are printed in the
Journal de la Cole d'Or, of the 14th inst.
" It remains for met Gentlemen, to fulfil the or-
ders of the King in making you acquainted with the
expressions of his Majesty, in a private audience
with which hedeigned to honour me. At the end of a
conversation, the details of which I am prevented
from communicating to you out of respect to his Ms.
jesty, the King said to me, ' You have bein de.
ceived. I know all that passes. My government,
means myself. Nothing is done but by my orders,
sod according to thy will. I am not the King of
two different People; I em only the King of one.—
I wish what is past to be forgotten, end that the
public union may be consolidated. The system of
my government is .not the system of my Ministers,
it is mine. They only execute my orders under my
direction.' .

" Will your Majesty permit me to report to sky

you have now

_

L

'HE STATESMAN
e, rewarttratber kilehs.cftizetts what
patriotic efforts, asnoicate to me?
:ore the channel, 44 tin permit,
tviv motives ■re them I desire union
the poor antler in '• Such;Gentlemo