The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-05-27 00:00:00

TryE STATESMAN.

statement is, that Lord WELLESLET left town yes-
ter4ay,_ (bout three o'clock, for his seat in the coun-
try. The course is thus left entirely open to Earl
Moms, who may now be regarded as the future
Prime Minister, and in whose selection of indivi-
duals, to assist him jn the arduous task of restoring
tranquillity both at home and abroad, theie are few,
we are confident, who will not be folly satisfied.—
The
Aibrning Post states, that " probably the Mar-
quisVer.t.EsLay would have no objection to act un-
der Lord MOIRA, than whom no man has a kinder
nature, nor is there any one to whom the task
of softening and conciliating differences could
more properly be entrusted." We hope the writer
of this article is sincere in the high eulogy he has pro-
nounced on the Noble Earl ; for sure are we, that
there is not a man in the nation more deserving of it.
The ferment which at present exists in the country,
requires that such a character should fill the highest
situation in the State; and when it is seen that Earl
Monts-possesses the confidence of all parties; and
that his splendid virtues have even drawn from the
bitterest enemies of'the people, a tribute so just and
so highly honourableto the patriotism of his Lord-
ship, we feel more than common exultation on con-
templating the near prospect there is of his being
placed at the head of public affairs. From the whole
aspect of matters, we do not even entertain a doubt,
that those men 'who have constantly advocated the
rights of the subject, will be fixed on by EarIMOIRA,
to assist the Sovereign with their Councils, fii go-
verning a loyal and magnanimous people.

THE PENINSULA.

The Lisbon Gazette, of the 16th, contains a very!
long Order of the Day, issued by Marshal Beresford,
at Fuente Guitialdo, 'and dated May 7.—lt repri-
mends in very severe terms the conduct of several
corps of Portuguese Militia, particularly that of
Oporto, during the late irruption of the French into
the North of Portugal. It appears that these corps,
instead of defending the heights of Guarda, were
seized with a panic, threw away their arms, and de-
serted their colours. Two or three hundred of them
were taken by the enemy, and some of them drown-
ed in the Mondego, while about 1600 dispersed and
deserted. Marshal Beresford directs that their co-
lours shall net be restored to these corps till they
have behaved with valour in the presence of the ;
enemy; and that those of the officers and soldiers;
Iwho disgraced themselves on this occasion shall be
tried by a Court-Martial.
OPORTO, MAY 15.—Three divisions of the Allied
Army are to remain in the north of Portugal • they !
are at present tender the orders of General Acton,
but General Graham is to command them. The
Iltroops are canto:led in the villages along the Douro„'
from Lamego, and amount to about 21,000 men.—
The Polish troops are on their march for France;
the new raised conscripts are said to be on the road
to replace them. Troops are continually embarking
at Vigo for South America. General CASTA NOS'S
head-quarters are at Santiago. Thirteen American
vessels arrived yesterday in this port, laden with corn
land flour. The demand for provisons in this place
is very great, and in the interior considerable scar-
' city prevails, as little or none can be sent from .
hens*, in consequence of the Commandant's having
embargoed all the boats and carts.
EXTRACT or A LETTER MOH AN Emmen IN THE
EARL OF WELLING'TON'S ARMY, TO A GENTLEMAN
IX EDINBURGH, DATED CAMP AT EORCALUAB,
I A,PRIL 25:
When it is considered that sine-third of what we!
sat down with before Badajos were either killed or
wounded, you will acknowledge it was tight work.
We were not long permitted, after our fatigue, to
be idle, or indulge ourselves with the few luxuries
this country can afford, but marched, on the 11th
instant, for the north. We arrived at this place
late esterday evening, which is within five or six
leagues of Ciudad Rodrigo. A Report is now in
circulation, that we are to measure back our steps
, again to whence we came; and I do not think it is
lat all impossible, as the French have again crossed
the Agueda, and gone off to Placentia, in conse-
quence of which the ditferent divisions composing
the advance have received sudden orders to halt, and
head-quarters are today at Guinaldo, about two
• leagues in our front. Our Officers at present keep
healthy, not one present but is capable of duty;
land we are in a few days to get Major LLOYD, from
Lisbon ; SQUIRE, ERQKINE, CANNON, and STAN-
TON,. from Celorica, where they were all on call-
mand for these six months past. By CANNON, I un-
derstand, that all our wounded Officers who left us
at Badajos are doing
Extract of a letter from Cadiz, dated April 30 :-
1 44 We have the finest appearance of the most abun-
dant harvest of Wheat ever known, and, as yet, the
weather cannot be more favourable. Tne present sis
tondos) of the interior, however, is truly dreadful.—
• We are marred that uumbers of poor people are
found dead in the streets of Seville, and many other
, places, through absolute want, where Bread is at the
exorbitant price of equal to five or six shillings the
loaf of three pounds. Still farther in the interior, it
its much worse; in some places, Wheat, which for-
merly Feld at from 30 to 40 Reals (about three-pence
in value) the Faneg (five Fanegs make eight Win-
chester Bushels) has got up to 450, and very little of
it to be found. For this reason, an immense num-
ber of recruits ran now be obtained, if there were
money to pay them. They are pouring in here
every day, to enlist; and it is said that General
Dov Le, besides these, and about 1000 men he has
already sent to the Spanish armies, perfectly well
disciplined, has now upwards of 8000 in the Island,
in a state of great forwardness. By this new school,
the General will soon he able to send to the armies
100,000 tnen, completely disciplined."

NAVAL INTR L LIG ENC E.

POWNSTOUTH, MAY 26.

This morning Rear-Admiral Brown hoisted his flag on board
the spialre. aad is to sail to Jerry.,
Sailed Mit Majesty's ships Yerteur, Beagle, and Linoet, on a
erui•e.
Ills Majesty's ship Brisk is appointed eollvoy fur Cork, and
the intermediate ports in the .Chanitel.
PLYMOUTH, MAT 25.

Came ia the French lugger called L'Eopanoor, of 10 gum and
411 men, captured off Ushant, in a calm, by the boats of his Ma-
jesty's ship Rota, out two days from St. Malec', and had made
no captures ; the Rots had one man killed and 10 wounded ; the
privateer had five killed.
Sailed his Majesty's ships Tigre, Colosins, and Pounme, to the
Westivard.

THE ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE.

That there has been a system, fatal in its tendency
to Rtttlsh Liberty, eagerly pursued and sanctioned

by hlinisters for a considerable length of time, must

appear to ever, impartial man who will examine the
occurrences of this period, divested of wilful preju-

dice. Every leading measure of Administration,
during these twenty years past, has in some degree
encroached on the privileges of the people, or added
new strength to the Royal Prerogative. Every pub-

. .
lication, and every exertion of their hireling agents,
has tended to the incretse of unconstitutional opi-
nions, or to throw some new impediments in the way
of the Liberty of the Press, and the Liberty IA
Speech; and when we survey the whole. together,
down to the present crisis, we cannot admit that

such misconduct ought to be attributed to mere un-

avoidable errors of fallible human nature. In such
a course of years, it might be the lot of any Admi.

nistration to propose some measures that would be
liable to serious objections ; but that every one
should tend to the same point ; that ail shoulcille-
part essentially (rem constitutional principle, dis-

plays no common degree of political profligacy.-
-That such, however, has been the fact will appear, if
i we attend a little to the Debates in both !louses of
Parlianient. To all these ruinous measures 'we see
the strongest constitutional objections made, to
which the most flimsy answers and temporary sea-
' sons have been successfully opposed. But the most
pie
eikis to be foundingdepartu during that periodsefromeveryconst whichitutional w
pre see
marked by a new language within doors, and new
! doctrines and plans of Ministerial Partizans with-
`out. Such acts were then passed and such opinions
were then avowed, which would hardly have been
mentioned at any other period since the Revolution.
: It must be remembered, that for some time after Mr.
PITT came into power, he held forth the idea of
being above the necessity of venal support, and
professed himself indifferent to any panegyric or as-
sistance from the press. All at once we found this
boasted independence abandoned, and those engines
set to work with greater earnestness than had ever
been remembered. Newspapers 'were supported by
the personal exertions, and became actuallythe pro-
perty of persons in office; and hired pamphleteers
were employed on every occasion with the greatest
diligence. These Government prints were as re.
markable for their unexampled rancour, scurrility,
and open disregard of every constitutional princi-
ple, as for their glaring falsehood and despicable
meanness. By such instruments, every distinction •
of right and wrong in politics was confounded ; all
public virtue laughed out of countenance ; and the
jealous sensibility of free-horn Britons blunted, if
not totally extinguished. The poison.; was
.thus
enabled to work a slow but subtle progress, and a
depraved and palsied frame of Mind was the effect
it produced on those who fell withiq its..vortes. Not
satisfied with obtruding their own nonsense and ri;
baldry on the public,- we find an attempt made to
stifle every other voice, and to olooin an exclusive
monopoly for their own deli and unconstitutional
productions. False notions were thus instilled into
' the minds of their deceived votaries, and a severe
persecution commenced against the real friends and
advocates of the people's rights. The monstrous
experiment was tried of an association of A th.• .-ed
Societies, hostile to Liberty. The plan succeeded ;
and a petty tyranny arose under the sanction of
Government in every parish, moved and regi,.ated by
a grand Inquisitorial Chamber of self-constituted •
censors and arbiters, not only of the press and of
speech, but of principles, and iutentions. A com-
mon purse was made up for prosecutions ; a band of
associated accusers. was formed ; and so extensively
did this illegal combination spread, that it became
nestto impossible to find unprejudiced individuals to
try their accusations. An armed force was next ar-
rayed to second their designs, and enforce their fu-
rious mandates. Lastly, a resolution was . taken. to
stop completely the freedom of discussion, and si-
lence effectually the voice of complaint. Was this
the Constitution of tngland ?—that system of equal
laws of which we hear so much from those who so
little understand it. But the great matter of surprise
is, tha.t the promoters of these measures did not per-
ceive the folly and madness of their own pursuits—
tbat they.were not conscious of the inlay of their
plan, and the inadequacy of the rineatis which they
employed. • Codid the perverted clamonrs of parish
associations, er the...threatened violencs of mis-
guided' or bullying volunteers, silence those who
'knew and alsertsil those rights and liberties. which
iied‘been *tostalatiaredby the exertion, and cemented
' )0, the blOnt) 4.tit'efr ancestors ? •What effect,ial ser-
mice could Ministers expect from these ex trr.ordinary
inseasiirts ?•. The wiitiugs of their partizans con-
'sisied . or such 'it WI X tore of clumsy sophistry and
Ytnptlient *misrePresentntion;as evettu..lly to defeat
.their own purposes; end. the petty tyranny of the
.self-constituted riders .of private life, did not long
-prevail. Nevertheless, the i acceliors of Mr. Purr
resorted to similar measures to destroy the remains
of liberty ; and have ever since inclined to the same
rigour, though destitute of the-talents of their pre-
deceisor to enforce it. To these men we would say,
that nothing can result from their violent expedients
but the debility and dissolutiOn :+ [ways consequent
on an improper use .of powerful and dangerous sti-
mulants. For the purpose of preptifying their ill-
gotten power,• they have usocl those nieesures of ex-
treme resort. which never are tried but in the hope

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