The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-01 00:00:00

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LONDON:
i- tIONDAT EVENING, JANUARY I, 1821.
Th.- period at which we have arrived, leads us na-
tarallv to a retrospect of the occurrences of the event-
fat year Mat has elapsed, and to form some anticipa-
tion o.thr proceedings that are likely to be developed
' Is the v-ar that is to-day commencing. In more
tenses than one, the past year was hailed at its begia•
sling, by the retainers of the Court, as a new era, for
' in the first m inch of the year commenced a new
h.ign, be the death of an aged King, who had re-
tained the sceptre of Great Britain for almost sixty
*ears. Ilstead, however, of affording a renovated
• aspect to public affairs, or introducing measures of
guvernaant upon fresh principles corresponding to the
demands of the state from the dilapidations of
war • turd corruption, and the progress of
harialedr.* through the nation, we soon had
the molification of feeling a determined adbe-
resat to the obnoxious line of policy which had
involved the country in unprecedented distress, and
even a revival of the antiquated and obsolete attempts
to eacrease the restraints and depression of the people.
An occarrence, of an extraordinary kind, unexpected by
'' the pOeple, and undesigned by those through whose
crooked end sinister means it had been brought about,
bad, indeed, revived at the same time the ancient and
e Native spirit of the nation ; and the feeling of indig-
Is' nation and resistance it 'has diffused through every
rank, ass retarded the mach of arbitrary power,
and opened sonic cheering prospect to the friends
of their country in the midst of the political
gloom that bad been enclosing them around. For

more detailed reflections on those interesting scenes,
we rase to the review! below of the events of the
preptikag )ear; and for the accomplishment of
the limpet inspired from the spirit that has now
revived, we trust in the same sound principles in
. which it has originated that it will be able to carry it
on. How far we shall strive to c-..lperate in promoting
the patriotic work began, may he inferred from
the ezertrons we hare daily made. Of the sin-

verity or of the success of those exertions, it is un-
necessary for us to speak. They have been liberally ac-
knowtodged by the augmented patronage of a discerning
puilic; and that acknowledgment we bops to con-
tinue to merit by our enerewaed endeavours to discharge
Odic duties, and manifest the power and
of an independent and patriotic press.

In closing► the current year, it is usual among our
cetemporaries, to describe it as mote important and
eventful than any of its precursors. Whether this
aria.• front long-established habit, or from some other
cause, it is unnecessary to enquire : but in obedience
to custom, we proceed to a review of the prominent
c'reun,,tances which hive marked the present

vrar.
rear I S2O ushered in a new reign, but the
ch:atge was merely nominal. The Regent had al-
rea,ly possessed the Sovereign power ; and his ac-
ees,i.o, to the throne could therefore scarcely be con-
,idered an addition even to his dignity. It-is under-
stood however, that the speech delivered by a new
titsro, to the supposed representatives of his people,
should contain souiething consolatary for the dread-
ful aliction with which those- people are informed
they have been visited, in the loss of their chief ma-
yi . The speech is manufactured at Court ; and
ow, 1.--refore, not unfairly. be expected to abound in
promises : and certaiuly, the speech pmt into the
mouth of his present MAMIE). most amply realized
the espectatiou. 'I he tit so told his subjects that his
future councils should be guided air TUE PAST ! Now,
whet it is recollected that the whole of the sound part
eighe muuttenity were dissatiltied with the past ; that
they v-rt. stnarting under its effects; that they were
1.1- a debt, the amount of which, in figures, would
he I:mehaltle, were it not for the melancholy, and an-
ti • mitiering they experienced of its solidity ; that
sesil the whole of the country was turned into a
I'a7 ; that distress had brought thousands of the
Pe, o petition for transportation : when all these
mt. .-tances are brought to our recollection ; and
Miss we recur to the fact, that the people alledged
0:! evils were caused by the past councils
.0: the Goverument, (no matter whether that
• , was correct or not,) we really think so io-
ta, promise could never have been framed but in
Ilse • I.•ie quarter front which those evils had emanated.
t";r11 Uowever, the ominous language which the pre-
Aent „Yu:lms was made to hold to his subjects; and
eruct• had it been uttered, when a scene was opened,
aist,...tsting to every Englishman, and revolting to
every man of humanity. A plot, we were informed,
was discovered, which had for its object the misassina-
' 41""4 the lit xa's Ministers; and this discovery was
falicweil by the sanguinary exhibition of the first of
Ma) e ‘..hiell, to a well-regulated mind, must have
b71.41:..05t to a regret, at the progress of cold-blooded
civand to an envy of the instantaneous re-
emu., nt of barbarians. 'this assassination, we were
461 d., as meditated upon grounds purely political ; but
OP-- %err out wanting some, who boldly alledged that
the oie was a conspiracy, on the part of Ministers
then cr., for the purpose of terrifying moderate
'tier "t the conspiracy was really formed by its un-
imiti•we victims, they certainly were unfit and den-
• 'members of society, and were eery properly
put of it ; but in this view of the case, we are
eillrihy led to a little refection. Assassination has
64,1 Po proverbially abhorrent to the nature of Eng-
Itsqopot • v., ,
se,,. the aesnaters tell %Dine only that these