The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-10-10 00:00:00

FALMoUni, 'Jct. 7.

Arrived the Wig Star, Pate/ion, from London for Se*
foundland, parted with the convoy two days Opee, off Scilly.
DEAL, Oct. 9.

Arrived the l'4voarite sloop of tsar, uith a convoy frost Fal•
mouth, which Save sailed for the River; his Majesty's shittl
Royal Os.k, AdwiraZ Lord A. Beane:ere ; C:iristian VII. lev
liant, Asia, and Gloucester, from of the Tercel.

The outward-bouud rtrnain.
lijW .Y, OCT. 7.

Arrived the liMpey, , Forster, of Sunderland, from Pr;ntd
Eidst..rtrs from n hence she sailed Ma Sept. in company
with the following ships, from whom she parted in lat. b. W.
long. 49. 52. all well :—Friendstrip, Clark t Scott, ;
Four Friends, Harnsden ; Creton, Drduple, all of Wel& ;
llogden, of 4lyth ; Adventure, Anderson, of New-
castle ; and the Eliznbetb, Anderson, of I.cirb, with severs;
others,

The Mary and Ann, NHller) from Jamaica to
London; Diana, Harvey, from (lino to Bristol;
am! the Jamaica, knenle, from ditto for Liverpool,
are taken by the Highilyrr American privateer, and
arrived nt Baltimore on the 11th ult.
; The Grenada, Patchman, from G,:adaloupe to
London, is taken by the Eagle privateer, •f New
YOrk.

SICILY.

•no

.•••'

lITRACT (be A LETTER FROM PALERMO, Aua.9.6.,1812.
66 I suppose you in England will be much elevated
at the nee s of the British Constitution being esta-
blished in Sicily, but that you may not be deceived
by Clio piece of mummery, I shall endeavour, as
briedy as possible, to explain the whole fallacy to
you. No doubt the Resolutions voted by the Par-
liament will have been made public, but lest you
shoved not have seen them, I herewith inclose you a
co"
The first object that will strike you in these
Resolutions, is the true revolutionary spirit which
they breathe throughout: not one word of any of
the fundamental maxims of the state, nor of the laws
which have hitherto existed; congenial to French
reform, they tend to pull down every established
law and custom, while they reserve for a future pe.
riod the regulations they propose to substitute. You
will perceive by the tenth article, that the whole ju.
dicial and penal laws are virtually abolished, while
a new code is promised, on which every thing in fn.
tute is to d: Pend. Here, then, in one moment is
overturned the whole fabric of an ancient Govern.
went, which has existed nearly ten centuries without
opening one of its records, nor examining the founda-
tion on which it rested, and with the same precipi.
tation it is voted that the British Gonstitution is to
be adopted.
64 You are no doubt sensible, that to adopt any
system of Government it is necessary that the
change' made should be introduced by degrees, and
that the effect of one new ordination should be well
ascertained before it be followed up by atiother ; also
that the operation of these laws and .regulations
should produce the same effect on the society to be
reformed as was observed to result in the State we
took for our model. To copy a law verbatim, and
to apply it to a people in totally different circum-
stances, is to counteract and spoil the very effect we
Intended. In order to elucidate this proposition I
must endeavour to shew, from the Resolutions of
Parliament, that instead Of the British Constitution,
Pie Government of Sicily, as it now stands on paper,
is purely Republican, and that the King is as com-
pletely dethroned as Lewis XVI. was by the Consti-
tution of 1792.
66 By the first article the Legislative power is dc-
eared to belong exclusively to Parliament, and the
Executive to the King.
" By the ninth article, the nation, as they style
themselees (a very revoletiOnary phrase in the man t.
merit is there applied), begin by depriving the Crown
of all its !ended property and revenoee, which they
gay belong to tee nation, and then give to the Crown
a provis'on fOitin.annuity on their own word. This'
is not all; for after having declared the executive
power to &lone eeclyiitely to the King, the Perlin-
rent asst fie the administration of the revenues, and
declare that Levy will pay them Into the hands of the ;
lqinister of Finance„ to be employed sicording to '
their will and please* Thus virtually all power it
centred in the two Houses,. legislative, executive, '
hod administrative; the King it apensioned pageant
;kithout functions, or influence, or patronage.
" The. depriving the 'Crown of its demesnes IS a
dangeious violation of property, for if it be examie
ped by what title thine lands were held, it will be
found that at the Norttlitn Conquest Roger de Ilau.l
tavitlu as.isned them to the Crewe, as he did the
bets held by the nobility td the present day. If,
therefore, the nation consider themselies as having&
tight to take them from the crown, the mote right of
resuming the lands of the nobility holds good ; and
Why should poi the nobility thus be turned out of
Oeir estates ?
" It will most probably be considered by the ge-
nerality of the people in England, that the nobility,
In destroying all fetulality in the tenures of their
hods, have most virtuously sacrificed their pi ivi-
leges to the public good; we, who know the Sici-
lians, ere, however, not to be duped by such arti-
fices. It must he remembered, th-at the only title
them hold their lauds by, is the obligation of mili-
tary se• vice, afterward? commuted into a tribute, in-
dependent of the other tributes they were also bound
to pay, as appears from the -120 capitol° promul-
gated by King Alphonse', of Arragon, at the peti-
tion of the Parliament :—`.4 Item supplica lo dicto
s Regno, the ntilla citta, terra, sire loco, of Burhni,
• sive prelato sia exempto deb' pagamento debt pre-
• senti collect. edonativo.'
46 The Nobles of Sicily, by thus sanctioning the
plunder of the crown lands, and emancipating them-
selves from the Obligation of military Service, have
no other end in view then to exempt themselves froni
the commutation which they would otherwise be
obliged to submit to on that separate Militant • by
agreeing to the plunder of the crown lands, bet
are net aware that they tacitly admit the princi-
ple, that as they hold el the mown, they Mtiy also
so their turn be obliged to restore their awn estates
to the nation, which tsars on the Wry same plea, no
Jame thew Tat &name Funo.—An able writer in that eles!
" The, the gloried, Revel:sties of Salo has al.oelieet Mismihtny; the Moil% Magazine, of Alit
ready overturned the civil and Molina as*s of this current month, deinonstratel, what hitherto has only
country before they re Hiked e new a* it has been surmised, that a Sinking rand can never pdy
established a precedee-tel2ruetive of themmuity- Of iJ a National Debt. He shows also that our ex.
landed properristaing; it has irrostsirfrois th• Crown tba peuditure, which, in tl has risen nom 15 to
tight of admi the reamirees of ?be State, and , .H 0 millions, will, in 1818, be 138 millions ; in 1820,
has put it into Mellen& it the Consoling, ; it has tat 200 millions; in 11124; 240 millions; and in telo,
dint every established pel and it has the I. 3bo millions,if by any possible management, or good
pudence to call itself the British tattoo. ifortune, Such a system an be machete go ouzo long!
When it is remembered that this ekes inlittHOß The obosting trait of henevolenCe, settler *enured
of revolutionary French legislation is predated. by a , a awl time since, reflects as mach honour on the
British nobleman, commanding a Selfish linen?, ens ' pone debtors in Newgite, as ie serves to show the ;
Is naturally filled with astonishment and indiguitice,' want df feeling of the inbeesiti being *bete Conduit
add is it is impossible to conceive it to be the result called forth their generous exertions. An interest. I
of a wicked or mischievous minds bet frees the best ing female, with an Infant at her breast,. whose only
intentions, which every one here will de him the prottetor is svprisoner of war in France, was taking
justice to allow, it follows of course that Lord Wm. home some 'seethe week in the evening, for which
Bentinck, iu allowing seeh resolutions to be formed,: she was to hews received a single shilling, When She
so subversive of all order and good geverament, has was seized by Ws me* and with her infant at her
proved himself ignorant in the entree* en two ma.; breast, shown into a coach, and conveyed to New:
terial points, via. The Sicilian Govetnmetit, which gate for a debt of Its. which the had Contracted; a
he has overturned with a view of reftirmin t and was doable to pay. The &Mors ithinediately opena'
the British Constitution, which he thinks be has a aubicription, and each one etuttributing his mite;
been estat lishing ; for how Can it be said that the they raised sufficient to piy the debt, and the tuna
English Constitution is established where the patrons evening cheered the poot creature into liberty. It
age of the State belong to any body but the King ? is to be hoped that such a trait of humanity will hilt
" In England, you know, the Commons propose be overlooked by their more happy country,istatte
all money bills, bat in England these Possess im- enjoy the blessings of of The cseetlemes of
niense riches, as well as extensive knowledge and re- the Transport Office have set on foot a sobseripdon
hoed educatioui What are the cosuneat of Sicily fbr the relief of the tiotottestatii fedialth

log Iney opot.
of the same to individuals on their own
,domain.....
These rights they have refused.to give up :glees they
are bought of them at twenty years' purcha:ie by the
nation, and charged on the townships. 31,"
abusive rights are called drati oppresstee
rights, and are expressly prohibited by the 38th
Capilolo of the kingdom, passed in the reign of
Frederic 111. This usurpation they have refused to
I abandon without an equivalent, although they cam
only pretend to it as a feodal right. Thus they de.
; dare the abolition of these rights, when it is to ex. i
' empt themselves from the conditions of their tenure,.
and yet pretend to hold them when it is to op.
pm* the -people..
,These are the lamentable effects of
• overturning Governments without knowing what
they really are, and renouncing the authority of
laws, which, from theii antiquity, the Nobles them-
, selves must respett.
" This, you see, is the picture of the English Con-
stitution as established in Sicily;;-. that is, the Mo.
march), is overturned, and the pont+ v,Vholly en-
. grossed by Prince Ventimiglia and his creatures, who
has had the ability to make Lord William Beniiiick
his dupe; the thing is so palpable at Palermo; that
the former, among his nearest coufidents, laughs most
heartily at him, and holds him very cheap:
64 This, my friend, Is the deplorable state of this
country ; all men of discernment, in silence; laniek
the prospect ; they see an Oligarchy carrying every
thing according to their caprice; ander the specious
title of a British form of Goternment; they have as-
sumed all power, which they must, of course, use
ati they ratty think fit, because they have declared
the old lens null, while they have established no
neer ones on which to regulate their conduct, and
every thing must go into confusion. The intention

of an amelioration of the affairs of Sicily is now en. I
tirely defeated; for the consequence of all this ab.
surdity on one side, and dupery on the other, has
already made men, who see the danger of such vio.
!cot measures, regret the old order of things, and
yoU may fcst assured, that the Court Party will,
from henceforward, gain strength eget.), day.
" llow mortifying a reflection to see a British
Minister employed in copying the system of Prenth
Legislators, and all the while imagine he IS imitating 1
that of his native country, of which he proves to all
Europn his total ignorance.
" Before I dole this lone letter, I must point out
to it, another consequence of these measures. As
t:.e Oligarchy it Palermo hale assumed all power,
the Messiuese, who were, from the first, attached
to the British, which the Palereiitans have never been
find they haie only changed masters; their distils.
pointment is ilreitly beginning to discover itself,
`and their esteem of us is daily decreasing; When
be consider the vicinity of Messina to the Italian
' there, and the Opportunities that a disalfeCted city
so situated must command to correspond with the
enemy, the danger of Such a disposition, in a place
of such consequence to our interest and our safety,
must be obvious to you. I think you will not
blame me for expressing my anxiety, that Govern.
Meat in England will not be too suptue on a matter
of such importante.
" Two motives onlyian be assigned for the inter. i
ference of the British n the internal goiernment of
this kingdom ; the one from a principle of justice, to
alleviate the miseries of the people; the other, that
*e might have a greater influence thin we had dor.
ing the old regime. You see by the decisioo of the
Peers, in the case of the drilti angarid, is'above,
that the people will he just as ill off as ever; and as
for Our influence, that mu!t inevitably diminish.—
Lord iYilliant had he had the free use of his facul-
ties,
might have seen, that it is much easier to go.
Simi a etsuntty through a Minister, than by the
Milano of an useably which he can never manage,
and which it already beginning to give him cause to
' repint of his rashnes and presumption, id pretending
• to legislate for a people of whose history, customs,
biws, and even language,_he Witt totally igntirant."

TIC STATISMAN

A bed,' of men for the most part both poor and ig- . To rms EDITOR or THE STATESMAN.
norant ; iatmong them the most energetic are a &w, i ---.1.--
who a little while since were distinguished by the; Slll,—Having seen your Address to the Public in
true revolutionary French principles. These are the the Examiner of Sunday, I was forcibly struck with
men who are ti% frame taxes ; those who have nothing the extraordinary circumstances therein stated ; and
are to tax those who have every thing; and those -
who have every thing are to throw out these Bills, have little doubt but that every man interested for
and throw them back again on the labouring poor, the liberties of his country, or alive to the feelings
who have nothing. In the meantime the old taxes on of humanity, must sincelrely sympathize with your
bread and othercommutablesareabolished,andnonew great and unmerited sufferings in the cause of our
system of revenue res.oli.ed on, and the consequence . common freedom; a train of events like those de-
must be, that in a few ;tyonths the revenue of the tailed
in the above document, would, at any, time, be
country will totally fail, and.the Treasury of White- i
ffi ' nt to rouse public attention ; but at the time
su me
White-
hall must be drawn on to stiPply the deficiency.—
Bravo, my Lord! lof a General Election, *hen it is once more given
" ka abuse had crept in iisr' , many years past, I to Englishmen to chuse between virtue and carrup-
quite contrary to the laws of Sicily : it consisted of tion, oppression and reform, it carries with it a ten-
a right usurped by the Nobles on,their estates, to , fold claim to notice ; and while the most prejudiced'
prevent the free sale of the produce of:the soil, either
cannot but see the excessive hardship of your case,
with a view of selling their own produce exclusively, i
unexampled, I should hope, in the annals of British
or of extorti; mon by the sale 4 tho monopoly 1

of Eir
. ,
• - •
jurisprudence, I trust the whole community will be
impressed with an additional sense of that important
duty they are now called npitp io perform ; a duty,
upon the just fulfilment or which depomis the fu-
ture happiness or misery of the United Kingdom.
There are, it is true, d number of hireling
riters amongst us who daily feed upon the ere-
ity of this ill-fated country ; men who delight in
i• Li
stilting,the voice of suffering humanity, and are glad
to (4 Within the broken reed *".-yet, this is no °till-
nerzAeriodistinatiopal calamity—a Royal Family
aoltatectbrdontestic fends—the preponderance of an
oterbetiihn; oligarchy, ai unopular Administration,
exhausted finances, and
it dissatisfied people,i Serve
to fill np the,catalogne of our domestic troubles !
While abroad, the waste of blood and treasure In
the cause of unitateful Allies, an impolitic war in
the Western hemisilhore, and the fearful progress :of
BONAPARTE, who may, at length; threaten our de,
'traction, are objects ominously alarming, and
ought surely to awaken in the people some feeling of
their impending danger. The progress of the Poll
is the City, in favour of Messrs. COWIE, WAITiI•
NAN, and Wooo—together With the Resolutions
passed at the Crown and Anchor tavern, on Mon-
'day, are events infinitely more importatit than the
surrender of Gen. RuLL's army, or fall of Burgos.—
the latter may afford temporary triumph to Ministers,
but it will be to efforts, like the former, that the viii
tion must look for final salvation. It is hilly area-
. .
fyil tr hile the hydra of

tying to pereeive, that while the hydra , cotrdption
is stalking over the land and polluting our shorei, so
much virtue should be manifested by the people.—it
augurs well, and should the blaze of patriotism
elicited in the capital, extend its benign info:
enee to the larte provincial towns, who knows but
the allwise Pro4idence may have verified the proverb,
41 out of evil conieth good,"—and destined our pre-
sent Rulers to be the unwilling instrument of poli-
tical emancipationl--things of a more extraordinary
nature have come tb pass ; and althbugh so highly
Illepeobehle, let us at least cherish a hype of its
being realised, at Present.
Those who are unbiassed by selfish motives, end
coolly view the situation of public afkirs, think)
I and) in my opinions With reason, that ere another
opportunity of exercising the elective franchise Is
aftbrded to the people, ere may be reduced td such a
state of ruin, that their utmost efforts cannot have
the effect of saving us—the ptecious moment should
not, therefore, be lost. Asise, men of talents)
virtue, and eloquence, rally round the standard of
Reform, and restore the purity of that Constitution
given to you by your forefathers! shetild the ensuing
I Parliament unhappily be composed of a majority in
savour of the pteient Ministry (dr of Materials like
the last), I venture to say, that the *iv:it amongst
us, will relinquish all their foruler hopes in the
amelioration of our condition, and that many will
shrink from any future exertions in the cause df a
people se Insensible to their own interests. Good
God 1 is it possible to contemplate the cheerless and '
dreary prospect beitire nS, without being agitated
by a thousand alaitning tlitioghts as to the future;
and, can an enlightened people, like those of
England, stith such sad examples before them,
suffer a repetition of former evils, the inevitable
consequences of not asserting their Constitutional
tight of election now.---4low. long, Sir, will
It he necessary td remind our countrymen, that there
is nothing to hope for from thi3 or that Adminlstra•
lion, without Parliamentary Reform ;—is it not
freth in their recollection, that from Mr. Pyre to
iI CitAazzs Fox, all bur public men have been carried
away Mith the stream of venality • I confess it is
alwer desirable to have men or talent gtilding the
helm of the itate--they must, however, be kept in
Check by an uncorrupted louse of Commons ; with-
• out that, believe me; we shall never ettain the ob.
1
• ject of our wishes; and that the only source of fd-
tore safety or happiness for England, will be found
in.a free, nnAhackled Representation of the People 1
. Without a Reform in Parliament, it will be Id vain
i to congratulate ourselies on abundant harvests, dr
. greet victories ;—our evils of every kind must Ws
crease—and if the Pedple wish to See the blessings
of petite return, commerce revive; and their civil
liberties secured, they can only look fdr the ettain-
Ment of seth desirable and necessatr objedts la
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
While regret that you should have been singled
out as the object of perseiution amongst those who
Appear to have been infinitely more culpable, I trdst
; hii Majesty's Government *ill not persevere in adit-
ing to the accumulated weight of sufferings yr/a have
' already experienced. They Cannot do so with agy.
i she* of justice i and I am eten led to beliefs, that
i thtttee it* then amongst them already ccintrinceci of tli‘
extreme Irrerity with which ybu hate been treated:
k.
the tery ides of throwing one man into a loathienii
' prison; for merely following the nipple of ottani:
otivers, who ere suffered to 40 unpuwisheth If on*
of (be inatniersble evllti arising ffdm q•• his!
IWined. I ire, Sir, &c.
Ostelosi& • simorg •