The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-01-05 00:00:00

DRURY-LAN E THEAITR E.

aiso !kit tiod has not appointed the taxes, a,
have them to pay : and though we may have no just
pretensions or rieti to govern, yet I contend that we
have the right to see that those whom we appoint
to govern do their duty,—and are not hound to sub-
mit our devoted backs quite so patiently as the
Doctor Iris recommended to receive whatever stripes
the " insolent in office" may choose to inflict. But
for this monstrous doctrine, he has favoured ns with
a reason—a cogent Tory reason! vie. forsooth, that we
do not understand State matters; that Providence has
qualified the rich alone for such a task, and that other
and humbler duties are assigned to us. Now really,
Mr. Editor. in this I think the Doctor very unfortunate;
for it amounts to little more than an outrage upon the
good sense of his hearers ; and as it is the only reason
he assigned, I think it fair to conclude that it is the
only one he could urge: hut, Sir, the ignorance which
Dr. Thorpe has NJ kindly attribnted to his h is an
exploded phantom—a political bugbear—held out not
only by the Doctor, perherz front error, hut by the
sapient ['hinderers of the poor man's earnings, the syco-

pilaw. of power, and the menials of office; but it will
slot de in this enlightened age, in the nineteenth cen-
tury, when the garb of superstition is tore to rags—
when, in the humblest walks of life, the torch of values-
twin has reared its sacred flame—and when morality
has mulched on avith firm and steady steps. In this, I
believe. the Doctor and I agree; for, he admitted, that
whilst infidelity has been spread in one direction, the
sacred truth has spread in another ; whilst blasphe-
mous puhlieations have been diffused partially, Bibles
have been diffused generally—almost universally.—
What, then, should hinder the people of all orders from
taking part in their own political welfare? when all the
experience of the past, and all the pages of history, inform
ns that whatever good has been achieved has sever sprung
from tyrants who oppress, but from the virtues of the
people, who overcome—and what can a free people Net
overcome? For Poporli Vox Dei can never be denied.
" The Voice of the People is the Voice of tied." TM
growth or spread of education has been remarkable is
our days ; and whilst we have instructed our poor to
read their Bibles. who can blame them for looking at
a newspaper, which, like a mirror, reflects their politi-
cal situation—shoes them " the very age and body of
the time, its form and pressure"—shows them deformi-
ties which ought to be remedied, and raises within them
a laudable desire to accomplish it.
If this be an evil, then, I will agree with the politi-
cal misanthropes of the present day, who are so loud in
their clamours against it; but till I am convinced of
this, the dissemination of knowledge amongst the poorer
classes I shall ever consider as essential to the dignity
and welfare of a free State.
Let us then hear no more of that selfish doctrine wettish
would lead to a state of things little better than the
feudal system of old, whilst all the transeendant emirs

The well known comedy of The Country Girl, which,
since the days of Mrs. JORDAN, has seldom been talien
from the shelf, was lait night revived at this Theatre.—
The part of Peggy was given to Miss KELLY. It is a
dangerous undertaking to tread in the footsteps of the
celebrated actress who, conspicuous in every character
she personated, towered above all her cotemporaries
when she appeared in this, and was, indeed, inimitable.
Miss KELLY always delights her audience; and if it
were possible to divest ourselves of the recollection of
the perfect manner in which her predecessor delineated
the same character, we should hardly be persuaded that
she could be, or had been excelled. It would betray a dti
gree of fastidiousness to complain of any part of her
performance. Moody was well sustained by Vows...ix I
Sparkish, by RUSSELL ; and Lucy, by Mrs. Ottomt.o
Though the exclusion of the objectionable scenes, which
originally appeared in the play, may occasionally detraet
from its humour, yet we think it a convincing and a
gratifying proof of the refinement of taste and morals
of the present age. that such alterations should be requi-
site ind meet with approbation.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

'hopes
led to indulge at the commeosement of the Season, by en-
abling the Executive of the Coompany to do that for their
benefit whirl) they were unable to do before. The step now
determined upon would not subject the Renters to any
expense, and the interests of the Rond-holders and the
New Renters would nut lw at all affected by it. Ile had
the pleasure to inform the Meeting, that so far as the
season had at present gone, the hopes held out to the
Renters before the Theatre opened hail been realized to
their fullest extent. The punctuality, attention, and
ability, which marked the conduct of Mr. Elliston, left
them nothing to wish for, and he confidently hoped that,
at the close of the season, he should have to submit to
them a statement equally satisfactory, on the flourishing
state of the concern.

Mr. Mtvcitzu, sahmittell to the meeting a motion ap-
proving of the nomination of the fieneralloutuiittee, and
of the application now making to Parliament.
A Proprietor inquired if the new Renters were to
come in before the Bond-holders.

Mr. CALCIIAFT replied "Certainly."
After a few observations from Mr. Holmes in praise
of the present management, the motion Wes agreed to,
and the meeting broke up.

Last week there was a disturbance among the
workmen employed by Mr. Varley, of Stanniugley,
Yorkshire, who turned out for an increase of wages.
Mr. Varley applied to the Overseer of Morley for hands,
and set on a number of persons who had bees employed
on the roads. When they arriVed at Stanningky, the
inhabitants would not stiffer them to euter the mill, but
drove them out of the town, throwing mud and stoats at
them ; but we have not heard that they committed any
further violence.

HORRIBLE I,4III:3IANITY.—A charge of the most atro-
cious character which we ever heard or read of has been
preferred, before the Magistrates, against the Mee ot a
ship lately arrived at Liverpool, and who, we are sorry
to say, has since absconded. He is accused of having
caused the death of a sick boy, by starvation and other
cruel treatment, and of having flogged a black man till
be actually died! We can scarcely conceive it possible
that two such monstrous crimes should be really proved
against one individual, and that individual an English-
man! We earnestly hope, for the honour of human na-
ture, that an opportunity will yet be found for fully
investigating this foul affair before a Court of Jos-
tice.--(Livrrpool Corrier.)—The above-mentioned per-
son (says the Gloucester Journal of the lid instant),
whose name is Thomas Came, was apprehended on Fri-
day night last, by the activity of one of our meritori-
ous police officers, W. Jeffs. Having received intelli-
gence that he had passed through this city I. the course
of the day, for Bristol, Jeffs immediately west in permit,
in a chaise and four; and, by dint of great exertious reach-
ed the latter city in less than three hours, mad, within
five minutes of his arrival, apprehended the prisoner at
the White Lion, where he had just taken his place, in
order to proceed by one of the souther.' eowshm. He
was brought back to this city early on Saturday morn-
ing, and the same day was forwarded to Liverpool, in
the custody of Jeffs and Marsh. Too much prime can-
not be bestowed upon Jeffs fur the promptitude and de-
cision with which -he acted • and many similar instaweas
have recently occurred, which reflect equal reedit upon
the police establishment of this city.

ght, to the A General Meeting of the Proprietors was held yes-
) those re- terdav in the Saloon of the Theatre, to take intueon-
pie which sideration the nomination of the tieneral Committee, of
Incas to the
a Sub-Committee, and also to consider of the applica-
tion now making to Parliament for an Act to amend and
Nation of a esiglain the two former Arts. •
uestion the
Mr. Cit.cnarr (having been called to the Chair)
ver corrupt briefly stated Um. objects for which the Proprietors hed
(lod (said been called together on 's °catalpa. It was os
to gneeen,orsarx iftgjilos I°Ausitinheit.a.taidekere :ettt
affairs or the Theatre. 0 the application now making
tru true to Parliament, it was right that he should observe it was
Ind yet we made with the view of realising the hopes the Reuters were