Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-06-19
ID . NJ + S &c.
Prom the National .4dvOea,s-J,z.e II.
Commodore Porter'S Journal and the
QUARTERLY Rerielv

Quarterly Rerie,v.
When our commissioners had conclud- |
d treaty Of peace at Client with the
King of Great Britain, it became the gene
raj cry throughout this country that all an
mostly against the people of that nation
should cease, and that, thenceforth, in our
with them, we should govern
ourselves according to the spirit of the
good old maxim--ss enemies in war, i'm
peace, friends" There was scarcely
federal print in the United States which
did not loudly deprecate all harshness of
expression towards them and we we're,
from time to time, warned, above all things
not to make use of any abusive language in
speaking Of the government of George Iii.
We are now at peace" it was said, IS II
by all means, let US not again stir up the
Goals of dissension." Nay, go far had
this spirit of Cancellation prevailed, that,
when the murderous tragedy of Dartmoor
Prison, came to be announced on this side
the Atlantic, there were not wanting men,
and men of sense too, who openly defend
ed and sometimes even justified this atro-
cious massacre of our unpro ectsd fellow
citizens and, in fact, the Republican
prints, although their indignation could
not be Justly withheld, did not perhaps,
extend their anamadversions upon this
bloody scene, to the length which its un-
exampled malignity demanded. But it
now fully appears, that however the just
Indignation of our public journalists was
for this, as well as for many other previous
wrongs, restrained within narrow limits,
on account of the gene al disposition to
cultivate a friendly understanding with
the British people, the very writer's who
are paid from the public treasury of that
Kingdom, not six months after the signing
of the treaty, in the very face of the OUT
rageous butchery at Dartmoor, and whilst
they, and their satellites here were reiter-
-ating their protestations Of friendship for
us, these very writers were industriOusly
employed in heaping the most scandalous
;mputations upon our government, and up
on one of its most distinguished and repu
table members. The publication to which
] ailude, is the 4th article Of the twenty.
sixth number of the Quarterly Review Il
to prove that this work is under the control
of the British ministry, and is kept up for
the express purpose of circulating their l.
IDEAS and opinions, shall here insert some
extracts from the character given of it in
the 20th volume of CObbett's Register No.
q, pages 100 and l0l.
Speaking of the persons who write the
articles of this review, he says, sc If the
public could see them as they really are,
a set of mean spirited, dependent crea-
lures, eating their daily bread out of the
hands of clerk of the treasurer, almost as
completely, and with vast deal more SER
Witty, than Spaniel eats the bits out of
The hand of his master; if they could see
in these ittdges of literary works nest of
needy men, acriting for SO muc, a page,
and, sometimes, paid in advance by the
Editor, who acts under the treasury, as an
overlooker of laborers under the employer;
If the public could see them In this lg t.
Heterogeneous WEwould not stand them in
much stead. Let these, therefore, who
have been accustomed to lcOk with such
profound respect to the g Gentlemen" of
the Quarterly Reuie1c attend little to the
following statement. This Review was
set up by the Government in opposition to
the Edinburgh Reuie,c, which is devoted
to the " oppOsition," and, for the reasons
that shall have to state by-and-bye.
have seen it asserted in an American PAM
phlet, entitled sc The United States and
Eneldnd." published not long ago, that
Soathey, the Poet Laureat, is the editor, or
oversser, of this work. This is mistake,
Mr. Southey being only one of the principal
laborers, or iourneymen, writing the reuielo
of his o,on l0orkS without payment, and
reviews of other works at four pounds
sheet, or FIVE shiIlings page, that being
the price. except for reviews of Mathemati-
cal works, for which double the price is
given. 1t is William Clifford who is the
editor. or overseer Of this Review" He |
then goes on to describe the public career |
of this man. who is the son of shoemaker !
in Devonshire-was educated at the ex.
pence of clergyman lived many years |
as dependent in Earl GrosvenOr's fami- |
ly-edited the yanti-Jacobin newspaper
and. at length, after g kicking his heels in
the antichamber of George ROse," the lat.
Ger 60 made him commissioner of the lot |
terry, with salary during pleasure. of 500 |
pounds year. Thus was he enlisted |
literary hack for life and having been call |
ed upon to edite, or overlook the workmen |
of the Quarterly Review, any article that
should be found to contain one single sem
fence favorable to political, civil, or reli- !
gious liberty, or any appearance OF a want
of zeal in the cause Of this government,
would, in one month, take from him his
3OOL. year, and drive him from the first
floor, where he now lives, to the shabby
second floor which he formerly inhabited"
. Now, it must.be apparent to every re-
fiectiug mind, that this same Quarterly Re-
view is under eiie sole direction of the Bri.
fish ministry, and that the mercenary
wretch who stained its pages with such dir