Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-06-24

ter, thought / had good reason to change, In
very great degree, the notions held before
or her present oiihculties. They appeared 10
me, according to the best Judgment i could
form upon the spot. from personal observation,
and every Source ot correct information acces-
sible 10 me, To be of very ditlereu, charac
ter from any to which she has hitherto been
exposed. found myself convinced that her
political disorders which have so long furnish
ed matter Of sad fcrebodinc TO her friends,
and joyous anticipation 10 her enemies, mad at
length reached a CRIsIs--tlIe result OF which,
tho distant period, must be national bank
ruptcy and national ruiu--that temporary eX-
pedients might perhaps, prolong tor few
years the existence of her present system OF
politics and finance, but that Its speedy fall
was certain and inevitable. These opinions,
find, are not yet common here, amd 1t may
therefore be interesting 10 you 10 become ac-
puaITted in detail with the principal cucum-
stances which led me To them. The fate of
England, as subject OF mere philosophical
specul alton, is very interesting and important,
from the part She has played so long among the
nations, and to us her political situation is of
more essential concern, from its great bearing
and influence upon our own. / shall not pre-
face my remarks by disciaimnc any prejudice
for or against the country, which Is the subject
OF them. You will judge much better from
their complexion and character, than from my
professions, whether they are made in the spi
rit of impartial observation, or are mere ettu-
sions Of political hostility.
appearance of the country III Great Britain TO
traveller, let hun come from where he will
The whole island is cultivated garden. A
stranger that lands there for the first time, re-
ceives the most agreeable Impressions from the
great perfection 10 which all the minor com
forts of life are habitualiy carried. He finds
himself at once in convenient and perfectly
neat public house-H is offered for his Jour
ney the accommodation of excellent stage
coaches, nearly equal, i'm point of safety and
convenience, TO private carriages; or, if he
clIuses 70 travel more extensively, he has at his
command a complete provision for travelling
post, in the most expeditions and agreeable
way. As he advances into the country he is
charmed with the broad and level highways;
and 1t he happens to come from New England,
hnds tue quickest hedges, that border almost
all OF them, very refreshing substitute To the
eye tor our dry stone walls or post aud rail
fences. Such is the mildness of The climate,
that the landscape is green almost all the year,
/ and the richness and beauty of ii furnishes the
travellers eye with a continual feast. II is
seldom that YOU meet with high hill or n
large river. but II is all continual succession
OF gentle fluctuations in the surface of the
ground, lntersected with green hedges and
cultivated with every possible variety of grain
Inc uniformity of this scene is relieved Dy the
frequent occurrence of extensive parks GOV
eredl part with forests, and ornamented with
spacious and massy editices, the country resi-
dence of the nobility and gentry. Now and
then the picturesque ruins OF AN old abbey or
from an eminence, and connect with the beau
y OF the country, the venerable recollection of
former times and other manners These ruins
are very frequent in most parts of England as
wei as Tie Continent. and have the additional
erect Of entire novelty upon a traveller from
Inc new world. The villages that are placed
at short distance, from each other, upon the
roads, are clean and well bnilt, beyond COM
Parison with those of the Continent of Europe,
ana very similar IN appearance TO our smaller
towns. Such ~ the aspect of England and il
seems almost of Itself TO justify the tiattering
title that lamented friend of Ours bestowed
upon her III the enthusiasm Of his admiration
The Island Of the Blessed What can he want
ing TO the felicity of a people who travel i'm tile
pesl possible carriages through the finest DOS
Sible country, aud who repose themselves
whether at home or at an inn, i'll the midst of
cluster of patent accommodations almost nm
known IN other regions? The truth is howe
yer, that no patent has yet been taken ont e.
ven Ill Great Britain for private happiness or
national prosperity. Ali Paradise, as it ap
PearS 10 the eye, Great Britain is not the ISL
ana OF the blessed. The individuals that DOS.
sess all these comforts are not happy. beC5nse
they have been denied by Providence the con-
sltntionai cheerfulneSs which contributes
more TO happiness than amy thing else and
what Is worse, the nation is not PROSPEROUS
because the very great majority OF individ.
ndls DO not ENJOY these delicious scenes s.
green hedge is a finer thing than a dry stone
wall, but one who must starvc TO death under
~ Nu' co but iittit lOr lie ulHeTGucc. Il he
session of the land with all the superstructnre
OF artinciai capital of every description that
mas been raised upon it, is monopOlized by a
very few. They enjoy with what appetite
they may, the beauty and convenience of the
country, and the rest pine for want in the
midst of plenty.
The country blooms 4 garden and grave
nave but Just given you IA slight sketch of
the bright side of the picture, aud shall now
enter into some details of the real situation of
the inhabitants, with view more particularly
To the present time. No country perhaps, e..
yer eAiilbitep greater contrast of apparent
prosperity and actual misery, than is now TO be
found in this earthly paradise Periods of dis
tress have been known before, but none. by
The admission of all, to be compared with the
present. Let us examine for a moment the
manner IN which it operates upon the different
classes of inhabitants.
The population of every country consists of
iaborers, and large and small capitalists, whe.
Their they invest their capitals in land com
merce or manufactures. Of these the first
class is incOmparably the most numerous. so
that IN most countries the others might be ell.
trely removed, without much diminishing the
numerical population, and this disproporfon
IS greatly increased by all the leading circum-
stances IN the national situation OF Great Bri-
tain. Her crowded population and devotion
~ arts and manufactures, and the very une-
quail division OF property, all tends 10 diminish
tile number of capitalists, and increase that of
laborers so that this class may be said in fact
10 constitute the nation. NOW this whole divi-
SlOn OF society Ill Great y f7tain, making ND as
1T were the people itself, are at this moment
actually starving for want of employment
The demand for labor has ceased entirely i'm all
its great departments of agriculture, manHfac.
lures aud commerce, and the destitute ard nm
fortunate wOrkmen are compelled to resort to
public charity, or emigrate to other countries.
The almost Incredible extent of this decay of
business has been proved by variety of state
mcnts, more or less official in their form, but
no ..f. .,,I, -. I...tl.
questioned, and indeed has not been ones.
toned, by any body or party. It has been
shown, by authentic statements, that in large
manufacturing districts not more than one