Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-29


work, will be satisfied that it could not pesslo',
be written by the friends Of liberal principles
Il, is not merely ferocious antagonist OF INK
French Revolution. but it assails, with Amos
frantic violence, those noble principles whic'
constitute the basis Of all our free institutions
/, IS not contcn, with stigmatizing The abuses
and excuses of Liberty, but it ridieules ano
reviles Liberty itself.
When Mr.. Canning rose into pubic charac
ter we find him the fas, friend and Jealous de
ppndent of Mr. Pitt, who certainly was no ex
traordinariy liberal person. In his earlier par
liamentary speeches, as well as his later ones
we shall find his greatest efforts have beer
made against every species OF Parliamentary
! Reform, without which rejecting men mus, see
there can be no material advances towards a Tree
government in England. AT three different
! times, il we mistake not-in the beginning, the
| middle, and lately al the meridian oil his age
! and talents-he has directed the whole force oil
his wit, sarcasm and reason, and taxed both me-
! mory and imagination in sligmatIzlng, rldlcu'
| lins, and actually scouting" the idea OF Par
| liameniarv Reform. Whatever might be the
immediate consequences of such reform, and
however iaconvenien, or dangerous 1t might
prove TO the monopoly Of honors, wealth, and
that it would eventually benefit hundreds OF af-
ter generations Of people, and that TO oppose it,
however it may be prudent, is no very satisfac-
factory demonstration Of an attachment TO Ii
beral principles.
Much stress has been laid upon Mr. Canning
being what is called "new man"--that Is, a
man derived from family possessing no claim
to antiquity or nobility. II is gratuitously as
sumed that man sprung from the people, must
of necessity be friend of the people. Alas.
aud speak ii not in dersion, but in sorrow
experience is only record of men who have
made the sacrifice Of The people from among
whom they sprung the price of their own ele-
walton History is full Of examples oflow-born
ambition; striving to become the hero and the
leader Of the people only to betray them. The
most common ambition, is of that perversed
species, which, unlike thai which prompted
Caesar to say, in The genuine spirit OF his after
career that he had rather be first in village
than second in Rome" prefers being al the tail
Of one class rather than al the head OF the other
The father of Lord Castereagh, who was 4
private gentleman of Ireland, placed himself at
the head Of the Irish Volunteers, that he nigh;
sell them 10 England. Lord Castlereaeh be-
came the organ, the advocate, and the leader OF
the Irish Catholics, and sold them for the office
of Secretary Of STATE. Mr. Canning himself
succeeded as the champion OF Catholic eman.
cipa,ion. He was MADE Secretary Of Foreign
Affairs. and the very first time the question
came u2-aflerwards, 1t pleased the right honor
able gentleman 10 change sides. He was charg-
ed by Mr.. Brougham, with having sold the Ca.
tholics, as Lord Casilereagh did Before bim,.
charge was Notwithstanding, perfectly true
MIR Canning has since resumed his advocacy;
but he is very apt to be SICK and unable 10 at
tend the discussion ofthis great question, or so
languid when he does attend, that he can scarce
ly rise to the energy Of jest or an ALTERATION
He is now Prime Minis,er, and his first act is
TO make Sir John Cop'cy, the most lntexloie
oppnupnt of the Catho,, claims. ln'he last dis
cussion, his Lore Chancellor. lime VIII show
whether the Right Honorable Baronet has be-
come a convert 10 the Right Honorable Freml-
er's doctrine Of liberation; or the Right Homo
rable Premie, yielded 10 the sednclions OF the
Right Honorable Barone's doctrine OF "sccnrl-
" for the Protestan, religion.
1t is stated in Some Of he British papers, and
admitted by Mr.. Canumg's organ, the Courier,
tina, negotiation with ne Marquis OF Lans
down, TO bring the latter into the Ministry un-
der Mr.. Canning, had failed, because The Mar
ous had insisted as a preliminary. that the Ga
tholic CLAIMS should be recognized as "C0bl-
net question " This is most significant phrase.
and fraught with meaning. 1t means that the
Marquis insisted that the success OF this mea-
sure in favor Of The Catholics, should be idenu.
fed " it'll The conli, rance Of their adnlnistra'
ton; and If it was not carried, they should re-
sign. This is what is meant by cabinet cues
tion--a disagreement on which, among the
members, or an inability to carry 1t through
virtually involves dissolution OF the ministry
Nothing can more clearly evince The lnkewarm-
ness of Mr. Canning, on the subjec. which he i:
supposed to have SD much at heart, than his de-
clining to risk pnwer and emolament on lis
success. He is willing TO gain place by the
aid Of popular feeling excited in great de
gree by his supper, of the Catholic claims; bu'
he is not quite ready to sacrifice his place to th'
attainment of the rights Of five millions of peo
pie will venture, 10 predct-and beg the
: prediction may be remembered-that If, as i:
quite probable, Mr.. Canning cannot retain his
+ place withou, giving up the Catholic cause, TIT
sacrifice will be made-not Of the place, Blu
the Catholics.
Formerly, when an English minister faie'
in carrying great measure through Parlla