ple? to fold their arms and gaze in mute despair upon the expiring embers of their country's independence?—Never, never! while there is a single heart remaining that glows with a latent spark of the virtuous enthusiasm which animated the breasts of a Russel and a Sidney, unsubdued by defeat; unimpaired, even though baffled by adversity, it will still spring forth and fan the dying embers to a flame, ere they leave us to struggle through the cheerless gloom of a military despotism. Conscious of our innocence, and strong in the cause of virtue and independence, we shall boldly brave the gathering storms which already clouds the political horizon of our country; and should we fall in the general wreck attending its course, we shall meet our fate with the firmness becoming Patriots who have risked and lost their every thing (their character alone excepted) in the contest for Freedom and for Albion, RADICAL POWDER. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE CAP OF LIBERTY." CALLING in upon a friend the other day, amongst other topics of conversation, the Radical Powder was upon the carpet, when the following dialogue took place : Q. Have you heard of the Radical Powder ?-A. Yes. Q. What do you think of it?-A. I have tried it and found it absolutely good for nothing. Q. That is very strange, for I also have tried it, and I must say, that it is deserving of the warmest approbation.— A. Well, you may say as you like about it, but take this this for a fact, that I purchased some, and having loaded therewith two pistols with as good flints as any in the kingdom, hang me if I could get it even to flash in the pan! An immoderate burst of laughter was, on my part, the immediate consequence. An explanation now took place, my friend joined in the laugh at his own mistake; the pistols were quickly unloaded, and their contents being deposited in the coffee-pot, we in a short time partook of a comfortable repast, which induced him to change his opinion with respect to the Radical Powder, and acknowledge that it is deserving of every support from all English Patriots. From this circumstance I would suggest the propriety of adding the word "Breakfast," which will preclude the possibility of any more mistakes of a similar nature. Sincerely hoping that your patriotic exertions may be attended with the wished-for success, I beg leave to subscribe myself, Sir, your Fellow-Citizen, WILLIAM HARRISON. papers which it was the object of this measure to put down, and which no respectable bookseller would publish." This Learned Gentleman doubtless thinks that the Éditor of the Courier is a respectable publisher, and that it is only such as him that should at all be permitted to send forth any publication to the world. This short speech, however, was not altogether so infamous as that of Mr. Wharton, who said that " it had been assumed that this Bill was to affect all printers. That it would affect those who, with small means and no character to lose, had no stake in the common-weal, was true. This he deemed to be a good. All public questions would still be discussed, but in a more temperate and decent manner."-Here we have a confession that it is henceforth intended that no person shall offer his opinion to the public, until his abilities are measured by the agents of the Ministry according to the depth of his pocket. As to a printer, however poor, having no stake in the common-weal, it is on the face of it an argument devoid of reason. In proportion to his poverty, his interest in the welfare of the people is greater than that of any nobleman in the kingdom. It is upon the prosperity of the people that he must depend for the circulation of what he publishes; and as his livelihood depends upon that circulation, it of course follows that he must be more deeply interested in the welfare of the community, than the wealthy nobleman, who can live upon his heaps of gold, almost totally independent of the poverty or prosperity of the great body of the people. The nobility and the great landed proprietors have a separate and distinct interest from the mass of their fellow-countrymen. The printer, on the contrary, feels a serious interest in their prosperity, because they can then afford to lay out their money in acquiring valuable information, and the printer finds his account in the increased sale of his publications. Mr. Wharton concludes by telling the House that "all public questious will still be discussed:" we can tell him that for once he spoke truth. They shall be discussed as boldly and as fearlessly as ever. We are not to be intimidated by the vapouring of Castlereagh, Canning, and the whole host of their miserable hangers-on : their threats have no terror in them for us; we look upon them as the idle ravings of impotent scoundrels; and, strong in conscious honesty, we spurn the base idea of cringing before the footstool of a tyrant: no! our every effort shall be directed to awaken the torpid energies of the nation, and to give to despotism a final and a fatal overthrow. Away with the whining cant of "we have lost our liberties:" in such a case, what is the duty of the peo the ple? to fold their arms and gaze in mute despair upon expiring embers of their country's independence?-Never, never! while there is a single heart remaining that glows with a latent spark of the virtuous enthusiasm which animated the breasts of a Russel and a Sidney, unsubdued by defeat; unimpaired, even though baffled by adversity, it will still spring forth and fan the dying embers to a flame, ere they leave us to struggle through the cheerless gloom of a military despotism. Conscious of our innocence, and strong in the cause of virtue and independence, we shall boldly brave the gathering storms which already clouds the political horizon of our country; and should we fall in the general wreck attending its course, we shall meet our fate with the firmness becoming Patriots who have risked and lost their every thing (their character alene excepted) in the contest for Freedom and for Albion. RADICAL POWDER. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE CAP OF LIBERTY." CALLING in upon a friend the other day, amongst other topics of conversation, the Radical Powder was upon the carpet, when the following dialogue took place: Q. Have you heard of the Radical Powder ?-A. Yes. Q. What do you think of it?-A. I have tried it and found it absolutely good for nothing. Q. That is very strange, for I also have tried it, and I must say, that it is deserving of the warmest approbation. A. Well, you may say as you like about it, but take this this for a fact, that I purchased some, and having loaded therewith two pistols with as good flints as any in the kingdom, hang me if I could get it even to flash in the pan! An immoderate burst of laughter was, on my part, the immediate consequence. An explanation now took place, my friend joined in the laugh at his own mistake; the pistols were quickly unloaded, and their contents being deposited in the coffee-pot, we in a short time partook of a comfortable repast, which induced him to change his opinion with respect to the Radical Powder, and acknowledge that it is deserving of every support from all English Patriots. From this circumstance I would suggest the propriety of adding the word "Breakfast," which will preclude the possibility of any more mistakes of a similar nature. Sincerely hoping that your patriotic exertions may be attended with the wished-for success, I beg leave to subscribe myself, Sir, your Fellow-Citizen, WILLIAM HARRISON. LETTER FROM A YOUNG TORY MEMBER TO HIS FRIEND IN THE COUNTRY. MY DEAR HUMPHRY, You desire me to give a sketch of Ministers and measures; the subject is in every respect gratifying, and I hasten to comply with your request. You remember how old Square-toes prated about the business of legislative importance, awful responsibility, and such trashy words of course, devised to scare us younkers, and make us diffident and distrustful; it is all humbug; the thing is the simplest in the world, and only perplexed by the cavils of those old enemies of the Constitution, the Whigs. Lord Castlereagh, to whom we are indebted for every thing that is simple in Government, is remarkable for the clearness of conception and solidity of judgment which characterize his countrymen; he also boasts a species of eloquence all his own, like nothing we have ever heard, nothing we have ever read-mystic and sublime, you hear the oration with much the same feelings that we have together felt, when observing a piece of complex machinery in motion-periods revolve, and argument rise to fall, with an appearance of inextricable confusion. The principle is unknown, but the effect certain. His feats in legislating against time are wonderful; we think nothing of passing half a dozen bills in a fortnight; hearing them read is a loss of time and a bore, but we never listen, and may soon, perhaps, dispense with the formality. As I love to be brief, you shall judge of the Minister by his measures, and thus I give a sketch of the Bills and their policy. Seditious Libel Bill.-The tendency of this is the promotion of learning, by banishing saucy printers and frightening writers; it also operates to the encouragement of shipbuilding, and the navy in general, for the carrying trade will find plenty of employment. Newspaper Stamp Bill-Promoting the respectability of the trade, by confining bookselling to opulent independent men; for, how impossible it will be for any other than a man of influence and fortune to find two persons who have such a confidence in his legal knowledge as to give security, providing against the contingency of his publishing a libel; a thing undefined to the present moment. Training Bill Will oblige the Radicals to drill in a comfortable manner, like Major Sturgeon, within doors, when the shop is shut up. Arms Searching Bill-Preserving the purity of females, by permitting any tool of power to violate the sanctity of their bed chambers: searching by night is for the convenience of those who see best in the dark. Seditious Meeting BillIs to make every man a good lawyer before he embarks in politics; let them construe the Act of Settlement, then meet with what they may. I cannot conclude without noticing the gracious manner in which the Prince Regent has hitherto given the Royal Assent. How noble a spectacle it is to see a Prince cheerfully adding bulwarks (as Lord C calls them) to the Constitution. THE GRAVE OF RUSSELL, "Never did martyr, with more lovely grace, The moon, with mild splendour, illumin'd the hill, The wind of the west had forgotten to breathe When, lo! from the sky, like an angel of light, The voice of her harp, that to sorrow was strung, The tear of affection, for thee does it fall, And thine is the sigh that escapes from my breast→→→ Oh! could they the strength of the mighty recall, And win back the soul from the realms of the blest: For ever the torrent should stream from mine eyes, And sighs, ever swelling, employ my fond breath, Until thy great spirit, restor❜d from the skies, Should wake thy remains from the slumber of death; |