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either ashamed or afraid to remain at home!

A late prisoner in France, tells a story of a petulant French naval officer, who having lost an arm in the service with Admiral Suffrein, in the East Indies, was exceedingly fond of teazing the English prisoners, with

one of whom he went so far as to ask him, whether he did not see his arm floating in the water in that engagement? The tar drily answered that he did see an arm and hand grasping a chamber-pot, which in all probability might be his. The gentleman walked off after this, without asking any more questions.

STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

THE present is a very enlightened very great interest in the public mind, age, and of all countries in the and after the verdict general curiosity World England is the most enlighten- was excited on the punishment, which ed. These are propositions, which would be assigned to the offence. The we venture to advance, as likely to Attorney-General, in calling for the meet with universal satisfaction. We sentence of the court, was, according feel no anxiety on this subject about the to the papers, far more severe than Attorney-General's opinion, though the occasion required: and, if we we are free to confess, as the parlia- might be permitted to argue the case, ment men say in their House, that, if we should call in question his logic, his opinion were not armed with not only in reference to the principal power, it would not in the least weigh offender, but particularly with respect with us: but, if he should contradict to the other parties which he had the propositions we have advanced, brought before the court. It is the we do hereby pronounce our retracta- law, that publisher, printer, booktion of them; we give them up; we seller, should all be involved in the will contradict them; and as an action for a libel: but why does the amende honorable publish his speeches prosecution stop here? Why should on Cobbett's affair, with notes and a not the compositor, the pressman, the perpetual commentary, three times printer's devil, the paper maker, the the length of the text. In this en- stationer, &c. &c. be equally called lightened country, very nearly about upon. We see the propriety of puthe time that Mr. Cobbett was tried, nishing printers and booksellers for whilst Mr. Attorney-General was fur- books, which the law has prohibited: bishing his arms, and looking out for but we confess, that no argument has arguments, some of our countrymen, yet convinced us, that, when the authe papers inform us, were employed thor is delivered up, the mechanical in burning alive a calf to destroy the instruments should be called to the effects of witchcraft. Not a soul bar. The question deserves considerscarcely in the south, who read an ation. We have seen in our times the account of this horrid transaction, abolition of the slave trade, it fell becould refrain from exclamations of fore the reiterated attacks of sound contempt and indignation against the reasoning and christian principle. We perpetrators of this cruel and abo- do not appeal to the lawyer on this minable action. But, stop, gentle occasion: but we sincerely hope, that reader, do you never burn a calf alive the question may be brought before to prevent effects presaged by your parliament, and we would then whisdisordered imagination? The burning per in the ears of a few of its memof a calf alive by two ignorant clowns bers,-Do not burn a calf alive. is not so bad as some things, which I Mr. Cobbett was first committed to could bring to your recollection: but the King's Bench for a few days, and which I will not repeat, for fear of then brought up to receive sentence; putting you into a passion. However, a sentence of imprisonment for two it may not be amiss for you to repeat years, with a fine of a thousand now and then to yourself this short pounds to the king, and recognisances sentence,-Do not burn a calf alive. for his future good behaviour. The The trial of Mr. Cobbett excited printer and publisher had three

months imprisonment allotted them Mr. Cobbett is honourably and howith small fines. On the propriety of nestly acquired; and his publication this sentence we shall say nothing. is attended with profit: whilst so The adjudged libel is completely be- many similar ones have fallen into fore the public, with the reasons of neglect, because, as he expresses it, the judge for so heavy a punishment. he speaks truth in plain language. On the libel itself and its defence we We do not doubt, that the public differ from the judge, who tried it; will continue its patronage of this very the judge, who passed the sentence; valuable work, and we hope that im the jury, who found the verdict; the prisonment will not injure the health, Attorney-General, who prosecuted; as it certainly will not the spirit of and the defendant, who vindicated his the author. own cause. The doctrine of libel is a very difficult one. It has not yet been sufficiently investigated either by the legislator or the philosopher. The feelings of the moment must be laid aside in the discussion of this important question, and the christian law of doing to your neighbour only, what you would wish to be done to yourself, must become more the rule of our conduct, before we can expect every step in the process of libel, from the definition of the term to the limitations of criminality and punishment, to be laid on the sure grounds of reasoning and experience.

Upon this subject one topic is omitted by Mr. Cobbett, which deserves no small consideration. He has, from the resources of his mind, established several works of great importance. The sale of them is, we hope, attended with benefit to himself: but, whether he succeeds or not, one party is sure to be a gainer. The stamps must be paid for, and the revenue, acquired by government from the brains of Mr. Cobbett, is very considerable. It will be found, we apprehend, that in direct taxation he pays twice as much as the greatest Jandholder in the kingdom: "and it In consequence of the sentence Mr. must be observed, that it is not a matCobbett was carried to Newgate, and ter of consequence to the government, various rumours were in circulation, whether A or B is in possession of the that his Political Register would be estate; whilst a very great revenue suppressed. Such a calamity to the depended entirely on the talents, abipublic we sincerely deprecated; but lities, and perseverance of Mr. Cobthe anxiety, which such an event bett. The merit, due to individual would have excited, was removed by exertions, is not as yet sufficiently aphis publication on the 14th of July, preciated: nor is it duly considered, in which he refutes with his accus- how much the country is indebted to tomed spirit the insinuations of the them in point of revenue. The conAttorney-General, that he was ac- sideration will be of use to all, who tuated merely by a desire of base set an improper value on the fortune lucre. The subject of wishing for they may have received either from luere he has placed in a true light. their ancestors, the favours of the What does a physician, or lawyer, court, or the chances of the lottery of give his opinion for? What does life.

the divine preach for? the At- The ferment in the public mind on torney-General talk for, the sol- the release of Sir Francis Burdett dier fight for? Not base lucre assuredly but take away the lucre, the numbers in each profession will and must necessarily be thined; for without lucre who can live. The gain of a man from his private estate is not esteemed base, nor ought it to be so: but we cannot esteem that gain derived from mere chance of birth so honourable, as the gain of a man from his own personal exertions, unless those personal exertions are employed only for base purposes. The gain of

from the Tower has subsided. The sentiments of the great majority of the metropolis were sufficiently mauifested on that memorable day, and the disappointment experienced by many of his friends, on not seeing him in the triumphant procession, is balanced by the reflections on the propriety of his conduct on this occasion. The papers which have been accustomed to misrepresent every action of the worthy baronet, acted as might be expected, from men who had drawn up their

paragraphs to abuse him for the gra- hands. He has shewn the world that tification of his vanity if he had been the love of popularity in the sense in the procession. Those paragraphs which his enemies attribute to him is were rendered useless, but still he not his object. He has far higher was to be abused. There was no room aims in view, founded on obedience for candour, and the writers were de- to the laws, and the just regard of those void of that magnanimity which can who love the constitution of our counfind subject of praise: even in an try, and wish for the correction of its enemy. The finest picture requires a abuses. peculiar light and proper position of the observer, to set off its beauties to the best advantage: these wretched men were incapable of seizing that position, and their malignity was gratified by descanting on those seeming improprieties which arose entirely from their own bad taste and bad judgment.

The country at large, whose expectations had not been raised by the ntended procession, saw the subject lu its true light, and approved highly the conduct of Sir Francis Burdett. Among the members of opposition, as it is called, were found several who could express their approbation in the strongest terms. Indeed the Saturday previous to the confinement of Sir Francis and the day on which he went from the Tower, are memorable aras in his history. On the former of these days he resisted the applications of very high characters and the solicitations of friends, in spite of remonstrances on the one hand, and the tenderest applications on the other, persisted firm to his purpose, and he refused, by any act of his own, to give countenance in the least to the power claimed by the House of Commons. By so acting he shewed the pretensions of that body in their true codours, and had he swerved in the least from the noble purpose of his mind, he would greatly have injured that cause of which he now stands forward as so noble a patron and defender.

In going from the Tower he was master of his own actions. No triumph had been obtained, and he was unwilling to be exposed to receive that applause which his manly conduct, during the indignities offered to him, so justly entitled him. Such a procession would be gratifying to the vanity of most men, but personal vanity was not his object. He had to consider the great public question in which he was engaged, and not by any act of his, to permit it to suffer in his

In the mean time his cause, or rather that of the public, is going on, and the day of solemn adjudication is determined. The tone of the Attorney-General, in the court of Westminster, is very different from that of some lawyers in the house on this occasion. He does not now resist the interference of the judges, but calls for a trial at bar, that the question may receive the most important discussion and grave decision. This occasions a delay in the cause which will not cease till the 20th of Novem. ber next, when the claims of the House of Commons will be argued on both sides by most eminent men and weighed by distinguished judges.These will have the weight they deserve, at the tribunal of the public. That question is now in able hands, and we are indebted to the firmness and patriotism of Sir Francis_for bringing it to such an issue. How few men are there who would have acted with such firmness, prudence, and perseverance, in so arduous a trial!

The principles maintained in the addresses to Sir Francis, and his answers, deserve general consideration. In them may be found the views and wishes of that large party in the nation, to which the name of Burdettite is assigned, and for which it seems that a man has been dismissed from a corps of volunteers. The dismissal, however, produced its due effect; for the man publicly thanked his superior officer for having afforded him such an opportunity of bearing his testimony to the constitution of his country, and of assuring his neighbours that he did still retain, and should ever maintain, Burdettite principles. The Anti-Burdettites have appeared in very few places. Their most distinguished manifestoes are those of the rectors of St. James's and St. Dunstan's in the west. The latter has received the reproof which he deserved from his

parishioners, who in a very large meet our compassion, and we have noble ing in the church passed a very proper institutions in this country for their censure upon his conduct. Indeed the support. Among them the most parson's manifesto itself is a severe eminent is the hospital of Bedlam, censure on his ministry, for if nine- whose situation, from the increase of tenths of his flock deserve the epi- the capital, was by no means well thets which he has affixed to their adapted to the purpose, and which principles, his instructions have been from time had suffered such decay as either very coldly delivered, or very rendered necessary the taking down coolly received. A clergyman has of the building. An exchange has also, the papers tell us, distinguished been made with the city of London himself by being the means of pre- for the scite, and twelve acres in St. venting some French officers from George's-fields are appropriated for celebrating the marriage of their sovereign, and inviting their neighbours in return for hospitalities received to partake in the entertainment. War is a great evil in itself, and this and the late wars have been marked by that want of mutual politeness and good will, which was formerly used by combatants towards each other when the battle was over and opportunities permitted it. The clergy cannot be better employed than in the restoration of the ancient courtesy between the rival nations.

No new light has been thrown on the mysterious murder at St. James's, but the depositions that were taken on the occasion of the attack on the royal duke have been published. The public is thus in complete possession of the evidence on which the verdict of the coroner's jury is founded. The difficulties still remain of finding a motive for the attack, and there seems as yet no clue by which to discover one. The royal duke is happily, however, recovering from his wounds, and it is hoped that no vestige will remain to be of essential injury to his future health and welfare.

the new hospital. Here a building suited to the magnificence of the capital, and the objects of the institution is to be erected, and in the spacious gardens the patients will have a better opportunity of recovery. The funds for this purpose must arise from the benevolence of the public, and an address has been submitted to it from the governors of the charity, to whom we most heartily wish success in their praiseworthy undertaking.

Our domestic politics conclude with melancholy apprehensions. Very considerable failures have occurred in the commercial world, and in the west of England great inconvenience has arisen from the stoppage of some country banks. This naturally leads to various speculations, and the utility of these valuable institutions is by many called in question. Much is said about paper money and its pernicious effects; but the great convenience it affords to all classes of life must uphold it against any attack. The fact however is, that paper money loses its credit from the want of policy and knowledge of government in Mr. Pitt. He was the minister of shifts and exWar and party must be frequently pedients. Whatever served the prethe subject of our thoughts. Happy sent moment was sufficient with him. are we when we can turn from the Some difficulties occurred, and the destruction to the preservation of mankind, from points in which a difference of opinion is too often attended with mutual disquiet and dissatisfaction, to one in which all parties inay unite in the promotion of a great national good. We do not know whether our country is more afflicted than any other of the same population, with that scourge of Providence which holds out to all the frail tenure on which our noblest faculties depend. The objects afflicted with this disease are in the highest degree entitled to

tremendous measure was adopted of authorising the bank to withhold the payments of the demands on it, without incurring the penalty of bankruptcy. The natural consequences ensued. Paper money inundated the country without its due check, the security of a gold payment: and till that is restored continual inconveniences must be expected. Paper money ought not to be issued, but to the amount of security given to the public, that there are assets sufficient to pay every one of the notes on its return to

the place whence it came. The restoration of gold payments with landed security, for every provincial bank, will establish the credit of paper money and render it beneficial to the country.

making Holland a province of France, as well for the advantage of the country itself as for the interest of the great empire. Arguments are never wanting, when there is a train of ar tillery to support them. They are not worth contradiction or discussion. Suffice it that a decree followed, by which Holland was divided into departments, with officers similar to those in the other provinces of the empire. The Dutch will, we appre hend, not be losers by the bargain. Before, they were liable to all the impositions and exactions of France; they will now be on a footing with the rest of the empire. As to trade it will go on, and probably the prefects and generals will all engage in the contraband part of it.

Foreign politics afford several strik ing occurrences, among them the events in Holland are particularly interesting. From a republic it became a kingdom, the kingdom is now annihilated, and it is become a province of France. Such has been the effect of the first error committed by the Stadtholder and his Prussian supporters: for to that source we must trace up all the evils that have befallen this unhappy country. The House of Orange is sunk: the heroes it produced did not aim at those honours, which the most unworthy was If Holland is distracted by the ambitious of enjoying, and for which changes in its government, Sweden is he ruined his country. Great was the under no small apprehensions from triumph when Amsterdam surrender- the unsettled state of its throne. The ed to the Prussian arms: when the death of the Crown Prince has been Stadtholder became all powerful; attended with many suspicious cirwhen the Dutch patriots were banish- cumstances, and a tumult in which ed their country. From that time several lives were lost was the consedissatisfaction prevailed. England quence. A Count de Fersen fell a sided afterwards with the Stadtholder. France naturally took the part of the patriots. In the convulsion of Europe it was impossible for so divided a country to keep from the vortex: it was hurried into it, and destruction followed.

sacrifice, on this occasion, to popular resentment, and he was literally torn to pieces. He had once escaped from their fury, and taken refuge in a house, from which he imprudently ventured before the multitude was dispersed. Enquiries are now making into the cause of the prince's death, and the part that the count was suspected to have in it. Several persons have been seized, but of the facts themselves nothing as yet has transpired, from which a correct opinion can be formed. A diet is called for the election of a successor to the throne, in which, most probably the usual intrigues will prevail: but we know too little of the state of Swedish parties to anticipate any event. It wa said that the deposed king had made his escape from Switzerland, but the rumour seems to have been without foundation: and, indeed, what Swede in his senses could ever wish to see such a man again at the head of the government! We should hope that The cabinet of Versailles was not the election will be made with pruat a loss how to act upon this unex- dence and temper, for the Swedish pected measure. A manifesto soon constitution has a great deal of merit, appeared, stating, in very plain terms, and a fair trial of it may be of use to the absolute necessity there was for

Changed into a kingdom, and ruled by a brother of the great emperor, Holland might have expected some release from its troubles, and to have emerged from its difficulties. But the cabinet of Versailles was not formed for a trading nation, and the king found himself compelled to enforce orders, which he knew to be against the interest of his kingdom. In such a situation he could not but incur the displeasure of his potent brother, and rather than continue a nominal king, he took the noble resolution of abdicating the crown, and retiring from public life. To what spot he is gone nobody knows: but we must give him credit for his conduct and his resolution.

UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XIV.

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