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arms out of the country, namely, making of our deluded fellow-countrymen. the currency overflow by an excessive issue Amongst our numerous moral writers, I of paper. Our Government may have had do not recollect much has been written to powerful reasons for issuing, or causing to discountenance so baneful a practice.— be issued bank notes, such as lessening the There is, however, one, whose sentiments value of what they had to pay to the stock-very much coincide with yours. He is a holders; but the cause, the sole cause, in Clergyman of our Established Church; my opinion, of the general rise in prices, is but he does not rank either with the orto be found in the increase of the currency. thodox or the evangelical. I will, with -With respect to the late Corn Bill, I your permission, give you a quotation:-think it was intended to do good, and "If we wish to encourage the free exwould have done good. But it certainly pansion of the benevolent principle in appeared to be doing much evil in giving children, we ought never to put a card an improper direction to the public mind; "into their hands;-young people are perhaps, taking all the circumstances at-"brought up, with the notion that cardtending it into consideration, 'tis better" playing is a pretty innocent recreation. that it did not pass into a law. But if the "They, therefore, at a very early period, people do not come to their senses, we shall, "learn to associate the idea of gaming in a few years, become dependant upon "with many ideas of pleasure; and not, other countries for a supply of food, in a as they ought, with sensations of shame, much greater degree than we have yet of pain, and disappointment. I hardly been;-and it is poss ssible that a bad harvest" know any admonition which a parent may take place throughout the corn coun- ought more assiduously to instil into his tries of Europe,-when each country, to "child than this-that all gaming is a protect itself, will prohibit exportation; "species of robbery by delusion; that it and where then will Friend Rost find "engenders frand, and ends in misery; cheap food for the poor?There is now even the less species of gaming, which time for considering and discussing the" are deemed so perfectly harmless, and so subject; and I should feel grateful for the nicely adapted to fill up the yawning insertion of those few hasty remarks in "vacancies of fatuity;-even these lead your Register: want of time will not permit "directly to a fatal depravation of the me to take any pains in dressing theia to meet the public eye.I am, Sir, your constant reader and admirer, Salford, June 22, 1314.

GAMING.

T. H.

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moral principle, by extinguishing the "benevolent affections.----I never knew a "confirmed and habitual card-player, who "hal not a callous and unfeeling heart., "It is, indeed, impossible for any one long

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to retain the genial glow of oue beneveMR. COBBETT.Permit me to ex- "lent sympathy, who habitually associates, press my thanks to you for the very just "like the inveterate card-player, sensaand striking views presented to the public "tions of triumph and of pleasure, with in your last week's Register, on the im-"the vexation and disappointment of moral tendency of every species of gaming; "others;----even the least, and most inand the pernicious effects of indulging" noxious species of gaming, have a fatal children in habits of playing at cards, and tendency to imbue, with the taste of other games of chance. The sentiments" pleasure, the emotions of malevolence; you have there expressed do equal honour" and, indeed, we cannot long be partakers to your understanding, and your benevo- "in a single amusement, into which one lence; and I shall be much gratified if" drop of the spirit of gaming has been inthe same able pen would pourtray the dire-"fused, without its diminishing the power ful effects of another species of gaming," of that susceptibility of catching the which receives annually the sanction of "sensations of others, and of mingling the British Legislature: I mean the State "them with our own; from which synLotteries. The present time is peculiarly "pathy flows, and by which benevolence favourable for such a discussion; being now" is excited--must not then the higher no longer engaged in a war for the support " and more criminal species of gaming of our holy religion, we may surely dis-" tend, with a direct and accelerated inpense with a tax (although a voluntary "fluence, to chill the benevolence of the ..... one) which bears very heavily upon the heart, and to sear the sense of integrity morals, as well as on the pockets, of many "of conduct. Does not the spirit of

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“gaming, rankling in the heart, and gra- | Civil Officers, who received salary under dually, but rapidly, undermining all the Government of King Joseph, are de"within, infallibly create the cruel and clared unworthy of holding any situation "designing villain? Does he not soon under the Crown." The Times writer "learn to plunder the unwary without says, that this Decree "is entitled to "shame, and even to triumph in propor- great commendation, as tempering justice tion to the misery and indigence which with mercy! My persuasion is, that "he produces? Hear this, ye heroes and no such Decree exists; for instead of dis"heroines of Faro. Would to God it covering either justice or mercy in it, I do "would raise one blush on your livid not think that the most tyrannical despot “cheeks, or one emotion of remorse in that everexisted, even aided by all the cold66 your callous hearts!!!" -1 am, yours, blooded advice which this writer is in the &c. daily practice of giving to Sovereigns, could have framed an edict so hostile to the principles of justice and mercy.

June 22,1814.

POLITICAL OCCURRENCES.

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F. R.

The ac

The advocates of war are still eager to

has a warlike appearance, and put it forth to the public with a degree of anxiety which at once discovers their motives and their views. In the Courier of last night a striking instance of this sort of feeling was given.-It appears that, owing to the necessary arrangements not having been completed for the evacuation of the city of Mentz by the allied troops, that garrison

counts from Spain represent matters there to be in a very unsettled state. Ferdinand, promote a traffic by which they have been it is said, has issued a Decree for punishing so greatly enriched. They seize with avithose officers who served under King Jodity every circumstance which they think seph. By this Decree (says the Courier) all military officers down to the rank of Captains, are banished for life, with their wives and families; the wife during the life time of her husband, but the children under twenty-one years of age are not included."I can well understand how a wife might think it no punishment to be come a partner in her husband's ele. But to indict a penalty on a child foe sup-is still occupied by a body of Austrians posed crime of the parent, the more especially when that child has reached an age which puts him beyond parental controul, appears to me the height of injustice. When to this, however, it is added, that "the same rule applies to such Captains as are supposed to have acted under the authority of their chiefs," no language is sufficient to stigmatise the enormity of such a Decree. There are many who must have served involuntarily under the French, when King Joseph was in possession of Madrid, and who only waited for another order of things, to declare accordingly. Yet no exception is made in their favour, though they did declare the moment an opportunity offered.But the Decree does not stop here. "All Civil Authorities, from the Counsellor of State down to the Commissaries of war, partake of the same fate (with their families) as Military Officers holding rank above that of a Captain; and all other

and Prassians. This circumstance has, in consequence, been converted into a proof, that neither of these Powers are willing to give up the place; and the Courier was at no loss to present its readers with a private letter, said to have been received from Paris, confirming this fact, and stating, " that an immediate rupture between Austria and Prussia is apprehended."-That these Powers, and probably Russia also, may quarrel about the arrangement of the territory falling to each in consequence of the peace appears very probable. But this does not appear to me the moment for this, because the final occupation of these territories remains to be settled at the ensuing Congress; and because I do not think that either of the Allied Sovereigns will again rashly involve themselves in a war, until they have, in some measure, recovered the strength which they lost in the late tedious and exhausting contest.

Printed and Published by J. MORTON, No. 94, Straud.

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