country, we are unwilling to remark on imperfect reports, which are not the most favourable to the rights of the people. On this part of the subject we therefore, for the present, only remark in general, that the mere deposition of a sovereign, is, like the change of an administration, of trifling consequence, unless it be followed by an entire change of system, in which the RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE shall be recognised and secured.

The more immediate occasion of the recent revolution, was the wretched system pursued by the late sovereign; his frantic eagerness to signalize himself as one of the "deliverers of Europe," and of consequence, his exposing himself to the enmity and vengeance of France and Russia. The reason assigned for concluding a peace with Russia, by which Sweden is sadly dismembered, is officially stated as follows:-"The exhausted state of the country, occasioned "by the perverse measures adopted and obstinately pursued by "the late government, which did not warrant a hope that it would "be possible for his present Majesty to obtain a favourable peace. "The King's endeavours to induce his Russian Majesty to lower his "demands, having proved fruitless, he directed his ministers to sign a peace, by which valuable possessions are severed from Sweden. "In so doing, his royal Majesty has merely consulted the urgent "wants of the realm, speedily to obtain tranquillity and repose af"ter a destructive war, which had exhausted all its resources!" Had the late King amidst the storms which have convulsed Europe, and which are chiefly to be attributed to the frantic measures of its "regular sovereigns," who formed coalitions, not only to entail slavery on their own subjects, but to crush the rising freedom of independent states, Poland, France &c. to partition one kingdom, and to dismember others:-had the late King of Sweden, instead of being seized with the general delirium, endeavoured to preserve to his subjects the blessings of peace; had he instead of proclaiming himself unfriendly to Denmark, united with her sovereign in maintaining a dignified neutrality, it is highly probable, that by such conduct he would have preserved his crown, if he had not preserved a neighbouring kingdom from British rapacity and pillage. The Revolution in Sweden, and the degrading peace with Russia, to which the new government is compelled to accede, affords an awful warning to corrupt ministers and weak sovereigns, how they "ex"haust the state of a country by perverse measures obstinately pur"sued" for the attainment of unjust and unattainable objects, which measures are sure to end in the disgrace, if not the ruin of the parties.

The Swedish Revolution enforces another important lessonThe necessity of a free and pure representation of the people. History proclaims in every page, that in proportion as a people are enlightened, and as they interest themselves in the preservation of

their liberties, in that proportion they are free and happy; and that ignorance and indifference, venality and servility, are the parents of those numberless abuses by which a people are enslaved, and which unreformed, must terminate sooner or later in Revolution! Spain once had her CORTEZ-Sweden had her SENATE; in both the people enjoyed a considerable portion of their rights. Their sovereigns by degrees deprived them of those rights. May the calamitous situation of these countries, and the fate of their unhappy sovereigns, teach those lessons of wisdom to surrounding nations and their rulers which such awful events are so peculiarly calculated to enforce !

CABINET ARRANGEMENTS.

The correspondence and explanations of Lord CASTLEREAGH and Mr. CANNING, in vindication of their conduct which terminated in the late scandalous violation of the laws of God, and their country, afford little to interest or amuse the public. It appears that Mr. Canning" so long ago as Easter, represented to the Duke of "Portland, the insufficiency (in his opinion) of the government as "then constituted, to carry on the affairs of the country, under all "the difficulties of the times, and requested that unless some change "was effected in it, be might be permitted to resign his office." It farther appears that Lord Castlereagh was the minister for whose removal Mr. Canning was desirous. What the particular objection was to his lordship, is not even hinted; but we cannot help suspecting that it was not on account of any "insufficiency," as he was cer tainly, as a statesman, on a par with the prime minister, the Duke of Portland, who seven years ago resigued his place as a cabinet minister on account of his age and infirmities, although to serve the purpose of a party he was, five years afterwards, placed at the head of administration: and with respect to the rest of the cabinet, Lords LIVERPOOL, HARROWBY, CHATHAM, CAMDEN, &c. their talents are quite on a level with Lord Castlereagh's. It is therefore to be suspected that Mr. Canning had some ambitious purpose to serve in the cabinet, and that by the proposed removal of Lord Castlereagh, he intended to strengthen his own particular interests. With respect to any objection to his lordship on account of his trafficking in East India patronage, and seats in parliament, Mr. Canning has taken particular care in his explanation to prevent any suspicion on that head. The right hon. gentleman, indeed, feeling for the honour of his colleague in the borough-bartering affair brought before parliament, consented to the postponement of Lord Castlereagh's dismission, "from a consideration of the particular circum"stances under which his lordship stood in the house of Commons,

"which could have given to his removal at that period a character "which it was certainly no part of Mr. Canning's wish it should *bear!" Respecting the whole borough-jobbing system, there is no reason to doubt the cordial unanimity of all the cabinet ministers ; and that their souls were on this subject perfectly in unison.

As to the reasons assigned on the part of the Duke of Portland and other members of the cabinet, for not acquainting Lord Castlereagh with the determination of Mr. Canning, they probably arose from a wish to keep the administration firm and compact; and hopes were probably entertained that some method might be found out to pacify the discontented counsellor, and induce him to continue in office.

Lord Castlereagh appears to have been so much incensed against Mr. Canning for not acquainting him with his determination, that without affording an opportunity for explanation, he at once adopts the fashionable cant of a duellist, and "demands satisfaction." His lordship is perpetually talking of his "honour." Those who are best acquainted with his lordship's political life, his offers of service to different parties, his solicitude always to have "two strings " to his bow," the honourable means he used in order to obtain the acquiescence of certain Irish members to the project of the union, (and of which, when boasting in the house of Commons of his honour, purity, &c. he has been not unfrequently reminded);-these with various other occurrences in the political life of the noble lord admirably serve to illustrate the character of his lordship, as a man of honour, disinterestedness, and integrity!

1

Some of his lordship's state services have been lately detailed by his panegyrist, the editor of the Morning Post. "It fell," says the biographer," to his lot to plan, and undertake the great expedition "to Copenhagen, the execution of which shed so much lustre in his "department, and the admiralty." The flames of Copenhagen indeed shed extraordinary" lustre" on the character of the noble lord, on those by whom they were kindled, and on the senates who voted them their approbation and thanks. His lordship's plans for the recovery of Spain and Portugal, and his grand expedition to the Island of Walcheren, will long be remembered by his country. The writer we have quoted, sagely observes, "No one would question the policy of these measures if the whole of their objects could have "been obtained !" He concludes his brief memoir by observing that "Lord Castlereagh's public life has been distinguished by a perpetual series of important measures; and he now retires with the "consciousness of having done essential and permanent good to his country; he retires with the consciousness of pure disinterested"ness, of uncompromised veracity, and of unsullied honour !" Yes, all

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VOL. VI.

the noble lord's offers of service to different parties in the state, his early professions as a friend to parliamentary reform, his total apostacy from those professions, his eagerly grasping at offices and sinecures for himself and his relatives, his whole public life demonstrate that the language of his lordship's panegyrist is the severest satire that could possibly have escaped his pen !

As to his lordship's offended colleague Mr. Canning, some of our public writers affect to regret the loss of his talents in the cabinet: but of what service have his talents been to the British nation? Introduced to the public by Mr. PITT, he uniformly, and servilely trod in his steps, during his life, and has ever since closely copied his system. To the intolerable arrogance which marked all his official communications with France and Russia, may in part at least be attributed the continuance of the war; and we deem it a happy circumstance that the upstart state secretary, who when respectfully invited to negociate, termed the French Emperor, the 66 atrocious usurper of France," is dismissed from the councils of his sovereign, we hope never to return.

Three of the members of the cabinet having resigned, the remainder thought it requisite for the preservation of their offices and emoluments to have recourse to the heads of the late administration, Lords Grenville and Grey, hoping with their assistance to form" a combined and extended administration;" that is an administration which should include all the present members of the cabinet. Both the noble lords, although they were at such a considerable distance as to prevent any communication with each other, appear to have entertained similar sentiments on the business. Lord Grey indeed did not deem a conference with Mr.. Perceval worth the trouble of a journey to London; and Lord Grenville when he found on his arrival, that instead of having a conference with his Majesty, he was only to confer with the minister, declined the proposed offer. The conduct of the noble lords on this occasion is certainly as honourable as it is politic. Any alliance or coalition with the members of the present cabinet, whilst retaining their principles and their places, would have ruined their lordships' character with the public, beyond redemption.

Lord Grenville remarks in his letter to Mr. Perceval, that " al"though his objections are not personal, they apply to the PRIN' CIPLE of the government itself, and to the circumstances which "attended its appointment." Happy indeed will it be for the public, if the leaders of opposition are at length convinced, that a change not only of MEN but of PRINCIPLES is absolutely necessary; and that no confidence is to be placed in men who under the hypocritical pretence of zeal for religion, refused to fulfil the pro mises solemnly made on the behalf of government to our oppressed

brethren in Ireland,--promises by which they were induced to consent to the union of the two kingdoms.

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Mr. Perceval having failed in his attempts to negociate with Lords Grenville and Grey, appears for these six weeks past to have been courting assistance from other quarters: but he has taken care in the first instance to procure for himself the office of prime minister, and has thus we presume reached the height of his ambition. He now possesses no less than six places and sinecures amounting altogether to upwards of twenty thousand per annum, and has farther secured to himself a reversion of another sinecure at the death of his brother Lord Arden, nearly equal in value to the whole of the places and sinecures of which he is already in possession. Need we wonder at his solicitude that the system should be preserved; that a stand should be made against all innovations, and that instead of a new administration, a combined " and extended one," including himself and his colleagues should be his favourite object. The minister deseryes full credit for the declaration made in his own name and in that of his colleagues, "that in forming such an administration no idea existed in their "minds of the necessity of any dereliction of their public principles." There seems to be some difficulty in filling up the places vacant by the late resignations. It is generally believed that the services of Marquis Wellesley have been solicited; but that our ambassador to the "universal and united Spanish nation," hesitates as to the course the most politic for him to adopt in the present deranged state of affairs, and when Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning, both of whom are his professed friends, are ousted from their places. We cannot, however, but deprecate the idea that a statesman of this description should have a seat at the council board. Formed in the school of PITT, he distinguished himself during that detested administration by his long and delusive speeches in the house of Commons, and more especially by those respecting the French finances, in which he so convincingly proved to the house the bankruptcy of the French government, and presented the most flattering prospect of its total overthrow, and the complete " deliverance of the continent!" We cannot help adding, that if there is a man in the kingdom, the mention of whose name ought to excite in the breast of every Englishmen peculiar sensations of horror it is that of Marquis Wellesley. We trust our readers have not forgotten the energetic speeches delivered in the British senate, describing the enormities practised in the East Indies, during the administration of the noble marquis, nor the system of government, (if despotism deserve the name of government) under which

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* Pol. Rev. Vol. III. p. lxxxvi,