although the members of the junta have the example of Joseph Bonaparte immediately before their eyes, who has effected many useful reforms, more particularly in the ecclesiastical constitution, they seem to have no heart to set about the matter themselves, nor to call in those who may be better qualified for the purpose. We have heard much for these six months past of the assembling of that venerable representative body of the people of Spain-the CORTEZ; but after all that has been published even in junta proclamations "about it, and about it," there is no period yet named for its election. A royal order, as it is termed, has lately been issued, in which the convocation of the Cortez is recommended to the consideration of the junta, and the Marquis of Romana is required to separate himself from his troops," for the important purpose of assisting the junta in its deliberations. We augur no good to the cause of national reform, from the councils of the Marquis. Judging from the language of his proclamations, he appears to breathe the spirit of a tyrant when commanding, and of a slave when obeying. It is not long since that he issued a furious, despotic proclamation, in which he threatened his countrymen, who would not first take up arms, and afterwards fight agreeably to his humour, with the punishment of death;-a singular mode of inspiring a people to rise in defence of liberty! In the last procla nation addressed to his army, which he styles a body of" immortal "warriors, who without other assistance than their own valour, "have annihilated the proud army of the tyrant," the Marquis takes his leave in the following vapouring address." Brave Spa"niards! in viewing you this day, I have no longer that serenity "of mind with which I before have ever met you. I am no longer your general; his Majesty has called me to occupy a place in the supreme central junta. Had not this been his irresis tible will, nothing should have separated me from you, nor "made me renounce the right I have to participate in your future « victories under the command of your new chief, and the generals "who command you." The "irresistible will" of Ferdinand, who appears, by his feeble and irresolute conduct whilst in his own country, scarcely to have had a will of his own; who for the past eighteen months has remained an insignificant prisoner in France, and who probably knows little or nothing of the various state documents issued in his name;-the "irresistible will" of this weak, unhappy young man, is the paramount principle of action in the bosom of the Marquis of Romana, the victorious general, on his assuming the important office of regenerator of the government of his country!

Another important project for ameliorating the condition of Spain, is mentioned in the Spanish papers,—namely, the dissolution

of the junta, and the present government, and the formation of a regency at the head of which is to be placed the Archbishop of TOLEDO; a man of whom we know nothing but that he is in possession of an immense revenue arising, principally, from those ecclesiastical abuses which have so long enslaved and impoverished the people at large. What sort of "regeneration" under the auspices of his episcopal lordship is likely to take place we leave others to judge; but surely there is not one of our countrymen who, after the experience of the two last campaigns, but must be fully convinced, that whether the Spaniards are governed by the BOURBONS, or BONAPARTES, by the "irresistible will" of Ferdinand, or that of the junta; or of the Marquis de Romana, it is high time the Spaniards were left to themselves. If a kingdom,with a population amounting to twelve millions cannot, more especially after the repeated, and liberal assistance afforded them by this country, furnish a sufficient number of men of ability, integrity, and courage, to assert and secure the national independence, it must be the height of infatuation to engage in any further attempts to help a people, who, to repeat the language of Sir John Moore, are destitute of ability or inclination to help themselves."

WAR IN THE BRITISH CABINET!-CHANGE OF MINISTRY. The total failure of all the plans of ministers; the disasters which have befallen their foreign expeditions; the accumulation of national distress in consequence of the heavy weight of taxation ; the increasing power and influence of France; the little prospect of attaining any one professed object of a war now in its seventh year-the political horizon covered with clouds ;-These complicated evils have not only excited a spirit of general discontent throughout the nation, but have at length overwhelmed their authors in confusion, and effected a complete revolution in the cabinet. Two of the secretaries of state, no longer able to conceal their bickerings, have declared open war against each other, and in defiance of the laws of God and of their country, have, by recurring to the gothic and savage practice of duelling, committed a scandalous outrage on both. The account given of the duel between Lord CASTLEREAGH and Mr. CANNING, merely states the circumstances-that it was fought on Putney heath, on Thursday the 21st instant, at seven in the morning-that after firing two shots each, Mr. Canning was slightly wounded; on which the seconds interfering, the parties retired from the field; and that the wounded hero is since nearly recovered.

The public are not yet informed of the immediate cause of this shameful occurrence: the reports circulated one day are contra

dicted the next; it is, however, generally understood, that the dif ferences in the cabinet are not confined to the two secretaries, both of whom, together with the major part of their colleagues, have sent in their resignations; and that they only hold the seals of office till a new administration can be arranged. Attempts, it is added, were repeatedly made by some members clinging to office, to reconcile their jarring brethren; but these attempts failing, his MAJESTY, after having had a conference with the PRINCE OF WALES on the subject, sent for Lords GRENVILLE and GREY, for the purpose of forming a new administration; it is not yet, however, known of what materials this administration will be formed; and a week or two is expected to intervene before the arrangement is completed. Thus have we a prospect of some change of system, not resulting from the strength of opposition, or from popular exertions, but in consequence of a new leaf turning over in the chapter of accidents, unforeseen and unexpected.

The people have been so often deceived by the professions of public men out of place, who have forgotten those professions as soon almost as they were in place, that although a change, as it relates to the conduct of the war, and in certain inferior points of domestic policy, may naturally be expected, yet, with respect to a radical change in the long established system of corruption openly avowed, and vindicated even in the senate, and which has contaminated, almost every department, of government, very slender hopes can be entertained. The people indeed cannot reasonably, expect that a ministry should possess the virtues of disinterestedness, integrity and patriotism in any considerable degree, whilst the same virtues amongst themselves are almost perpetually overpowered by vices of a directly opposite description. So long as the people manifest such an indifference to their rights as to neglect the exercise of those which are at all times in their own power, and until they generally, and in the most explicit and public manner demand the restoration of other rights confirmed to them at the Revolution, and more particularly those relating to pure, and frequent parlia mentary representation;till they with one voice demand the removal of that execrable innovation, the Septennial Act,-an act which by enhancing the price of boroughs, and seats in parliament, has been the chief cause of that corruption and profligacy which so notoriously reigns over both the electors and the elected:-till, in short, the people are resolutely determined to look after their own affairs, it will be in vain to expect any administration to perform the task for them. If the events which have taken place during the past twelvemonths, do not awaken the people more generally, and throughout the nation, to a consideration of their best interests, we have little expectation from any change of

!

ministers; on the contrary, we fear that no events will awaken them till the period of peaceable and constitutional reformation is past, and when a revolution, with all its dangers and horrors, will be unavoidable.

The sentiments and feelings expressed by our party writers on the expected change of ministers afford a melancholy proof of our degraded situation. The Morning Chronicle was a paper long distinguished by its constitutional principles, and the apparent zeal of the editor in the cause of reform; but a new administration, including the party to which he had devoted himself, introducing him to a place, every act of that administration was formally defended. Those real patriots in the senate who reminded the new ministers of the pledges they had so repeatedly made to the public, most of which they seemed by no means anxious to redeem, were by the editor of the Chronicle reviled as a fuction. Wheu his friends were again out of place, and this "faction" voted with them on various questions against the existing administration, his language was softened, and the patriots he had reviled were not unfrequently the subject of panegyrick; but latterly, when contemplating a change of men as the probable result of our national disasters, the writer returns like a dog to his vomit. In the Morning Chronicle of the 4th instant, we have the following extraordinary paragraph:-" We "feel most poignantly under the disgrace already incurred, and in the prospect of calamities still in store for the country; but we are rather inclined to reproach ourselves with this as a weakness, "than to boast of it as a virtue. Does a country deserve better "which can deliberately confide its interests to such an adminis"tration as the present, or which, while it cannot repose confi"dence in the men now in power, can patiently hearken to the impertinent squad of KNAVES and HYPOCRITES, who are daily "preaching up the doctrine, that one set of ministers is just as good as the other? The people merit neither sympathy nor compassion under the evils which have befallen, or which still "threaten them, while they can entrust the security, the honour, and the glory of the empire to such men as Lords Castlereagh, "Chatham, &c." On the reported attempts to patch up the cabinet, the same writer observes, (M. C. Sept. 25.) "It is totally impossible to make up out of such discordant materials any thing "that can stand, or that can be honourable. The change to be effectual must be total; and the town is already filled with poli"tical men from every part of the kingdom eager to be near the "head quarters at the important crisis." In the following paper (Sept. 26.) the hopes and wishes of the writer are so elevated on the prospect of a change of men, that the longed-for event seems to be considered as a panacea for all our national disorders.

"It is

"now" (says the editor) "universally known that his Majesty has "called for the services of Lord Grenville, and Lord Grey, and "that these distinguished statesmen are forthwith expected in town. "We trust they will feel it to be their duty to take upon them"selves the difficult and painful task of restoring to the govern "ment the efficiency it has lost. It is a happy presage of their lasting power, that every eye is turned to them as to our dernier "resort; and it is the ardent hope that they may form an adminis"tration that shall equally enjoy the confidence of the king and "the heir apparent, as well as of the people at large, so as to set "all questions of domestic policy AT REST, and to unite all descriptions and persuasions in the common cause. The prospect "of their return to power is hailed with so much cordiality as apparently to reconcile every jarring sentiment, and to make it unnecessary to recur to that appeal by which the sense of the "nation is upon such an event generally collected."

Notwithstanding the triumphant strain in which the Editor of the Chronicle has hailed the return to office of Lord Grey and Lord Grenville, and the "happy presages" held out of their "lasting "power," every thing relative to the new arrangement is yet unsettled; and it is uncertain whether the noble lords will form a part of the administration, or on what conditions. All reflections therefore, as to the nature of the change, or the benefits to be expected from it, are premature. Those noble lords must however, recollect, the manner in which they were dismissed from office, and the solemn pledge they gave at the time, and which they have since as solemnly repeated to the friends of that glorious cause-TOLERATION, and more particularly to that long oppressed, deceived, and insulted body of his Majesty's loyal subjects, the catholics of Ireland. Their character with all honourable men depends on their stipulating for the redemption of the pledge, as one of the conditions of forming a part of the new administration. We shall, for the present, be silent respecting other important pledges so voluntarily, and so repeatedly made to the nation by one of those " distinguished statesmen," Lord GREY, during the long period of his opposition to the calamitous and disgraceful administration of WILLIAM PITT, which pledges he will doubtless call to mind he has yet to redeem. The conditions therefore on which the members of opposition accept of office, will form a test by which the public. may with tolerable accuracy be enabled to judge, whether principles of conscience, întegrity, and honour inhabit the souls of modern statesmen, or whether they are banished as officious and troublesome intruders standing in the way to the cabinet, and to court favour.