"the material ease of our burthens, it could not begin with such "a measure!"-On the grand question of a reform of parliament the editor observes:-We pretend not to speak for others, but we should imagine that to the simple and effectual reform, of "which we have always been the advocate, there is no great ob"jection to be found in ANY quartèr.”

Now we cannot help remarking on this subject, that either Mr. Perry is grossly ignorant of the sentiments of the leaders of his party, or that, what we fear is the case, they are one and all, either indifferent or averse to the cause of Parliamentary Reform, Lord Grenville has been the decided, the uniform opposer of the measure. In a late session he, in the house of Lords, declared himself the firm friend of that scandalous innovation, and without the repeal of which as a preliminary measure no radical reform can possibly take place, the septennial act: has his lordship publicly recanted this opinion? If he has not, will Mr. Perry venture to repeat his assertion" that there is no great objection to Parliamen"tary Reform to be found in any quarter."

Again, in the last session of parliament, Lord Grey, in the house of lords, after throwing out some very unbecoming reflections on those persons who, more consistent than his lordship, have been assiduously engaged in detecting and holding up to public view our national abuses, at the same time declared himself a friend to what he termed " moderate reform;" such a reform he added" he was well persuaded, was desired by his noble friend (Lord Gren, ville) equally with himself," The question therefore which demands a serious answer from the panegyrist of these noble lords, the editor of the Morning Chronicle, is,-Has Lord GRENVILLE been converted to the opinions of Lord GREY, or has Lord GREY apostatised from his own to the opinions of Lord GRENVILLE?

But the editor of the Morning Chronicle professes to believe that to" a plan of simple and effectual reform there is no great “objection in any quarter." Has he then forgotten, the declaratious uttered on this subject during the last session of parliament by several of the opposition members? Did not Mr. Tierney, Lord Milton and others declare themselves enemies to the measure? Where were the opposition members, when the motion was made for taking into consideration the state of our representation in the next session of parliament? On the day appointed for making the motion there were not a sufficient number of members present to make a house; and the next day when the motion was discussed fifteen only voted in its favour; the members of the Grenville and the Grey party were almost to a man absent.

The editor of the Chronicle is excessively indignant at the apathy of the people, and that they do not petition the throne for a change of ministers. That the state of the nation loudly demands public

lxxxvi

Cabinet Arrangements.-The Jubilee.

meetings and a change of measures, we readily acknowledge; but we most sincerely hope that no resolutions will be passed, no pe. titions to the throne will be voted, which shall have for their object a change of ministers merely; but that the importance of a radical change of system, and the necessity of a more frequent, and a more equal représentation of the people will be insisted upon at every public meeting, and in every petition to the throne, or to either house of parliament, as the only safe, radical, and effectual remedy for our numberless, and long standing abuses!

THE JUBILEE.

The ministerial prints have continued to bore us with accounts of the me thods taken to induce the lower classes of the people to celebrate the jubilee all over the kingdom; and numberless have been the columns filled with details of eating and drinking. The clerical and corporate bodies have likewise not been wanting in feasting and presenting addresses to the throne in strains of adulation unworthy a free people, more especially at the present period of national distress. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and the clerical corporations of Scotland have vied with each other in this most degrading service. They have not confined their flatteries to the person of the sovereign, but have made his "wise, and vigorous counsels" the theme of their admiration. It is however, to be lamented that the contagion has not been confined to corporations, nor to clerical bodies, episcopalian or presbyterian. Our readers will perceive by turning to our Register, what we can assure them has proved the most painful part of our duty, the Review of certain jubilee sermons of protestant dissenting ministers from whom bet ter things were naturally to be expected. We have reason, however, to hope these instances were exceptions to the general rule, and that dissenters in general, although at all times the firm friends, were not on the late jubilee, the flatterers of the sovereign. The dissenters of Harlow have indeed been singularly distinguished on this occasion. The Essex Herald, in giving an account of the jubilee as observed in the county, remarks ́ as follows:" Every sect and society vied with each other in cheering the hearts of their poor neighbours, except in one solitary instance, viz. at Harlow, in which a number of very opulent dissenters reside, all of whom refused subscribing to entertain their poor." The writer of this partial account of the conduct of the dissenters at Harlow, was unconscious of the honour he was conferring on them. They glory in their conduct as consistent Britons. The writer very well knew that their refusal to join in the fes tivities and contributions of the day, did not proceed from a selfish principle-that they had declared their intention of making a subscription for the poor of the parish in general, on a future day; but they expressed their de termination not to be dictated to: they disdained to add to the general delugion by celebrating a jubilee at a period when the nation, by the general system pursued during the present reign, has been brought almost to the brink of ruin. Their conduct has the approbation of their consciences, and we doubt not the approbation of that God who abhors flattering lips, and who is the approver and rewarder of the upright!

Harlow, Nov. 29.

B. F.

TERMINATION OF THE WALCHEREN EXPEDITION.
AFFAIRS OF SPAIN.

THE last act of the Walcheren Tragedy is at length terminated. After having lost the major part of our army by disease, the release of the remainder, and their return to their own country, has been determined upon. A few more exploits have, however, been achieved, such as indeed have. generally characterised our expeditions. We have taken leave of the Hollanders, for whose deliverance we have expressed so many anxious wishes, by blowing up the fortifi cations, demolishing the wharfs, burning the storehouses and the other buildings of Flushing, and in short effecting so much havoc and destruction, that to use the triumphant language of Admiral Otway, it can only be repaired by great labour, and at an immense expence."" Many of the inhabitants," it is stated in the Flushing letters," are packing up, and leaving the island, dreading the inun"dations during the winter in consequence of the destruction of "the basins." Such are the glorious fruits of an expedition, one of the grandest that ever left the ports of Britain! Well may Napoleon boast to the French legislature :-" The genius of France "conducted the English army: it has terminated its projects in "the pestilential marshes of Walcheren;" and to this it may be added, that the same "genius" appears not only to have conducted the armies, but to have presided in the councils of Britain, on various occasions during the last and the present war; and the French Emperor may justly consider those counsellors who have been so active in stirring up and supporting continental warfare, as some of the principal instruments of his high elevation, extended dominion, and immense power.

Our official gazette has given us an account of a victory obtained by the Spanish Duke del Parque, over the French at Tamanes; it appears that the French made but a slight resistance, and retreated with almost the whole of their division; this circumstance

is stated by the Spanish general as exciting "amidst the universal "joy a small portion of regret." However, the victory, such as it was, occasioned rejoicings and illuminations, and drew forth from the Spaniards acclamations of devotion to the cause of " their "beloved Ferdinand," not forgetting our own most gracious Sovereign; and "God save King George, and Fernando were al"ternately repeated during the entire of the day." The hopes excited by this affair have since been dissipated; by the army of the Duke del Parque having been shortly after writing the above vapouring dispatch, completely defeated; and what is still more disastrous, by the complete victory obtained by the Duke of Dalmatia at Ocana. Even our ministerial writers frankly own, they have no hopes of the cause of Spain !"

The incapacity, if not treachery of the Spanish junta, may be considered as one principal cause of the trifling success which has attended the arms of Spain. The government has presented no object to the people worth fighting for; and there is every reason to believe that the government of Joseph Bonaparte would be as preferable for the, people of Spain to that of the junta, as to that of the old despicable monarchy. At length, conscious of their inability to conduct public affairs, the junta have issued a proclamation for the assembling of the Cortez on the 1st of March ensuing, which measure they express their hopes, may prove the means of restoring to his liberty and his throne their adored king," (how happy must be the condition of kings who in all parts of the world are so adored by their subjects!) and establish solid, and permą"nent bases of good government." Had the measure of assembling the Cortez been resorted to, at the commencement of the revolution; had that Cortez given the people liberty, and more especially that important part which has excited the jealousy, and the enmity of the junta as well as of all bad governments, a FREE PRESS, the people might have been inspired with a spirit which, with the assistance afforded by this country, (but which in such circumstances would not, probably, have been quite so readily afforded) would have enabled them to repel their invaders, and establish their independence. From present appearances there is every reason to believe that before the first of March, the country will be completely under the dominion of the new Sovereign, leaving the junta, or the regency, or whoever may for the moment have been "dressed " in a little brief authority," to offer up their " adorations to their beloved Ferdinand," the weak prisoner (weak in every sense of the word) of Napoleon.

Lord Wellington appears for these two months past, to have remained in statu quo on the borders of Portugal; and there it is supposed he will remain, till the French armies in Spain now re

1

inforced, will either compel him to fight or retreat. If ministers do not without loss of time, take measures for bringing home the British army, there is reason for apprehension, that severer calamities await it, than have been yet experienced. Such is the close of the campaigns in Holland and Spain for the year 1809.

NECESSITY OF INQUIRY INTO THE CONDUCT OF
MINISTERS.

That there is an absolute necessity for an inquiry into the conduct of the ministers who have contrived, and of the commanders who have been employed in these fatal expeditions seems to be universally acknowledged; but it is easy to perceive that those who usually side with the minister for the time being, do not wish for that sort of inquiry which may, by fastening guilt where it is due, and by punishing the guilty, prevent a repetition of such fatal measures. It was naturally to be expected, that the first sort of inquiry (for inquiries of different kinds, are indispensably necessary in a business of such magnitude, and importance) would have been instituted through the medium of a court martial. Numerous instances might be adduced in which officers, although unfortunate, yet conscious of having done their duty, have demanded a court martial, anxious that their conduct should be judged by a proper tribunal. We do not hear of this having been the case respecting the commander of the Walcheren expedition: being a cabinet minister, there seems to be such a mutual understanding between him and his colleagues, that no inquiry into his conduct is thought necessary. The answer which ministers have advised his Majesty to return to the address of the common council of the metropolis, is very explicit on this point. "I have not" says his Majesty, "judged it to be necessary to direct any military inquiry into the "conduct of my commanders by sea or land in this conjoint service. "It will be for my parliament, in their wisdom to ask for such “information, or to take such measures upon this subject, as they "shall judge most conducive to the públic good."-How unfortu nate was it for Admiral Byng, and General Whitelocke, (not to mention other unsuccessful officers) that they had not a seat, or at least some friend or relative who had a seat in the cabinet; in which case, it is by no means improbable, that " it would not have "been judged necessary to direct any military inquiry into the con"duct of these commanders by sea and land."-Of the nature of that information, which " parliament may in their wisdom, ask for," it is not very difficult to conjecture. It will be precisely of that nature which ministers may "judge to be conducive to their good ;" -such information as may by the aid of a little ministerial explana