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neglect which all the friends of true liberty in Spain have experienced from the kings of Europe, attempt to establish a democracy in their own country, which may throw all Europe into a convulsion,

tual.-Finally, it may be said, that no foreign nation ought to interfere in this business, because no one has a right to interfere in the internal concerns of another, and because the Cortez were i affected towards the English Nation.--more fatal than even the French RevoluAs to the first part, to say nothing about tion. Persecution has never failed to prothe morality of such a maxim, which sup- duce sectaries both in politics and religi poses that a man ought not to do good on, and it would be singular if it should when he has it in his power, I say, that not in Spain.-Lastly, it remains to enfor the other governments of Europe to quire if England ought tranquilly to behave acknowledged Ferdinand, contrary hold the patriots of Spain abandoned to to that which was resolved by the repre- the violence of a party in which power, sentatives of the Spanish Nation, was to vengeance, despotism and superstition are interfere in the internal concerns of Spain: united. Knowing that her owu indepenand to have done so for a bad purpose, is dence as well as that of all Europe was directly contrary to the doctrine they involved in it, has not England espoused, wish to establish.-As to what respects promoted and supported their cause as her the second part of the objection, I will own? and can she now be indifferent to maintain that such rumours are spread those very men who are buried in loathby persons interested in disguising their some prisons, or without a country and own conduct; that the command bestow-without subsistence, are fugitives and ed on Lord Wellington by the Cortez, exiles in foreign countries? What a ternot only of the Spanish ermy which as-rible example should she give to postesisted his operations, but also of the other rity if she abandoned their cause? Should Spanish troops, without his ceasing to a new conqueror threaten the repose and be the General of a foreign army, which liberty of Europe, who will dare to resist placed him in the situation of not being him, considering the fate of those Spanish subject to be called to account for any patriots now persecuted more cruelly breach of his trust, is a proof of an unli- than even by the enemy whom they opmited confidence in the English Nation, posed;-persecuted, I say, by that man almost without example. Rumours, such whose throne they preserved and fixed as those I have alluded to, unsupported on the surest basis, and abandoned by by facts, are base and contemptible all other nations and kings, to maintain Is England politically interested in the whose independence they so powerfully Ought freedom of Spain? So much am I convinc- and generously contributed? ed that she is, that I think I should insult Englishmen to be contented merely at the common sense of my readers, if I their being liberated from their prisons thought there was one of them not con- and restored to their families? vinced of it. Tyrants, rogues or fools can they obtain no more than that, they might alone doubt of the results from the bles- reply: "This measure, without being sings of liberty. Spain enslaved must be "useful to ourselves, is an injury to the a province of France, the eternal rival" cause for which we have fallen the vicof England from natural and local situa-"tims. We can neither be happy nor tion. It has been the wise policy of all" safe without a constitution; without her kings to maintain the independence "it we can have no country. No man of these two Nations, and their conse- "can be sure of his personal safety withquent equilibrium : and how can these be" out a national representation, without "the free exercise of the rights of man, preserved now that France, with a much "much less in a country with such a more numerous population; enjoying a free constitution, will as rapidly advance" terrible tribunal as that of the Inquiin prosperity as Spain, under the iron "sition. We value not a life spent in inyoke of despotisin, must rapidly decline? "famous servitude, and to shed our blood And even should I be mistaken in this "for our country may perhaps one day supposition, who can venture to say that," produce the fruit of liberty; for the considering the enlightened age in which "greater the miseries which civilized we live, Spain will not experience a reac"nations sutler, the more near is the petion, and should that happen, may not riod of their remedy." its leading men, in resentment for the February 21, 1815. .

Should

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NEW POST OFFICE,

whole of the new arrangement would be carried into effect and a surplus remain. Will you believe it, Mr, C. that it is seriously intended by the jobbers, to petition Parliament that, as a remuneration to the City for the 100,0001. which they generously mean to advance from the orphan's fund a new port duty of one shilling per chaldron may be imposed upon all coals hereafter entering the port of London!!! Thus taxing all Westminster and its environs, the whole Borough of Southwark; in short the whole population of the Bills of Mortality for a

interested! Coals are already most grieviously taxed. The Richmond jeb punishes the people suficiently: let us not have a city job also to oppress us. If the proprietors of the houses in St. Martins-le-grand, and those jobbers, who for the last 4 months have purchased so largely there, are to be repaid pƒty-fold to the job for ever services, at least let not the poor people of the metropolis, suffer for this vile purpose, by the imposition of a tax on an article of the first necessity, and of which, in bitter winters, when the worst of it is most severely felt, they are hardly able to obtain sufficient to keep up the circula lation of the Llood in their starving and shivering carcases.

Mr. COBBETT. By the Times Newspaper, I perceive that a Bill has been brought into Parliament, and read a first time, for the erection of a New Post Of fice. The estimates of this measure, as laid before the House, exceed 900,000l; 800,0001, of which is to be paid, it appears, by the public, and the remaining 100,000l. to be advanced by the City out of the orphan's fund.-This is certainly a very extraordinary moment for the guardians of the public purse to be called upon to vote so large a sum for any pur-purpose in which the City is alone pose not absolutely necessary; and that this is not so, a variety of circumstances tend to absolutely prove.-Among others, I wish to mention to you two plans both of which are utterly unobjectionable. The first is the removal of the post of fice to Somerset-house, which, from its locality and central situation, relatively to every part of the metropolis, holds out infinite advantages, and where the area of the Building would admit of the Mail Coaches being drawn up to receive the mails, and from which they could drive out in succession, with the utmost regularity and convenience. The second plan is one to which even the city people could make no objection, and which, I am informed from unquestionable authority, appeared so feasible, that it would have been decided on, had not the fathers and founders of the St. Martins-le-grand Job, continued to find some nicans of proving to government that their proposals were the best.The plan to which I ailude, was one by which the present Excise Office was to have been removed to the spot where the New Custom House is now building, and which was to have been rendered safficiently capacious (and there is an ple room) to accommodate both departments, by which most material advan-it. tages would have been given to each, while the Building now occupied as the Excise Office possesses every requisite for a Post Office. There is abundant space for the internal business of the office, und the expense of altering the present building would be a mere trifle.--Indeed the public would gain by the removal; for by the calculation submitted to a Ministers it is proved, that taking into the account the sum which would arise from the sale of the present PostOflice the

PILO-CIVIS.

LEGION OF HONGUR.

MR. COEBUTY-Your correspondent, Philo Civis, has misconceived me: I cer tainly did not attempt to deny, that the New Legion of Honour would have been disgraced, had the person alluded to been admitted into the Order; but I stated, that no such intention ever existed. I have positive authority for the assertion, and you ray place implicit reliance on

Philo Civis has gone into a long detail of the Temporary Rank Major General's comforts at Croydon Barracks; of his hay, straw, corn, coals, and candles; and of his receiving them in London, ių one of the waggons of his corps. I do not doubt this; nor that his servants in the pretty pink liveries are waggenirs, and also paid by the public as such. But I very much doubt whether Parliament have a right to interfere in such matters. It has been the invariable custom for the Commander in Chief, to

name.

COMMERCE AND NO CORN BILL.

possess the prerogative of recommending to the Government what corps are to be SIR, There are many writers who reduced, and what retained in the ser- would wish to make the projected Corn vice; and if Major General Hamilton Bill a National Benefit, in order to enand the Royal Waggon Train are consi-hance or keep up the high prices of every dered of sufficient use to justify their thing. That it may be so, it is not my not being reduced, the Commander in intention to dispute. The simple ques Chief has the power to do so. Whatever tion is, whether England be, or be not, faults the Duke of York may possess, greatly depending on foreign markets as want of generosity is certainly not among a mercantile nation? We are led to be them; and if his liberal and open mind lieve, from the tenor of Mr. Vansittart's has been imposed upon, it can only be speech, that we are. When he was about said that it is much to be lamented.raising money at the expence of the too However, as far as his Royal Highness is credulous mechanic, &c. &c. he said, that concerned, there is not one of the per- all countries were open and ready to sons recommended by him for the deco-receive our manufactures. If it be so, ration of the new order, but is certainly it requires no stronger argument than an honour and an ornament to it. If merely putting the same, or a similar quesMr. Whitbread brings the Royal Waggon tion, over again. If you pay dear for Train before Parliament, certainly he bread (which appears to many an advanwill expose a job of the rankest sort; for tage, because it affords the mechanic, &c. from its first establishment to the pre-high wages,) can you supply your foreign sent time, it never deserved any other customers cheap? or will they buy dear? The pretty pink liveries are the The argument answers itself :-Dear least consideration. It is the enormous Bread, high prices; Cheap Bread, low expense with which the public has been prices.-Allowing that we are not dependso long burthened by this job, that loud-ing on foreign nations for bread, we unly calls for investigation. No subject questionably are depending on them for exists, in the whole range of public money as the price of our manufactures; abuses, more deserving the attention of and if they will not lay out their money Parliament, and it is to be hoped, Mr. with us, how can we get dear or cheap Whitbread, if he has it in view, will not bread, and supply Mr. Vansittart with lose sight of it.Whether the word taxes? If Corn Bills, and such like logic, "Temporary" means "Permanent," the are to prevail, away goes foreign trade, ensuing army estimates will shew; for which is, in my humble opinion, our nano doubt can exist, but that the Tempo- tional support and which certainly must rary Rank Major General Waggon experience a lamentable decline, when Master General must speedily disappear. we consider the substitutes or improveIt is indeed a serious consideration, that ments that the different nations have he has been so long allowed to "fatten" made in their own manufactures, Within on the public purse. That he has so the last twenty years they have verified done is evil enough; but I am again de- the old adage:-Necessity being the mosirous, Sir, to impress on your mind, that ther of invention, they have improved and it never was intended to include him manufactured many articles which are among the new Knights of the Legion of now superior to ours; therefore I contend, Honour, which Order, absurd as it is, it that it would be politic to damp this spirit could never have been intended to render of improvement, by exporting cheap, and so perfectly ridiculous. Lord Cochrane securing a certain trade with less profit, is certainly fortunate in getting out of it. than an uncertain trade with great profit, His escutcheon would be but ill associ- which must ultimately involve our Manuated with those of many of its new mem- facturers in ruin and national misery.—The bers; and the Noble Lord may rest as- former being most likely to secure sured, that there is no honest man in the national pride, and commercial prospeUnited Kingdom who does not think him rity, I do earnestly contend, if our rulers honoured by all the attempts at degra- would have England to flourish, we must dation which have been so unfeelingly have Commerce and no Corn Bill. and so unmercifully heaped upon him. I am your sincere admirer, Horse Guards, Mar. 1, 1815.

A CONSTANT READER.

P. C. Feb. 28th, 1815.

our

PLAIN PICTURE OF THE CORN not by them be reimbursed for their proportion of the public expense. They therefore, sent to the neighbouring com

LAWS.

MR. CORBETT.-Suppose a commu-munities their surplus articles, who, oa nity of 15 persons with their families, servants, and labourers, as follows:

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account of their excellence, and being cheaper than they could get them made among themselves, were not only glad to receive them, but gave such articles in exchange as sold at a price, in their own community, which enabled them to pay their proportion to the public expenditure, and to add something con siderable to their own stock.

The managers, the land-owner and the attorney, got the community to build a wall around them. This wall cost 3001. which was paid the bricklayer after borrowing that sum, at 5 per cent. from the cabinet maker and cutler, hecause the society had no tangible woney of their own. The annual interest of this, being 151. was proportioned as formerly in addition to the previous annual expense, viz. two fifths of it, or Gl. on the landowner, and three fifths, or 91, on the 14 members of the community.—This new addition to the philic expense,

This community subsisted by each, in their line, furnishing to the wants of the others, at a rate of prices regulated by the value of a quartern loaf, which was at 6d. The land-owner let land to the farmer, who agreed to give him such a rent as would leave him a fair profit, after selling his produce to the victualler and baker at such a price as would enable them (with a reasonable profit to themselves,) to sell the quar-every one endcaroured to reimlaurse himtern loaf at 6d.--I like manner, all the other members of the community for nished to one another their respective articles as wanted, at prices which were always determined by the wants and supplies; and regulated by a reference to 6d, the value of the quartern İcaf.

self for, by laying it on the articles he manufactured; and,on the same principle, the landowner proposed to lay his proportion on the land. No, said the fariner, I cannot give you this additional tent, for, if I do, I must raise the price of my corn, which will have the effect to drive The 'and-owner and sitoiney managed all our neighbours to the neighbouring the public concerns of the society, which communities for a supply; because they Post annually 51.-la laying this sun won't give me a high price if they cab pon the whole, two fifths of it was put get corn at the former rate. To this the upon the land-owner, because he was landlord replied - the attorney and I will rich, and lived upon his rents, without get a law passed to shut the gate, so as being engaged in productive labour. Thot to let any coin in at a lower price The other three fifths was laid upon the xhan you can sell it at with my C. laid 14 remaining members of the commu- upon it. The farmer acquiescċd, though nity, who each of them, in course, with some scruples, and in this manner laid as much upon the article which | the matter was settled.—The leaf rose to he produced to his neighbours as reim bursed him for the proportion which he paid of the public burdens. This 51. being an addition to the public expense, was raised by adding some thing to the former price of every article; which was paid by him who had it, from his stock, and by him who had no stock, by giving more labour, or work than he did before. But the cutler and cabinet-maker made always more of their respective articles than their Beighbours had occassion for, and could

3d. by which the landlord's shate of the additional expense was divided among all the community who used the coun; he was thus relieved of it entirely, except as much of it as attached to the proporhow of corn which he himself consumed.

It is most evident, that, by this 30. debt, and the management by which the payment of the interest of it was distributed among the whole, every individual was put to an additional expense, Of course he put it upon his articles; (and he that could not lay it upon these

was obliged to work it out by additional labour, if perchance he could get employment; in consequence of which that labour, and every thing else used by the individuals, cost the community at least 151. a year more than they did before. The community was at last induced to go to war with a neighbouring community. They fought and destroyed one another for a long time, till they were almost unable to go on fighting, which led them to agree to drop it. The managers of the community in question, boasted of their unrivalled glory, and the mighty things they had done; but they pʊid nò attention to this material difference between then and their opponents during the conflict-that the enemy was throwing off a great load of debt, with which they had been previously incumbered, while they, on the other hand, were every day adding to theirs, which had already been too heavy, and had actually amounted to 6901.--in addition to the former 3001. and the first annual expence of 51.

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and bread fall to G1. the farmer would get no sale for his produce. The landowner reasoned thas: If foreign grain should be allowed to come in so low, my tenant would, ere long, be ruined, and my share of the interest upon the 'public debt, which now amounts to 9007.-will come fall upon me, and my great exira reut, which was more than suflicient to meet it, will be entirely gone.'-He then says to the attorney; this will never do; we must make a hw prohibiting foreigà grain coming among us till our owa is at 89s. a quarter, which will keep the loaf always at 16d. 'to 18d, and this will so effectually profeet my farmer, that he can pay a very high rent, and, in this maner, my proportion of the taxes will be distribied among the whole community, except the small proportion which attaches to the grain Techsame.'-'The attorney approves, and says, that there is another financial reason for keeping the price at 888. as regent as any yet mentioned →viz. the intax of foreiga (min at such a low The grand question came tlen to be, price, would reduce the role of cvery how is the 391. the interest of this Gel oracle, and as the sum requited to pay to be raised?The answer was, in the the cabinet maker and caller the interest same manner as formerly two fidis, | of their 90067, is generally reied by a per or 121. on the land-owner, and three centage, if all our articles full in price, fifths, or 181. on the members of the that per centage will lower also, and our community. Each again entieavoured, means will be insufficient to pay our to lay it on his articles, but found the first and a tured annual expence of 51.— additional price drove away his custon- and 43 the interest of the 501, of ers, and diminished the usual demand. · public debt. They therefore agree it is for The land-owner, however, had been more the advantage of their scheme of finance, fortunate; for, on account of the with- as well as the land waer, that grain cuity there was in the way, during the should be prohibited from coming into war, of any grain coming in competition the community, till their own prices ere with that which his farmer prooticed, at 822. per quatter, or the leaf above itd. he had nearly doubled his re.is; ander 18d. This I conceive to be a plain although he thus raised the quartern end obvious view of the case, though, I loaf to the whole community to 18d. admit, not a complete one. But it is he thereby received much more than sufficient to suprest to every considerate, was requisite to cover his propor- mind this eaquiry-bince it is admitted tion of the interest of the increased the grower of coin cannot raie it with debt. But, after the peace, their advantage, unless he is protected against former chemies of the neighbouring foreign grain coming in rater 89s. a community were able to, and did really, quarter, how comes it that a British forsend into them grain at such a low price mer, who is allowed to have more capias would bring the quartern bat to 6d. tal, more industry, and more science than instead of 18d, at which it had been kept foreign farmers, connot produce com ever since the land-owner had raised his upon equally cheap terms. Why has not reat. The farmer immediately told the the legislature made this inquiry? Unul land-owner, that he must be protected. this is ascertained, no effectual cure can The land-owner consulted the attorney, be applied to the existing evil, which is and they saw at once, that if the neigh-so much complained of. bouring grain was allowed to come in,

G. M.

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