Page images
PDF
EPUB

and the temporary regulation act of fir William Dolben was renewed for another year.

It is worthy of transient remark, that Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Smith, and fir William Dolben, all of whom had confpicuously distinguished themselves in the progress of this business, were of religious perfuafions very diffimilar-Mr. Wilberforce being a favorer of the doctrines of methodism, Mr. Smith an avowed diffenter, and fir William Dolben an high churchman. But on this great question, which involved in it the general interest of mankind, all subordinate differences vanifhed, and it fufficed to every valuable purpose, that they were all of the exalted and univerfal religion of HUMANITY*.

The trial of Mr. Haftings was refumed early in the feffion, and the third article, refpecting prefents illegally and corruptly received by Mr. Haftings, brought forward by Mr. Burke. In his opening speech in support of this charge, in which the fatal bufinefs of Nund-comar ftood most confpicuous, Mr. Burke made use of the following indifcreet expreffion: "that man Mr. Haftings MURDERED by the hands of fir Elijah Impey." This afforded a ground of petition from Mr. Haftings, that this allegation

D d 2

* In the beautiful poetic epiftle, addreffed to Mr. Wilberforce by the celebrated Mrs. Barbauld, on the fubject of the flave trade, are to be found the following picturefque and animated lines, defcriptive of the miferies entailed on the natives of Africa by this horrid traffic:

Nor in their palmy walks and fpicy groves
The form benign of rural pleasure roves;
No milk-maid's fong, or hum of village talk,
Sooths the lone poet in his evening walk;
No willing arm the flail unwearied plies,
Where the mix'd founds of cheerful labor rife;
No blooming maids and frolic fwains are feen
To pay gay homage to their harvest queen.
No heart expanding fcenes their eyes must prove,
Of thriving industry and faithful love:

But fhricks and yells disturb the balmy air,
Dumb fullen looks of woe announce defpair,
And angry eyes thro' dufky features glare.

Friends of the friendlefs-Hail, ye generous band!
Whofe efforts yet arrest heaven's lifted hand;
Around whofe fteady brows, in union bright,
The civic wreath and chriftian's palm unite;
Your merit ftands-no greater and no lefs
Without or with the varnish of fuccefs.

allegation fhould be profecuted in fpecific articles, or that the house should grant him fuch redrefs as to them should feem meet."

After a long debate, the houfe of commons refolved, "that no authority had been given by the houfe for the purpose of making any criminal charge refpecting the death of Nund-comar, and that the words complained of ought not to have been fpoken." With this fort of reparation, though not abfolutely amounting to an affirmation of in-nocence, Mr. Haftings was compelled to reft fatisfied.

[ocr errors]

Mr. Grenville, fpeaker of the houfe of commons, being advanced, upon the refignation of lord Sydney, to the of fice of fecretary of state, and in the fequel to a peerage, was fucceeded, after fitting in the chair of the house scarcely fix months, by Henry Addington, efq. The new speaker foon acquired great reputation for dignity, integrity and impartiality in the discharge of his office; and he is, by the united voice of contending factions, allowed to rank amongst the ableft of those who have occupied that high and difficult station.

In providing the fupplies of the year, Mr. Pitt was obliged to acknowledge the neceflity of borrowing the fum of one million, contrary to his own prediction, that no loan would be wanted. This neceffity, however, did not arife from the unproductiveness of the taxes, which rofe even higher than the previous eftimate of the minister; but from extraordinary and unforeseen causes, the principal of which were the fums voted for the liquidation of the arrear of the civil lift, and of the debt of the prince of Wales, and the expence of the late armament: so that the general profpect of future and permanent prosperity remained wholly unimpaired; and the minifter acquired from the prefent ftate of commerce and of the public funds and revenues, great and juft increase of reputation.

An important operation of finance took place in the course of the feffion, in the exchange of the heavy duties

on

on tobacco from the cuftoms to the excife. This was effected with general approbation, and great advantage to the public. It is a circumftance well worthy of observation, as characteristic of the caprice and inconftancy of the public opinion, that this measure, which had nearly coft fir Robert Walpole his place, and even endangered his life and againft which 200 members of the house of commons divided on the original motion of the minifter, and which he was finally compelled to relinquifh-was now oppofed on the third reading of the bill by 20 voices only, in a thin and deferted house of 90 members.

The feffion was terminated Auguft 11, 1789, by a fpeech from the lord chancellor in the name of the fovereign; in which it was obferved, "that although the good offices of the king and his allies had not been effectual for the reftoration of the general tranquillity, the fituation of affairs promifed to this country the uninterrupted enjoyment of the bleffings of peace." This was an affurance highly and peculiarly grateful, in confequence of the recent events which had taken place in the different kingdoms of Europe. A war had been kindled, which gradually diffufed itfelf from the Euxine to the Balticfrom the fnow-clad mountains of Norway to the arid waftes of Tartary: and the foundations of a great and stupendous revolution had been laid, which, almost instantly expanding itself into gigantic growth, became the subject of terror, no less than of aftonishment, to the furrounding nations.

Never was Europe more deceived than in the ideas fhe had originally formed of the character of the emperor Jofeph II, upon whom, on his first entrance into the grand fcenes of public life, all eyes were fixed, and under whofe fpecious exterior the credulous enthusiasm of hope had difcovered all the qualities of a legiflator and a hero. And he was confidently announced as the monarch destined to throw the fplendid reputation of Frederic the great into

fhade.

fhade. Time however foon difpelled these falfe and flattering prepoffeffions; and he was perceived to be equally deftitute of the talents and the virtues neceffary to the formation of a great and illustrious character. Burning with an infatiable thirst for GLORY, that moloch of princes, at whofe bloody fhrine millions of human victims have been offered, his mind feemed eternally haraffed and haunted with the enquiry, "What fhall I do to be for ever known ?"

While that juftly celebrated statesman the prince de Kaunitz retained his influence over the councils of the court of Vienna, a veil was caft over the vices and defects of the fovereign. But as he advanced in life, and began to act upon his own ideas, and in reliance upon his own judgment, his vanity, his verfatility, his rapacity, his rafhnefs, and his folly became apparent to all. Difappointed in his recent and favorite fchemes of ambition, his evil genius now fuggefted another project still more abfurd and impracticable than the former.

Since the famous treaty of Weftphalia, by which the independency of Holland had been recognized by Spain, that haughty power, fenfible of the erroneous policy which had loft fo valuable a poffeffion, adopted, with relation to the provinces which yet remained, a mild and lenient fyftem of government. On the transfer of the low countries to the house of Auftria by the treaty of Utrecht, the fame equitable treatment was obferved; and that no less under the weak and oppreffive reign of Charles VI, than the aufpicious and benign government of his daughter the celebrated Maria Therefa.

During all the viciffitudes of politics and of power, the Auftrian Netherlands continued to flourish under the protection of their own just laws, and the limitations of their free and happy conftitution. Of the provinces fubject to Auftria, by far the moft confiderable and extenfive is Brabant; and although the forms of government established

in

in the different ftates bear a close analogy to each other, the constitution of Brabant is regarded as the best defined and most perfect. Like the conftitution of England, it is compounded of three estates, and the executive authority is vefted in the fovereign, who bears the title of duke of Brabant. The legislative power, including the important prerogative of levying taxes, refides in the states of Brabant, which is in part an elective and representative affembly, though not conftructed on a very popular plan. The jurifdiction of civil and criminal caufes is in the cities configned to the magiftrates, under various equitable reftrictions. In the villages it nominally appertains to the lords of the manors or baronies; but it is in fact exercifed by refpectable perfons, chofen for the most part by the inhabitants themfelves, from whofe decifion an appeal lies to the baronial courts. The fupreme tribunal of juftice is established at Bruffels, and it is diftinguished by the appellation of the council of Brabant. Its functions are not however merely judicial. It is alfo a council of state, and participates largely in the executive power-for no act of the fovereign is valid till confirmed by the council under the great feal of Brabant. These and many other privileges were after long and fierce contentions guaranteed for ever to the people of Brabant, by a charter granted by one of the ancient dukes, and which, from the triumphal preceffion of the prince into his capital, on the original execution of it, is denominated the JOYEUSE ENTREE.

The acuteness of philofophical and political theorists would no doubt detect with eafe the grofs defects of this rude and artless sketch of a free conftitution. But its general and effential excellence is fufficiently demonstrated by the profperous state of the country, and the paffionate attachment of the people to their eftablished form of government. This free form of government Jofeph the fecond had from deliberate malice, or, more candidly fpeaking, from excess of prefumption and folly, determined to

fubvert

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »