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After this rebuff, he gave up the idea of serving his country as a politician, made the best of his way home, and determined to set about the slow work of elementary reformation, by a better mode of education, and to persevere in it for the rest of his life. Now, it seems to me, that the aboli tionists are placed in the same situa tion, and that they would be as successful as M. de Fellenberg, if they would pursue the same course. Let them retire altogether from the Parliament, and from the view of the public;-let them purchase the properties which the planters are desirous to sell, and let them undertake, on their own estates, and with their own slaves, the slow work of elementary reformation and gradual emancipation;-let them pur. sue the course exemplified by Mr Steele in Barbadoes, by Mr Edgeworth in Ireland, M. de Fellenberg in Switzerland, Mr Owen in Lanark, &c. They would probably obtain the co-operation and instructions of some humane and intelligent planters, by arguments like those which Paul addresses to Philemon, "Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, yet, for love's sake, I rather beseech thee," &c. They would find as much latent virtue among the whites of the West Indies, as Dr Chalmers found among the radicals of Glasgow.

The greatest obstacle to the mitigation of slavery is the law which rejects the evidence of negroes against white men in a court of justice. Perhaps a benevolent planter might procure that the evidence of his slaves, or of a certain number of them, should be received, by undertaking to pay a penalty for every judicial falsehood of which they might be convicted. If the master paid the penalty of falsehood, the grateful slavet would

soon feel the necessity and obligation of truth. The character of the negro seems to me to resemble that of the dog. I have heard anecdotes of the gratitude and fidelity of West-India slaves, quite similar to the anecdotes of dogs with which every one is familiar. I have also been informed, that the jealousy of their master's favour is as strong in the negro as in the dog. It is evident that such men may be strongly influenced by their animal affections, however defective in intellect or in moral perception.

The principle by which slavery might be mitigated, and gradually abolished, is illustrated in the fable of Apollo feeding the flocks of Admetus, in the second book of Telemachus; nothing can exceed the beauty, the tenderness, or the truth, of this exquisite passage. It is too long to be quoted. It begins thus: "Il me disoit souvent que je devois prendre courage," &c. If the abolitionists have any influence with the Government, it is their duty to exert it in favour of the slaves; but if (as I suspect to be the case) they have no such influence, or if they find, upon trial, that their influence is ineffectual or delusive, let them purchase some of the land and negroes that the planters are desirous to sell, and imitate, on their own estates, the example of Mr Steele.

I conceive, that deserving slaves, emancipated, and educated in this country, would be the best missionaries for christianizing the African slaves. But "if any man will do the work, he shall know of the doctrine.” Let the enterprise be undertaken with sincerity and ardour, and the necessary means will occur spontaneously. Arma dabunt ipsi. The very touch of difficulty will summon up the power by which it may be subdued.

* Luke, ch. viii. 38, 39, 40. There are many passages in the Scriptures which throw much light on the science of political economy. I do not think that either the religious or the political writers of this age are sufficiently aware of this.

+ Grateful, because honoured. "Notre ame est haute, et tout ce qui a un air de respect pour sa dignité la penétre et l'enchante; aussi notre orgueil ne fut-il jamais ingrat."-Marwaux.

+ Some of Fenelon's images appear too beautiful to be natural; but I conceive that they are just an instinctive presentiment, in men of genius and virtue, of what human nature whereafter become. We are but in the infancy of our moral

IV. On Insolvency.

It seems to me that every insolvent debtor ought to have the benefit of a trial by jury, before he is cast into prison, or deprived of his property. The jury will ascertain whether his insolvency has proceeded from crime, from imprudence, from a rise in the value of currency, or from any other inevitable misfortune. If from crime, let him be punished. If from imprudence, let him be made to enter into certain engagements; and, if he violates these engagements, let him be punished. If from a change in the value of currency, the jury may recommend that the nominal amount of the debt be reduced; and, though this recommendation will not bind the creditor, it will always be weighty, and often effectual. If from inevitable misfortune, the jury may find out some remedy appropriate to the particular evil, or such light may be thrown on the causes and progress of the evil, as may suggest some method of subsequently preventing it. In all cases, a trial by jury may do good; in no case can it do evil.

A naval commander is brought to trial if the ship with which he is entrusted has been wrecked; the interests of the public are thus secured, and the merits or demerits of these commanders investigated and ascertained. The interests of creditors might be secured, and the characters of debtors investigated, in the same way. It appears to me, that, in proportion as the legal securities for payment of debt are diminished, the moral securities will become stronger; that the demand for mercantile prudence, and mercantile integrity, will increase; that imprudence or dishonesty in trade will become as infamous and as rare as cowardice in war; and that those evils will be prevented by good morals, which have been rather increased than diminished by laws.

If this proposal tends to lessen the security of the lender, it must increase the difficulty of borrowing, and raise the rate of interest; and it will

thereby check the spirit of commercial adventure which appears to have

become excessive. The world has become more enterprising in comhad become more enterprising in war. merce, for the same reason that it transferred from war to trade, and The same active principle has been has changed the tactics of the one, We cannot account for these changes, as it had changed those of the other. but we can trace their progress and diffusion, and anticipate some of their consequences.

V. Commercial Interests. If the corn-laws were abolished, and the national debt reduced, the price of British manufactures would fall, and their exportation increase*. How are other countries to pay for these exports? In money or in goods? If in money, the relative supply of money must increase in this country,

its relative value must fall,-the price of all commodities must rise,exportation will be checked; and we shall lose, by the excess of exports, all the advantages which we shall have reaped by the abolition of the corn-laws, and the reduction of the public debt.

If they pay in commodities, their industry must be exerted in producing these commodities, their wealth must increase, their political institutions must be improved, the principles of disorder must be exhausted by habitual and successful industry, and the principles of intellectual, moral, and political improvement, at liberty to produce their natural effects. Every improvement will be transferred to these countries as soon as it is exemplified in Britain. city that is set on a hill cannot be hid."

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It is evident, therefore, that the commercial interests of this country are bound up in the same system with the political interests of othe countries; and that nothing can obstruct the progress of liberty in Europe, without obstructing the progress of commerce in Britain. The

It is evident, that a reduction of the debt, coupled with an abolition of the corn laws, would not be injurious either to the fundholder or to the landholder; the price of agricultural and manufactured produce would fall, and the cheapness of commodities would repair the evils produced by the reduction of incomes.-See Thoughts on Reducing the Debt, in No. 94 of the Farmer's Magazine.

question is not, whether Carthage shall be destroyed or preserved ? but, whether Rome shall be destroyed, in order that Carthage may be destroyed also? There are perhaps some difficulties in the commencement of this new policy; but nothing can exceed the magnificence of the prospect that lies beyond them. The very extent of the view, and grandeur of the objects, will excite an intelligence and an energy by which the greatest difficulties will be overcome. Great objects must excite great minds, and little minds will follow then.

VI.

I have just read a " Report of a debate in council at Barbadoes, on the dispatch of my Lord Bathurst to his excellency Sir Henry Warde;" and I think it impossible to read the very able speech of Mr Hamden without suspecting that the abolitionists have calumniated the planters. I do not suspect them of intentional falsehood, or even of malice; but I think that they abuse the moral strength of their cause, and that they are in danger of destroying the effect of their virtuous indignation, by too prompt and heedless an exercise of it. These men do not know the real strength of the cause which they advocate. They are not aware, that a clear, unreserved, uncompromising exposition of general principles, by men who know the

power as well as the truth of their argument, is the most powerful weapon of attack which Nature has given for overthrowing all the high places of wickedness. It excites in bad men a feeling of inferiority and degradation which the pride of human nature cannot endure, an apprehension of infamy, more intolerable than the actual suffering. Dolendi modus, timendi non item. There is another advantage in this way of attacking abuses. It cannot injure the innocent, or those who are at peace with their own consciences, and who, to the best of their ability, identify their private interests with the interests of other men. General principles are naturally opposed to arbitrary power; and none have cause to dread the former, who are not interested in maintaining the latter.

It seems to me, that the debts of the West-India planters might be reduced with the consent of their creditors, as the rents of British farmers have been reduced with the consent of their landlords. But I am not sufficiently acquainted with the facts of this subject.

I am not sure that a white man should be punished with death, on the evidence of slaves. He may be sent home to this country, and confined in a Panopticon. The punishment ought to be proportioned to the strength of the evidence, as well as to the magnitude of the crime. This principle would admit of a more general application.

Song on the 420 Regiment.

THEY Come-the glorious band!
But few their numbers be;
Their thousands sleep on foreign land,
Far-far beyond the sea!

But weep not for the dead,

Whose toils and pains are o'er;

For them alone should tears be shed
Who live but to deplore

For hearts of hope bereft-
(The love of woman flown)
For youth and beauty early left
To pine and die alone.

Youth's laurels bloom in tears

A. B. C.

Its memory, breathed in sighs, Lives on thro' friendship's fleeting years, And with fond friendship dies.

But what is Fame to those

Its voice who cannot hear-
Which breaks not on the long repose,
Nor soothes the " dull, cold" ear?

Then weep not for the dead,

For they are past all pain; No breaking heart-no aching head Lies on the battle-plain!

J. M.

MR EDITOR,

THE HARUM-SCARUM CLUB.

No. IV.

But how the subject theme may gang, Let time and chance determine; Perhaps it may turn out a sang, Perhaps turn out a sermon.

Ar the request of my brethren of the Harum-Scarum Club, I for once take the post of our much-respected Secretary, Martinus Scriblerus, who has met with an accident, which, although not dangerous, will for some time prevent him from wielding the quill.

It is one of Rochefoucault's maxims, that, in the misfortunes of our best friends, there is always some thing not unpleasing to us; and his observation is so far confirmed in the circumstance I have just stated; for while all of us esteem and regard our worthy brother and Secretary, we are pleased to have an opportunity, for once, of substituting another in his office; not that we are dissatisfied with his services, but that we may supply some circumstances which he has omitted. From his communications to you, it would appear that the club consisted of only six members; whereas, in the language of Wordsworth, " we are seven." Whether this error proceeded from our Secretary's modesty, or that, like the wise men of Gotham, he omitted himself, when reckoning over the members, we shall not determine; suffice it to say, that he produced a sey-piece, and was enrolled a member, on that evening when the Club was constituted; and as his pen has given some notoriety to our Institution, whether we are to obtain the respect, or excite the risibility of the public, we hold it meet that he take his proportionate share. And as he has faithfully sketched the characters of the different members, we have resolved that his shall not be omitted in the group; and although now a little in the background, it shall be portrayed with fidelity; for, in obedience to the commands of the Club, and also my own feelings, I shall

Nothing extenuate,

Nor set down aught in malice.

Burns.

Scriblerus is a bachelor in the noon of life, by profession a limb of the law. He lately had a fair chance of succeeding to the office of TownClerk, which is now filled by a venerable gentleman, whom Time will soon oblige to resign; but the H. S. Club is obnoxious in the eyes of our rulers, and our Secretary, in his account of it, has incurred their high displeasure; hence there is no chance of his succeeding to any office or emolument under their patronage. In his early years, he was rather a wildish boy, and being, in our homely phrase, gleg of the uptake, his lessons at school cost him little trouble, leaving him leisure for other pursuits; and many of his school-boy pranks are still remembered, both by his friends and enemies; for he had studied and practised many hocus-pocus tricks, and might have passed for a Herman Boaz in town, and a conjuror in the country. He constructed a magic lantern and camera obscura; had always a supply of phosphorus, detonating powders, and other chemical preparations, by which he amused some, while others trembled with alarm at his exhibitions. During the leisure hours of his apprenticeship, he studied natural and experimental philosophy with some success, particularly electricity and galvanism, both of which still contribute to his amusement. With a heart that feels, and a hand ever ready, according to his abilities, to relieve what he believes the real distresses of his fellow-creatures, Martin still delights in his practical jokes on the ignorant and timid; forgetting, that the fears of a bewildered imagination are in themselves real evils, often producing acute and lasting pain. And although he every night devotes a portion of his time endeavouring to banish his landlady's rheumatism by electricity, yet he is never

better pleased than when he can extract some fun from his philosophy. But, exclusive of losing the Town Clerkship, by quizzing the Provost, he has lately had two practical lessons, which, it is the hope of his friends, will, in some degree, wean him from this propensity.

A rich, but simple countryman, not long ago, called on him, intending to employ him as his agent in a lawsuit. The electric machine stood on a table in the room, and Scriblerus saw, with delight, that his client viewed it with wondering curiosity; and in answer to a query what it was, replied, that it was a newlyinvented musical instrument; and proposed playing an air, requesting the man to hold the chain till he put it in tune. The consequence may be easily guessed; the countryman received a shock, which first frightened, and then offended him; no apology nor explanation could appease him; he went off in a rage, and our friend lost his client. The accident alluded to, in the beginning of my letter, was produced by a similar cause. His landlady had got a new servantmaid, who, Martin soon discovered, had never seen an electric machine; he conceived this an opportunity too good to be lost, and soon planned a double plot, in which his dupes were to be the servant-maid Susan, and his landlady's cat. Having put his machine in good tune, he called Susan up stairs, and, by some plausible story, persuaded her to sit down with puss on her lap, holding her gently with both hands. Twisting the chain around the cat's neck, he proceded without delay, and soon produced effects far beyond his anticipations, for when the discharge took place, Susan, uttering a wild scream, fell on the floor, dragging both the cat and the electric machine along with her. Scriblerus, in his attempts to disengage the chain, had his right hand severely bit by the infuriated animal, and the machine was dashed in pieces. The scream of the girl had alarmed her mistress, who, coming up, found Susan on the floor in a swoon, and the lawyer standing over her, with his hand bleeding profusely. The good woman soon formed an opinion of the cause very wide of the truth, and began to express her sentiments

accordingly, when her lodger entreated her to run for Dr Tell, and all should be explained afterwards. The man of medicine was luckily at home, and hastened to his friend. When the girl was restored to life, though scarcely to her senses, Martin proceeded to state what had produced this unexpected catastrophe, and expressed great alarm about his wound, which was very painful, and his arm already much swelled. Dr Tell saw his alarm, and believed it might be well to take advantage of his fears, as the means of curing his propensity to those wanton tricks. He therefore dressed the wound with a grave countenance, and being earnestly entreated to say, candidly, whether any bad consequences were likely to follow, seemed reluctant to answer. This only increased the alarm of his patient; and being adjured, in the most solemn manner, to speak candidly, he said, that the cat had been put in a rabid state by the shock, and there was no foreseeing the possible consequences; although he hoped to prevent them, by putting his patient under a troublesome and severe regimen. Having kept his friend under this terror as long as appeared prudent, he read him a severe lecture on the imaginary fears he had too often inflicted on others, and obtained a solemn promise, that these tricks should be renounced; he then assured Scriblerus he had no bad consequences to apprehend, and that he would undertake the cure with the utmost confidence.

The story soon got air, to the amusement of his friends, and the secret gratification of his enemies. Some advised him to apply to Prince Hohenloe; while others agreed, that, being a heretic, the holy man would not pray for him, or even if he did, it would not be answered. Martin himself now laughs at the joke, which is known all over the town, and has already cost him a new gown to the servant-maid, and another electric machine, besides disqualifying him from writing for some time to come.

I now annex a copy of his seypiece, which he prefaced with the following introduction:

The scene of the following traditionary tale lies on the coast, a few

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