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"Some landlords have continued to grant leases; and there will still be some found to do it for a year or two longer perhaps. Habit is very powerful; and, besides, the cause is not well enough "understood to prevent all landlords from bebeving, that a good swinging addition to the old reat will 64 secure them for the next 14 or 21 years. But, if the present system of finance be pursued, this "purblind state will soon go off: the consequences of letting lenses will become visible to the dullest eyes: and, then, as Mr. Kent, the Surveyor, says, the landlord will, inde d, as soon alienate the fee "simple of his estate as demise it for a term of years." -POLITICAL REGISTER, 23th February, 1805.

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TO THE READERS.

The next Number of the Register will be published next SATURDAY, and, after that, the publication will be continued on the Saturday, as formerly, and not on the WEDNESDAY any more.

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"Continent will not be disturbed. The 66 King of Spain is come to assist at this "last solemnity. I have given him all "that was necessary and proper to unite "the interests and hearts of the different people of his provinces. Since 1809, "the greater part of the strong places in Spain have been taken after memorable sieges. The insurgents have been beat "in a great number of pitched battles. England has felt that this war was approaching its termination, and that intrigues and gold were no longer suff"cient to nourish it. She found herself, "therefore, obliged to change the nature of it, and from an auxiliary she has be came a principal. All she has of troops "of the line have been sent into the "Peninsula. England, Scotland, and Ire“land are drained. English blood has "at length flowed in torrents, in several "actions glorious to the French arms.

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"This conflict against Carthage, which "seemed as if it would be decided in fields "of battle, on the ocean, or beyond the "seas, will henceforth be decided in the

SUMMARY OF POLITICS. NAPOLEON'S SPEECH.-The Speech of the Emperor of France to the NATIONAL COUNCIL has excited that degree of public attention, which a set speech from a person of such power must naturally ex-" cite, especially when, in part at least it relates to ourselves and to that object more particularly, in which we all now feel the most direct interest. I allude to what he says of the war in the Southern Peninsula, of which he speaks in a tone that seems not to have been anticipated by many of our writing or speechmaking politicians. -The words are these "The English bring all the "passions into play. One time they sup86 pose France to have all the designs that "could alarm other Powers, designs plains of Spain! When England shall "which she could have put into execu"be exhausted-when she shall at last "tion if they had entered into her policy. "have felt the evils which for twenty "At another time they make an appeal years she has with so much cruelty "to the pride of nations in order to ex- poured upon the Continent-when half, "cite their jealousy. They lay hold of her families shall be in mourning--"all circumstances which arise out of the "then shall a peal of thunder put an end unexpected events of the times in which "to the affairs of the Peninsula, the des"we live. It is war over every part of "tinies of her armies, and avenge Europe "the Continent that can alone ensure their" and Asia by finishing this second Punic "prosperity. I wish for nothing that is "not in the treaties which I have con"cluded. I will never sacrifice the blood "of my people to interests that are not "immediately the interests of my Empire. "I flatter myself that the peace of the

which we were ever engaged. It will be the last blow previous to the attempt upon this kingdom itself. We are now sending out of this kingdom men and horses and food and raiment to an astonishing amount. We have been at this work for nearly three years; and, if we follow it for two or three longer, it is impossible that the consequences should not be dreadful. The able men of the country are drawn away; boys are now enlisted for the service; the country is drained of all that is most precious to it; and if this drain should continue for another year or two, and if we should fail even then, the consequence must naturally be a state of debility and discouragement, after which it would be extremely difficult to revive the people, and after which, perhaps, it would be impossible ever again to screw them up to any great exertion.--The idea is, and long has been, that we are fighting the battles of England and Ireland in Portugal and Spain; and the Peninsula has been called the " outworks of Ireland." I never

thing very frightful in it to me; for, when the outworks are taken, we know that the town seldom holds out long; and, it has always appeared to me impossible, that these outworks should be defended for any length of time.

whole adrainistration, or government; it must, I suppose, have contained something libellous, but, the reader will please to bear in mind, that the passage might have been very true for all that, because, ac cording to the law of libel, in this country, truth may be a libel; truth may be a criminal libel; to write or publish truth may be a crime, and a crime, too, for which a man may suffer years of imprisonment and heavy fines and bails.Aye, aye; this is even so; there is no denying it; and, therefore, because this part of Napoleon's Speech is suppressed, let us not conclude that it contained any falsehood: nay, let us rather suppose, that it contained some striking but disagreeable truth, for such are, of all others, the most odious publications. --Now, as to what those who publish in England have thought safe to give to their readers, the part that most interests us is that which relates to the war in Spain and Portugal, which war many, in this country, looked upon as touching its close. We are not to place implicit reliance on what Napoleon says: we are not to be-liked this idea. It has always had somelieve that he will act thus, or thus, merely because he says he will: we are to make allowances for big talk; but, with all due caution and all due allowances made, I cannot help considering this part of his speech pretty fully descriptive of his designs and his expectations; and as I so seldom have seen his designs and expectations thwarted and disappointed, I cannot say, that I am disposed to join with my brother Journalists in laughing at this speech, in which we are, indeed, told by Napoleon little more, about the war in Spain and Portugal, than I had said before. -He says, that England could not get on longer with the war without becoming a principal in it, which is very true; and, from the moment she did become a principal, it was evident, that, if she failed at last, that failure would be much more fatal to her than it could have been, if she had not become a principal. As long as she was able to move the Spaniards and Portuguese by mere pecuniary aids, the war was, in fact, theirs; but, when we began to send armies, and to take Portuguese into|--But, this debate I must insert as I our pay; then the war became ours. To exhaust England must necessarily be an object of the very first importance to Napoleon; and how could he possibly effect this object by any means so sure as inducing us to make war with him in Spain and Portugal?--If this war end unfavourably, it will be the most fatal war in

PAPER AGAINST GOLD.-LORD STANHOPE. -I have broken off from the above subject to come to one of more importance than that and all other political subjects put together; that subject, which I have before called the ALPHA and OMEGA of politics, in this country; that thing upon which all other things depend.—In the House of Lords, on Thursday, the 27th instant, LORD STANHOPE brought in a Bill for "preventing guineas, half gui

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neas, and seven shilling pieces, from being taken for more than 21s-10s. 6d. "and 7s. respectively, and for preventing "Bank Notes from being taken for less "than the sums expressed in them.” Of this Bill he is reported to have moved the first reading, upon which a debate ensued.

find it reported in the Morning Chronicle. I declare this debate to be immortal. No human being ever heard the like of it. After lifting up my hands and eyes in admiration at its contents, I have looked at it again, lifted up my hands and eyes again, then looked at it again, and even now, in sending it off to the press, I take

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present moment to make any legislative "provision upon this subject, particularly "at this late period of the session, when so many persons were absent, not ex"pecting any thing of importance to come on. He admitted, that if it was abso"lutely necessary to make a legislative "provision with reference to this object, "that they must proceed in it, however "late the period of the session, and what"ever might be the inconvenience. He

one more look, lest my eyes should have "some reports respecting him, which had deceived me.-- -Well, reader, take you got abroad, and which were utterly false; a look at it, and when you have so done," and after stating that he was solely acpray hear a few observations that I have "tuated in the measure he now proposed to offer upon it." EARL STANHOPE on "by public motives, concluded by present"introducing the Bill, of which he had "ing a Bill for preventing Guineas, Half "given notice, regretted that the subject. "Guineas, and Seven Shilling Pieces, from "had not been taken up by Government, "being taken for more than 21s.-10s. 6d. " as he conceived it to be of the greatest "-and 78. respectively, and for prevent"importance. An individual possessed ing Bank Notes from being taken for less "of large landed property had given no- "than the sums expressed in them, of "tice to his tenants that they must at this "which he moved the first reading.-"Midsummer, pay their rents in gold, "THE EARL OF LIVERPOOL was perfectly "which was accompanied by an intima- "convinced that the Noble Earl was ac"tion that if they tendered Bank notes, "tuated by the best motives in bringing "such notes would only be taken in pay- "forward this Bill, and so far as he had "ment at the rate of 16s. in the pound."time to consider the measure, he thought "For the dreadful oppression upon the "it the best remedy for the grievance "tenantry of the country to which the "complained of, if any remedy were now, adoption of such a system would lead, "or should be necessary. He thought, "it was absolutely necessary to provide "however, that it was unnecessary at the "some legislative remedy. Supposing a "tenant to owe 400l. for rent, he would "thus be called upon to pay 500l. instead "of four, and the consequences might "spread still further; supposing a banker "to owe 400,000l. to those who had deposited money with him, how was he to "stand if he was to be called upon to pay "500,000l. He had consulted both bankers "and professional men of the law, as to the "remedy which he proposed, and they "were all of opinion that it was the right re"medy. The remedy was simple, it was merely to render it illegal to receive gold coin for more than their mint "value, or to receive bank notes for less "than the amount expressed in them." "This would prevent the evil which must "otherwise arise from the act of injustice "to which he had alluded, and which "must be aggravated in a still greater degree if the example of injustice thus "set should be followed by others. There"fore, however late the period of the ses❝sion, he thought it absolutely necessary "that some step to remedy the evil should "be taken now, as when Parliament met again it might be too late. It was also "a serious consideration how far the Bank "of England might be affected by the adoption of a system similar to the con"dact of the individual alluded to; and "it was incumbent on the Government to "look anxiously to this point. He con"sidered the Bank of England as the bot"tom plank of the ship of England, which "if once bored through, the ship itself "was placed in a situation of the greatest danger. His Lordship then alluded to

was aware of the case to which the No"ble Earl afluded, and knew that the no"tice had been given by the individual "referred to, to his tenants, to pay in gold, and that it was accompanied, not merely by an intimation, but by a no"tice, that if Bank Notes were tendered, they would only be taken in payment "at a depreciated rate. He was of opi"nion, however, that this example would "not be followed, nor did he think that the "individual alluded to would persist in the "demands he had made. It was under this "impression, that he thought a sufficient

case had not been made out for legisla"tive interference. They might be re"duced to adopt the remedy now pro

posed; but he thought, as there was "only the instance of the conduct of one " individual, which, he was of opinion, "would not be persisted in, that there "was not sufficient ground for Parliament

to make a legislative enactment. It "was in this view of the subject, that he "intended, on the motion for the second "reading of the bill, to move to postpone "it for three months.THE LARL OF "LAUDERDALE thought it was incumbent

"ty's Ministers seem determined to shut
"their
eyes. -EARL GROSVENOR said a
"few words, declining then to enter into
"the discussion, which would come more
regularly on the question on the second
reading,-THE LORD CHANCELLOR WAS
"of opinion, that from all they had heard,
"there was little danger of the example
"alluded to being followed by others. He
"was, however, at a loss to conceive what

"on the Government to shew that the sub-
jects of the country were protected from
injustice by the laws, and that they
"were not left for protection to the dis-
"cretion and caprice of individuals. He
had stated some time since a similar
instance in Ireland, where a landlord
had demanded his rents in gold-and as
"soon afterwards as the post could bring
them, he received several anonymous
"letters, stating several other instances in
"which a similar demand had been made.
← →→.“ THE EARL OF LIMERICK observed,
that what had been stated by the Noble
"Lord (Lauderdale) did not apply to the
"South of Ireland, as there was not any
"instance in that part of the country of a
« landlord making such a demand.-
THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE, in explana-"
tion, said, he had not alluded to the
« South but to the North of Ireland.———

pure patriotism there could be in the "conduct of the individual who had been "alluded to. Supposing he owed £. 100 "to his coach-maker, who was also "his tenant, from whom he was to "receive £. 100 for rent, and he was to "pay the debt of £. 100 on the Monday, "and tell the coach-maker that he would only receive in payment of the rent on the "Tuesday, Bank-notes at a depreciated "rate, and that therefore he must have "£. 120 in Bank-notes for his £. 100 rent, where would be the pure patriotism of "all this ?THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE said, he had been misunderstood by the "Noble and Learned Lord; he only, "meant to say that there might be pure "patriotism in an individual forcing this

THE EARL OF CLANCARTY was anxious to "know what part of the North of Ireland," << 23 in the province of Ulster Bank notes "were refused to be taken as early as the passing of the Bank Restriction Bill; "and as they came gradually into the circolation they were taken in payment in miany mistarices at a discount, but that "practice was rapidly declining.--THE

"EARL OF LAUDERDALE Was aware of the

practice to which the Noble Lord al"luded, but he also khew an instance, "which he had formerly stated, where a "landlord called upon his tenants to pay "in gold, and the latter having represent"ed to the stew.rd the impossibility of "procuring gold, they were cach told that "there were 100 guineas at a chandler's shop in the neighbourhood which might "be purchased; and it was a fact, that "with those 100-guineas, passing from one "to another, a rent of 7,000l. was actually "paid.THE EARL OF CLANCARTY WAS "very desirous of knowing who the party "was to whom this circumstance referred. "His Lordship then observed upon the *« black rimlignity which must have actuated "the individual who had been referred to in the early part of the debate, a, having demanded payment of Fla rents in gold, " or that he woul take Dank notes "at a depreciat rate.----THE FALL OF "LAUDERDALE objccted strongly to the "terms black magnity, contending that the Noble Lord iluded to might have "been act. d by the purest patriotis, in de eir), 1 even upen the ge"vernment them raun of the situa

subject upon the attention of the Go"vernment, who seemed,determined to be "blind to the real situation of the country. "As to the supposition of the coach"maker, he would of course take care to "charge so as to make up for the depre "ciation of the currency in which he was "to be paid; but in the case of rent, which "was a fixed annual sum, how was loss by "the depreciation to be made up?--THE "LORD CHANCELLOR put the case of a "coach-maker having contracted some

years since to furnish carriages at a fixed "sum, as a similar case to that of rent. "He was however, fully convinced, that "any individual of landed property who

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chose to insist upon his rents in gold, or

only to take Bank notes at a depreciated "rate, would in the balance of account at "the end of the year, find himself a loser by "his conduct.THE EARL OF LAUDER"DALE, in explanation, alluded to the "terms black malignity'-upon which the

Lord Chancellor said he had not alluded "to black malignity,' but to pure patrio"tism-EARL STANHOPE, in reply, strong. "ly contended that the subjects of the land ought not to have the security of their property rendered dependent upon the Seprice or whim of individuals, and that gislative remedy ought to be providIt was the whim of some persons,

«ed.