That for years such artifices have been employed in Westmoreland, and in a neighbouring County, with unremitting activity, must be known to all.  Whatever was disliked has been systematically attacked, by the vilifying of persons connected with it.  The Magistrates and public Functionaries, up to the Lord Lieutenant himself, have been regularly traduced—­as unfaithful to their trust; the Clergy habitually derided—­as time-servers and slavish dependants; and the Gentry, if conspicuous for attachment to the Government, stigmatized—­as Men without honour or patriotism, and leagued in conspiracy against the Poor.  After this manner have the Provincial Newspapers (the chief agents in this local mischief,) concurred with the disaffected London Journals, who were playing the same part towards laws and institutions, and general measures of State, by calumniating the principal Authorities of the Kingdom.  Hence, instead of gratitude and love, and confidence and hope, are resentment and envy, mistrust and jealousy, and hatred and rancour, inspired:—­and the drift of all is, to impress the Body of the People with a belief that neither justice can be expected, nor benevolence hoped for, unless power be transferred to Persons least resembling those who now hold it; that is—­to Demagogues and Incendiaries!

It will be thought that this attempt is too extravagant to be dangerous; inasmuch as every member of society, possessed of weight and authority, must revolt from such a transfer, and abhor the issues to which it points.  Possessed of weight and authority—­with whom?  These Agitators have weight and authority there, where they seek for it, that is with no small portion of what they term the physical strength of the Country.  The People have ever been the dupes of extremes.  VAST GAINS WITH LITTLE PAINS, is a jingle of words that would be an appropriate inscription for the insurrectionary banner of unthinking humanity.  To walk—­to wind—­towards a thing that is coveted—­how unattractive an operation compared with leaping upon it at once!—­Certainly no one possessed of legitimate authority can desire such a transfer as we have been forced to contemplate; but he may aid in bringing it about, without desiring it.  Numerous are the courses of civil action in which men of pure dispositions and honourable aims, are tempted to take part with those who are utterly destitute of both.  Be not startled, if, merely glancing at the causes of this deplorable union, as it is now exhibited in this part of England, I observe, that there is no necessary connection between public spirit and political sagacity.  How often does it happen that right intention is averse to inquiry as casting a damp upon its own zeal, and a suspicion upon the intrinsic recommendation of its object!  Good men turn instinctively from inferences unfavourable to human nature.  But there are facts which are not to be resisted, where the understanding is sound.  The self-styled Emancipators have tried their strength;