144] 
ditional, and by no means com- 
pulsory ; whence it is much to be 
doubted whether he will think it 
expedient finally to sanction the 
veto. 
The victory at Waterloo, as the 
most glorious in modern times to 
the British arms, was welcomed 
by every expression of national 
congratulation ;and private mourn- 
ing for tlie numerous losses in the. 
field was scarcely noticed in the 
general triumph. A call was made 
by the Prince Regent upon the 
charactetistic bounty of the nation 
under the claims of humanity, by 
directing collections to bemade in 
every parish for the benefit of the 
wounded soldiers, and the widows 
and orphans of the slain, which 
proved to be amply productive. 
Every additional burthen imposed 
by the unexpected renewal of war 
was borne without murmuring, 
in the conviction that astrongand 
immediate effort to extinguish the 
flame without a possibility of its 
revival was the wisest policy ; and 
hardships were alleviated by a 
proud sense of national glory, and 
confidence in final success. 
A return of prosperity to va- 
rious branches of trade and manu- 
facture which had suffered from 
war, was the first consequence 
of the peace with America, from 
which country large demands were 
received for supplying the wants 
incurred by a long suspension of 
intercourse; and it was gratifying 
to observe that mutualconnexions 
and interests appeared at once to 
reunite two nations who had been 
so lately plunged in bitter ani- 
mosities. The liberal commercial 
treaty since concluded between 
them, affords a reason for hoping, 
that the Governments. of both 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815. ; 
countries are become fully sen 
sible of the reciprocal advantages 
which will result from a future - 
undisturbed friendship. 
The still unsettled condition of 
Europe, and the financial embar- 
rassments which pressed upon 
many of its states in consequence 
of past disasters, impeded the re- 
turn of the British commerce to 
its usual channels, and promoted 
aspirit of vague speculation, which, 
after the American market was 
fully stocked, occasioned nume- 
rous failures ; so that. much dis- 
tress was undergone in the latter 
part of the year by the trading 
portion of the community. This 
source of private calamity was 
unfortunately coincident with an 
extraordinary decline in agricul- 
tural prosperity, immediately pro- 
ceeding from the greatly reduced 
price of corn and other products, 
which bore noadequate proportion 
to the exorbitant rents and other 
heavy burthens pressing upon the 
farmer. This circumstance has 
already been noticed under the © 
parliamentary debates on the corn ~ 
laws. It may be added, that sel- 
dom has there been a more gene- 
ral depression of spirits in any 
class of people, than was apparent 
about the close of the year among 
that most useful part of the com- 
munity; and that the number of 
farms thrown up in consequence 
of the insolvency and despair of 
the occupiers wastruly lamentable: 
There is no doubt that the evil 
will in time remedy itself; and, it 
may be hoped, without depriving 
the nation at large of the benefits 
of plenty, but rather by lightening 
the pressure upon the cultivators. 
A circumstance took place in 
the royal family which has ocea- 
