*76 L © -N 
Of this number, it is fuppofed that aS millions fpeak the 
French language, 6,453,000 the Italian, 4,063,000 the 
Dutch or Flemiffi, 967,000 the Breton, and 10?,000 the 
Baf'que,-—We have copied this lift the rather, becaufe, 
from the prefent afpcrt of things, whether for war or 
peace, thefe numbers will probably appear greatly dimi- 
nifhed wlien another cenfus fhall be taken.—The popula¬ 
tion of the Hates connected with the fyftem of France, 
including Italy, Swifferland, Spain, the Confederation of 
the Rhine, &c. was eftimated at 38,141,541 fouls. 
i8jz. This year will certainly afford to our readers 
fufficient matter for intereft, on account of the variety 
and importance of its events. Of thefe, the moft promi¬ 
nent in magnitude and intereft was undoubtedly the in- 
vafion of one great empire by the collerted force of the 
fiill greater empire, which in its fpread had left itfelf no 
other adequate antagonift. The conflagration of a capi¬ 
tal, the horrid carnage confequent upon well-fought bat¬ 
tles between countlel's hofts, the ftill more lavifli and la¬ 
mentable wafte of lives occnfioned by the rigours of win¬ 
ter combining with the diltveffes of retreat, and the in- 
.glorious flight of a leader who fcarcely ever before re¬ 
turned without fame and conqueft from his daring expe¬ 
ditions, form fcenes of tragic grandeur which the drama 
p f human affairs has rarely prefented in modern times on 
the civilized parts of the globe. 
In domeftic hiftory, the prefent year is diftinguiflied as 
that which, by uniting all the powers of the crown in 
the perfon of the prince-regent, has made an artual com¬ 
mencement of a new reign, and afforded a fufficient cri¬ 
terion of the fpirit in which it is likely to be conducted. 
It has alfo put to the teft the (trength of the different po¬ 
litical parties; and, by weighing them all in the balance, 
has demonftratively proved the exiftence of a preponde¬ 
rating mafs of power which reduces them to comparative 
Snfignificance. After all the complaints of the want of 
“ a itrong and effective adminiftration,” that miniftry has 
been continued which gave rife to thefe complaints ; and 
110 Want of ftrength or efficacy has appeared in carrying 
through the meafures determined upon by the gov'ern- 
ment. The inteltine diforders which had pervaded acon- 
fiderable tract of the manufacturing diftrirts, and which 
afl'umed a character of daring and ferocity unprecedented 
among the lower claffes in this country, were at length 
happily quelled by a firm but lenient exertion of autho¬ 
rity ; and the record of them may ferve to exemplify the 
dangers attending a population forced by profperous trade 
greatly beyond its natural level, whenever the fources of 
’employment are cut off, or maintenance is rendered un- 
ufually difficult by the exorbitant price of the neceffaries 
of life. This laft caufe prevailed during this year to a 
degree almoft beyond all former example ; and nothing 
but a folid and durable peace can be expeCied to prevent 
its recurrence. 
The feffion of parliament opened as early as the 7th of 
January, with the regent’s fpeech delivered by commiffion. 
It contained nothing of a very ftriking nature ; and was 
therefore echoed, as ufual, by an addrefs from both houfes, 
which met with but little oppofition. In the houfe of 
lords it was moved by the earl of Shafteibury, and fe- 
conded by lord Brownlovv. The oppofite party, of which 
lords Grenville and Grey were the loudeft organs, re¬ 
probated the conduCt of minifters; the earl of Liverpool 
defended the addrefs, and it was agreed to run h diJJ\ 
The proceedings refpeCting the fpeech in the lower houfe 
were rendered remarkable by an unufual circurnftance. 
After it had been read by the Speaker, and lord Jocelyn 
•was riling to move the accultomed complimentary addrefs, 
fir Francis Burnett rofeatthe fame time ; and, having firlt 
caught the Speaker’s eye, it was decided that he was in 
pelieflion of the houfe. The baronet then, after a fpeech 
of warm and defultory invective againft the principles of 
She war, the deterts of the reprefentation, and a variety 
of other matters of grievance, moved an addrefs-to the 
D Q N. 
prince-regent, intended, he faid, <{ to embrace every point 
which his own fenfe of duty to his condiments, and to 
the country in general, fuggefted to him as effential.” 
Accordingly, the propofed addrefs was framed in the ityle 
of a memorial or remcnftrance, laying before his royal 
highnefs all the inftances of mifgovernrnent and oppreffion, 
of infringement of the public liberty, and accumulation 
of abufes, which, in the Opinion of the mover, a feries of 
paft years had afforded. After it had been read, lord 
Cochrane rofe to fecond the motion ; and in his fpeech 
particularly dwelt upon the mifconduct of the war, and 
the little hope of final fuccefs.—Lord Jocelyn then moved 
the addrefs which he had prepared, by way of amendment 
to that propofed by the honourable baronet, and was fe- 
conded by Mr. Vyfe. Of the debate which followed, it is 
fcarcely necefi'ary to record the particulars; fince the 
members in oppofition, who agreed with fir Francis Bur- 
dett in parts of his ftatement of public evils, could not 
concur with him in all points, and thought that many of 
the topics introduced would have been better referved for 
future difeuflion. They made however, and of ccurfe, 
forne objections to the minifterial addrefs, fimilar to thofe 
which were advanced in the houfe of lords, which were 
replied to in a fimilar manner. The houfe then divided 
on firF. Burdett’s addrefs, which had only one vote in its 
favour befides the two tellers, againft 238. Lord Jocelyn’s 
amendment was carried without a divifion. 
The near approach of the period in which the regency- 
aCt was to expire, rendered necc-ffary a particular and for¬ 
mal inquiry into the ftate of his majefty's bodily and men, 
tal health ; and committees were appointed by both houfes 
for the examination of the king’s phyficians 011 thefe points. 
The medical gentlemen examined were, Drs.IIeberden,Bail- 
lie, Halford,Monro, Simmons,and John and Darling Willis. 
They all agreed refperting his majefty’s prefent incapacity 
of attending public bufinefs; and alfo that his bodily health 
was either good or little impaired. With refpect to the 
chance of recovery ; they concurred in thinking fuch an 
event improbable ; but, as to the degree of improbability, 
there was fome difference, at ieaft in their language; feme 
reprefenting it as bordering upon hopelefihefs, others as 
only a preponderance of improbability. On the whole, 
however, it was evident that the Aim of opinion was fuclj 
as to exclude any reafonable exportation of a recovery ; 
and that little more was meant by the cautious terms 
employed, than to avoid a pofitive declaration that it was 
abfolutely defpaired of. The public at large bad anticipated 
the phyficians in a fimilar judgment 5 and that that judg¬ 
ment was corrert, melancholy experience has fully evinced 
On the motion for a fupply to his majefiy, made in the 
houfe of commons on the 9th of January, Mr. Creevey 
rofe; and, after obferving that it was the duty of that 
houfe to examine the feveral fubjerts connerted with the 
revenue before they entered into the confideraticn of the 
fupply, adverted to an office lately bellowed on the re¬ 
gent’s confidential fervant, colonel M'Mahon. Twenty- 
nine years ago it had been ftated, in the 10th Report of 
the Commiffioners for Public Accounts, that the office of 
pay-mafter of widows’ penfions was a perfert finecure, 
and ought to be aboliffied ; and in one of the reports of 
tlie commiffioners of military inquiry, prefen ted to the 
houfe four years ago, the fame opinion had been confirm¬ 
ed ; and it was added, that, on the ' deceafe of the then 
patentee, general Fox, they prefumed that the office would 
be fuppreft'ed; yet, in the face of thefe two reports, the 
minifters of the crown had advifed his royal highnefs the 
regent to confer the office on colonel M‘Mahon. He con¬ 
cluded with moving an amendment, that the houfe would 
to-morrow fe’nnight refolve itfelf into a committee of 
fupply, in order to give an opportunity in the interim 
for the confideration he had fuggefted. 
The Chancellor of the Exchequer correrted the honour¬ 
able gentleman’s fuppofition, that the place in queltion 
was held by patent for life; and afferted that it had been 
s diltinctiy 
