THE

HE meeting of parliament is always looked forward to, by the people of this country, of all descriptions, ranks, and parties, with no common degree of interest. In times of war they anticipate from the speech of the sovereign, and from the debates of members and their opponents, a prospective view of the measures to be pursued in the prosecution of hostilities, as well as of the financial means by which the expenses of war are to be defrayed. Our readers must well recollect the interest they felt at the approach ing meeting of parliament, during the late protracted and arduous contest; and the attention which they paid to the debates at that period. It was generally supposed, that with the termination of hostilities the debates would in a great measure be stripped of their interest

and importance; and that as the country, it was not only hoped but confidently believed, would gently sink into the arms of peace, tranquillity, prosperity, and plenty, so the proceedings of parliament would become languid and spiritless.

That this was not the case during the year 1816,-the first year after the absolute and perfect termination of hostilities, our volume for that year has sufficiently proved. Britain was indeed at peace: she was no longer either opposed by the combined powers of Europe, as she had been at some periods of the revolutionary wars; nor was she their ally, as at the glorious termination of the contest. But peace had not brought prosperity or internal tranquillity: on the contrary, dissatisfaction had come forth in a more bold and undisA 2

guised