22 JANUARY 1831, Page 15

Mr. PALGRLVE'S Answer to Mr. NICOLAS'S pamphlet on the abuse

of the funds set aside for the publication of the records, and the general neglect and mismanagement of the public docu- ments and state papers, leaves the question pretty much as he found it, as regards the public. As between himself and Mr. NICOLAS, it certainly places the latter in a very awkward posi- tion ; for he appears, to use a metaphor of the famous Lord CAS- TLEREAGH, to have turned his back upon himself. Mr. PAL- GRAVE had been upon friendly terms with Mr. NICOLAS, and numerous letters passed between them : in these letters Mr. NICOLAS :certainly puts a far higher value on Mr. PALGRAVE'S labours, than he does in his pamphlet, when taking a large view of all that has been done in a course of years. Mr. NICOLAS will probably reply ; whet we may, perhaps, think the question worth taking up, wilh a view of settling it for the public, who are, or ought to be, anxious as to the just distribution of their own money, but may not love to follow the mazes of a pamphlet war. We ought not to conclude this notice of Mr. PALGRAVE'S pamphlet, without complimenting him upon the good temper and gentlemanly tone in which it is written.