The National Register. — London, England, 1812-01-19 00:00:00

A ATIONAL REGISTER. THE N . •. • • Our Ifng, Conc'ititution, ant 1i...a1)30. .. • PRINT;.D ANie PUISLISIIED AT NO: 5, PICKETT-STREET, STRAND, NEAR TEMPLE BAR. N° 212. PRICE 9d. SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 181.2. POLII ICAL DISQU/S/lION. No. 199. of these too, joined him at a pe:iod, when the fate of a whole campaign, and perhaps of his usurpation itself, in some degree, depended on the arrival of such powerful assistance. This happened in the Prus,ianwar, when the Elector of Saxony, who had espoused the cause of l'i-ussia, either deterred by her lust reverses, or seduced by. the splendour of a proffered diadem, abandoned his ally, placed his troops at the disposal of NAPoLzog, and sank into a King and a member of the Confederation of the Rhine. The benefits which the enemy derived from the formation of this league, were however shortly after re duced to the sole advantage of raising men, by the san guinary conflicts of the Austrian war, in which nearly the whole of - the Rhenish veterans perished. This 'advan- Page has even since • been turned into a positive evil. The frequent calls on the Confederated States, to fill up their quota, too plainly revealed the havoc of war, not to excite grief and alarm among them. The people be gan to inquire into the causes of the contest, and its events ; and the activity of our Government, in scatter ing information throughout the Continent, respecting the conduct of the French in the 'Peninsula, the triumphs of our arms, and the sanguinary warfare and successes of the guerillas, filled them with abhorrence for their allies, now deemed their oppressors ; and with increased appre hensions for the lives of their children, whom they were compelled to sacrifice at the shrine of foreign ambition. These feelings existed among the new levies who mitrchf:d reluctantly to Spain as to their grave, and instead of in• fusing strength into the reduced armies of France, swell. ad them with discontented numbers, wh•)se principles soon gained ground - amongst men exhausted with toils, satiatod with blood, and longing to leave a country where every tree offered • an. ambush, every native a foe. Dissatisfacion spread widely, and desertion ensued. En couraged by the example cf the Rhenish troops, thq French quitted their standards whenever the dread of falling into the hands of the guerillas was allayed by tl-. proximity of a regular force ; and NAPOLEON perceived, that the measure which he had adopted to strengthen, only served to enervate his military power.. He had found it efficient at first, because it placed at his disposal t at once, a whole army of veterans, careless in whose ser vice they bled, and perhaps secretly attracted by his fame. But these had fought and fallen - on the theatre of their former wars, and in contending against a State, which they had been taught from, their infancy to consi• . tier as the enemy of their respective Sovereigns. Thcir successors, like his own conscripts, had to'become sol diers. Time might have rendered them valuable, had . they been well affected to his interests ; but discleased at their removal to a distant land; terrified by the sanguin- POLICY AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE PRESENT WAR EX ANIINED. (Continued from owr Last.) • . The extensive acquisitions of France deceived the world, and concealed•the secret decrease of her real strength from every eye, save that of the mein by whom it was wielded. As early as the dose of the Austrian campaign, he per ceived the ultimate tendency of his triumphs. To obviate it, 'without suffering it to be known, became his aim. A state of peace would have been the most effectual pre ventive; but peace he disdained, as incompatible with the accomplishment of his ambitious hopes. The means uhich he adopted were twofold, and apparently equal to the important end he had in view. •. The first consisted in transferring into his arrniei all the military power of the neighbouring States, which, though subdued, still pre served a distinct national existence; and with their vete rans to replace those he had lost. Whilst this measure - would lighten the heavy pressure of the conscription on his ywn subjects, it would recruit his pristine force, and deprive the States that should be thus disarmed of every prospect of ever being able to sletke his yoke, or success fully to resist his will. He might have forcibly impressed their troops into his service : but this arbitrary act might have cleated opposition, at a time, when there were some Powers still existing that watched every favourable oppor tunity of taking up arms, or of resuming them. It would, if unattended with such serious consequences, have at least created disgust ; and, with a view of securing the willing concurrence of the high parties, so deeply affected by this measure, he formed, and carried into effect, the plan of the CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE. Dukes and Electors hastened to barter their subjects for titles ; and exulting at the assumption of royalty, blindly forget that they had purchased it at the expense of all that makes a Crown valuable, independence, and .the • means of main taining. it. They did not perceive that as this was the last sacrifice they had to make, unless they gave up the, empty decorations which they had received in return, they • must immediately lose the little weight they hitherto pos sessed in the estimation of their " Protector," who 'only valued men and Princes in proportion as they were able to serve him. The first effects of this measure fully answered the ex rzta:ions of the French Emperor. He obtained an addi. Corial force of about 76,000 veterans, who had acquired discipline and expnience either in fighting against the .best I roops of France, or as auxiliaries, by their side. Some 64 V. Aro. CC.II