The National Register. — London, England, 1809-02-26 00:00:00

FEB. 26. 131 7:. 111 I i qi ); 1 k t 4 ,, , 1, ;, ~, ;1 ~ , , ) , i ~. .bi THE NATIONAL REGISTER. allowing 20,000 of the conscripts to have beep► detached to Spain to reinforce his armies there. Nobody will, however, expect from raw recruits the same services as from veteran t Trans. The following is an estimate of the force of the Princes of the Rhenish Confederacy :—Bavaria has about 36,000 men ;. Saxony 24,000 ; Westphalia 20,000; Wurtember 12,000; Batlr•n 8000: Berg 4000; and the other Princes about MON ;—making in all about 116,000 men. But what a motley mass! Wow divided in interest; and how Little to be ctintided in! Is every particle of former at tachments, policy and views ctliiced in Germany ? Are no apprehensions, no suspicions fostered by any of those Princes attout the probable fate that awaits them ? Are Saxons, Ilanoverians, Hessians, and Franconinus, together with the Provinces torn from Prussia, deprived of every recollection of the past, and insensible to their own degra dation and the fate of their former Sovereigns / Do the distress of individuals, the straitening of their means of subsistence, the annihilation of foreign trade, the outrages offered to the community, the exactions, luxury, and in s:)lence of their tyrants, produce no lurking . discontent, no desire of change, no thirst of vengeance, no ardent vvishes for the ancient order of things, for the former freedom, the former plenty / To imagine that the Germans arc satisfiel after having lost. every thing that commands the veneration and attachment of men; or that their Princes, after the atrocious ingratitude which BONAPARTE displayed towards the Royal Family of Spain, are tranquil and satisfied and unsuspicious in their present state of vassalage,—is the most extravagant, the most unnatural, and, we might say, blasphemous opinion of mankind ever uttered. From that quarter no sincere, no permanent assistance can be expected. The magazines, formerly established on the Rhine, must likewise be replenished ; for they hive been transported beyond the Pyrenees. His force in Germany is insufficient, that in Italy is only competent for its defence (for the intelligent tyrant never allows his troops to languish in inaction, when their presence is re quisite elsewhere); to attack Austria, therefore with any prospect of success, he must march back the same way they made four months ago, a considerable part of the army he has now in Spain. Will he dare do it ? Will he sacrifice his claims to that country ; and leave the irri tated, proscribed grandees an opportunity of organising to their full extent, the resources and patriotism of the Spanish Nation ? Is he ignorant that a British Army is ready to deice the conjuncture; and now confident in their superior prowess, and instructed by experience, more than suffi cient, in canjunction with the Spaniards, to overwhelm the force he may leave behind ? Is he not sensible of the murmurs and discontent his troops will manifest in con sequence of these marches and counter-marches ? Their dissatisfaction has already burst out to a degree never be fore expressed by the French Army. All these considerations are not to be overlooked in ad verting to the present state of the Continent. And we press it again and again on the minds of our countrymen, that the I mulch military force, their resources and finances, are far inferior to what is generally believed. Symptoms totally hostile to the French have long displayed them selves in e:ery part of the Prussian provinces. The de parture of the King and gam) of Prussia for Petersburg!), the powerful eloquence of that illustrious and amiable woman, her grievances, her complaints, her %inextinguish able antipathy. to Fraace, her fallen state, will produce a 'deep and salutary impression on the • mind of Alexander ; and, we are much mistaken, if the appearance of that .illustrious fugitive at the Court of St. Petersburgh, with the talc she has to relate, will not cause Bonaparte uneasi ness and suspicion. How his pride must be mortified at their declining to accept his permission to return to their 'capital ; and his fulminating bull against M. IrOpi STEIN, discloses his sentiments relative to Prussia. Such are our hopes in case of a war between France and Austria. Such are the resources of the enemy and such are the accumulating difficulties of his situa; Lion. The means of Austria are ready,' and well organised and concentrated : whilst those of ber oppo nent are divided and diminished. Her troops have no winter campaign, with all its privations and horrors to support. The voice of her subjects, of the rest of Ger many, of Europe, is in her savour; and if she falls, she falls gloriously, lamented and honoured, and only one year sooner, than she had otherwise done, had BONAPARTE suc ceeded in subduing the Patriots. Her doom would then be irretrievable ; and her imbecillity and infatuation in re maining so . long inactive, would have deprived her of the commiseration and sympathy of other Slates. She would sink unregretted and unesteemcd, when the FIAT of the tyrant would have pronounced the family of Habsburg un worthy to .reign. From the latest accounts from America, it appears certain that the people of the United States are deter mined to obtain a repeal of the Embargo !Law, or op pose the Government in the execution of it. Great disturbances have already taken place, but there is reason to apprehend others of a much inure seri ous description. The Collector and Comptroller of the Customs at Boston have been compelled to relinquish their situations, b,,ing no longer in a condition to enforce. the laws. The military, it is said, actually refused to tire upon a tumultuous meeting, on being ordered by the Commander to do so. But the most important fact is, that the Government of the United States had sent a mili tary force to New Orleans, with Ale view, as it is supposed of preventing the British from trading in the Mississippi: The treaty of ISO:3, between France, Spain, and America, allowed the English to participate in the trade of that river ; and if it should now be disputed by the Government of the United States, war with Great Britain must be the consequence. From that quarter no sincere, no permanent assistance can be expected. The magazines, formerly establishe d on the Rhine, must likewise be replenished ; for they river have been transnorted beyond the Pyrenees. His force in i Germany is insufficient, that in Italy is only competent ' a t i l l ie treaty of I '4o'3 b L France, .we ii Spain, and America, owed the Enirlish to participate in the trade of that and if • t s-t ' 7 should C of ; States, the United war with Great Britain must be the consequence. ~ 1 ., ~ for its defence (for the intelligent tyrant never allows his lIMIIIIINYMMIMIMMI+ROMOinniMM. troops to languish in inaction, when their presence is re- AIR. SHERIDAN. qt i quisite elsewhere) ; to attack Austria, therefore with any The disgra ceful subject of our reverses during the Late i t i prospect of success, he must march back the same way campaign was discussed in the House of Commons last they made four mouths agn, a cousiderable part of the army he has now in Spain, Will he dare do it? Will he night. Between eleven and twelve o'clock, the fire, which was'consuming, that magnificent temple of the mimic • sacrifice his claims to that country ; and leave the irri- art, Drury Lane Theatre, had reflected so strong a blaze • f tated, proscribed grandees an opportunity of oreanising to • of light into the inside of the House, that a very marked their full extent, the resources and patriotism of the Spanish agitation was visiWe among the members ; and the Debate Nation ? Is he ignorant that a British Army is ready to . was frequently interrupted. At the conclusion of Mr. Acize the conjuncture; and now confident in their superior Canning's ehr.2 . uent and patriotic speech, a motion was made 1 e. prowess, and instructed by experience, niece than such- ,L to adjourn the (louse, as a mark of the sympathy and 1. i l 1 , cient, in ct njunction with the Spaniards, to overwhelm the interest sr hich the Members felt for the loss sustained by , I force he may leave behind ? Is he not sensible of the ' • Mr. SuFainAs, But that gentleman, with a magnanimity . , •,.. murmurs and discontent his troops will manifest in con- , • so conspicuous in almost all his public actions, had ! t sequence of these marches amid counter-marches ? Their re- mained firm and immoseable, at his post, though his whole t •. dissatisfaction has already burst out to a degree never be- fortune was vested in the theatre. He declared to the I , fore expressed by the French Armv. House, in a !Ow tone of voice, not so mech occasioned by All these considerations are not to be overlooked in ad- the great loss he had sustained, but finnn the strong affect 1 veiling to the present state of the Continent. And we this general sympa th y e3tiscdhims th :a"w""eat the press it again and ag ain on the minds of our countrymen, b • b sufThrings of the individual may be, he did not consider ii ;! that the I' rench military force, their resources and thances, ' them of a nature to enibarrass their proceedings on so 'are leg inferior to what is 01 nerally believed. Symptoms i "; :- great a national question. totally hostile to the French have long displayed theta 'Th a t illustrious Senator hies been deprived by this dread- till 4 . selves in tnery part of the Prussian provinces. The de- ful calamity of the ► whole of his property •; and in quittino. part tire of the King and Clneen of Prussia for Petersburgh, es the House of Commons, which he attended in the exercise the powerful eloquence of that illustrious and amiable • •, of his parliamentary functions, and which he had so often womaa, her grievances, her complaints, her unextinedsh- enraptured by his doqiießce, asfenished by the versatility able antipathy. to Fraece, her fallen state, will produce a of his talents, enlivened by his wit, and ornamented by his 'deep and salutary impression on the • mind of Alexander; quitting it he was literally a beggar. But the ._ and, we are much mistaken, if the appearance of that genitis,—on public and.the government cannot disregard th e e great and illustrious fugitive at the Court of St. Petersburgh, with His conduct during has ices h e • rendered . • ' the talc she has to relate, will not cause Bo na p arte uneasi- important sect• the mutiny of the 'Sore, when the fortunes of the Empire 'less and suspicion. How his pride must be morti fi ed at were suspended by a single hair, have entitled him to the • their declining to accept his permission to velum to their . eternal gratitude of the country. During the whole tenor 'capital ; and his fulminating bull against M. Von STEIN, of his,_public life, he has displayed a disinterestedness. an discloses his sentiments relative to Prussia. • ,:i• ardent love of freedom, an attachment to the constitution. . Such are our hopes in case of a war b etween France, s, an abhorronce of arb i trary lic a fir and se lfi s h po lic y, mness of and Austria. such are the resources of the enemy i i t.,. : K,,iitl MR. SHERIDAN. The disgraceful subject of our reverses during the Late campaign was discussed in the House of Commons last night. Between eleven and twelve o'clock, the fire, which was'consuming, that magnificent temple of the mimic art, Drury Lane Theatre, had reflected so strong a blaze of light into the inside of the House, that a very marked agitation was visili!e among the members ; and the Debate Was frequently' interrupted. At the conclusion of Mr. Canning's eli2 . iient and patriotic speech, a motion was made to adjourn the House, as a marls of the sympathy and interest sr hich the Members felt for the loss sustained by Mr. SuFainAs, But that gentleman, with a magnanimity so conspicuous in almost all his public actions, had re mained firm and immoveable at his post, though his whole fortune was vested in the theatre. He declared to the House, in a lo'w tone of voice, not so much occasioned by the great loss he had sustained, but from the strong affect this general sympathy eel's:A him, that however great the sulThrings of the individual may be, he did not consider them of a nature to ealbarrass their proceedings on so great a national question. That illustrious Senator lees been deprived by this dread ful calamity of the whole of his property ; and in quitting the House of Commons, which he attended in the exercise of his parliamentary functions, and which he had so often enraptured by his eloqiierAce, astenished by the versatility of his talents, enlivened by Ins wit, and ornamented by his genius,—on quitting it he was literally a beggar. But the public and.t he government cannot disregard the great and important sers ices he • has rendered. His conduct during the mutiny of the Nom, when the fortunes of the Empire were suspended by a single hair, have entitled him to the eternal gratitude of the country. During the whole tenor of his,_public life, he has displayed a disinterestedness, an ardent love of freedom, an attachment to the constitution. an abborronco of arbitrary and selfish policy, a firmness of