The National Register. — London, England, 1808-09-04 00:00:00

4 .111,1 --r- a 4 , THE NATION ~:-~ . 4 * klo At ItEGISTER ..„.,, • .1.).•,4$ *4:. , . "" 01411114 ; 4 Otwiling, uutel...__ Anti Latuo. , ~•,vorts ~: <io. 36, 1, " 1 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1808. PRICE 84. __ 11 4 ;71 .~IY ~, by Austrians and Prussian as the sure signal of safety, is now interred alive in that vast pyrainidcwhick had been erecting, for more than a hundred years, by bit • -- ful revolution I the utmost e+[. ' lions of tlrdy offense vt and a sucOsion distingm_ consequence of one unsuccessful campaign and a single treaty, to a vassal state of a Foreign Tyrant. Its vaunted insti,utions, its liberal encouragement to foreigners, and that celebrated Municipal Code which had been formed for their Advano Inge and . seturity, all the protects and establishments which had been so successfully adopted fur civilizing the ignorant. half savage inhabitants, are abandoned ; and their former contracted, barbarous restrictions, which kept them so long isolated from, and almost unknown to the rest of Europe, have been lately substituted for the comprehensive sad liberal pokey of Peter the Great. . This sudden degradation,of that once powerful and am bitious state, has induced a number of political writers, in this and other countries, to form the rash conclusion, that the strength and resources of that empire were by no means equal to its reputations that the. EmpressoCnthe rine was not insensible to its real debility, and with great political sagacity avoided every kind of direct interference in the contest between France and the Continent ; that she therefore very prudently confined her exertions to menaces and the war of diplomacy ; hut that her two immediate suc cessors, by acting in opposition to her wisdom and fore sight, had convinced Europe that this immense state was an nnwieldly body, terrific only from its bulk, but pos• sessing neither energy nor activity sufficieat to be formi dable to any other state but the degeverate Ottomans. Such is the important discovery w hich our profound jour nalists have made within these twelve months ; a discovery avhich had escaped the penetration of the greatest states. Men of the foregoing century. They triumphantly pro. duce the battles of Bylati, Friedland and Ansterlitz, tt!e defeats sustained in Switzerland, and her presnit inabilit to tear Finland from Swedaa, as ulnquestionatile proofs of the short-sightedness and political imbecility of Frederick the Great and his ministry--of the Empress Maria Theresa, her win:et:slot Joseph. and the cetabrated Kaunite. Our enlightened politicians, who find snctess a very convenient criterion of capaty, have also discovered of late, that the resources anti power of Bonaparte are likewise much inferior to his reputation, and that the calculations and apprehensions of all the cabinet, in Europe. for the' lag tweuty years, were erroneous and extravagant. However those gentlemen, whatever opinion they may now enter tain of the Continental Autocrat. after his ill-success in Spain, seem to have inibilved sumethiag of his conclusive method.of reasoning, and to have bent stud much by an attentive otniervation of his political subterfuges. This warp-politician likewise, whenever he ware opposed by that state in his project of al,randiscraeut, very fortausiziy i POLITICAL DISQU !SITIO& • _ • 311,1MIBER THIRTY-81U RUSSIA. This immense empire has apparently dep. nothing as yet to extricate itself from the disgracefu 41d impolitic engagements it was compelled to submit to . after the battle of Friedland, The signature and ratification of the treaty of Tilsit were considered as the effects of a disastrous cam paign, and imputed to imperious necessity. As soon as this necessity should cease to operate ; as soon as the ter; ror of the moment had subsided,and the army and finances *ere rendered adequate to the exigency of the occasion, it Was foadly believed that the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh *mild regime its independence and former policy. But the powerful spell, which charmed Alexander during the conferences with the victor, has not lost its fatal influence and the young, and once promising Sovereign continues to waste his armies, his resources, and his honour in unprin+ cipled and flagitious efforts to rob his late Ally and Bro ther-in-law of one of the moat considerable of his pro- *laces. Whilst the Spanish people are giving a glorious mid instructive example to Kings and Nations, how tyranny may be resisted, and perfidy punished ; , --whilst Austria is organizing numerous armies, and arming her whole popu- Atioß, to recover her ancient independeoce t—whilst • Groat *Attie 'continues to maintain her proud and eminent character of Protector of Nations ;—the Russian Autocrat, the descendant ofCzar Peter, and the Grandson of Catherine, is kept in the most ignominious bondage, in the midst of Ads capital, by a phalanx of French buffoons, musicians, DarlettOns, murderers and spies. . Those vile and profligate 'Wearies of a Foreign Usurper besiege his palace, sur round his throne, watch his minutest actions, and govern his vast dominions . . Unfortunate Alexander ! Is this the result of all the fond hopes and ardent expectations, which were entertained by the philanthropist and philosopher in the beginning of your reign I—Will you make no effort tu. disengage yourself from the ignominious leading stri.):rs of the murderer. Caulincourt and the traitor Itmnan ? Will not the voice of honour, the stimulus of national interest, the remembrance of your former glory, the keen sense of present dishonour, the shame and indignation of the ho*.t and enlightened among your servants and sub jects, be powerful enoumh to rouse you from your lethargy and deg ra d at i on ? Is it every trace of Peter's creative genius, and of Catharines's comprehensive policy effaced, *ad . a whole century a aggranilisernent and amelioration frustrated ? • That imposing - power, which menaced the Crescent, disineralered Poland, intimidated Europe and Asia, whose Alliance was the great object of Frederick's Policy, ata Joseph's apibition, lies HOW prostrate and trembling at the feet of is Corsican Adventurer ? There it st*nds the pyiamidat edifice;, in the midst • of its desert* ...and forests, serving rathex as a sepulchre .to its Monarch, than aakkagniestot witkoooll gfesitne!gi r That: vexy Soy*. whose appearance in Berlin and Mora is was No. X XXr.f.—Fre. •.P. glorious predecessors. Degrading and awful An empice,.en ending front the Vistula to the tremit? delhe Bagiefir wirldetrt o f i taty mink population, with incalculable •ci astfor o delensiTe warfare, raised and consolidated by of distinguished Monarchs, is reduced, in con ... ; 4 4. • t , ,• I • I * t! it I, 41 1 1 1 ' • ; 1 . a~ I t. R -~; e I M 3