The National Register. — London, England, 1809-03-05 00:00:00

TI Our iting, eronattution, anb MAW. No. 62. POLITICAL DlSQUisrrioN. NUM HER. •SIXTV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS. The Charges against the Commander in Chief appeared, for some time, to have excluded every other subject from the public attention. Serious as these charges are; repulsive and afflicting as it must be to every honest man to see a personage so nearly allied to the throne, and filling the highest ostensible situation, convicted of an association with a vile woman, and accused of participating in her ini quity, we do not consider them, however, of that exclusive consequence, as to sacrifice to them every other object of national inquiry and alarm, It may be the interest of fac tious, or ►mercenary, journalists to rivet the popular feel ing on a subject so gratifying to party-rancour, and fa vourable to the financial speculations of newspaper-pro prietors ; but we would blush for ourselves and ourcountry if we were conscious that [the intrigues of a prostitute, the weakness of her paramour, and the vices of her despicable associates, were capable of diverting the vigilance and *anxiety of the public from the progress and developement of that monstrous power, which has so successfully con spired against the happiness and freedom of our neighbours. We feel on this occasion, we cannot disown, a most mor tifying sensation to think that any individual or individuals, among ourselves, whatever their claims to abhorrence may be, should absoru and monopolize the general hatred and interest, when a bold, implacable, and savage enemy, flushed with the plunder and prostration of the continent, has already pronounced our own doom to be irrevocable, and is developing more and more his vast means of putting his menace into execution. While such a man is annexing every month a new kingdom, or province, to the immense empire he has created, whilst his followers enjoy, in triumphant anticipation, the plunder of the British islands, to turn incessantly the regards of our readers on the petty squabbles and the groveling vices of the wretches implicated by the late investigation, would betray equal inditlerence to the honour and safety of thecoantry. We have not been insensible to the evils alluded to on that occasion; but the portentous storm, which is rapidly collecting, and condens ing, and blackening over our heads, effaces every remoter image of danger and inconvenience. When we behold the glance of the tyger's eye, and see him in the very attitude of bouncing, are we to be terrified by the hum of wasps, and to guard against their stings.—Our very looks, when we put ourselves in a posture of defence against the fero cious and sanguinary n o ister, are destruction to the whole swarm of buzzing and iiexious insects. The investigation is now finished ; and the decision of oar representatives will soon follow. We have that confi dence in their wisdom and integrity, that, in the unprece dented crisis in which the country is placed, they will main tain the dignity, virtue, and independence of the British Parliament,—now the last asylum of laws and rights,—the le. IL—Ne. LXII. SUNDAY, MAR CII 5, 1809. PRICE 84. only free deliberative assembly in the old world, unchecked by brutal violence, unawed by tyranny. This last remain ing stay of freedom ;—this Pharos in the obscurity and storms of our age, must be preserved, towering and efful gent, to cheer the drooping minds and raise the sinking courage of the present generation ; otherwise public virtue and happiness may take a long, perhaps, lasting farewell of Europe and our own islands. These,.considerations arc sufficiently impressive to in spire with firmness and patriotism a less independent and less virtuous House of Commons than the present. Their proceedings must determine whether the moral resources of this country are sufficient to resist the tempest, which, • with the most frightful symptoms, is gathering round it. The highest stretch of human virtue, wisdom and energy is alone competent to preserve us from the calamities which have befallen our neighbours ; and, we cannot conceal it, the Moment is fast approaching, when we must undergo this severe and unparallelled trial. A tremendous crisis is near at hand ; and impressed with the awful conviction, we turn away, with horror and disgust, from a Mrs. Clarke, her associates and paramour, and consigning them to the punishment, or contempt, which the law, or public opinion, may inflict, will propose some measures in order to meet with fortitude the alarming occurrences. Our own nature is too mercurial to give way to despondency ; and at exig ence we would spurn, were it dependent on the brutal caprice of a tyrant. Our mind is made up for the worst events which may happen ; what we, therefore, propose may bear more the stamp of our own feelings and princi ples, than apply to the present state of society. The fifth act of the dreadful tragedy, which, for more than nineteen years, excited the sympathy and terror of mankind, is upon the point of commencing. The maths has already been raised a little, and the appearance of the hero of the piece is looked for with anxious, trembling impatience. It bears a striking resemblance to the pro ductions of our immortal bard. The scene shifts with ale most the rapidity of lightning—from Europe to Afeka, to Asia, and back again to Europe ; and the prim' I per sonage is transported, as if by the effect of mag K from the Seine to the Po, from thence to the Nile and aordan. He reappears on the Po—from thence is conveyed to the Danube and Vistula. His next appearance is on the Ebro; and the next scene of his exploits will probably be the Da nube or the Niemen. In perfect conformity to the prin. ciples of the tragic art, the hero has been uniformly suc cessful, though branded with every crime, and an object of universal terror and abhorrence. Ail human means, have been as yet found ineffectual to resist him in his mad ca reer of ambition and cr:ltes, whilst the powers of the probable are considered itiadequ‘te to render the cause of justice triumphant ; and, according to some of our politi cal critics, some Deus ex machina, some supernatural agency, is una. , ,Adably necessary to stem the course of vii. lainy and inkatice. Every account, private and public, from the Continent, every article in the Paris Papers, referring to Austria, furs - ~ 4'; ~ I' I ►:; el ■