The National Register. — London, England, 1808-10-09 00:00:00

1.7 -44%. 41 ' , Our fling, et onotitution• ano 41-atEO. No. 41. 4 SUNDAY, OCTOBER, 9, 1805. POLITICAL ll ISQC ISITION. XUmßEit FORTY-ONF:. • TOREIGN POLITICS.-THE ARMY. We will not be accused of laying claims to an extraor dinary share of political foresight, in asserting that the short space of twelse months will decide, whether this country shall maintain that preponderance among nations, which its extraordinary opulence, its local advantages, but, above all, its institutions entitle it to claim ; or descend rap diy from that height it now pre-eminently stands on. There are, we believe, few in the habit df reflecting on such subjects, who will pretend to deny this assertion. If this be taken as an incontrovertible fact, how much cause for awful reflection does it afford on one side, and how many motives for exultation on the other. If the short period, which is to lix the destinies of England, per haps, for ever, occasion some degree of perturbation, when we take our incalculable resources into contemplation, all the occurrences of our time, unauspicious and unprece dented as they may seem, ought to have no other result than to coAtribute to national security and aggrandise ment. This is no over-saeguine or extravagant specula tioa ; for it requires only a few preliminary observations to he cons Meed that these events, If prudently managed v .will produce this decisive effect. We are placed unalterilbly in this portentous situation and much are we indebted to that superintending Power, who regulates the destinies of Nations, that such is our state. Communities, like indi viduals, are subject to plethoric diseases; and she extraor dinary exertions, we arc reduced to the necessity of mak lug, will dissipate the enervating humours of overgrown luxury and riches. Our unlimited commerce, with its concomitant vices, would have rendered the country a huge, bloated, and unwieldy mass ; and every principle of life and action become morbid and stagnant. The electric shock of the li • volution has effectually roused us out of this lethargic indulgence, and caused a more rapid and sounder circulation through the arteries of the State. If our danger be great, our means of resisting and over coming it are still more considerable. If the enemy we have to contend with be active, persevering, bold, perfi ditius, comprehensive in crime and intellect, we have re sources of a physical and moral nature, if we have judg ment to employ them, which place us beyond the influence of contingencies. It is laid down as an axiom by Philoso phers a n d St a t esmen, that the energies of a people are pro portionate to the freedom they enjoy : Let us take the structive hint ; atut by strictly adhering to the political precepts of a free Government, we will he able to display the same miraculous elforts, which liberal institutions have generated in every age and country. We do not mean to insinuate on this occasion the necessity of introducing a- v innovation in the laws we already possess; but let holm.- tiaty i n the choice of Officers and Magistrates ; veneration for m er it an d virtue, and a generous disregard to the ex- N0..11.1.-144. THE NATIONAL REGISTER. •• .r.:{ t Price elusive pretensions of birth and fortune, be compienons our subsequent conduct and arrangements. 'Phis i. t h e secret of greatness and independence; and it was the ob servance of the foregoing precepts, which raised the Ro mans, from their original state of shepherds and outlay', to that pre-eminence they had so deservedly acquired. Our armies have now reached the place of their destina tion. They have already given unequivocal proofs of the i r distinguished bravery and discipline ; and their success at Itolei* and Vimiera is a sufficient security tlh:t their future exploits mill he equal to their reputation and the Ines et' thFir country. (treat arc our expectations from the eflUcts of their intrepidity and patriotism ; and, with triumphant pride, we anticipate the moment, when, at the foot of the Pyrenees, they will add to the laurels they have already acquired. The ground is propitious and ominous of v,e tory. What glorious recollections will it excite ! What splendid memorials of British heroism did, it formerly dis play.—Peterborough!—The very name of . that illustrious citizen and soldier is sufficient to ward otr a calamity which the country scents to apprehend : And it' the present :Mi nisters, from some of whom we are justified to expect much, have the courage to insist that the fate of our Army shall not depend on the temerity or folly of nn incompetent individual, whose name recalls only defeat and disgrace, they will render their Administration as sacred to English men, as that which placed a Churchill and a Peterborough at the head of our Forces Let *ln make only, a similar choice, the country has not certainly degenerated in genies and virtue ; and our intrepid warriors mill tear from 0 , 0 claws of the Corsican Eagle the prey it has so perfidiously acquired. Sincerely do we hope, they will nut try, from co,uplaceney or weakness, a dangerous experiment. The responsibility, in case of disaster, will fall Ilea: it) on thew heads. The execrations of their country, cries of vengi:- ance on the part of the relatives of our sacrificed soldiers, the lamentations of eleven millions of Spaniards, the 01er throw of the Austrian dynasty, the total subjugation of Europe, are not to be hazarded inadvertently and with impuuity. These arc motives sufficiently powerful to in spire with a sense of duty the most worthless and basest of men, how much more so the friends and disciples of the greatest of our Statesmen ! But let us drop this subject for . a moment, and resume one more congenial to our feelings and wishes. It is a matter of serious and pressing consideration to determine, if our army should form one great body, or he divided into several corps, and act on several points. is a momentous question, and deserves the closest investi gation. The sentiment seeing to be universally prevalent, that tire latter mode of opera; ion would he more ad%isablc. The principal argument. in support of this opinion appears to be, that by detaching a considerable part of our yore , ! to the coast of Calabria, or to the Adriatic, we shoal-I divide the attention of the French, and perhaps plate !egitinette Sovereign on the throne of Noptei. he lath-t cirennistance would undoubtedly be a n Ist dosicable oh. ject ; but considerable doubts may be ea; trt‘ined m hethet wfg .. RI I MI . 4 4.4