The National Register. — London, England, 1813-06-06 00:00:00

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STRANM. • .-S U N 13, Alr Jf4l3. to her prittine State, saw the destruction of their kingdom 4, had not magnanimity enough to folksy the Prussian exgrnples and secure German independence by the,voluntary sacrifice of their unlawful accinisitions, They r i enfained neutraliied by -stupefaction, sand, terrified at the losses of shat power. foul which they derived their oWts, awaited their:final str4te with out endeavouring, either by arms or nessociatibr, toavert it. This sudden change . in theproipects of the'NOrth;:the eight of its oppressors beyond its . widest rivers, the passage of each of which they had vainly promised to defend; the inactivity of their allies and the insurrection in the Hansen towns, which seemed to announce a generabrising in Germany arrsinst the enemy, •impressed the Allies with a premature belief that 'their tiintnph was complete. Till then, Ilusia fishting single handed against coal e sced nations, and • feeling that she had no other safeguard than the spirit of her people, called forth all her means into action, and fought with all the strength of the . monarchy. Now she had found Allies; her foes seemed die• armed of their power, and she thonsht a time of compara tive • rest and security had arrived, after which she would march to certain victory; Prussia, witnessing the enthusi• astic patriolisin r;f her subjects, and the retreat Of the enemy from her capital, shared the same belief and the same dan gerous confidence. Hence, at the very time when the weak remains of the French grand army (that were tirst locked up in fortresses) sought a shelter behind Magdeburgh, and took up a deftnsive position on the Sasle ; when the various de crees for raising 690,000 conscripts had filled all France with grief and discontent; when Hamburgh was free and Hanover • ripe for insurrection, and when therefore the. Allies ought to .have allowed the almost helpless enemy no breathing time, they suspended all offensive operations, for a month or two, and contented themselves with•occupy ing undefended points, whilst they suffered the nucleus of a fresh army to remain .in a position whence it would threaten equally three capital • cities Berlin, Dresden, and Hamburgh. Why the. Russians and the Prussians, immediately after their junction, did not attack BEAUHARNOIS'S army'on the Saale before he had re ceived-any reinforcements from France, (and it was in their. power-to do it,) cannoVhse satisfactorily explained. They had then at least double his numbers, and might have annihilated his foyee, or at least di iven him beyond: the Weser, and thus ettabled all the population of Hanover and the Duchies of BreMen and Brunswick-to rise. The destruction *f NA.PO - last veterans, *Ould then not only have proved one bf the severest military disasters he had experienced, hut would have deprived the raw levies whom he dragged across the Rhine,; of that consistency anil strength which they have acquirer being intermixed with experienced warriors. To ha . • lowed the enemy; at a - time . -when he was decidedly in. and not supported in the field by any Ally whatever, to re such a position, until the arrival of immense numbers -et.' by, ye al- if*ritic•. I retain 11 CLOD 0 CONDUCT of THE WAR. • . • . PRICE Pd• N. 254. The voice of Peace, heard one moment amidst the,tumult of war, is nmolost amain in the shack of armies. • Instead of the reported armistice, fresh battles have been fought and. won, maid though a 'Congress of Princes has been proposed to settle the repose of the earth, it remains uncertain whether all the Belligerents .have consented to its being carried into execution. To discuss the particular advantages of ' peace, at such a period of renewed hostilities,. would therefore be premature. To advocate the cause of humanity, would be deemed despondent officireasness : to urge the continuance of war, perhaps blind presumption. We shall therefore wait till the olive branch is put forth rain, to enter upon a sub ject, which can only then be discussed without encountering prejudices on every side... We shall only• remind our readers, that when Russian vengeance hung on the rear, of the flying enemy . ; when Prussia, following the•--ex-. ample of rite of her Own Generals, shook off the yoke of France. and all Germany, panting after libeity, seemed.rushing : to the field, we deprecated every motion for pre announced in Parliament, as likArto check the career 1 of the.conq Jerors and the ruin of the conquered.. But when events have change d their course; when th e recruited hosts of France are ad t4aticing. and the Allies retreating after every battle; when Ihe . vassals •who shrunk fronf NAPOLEON's etanda ds at the boui °ibis weakness, alt once more crOWd ing with their. auxiliary force in ,liis train to share his sue ce•ses; when Sweden (her .troops and her CA 6wn Pi ince in the field!) suffers him to &tett the unfortunate Hanseatic volunteers, and Denmark places 5000 of her warriors under a French General to give back Ilamburgh to his veivance ; when the flame of Geiman insurrection is thus extinguished , and the prospects grow dark and lowering, the thought of peace, like a ray of light breaking in upon the gloom, may be entertained with more of .hope than fear. When the proper period arrives' we, shall . therefore explain the reasons which have thus modified our opinion : at wesent we shall consider the condact of the war since the coalition between' ~ • Prussia and Russia took place. , Advantageous as this union appeared at the time it was formed, it served in some degree, to counteract the hopes which it had excited. It came in the estimation of Europe with all tilt foi ce of a decisive blow, which must level the exhausted power 'of France to the ground. It Ilterefore createji the impressionAliat 'enough had been done, and tbat is was not incumbetit 'on ally State to do more. Hence, rmihatis, the hesitation manifebted by Au - stria, who, con sidering France as no' longer dangerous, already felt all her formeileatousy revive tgains:t Russia 4tl Prussia, The vas-, . 4 *. '• • • .•0 - sal kings who held their crowns of BUONAPAItTE, and who, in the intention expressed by the Allies of restoring Germany Vol VI. No,CCLXXICIV.