The National Register. — London, England, 1815-04-09 00:00:00

.• THE NATIONAL REGISTER. • - . • _ •. Otir lung, Cengtuntton, an tabu. • PURLISHED AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLE-STREET, STRAND. No. 380. SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 1815. POLITICAL DISZTESITION. PRINCE RESENT'S MESSAGE-tIESITATION OP THE On the eve of earthquakes, a momentary serenity generally pervades the air, unusual stillness sits on earth, and ocean , heaves its waves in seen majesty Nature seems to ponder awhile within herself whether she will give way to the deso lating impulse, or will restrain its fury. Such is the . sudden pause which seems to have occurred in the match of ap proaching events. On the eve of a fresh universal convul sion, Europe looks round and hesitates. The sword is grasped, but yet unsheathed ; the trumpet is ready, but silent still. All is breathless expectation and frarful awe Shall devastation still be forced to sleep, or shall the volcano. burst at once and fill the earth with flames and ruin? The breath of a few potentates will determine. What can oc casion their hesitation ? After issuing the Declaration of the 13th of March, now acknowledged to be authentic, who could expect that they would chain _their ardour and not rush at once 20 sweep the disturber from the face of the world ? It is true that he was then but just landed and that all the chances of probable success were against him. It was therefore easy to contemplate the destruction of a man, sup posed to be engaged in an hopeless enterprise, which the sound of opposition would alone suffice to defeat. It is also true that his unimpeded return to Use throne, the universal submission of the people, the adhesion of the Marshals and the flight of the reigning family, have produced a vast al teration in his circumstances. But yet, pledged as they were, no hesitation was expected from them, and it was thought by many and hoped by some, that ere now Europe would have been involved in the blaze of war and the gene rations of mankind once more committed to the sword. Fired with prophetic rapture at such a prospect, some of our papers had exultingly announced that the Prince Regent's Message to both Houses would be found equal to a decla ration of war against France. What was the astonish ment of the whole nation, therefore, at finding that it only mentioned precautionary measures, which it was most wise to adopt, - and left the question of war or peace totally untouched. This astonishment has since subsided. Lord Castlereagh's explanatory speech on Friday last, when the Message was taken into consideration, has solved the enigma, and it is now known, that if the Powers of the Continent have not acted up to their hurried de claration, and not waged with Napoleon Emperor, that war which they denounced against him when he landed with a few followers on the coasts of France, it is because weighty consi derations of prudence and policy have interfered. It appears that hitherto the whole of Europe has beon kept in the dr Vol. CCCI,XX X. . PRICE 9d. with respect to th e nature o f t h e transact i ons at Fontein')'eau last year. It was generally represented, and the well-inform ed did not choose at that time to correct the misconstruction, that Napoleon, deserted by his capitil and almost abandoned by his arns3s, had actually fallen helpless into the hands of the Allies, who through an excess of generosity, had not only, granted him his life, but allowed him to retire to Elba, Where he was to be kept as a prisoner of state with a splendid allowance, and out of mockery. with the empty titles of Em peror and King: That a strong guard was set upon him, and that any attempt on his part to quit the island would sub ject him to the penalty . of death. Now a ll thi s , accor di ng to his Lordship, was a complete misrepresentation. Buona parte, at the time when the Convention of Fontainbleau was concluded, negociated as an independent So vere i gn at th e head of a powerful army, and having at his command all the other corps stationed in the various provinces of France. Even the troops 4 4 paralised for the moment by Marshal Marmont" (a pretty clear acknowledgment of the imputed treachery of that officer) were not expected to abide by the capitulation he had signed shoald the war continue, but were Considered ready to join their Imperial Chief. So far from any defection on tbe part of the French armies, such was their spirit and temper, added the Noble Lord, that it became the interest of the Allies to terminate the war as amicably and speedily as possible. Even Insurrections began to appear its the Northern provinces in favour of Napoleon. The fact was, that he proposed what terms he pleased to have, or in other words, dictated the treaty, It was not generosity, • maintained his Lordship, which induced the Allies to concede those conditions, but good policy, which in diplomacy is only another name for necessity. He was n t therefore sent as a prisoner to Elba. lie went there as an independent Sovereign, free within aid without the limits of the Island. Ilis flag' was respected in every port, his commerce extensive, and if he pleased to visit any part of the Continent in O . tpanner unconnect ed • with a political enterprise, he was -to be received as any other Sovereign travelling incognito. Colonel Camp bell had no orders to watch, the British cruisers none to stop him. Such measures would have been an infiingement cif the treaty concluded with him, and which, in those partici leis, was religiously kept. His Lordship acknowledged thct he perceived the danger of placing a man who had lately swayed the imperial sceptre in such a situation, almost i view of the countries which he had governed, and which we. e still filled with his adherents. He stated that he had oppoced the arrangement as soon as it was in his power, but that when the policy of conceding those conditions was preyed to lihn by the Allied Monarchs, he had withdrawn his dissent, amid tv had bccu sigmcd, What is to be collected ti.);il • A ',„- • • h'~ ~!"~ 111