The National Register. — London, England, 1812-05-10 00:00:00

1254 posed by the effort—when we observe extreme caution suc ceedion,toextreme temerity, and confidence in means giving way to doubts of sufficiency and suspicions of desertion— when above all we eNuitingly know that the fame and fortune of the French arms have fallen under the glorious ascendancy of British valour and triumphs, and that the Tyrant of the Continent durst not leave his capital to head his armies in the North, without the most serious and well grounded apprehensions for the security of France her self, we cannot but consider the present a NEW AND GLORI OUS ; and we can entertain no doubt that by a manly persever Luce in the vigorous course which has been hither to pursued, the contest in which we are engaged, will be brought to a secure and honourable termination—honour able for the character and arms of the nation—secure against the ambition, caprice and injustice of the violator of every la* and right, and the common enemy and dis turlser of the repose of Europe. If •his• be a correct picture of the external relations and'! prospects of the nation, (and for its truth and justice we may appeal with confidence to the conscience of every reflect ing man in the empire; where, we will ask, is there ground for uncer tainty—where occasion for despondence ? True it is our manufacturers feel distress from the temporary stagnation of trade and the consequent want. of employ ment. But is it not equally true that the French nninn fieturers and merchants suffer in a much higher degree Do we forget that the Berlin and Milan decrees, which wet e to be fundamental parts of the French Constitution, had been issued for the express purpose of injuring the manufactures of Great Britain ; or is it a secret that the conviction of their inefficiency to their object and of their injury to the interests of France has been pronounced by their author himself in the adoption of that system of licences, under which alone France can now export a sin gle article of her produce or receive the smallest supply of foreign produce for the relief of her internal wants or the support of her pul-Fc revenue ? In considering the State of the Nation at the present . , momentous crisis, it snould, in order to form any just estimate, be compared not only with what it has been at any previous period, but considered relatively with respect to the actual state of France at the two periods of com parison. The result of such a contrasted view would give a satisfactory demonstration of the vast improvement that has taken place in the situation and attitude of Great Bri tain, and of the corresponding determination of the means a id magnitude of the enemy's power and resources. A war begun under a denunciation on his part that Great Britain could not fight single-handed against Flat:cc, has been successively maintained against not only France, but, at different epochs, all Europe confederated with her.—Every year of its duration has developed the exhaustlessness of our means by calling forth new energies, and exhibiting in every quarter of the globe the fruits of the irresistible valour of our fleets and armies in the con quest of every settlement that belonged to the enemy— The kingdom of Portugal has been saved from the grasp of the enemy, and. the deliverance of Spain is far ad vanced—Every sea ackiteNledges the sovereignty of the British flag, and all Europe resounds with the fame and glories of the British arms—A contest begun under a me nace of invasion of this country, presents at this stage of its progress the proud contrast of the enemy boasting of the works and fortifications constructed for the security of his own coasts from the attacks of England—ln short, the improvement of our means and situation after an expen sive and sanguinary contest of nine years, is so various and THE NATIONAL BECISTFII. MAY i(s important that it would exceed our limits to go throu g h the gratifyirg detail. The subject, however, is of tr. c . much interest to be dropped. An early opportunity xvili occur fin- resuming it ; but we cannot bring this article to a close without deprecating any charge of indiffeierwe to the sufferings of the manufacturers, which :re-deple te with as much feeling and sincerity as the loudest peti tioners to Parliament, though we cannot suffer our syrl pathy in their distresses to close our eyes against tic favourable features presented by the present a , ,rect affairs. SWEDEN AND RUSSIA. Our time has reconciled many extravagant thing, and procured belief to many incredible ones. The most me , mentous occurrences, which have recently happened, have run directly in the teeth of calculation and probability. Spain, which since the accession of the 13ounnoNs to ti'e throne of that country, was one of our most invetcrate enemies, which a century before that event aimed at not hint , less than our destruction, has been suddenly converted into the most faithful and devoted ally. But of all events, the most extraordinary, the most incredible anti unexpected, is the change which has lately taken place :n Sweden. As if some power meant to ttivn the .dente political calculation into ridicule, it Las fixed upon a dier of PiuoNAPArert:; fixed him in °l:c of the most com manding points of the continent ; given him absobite con troul over a very hardy and warlike ; and place,!, as it were, in his hands the means of accomplishing the destruction of the last. and most inaccessible ba: rier of European independence ; and suddenly changed this very man into an enemy of his late Master—a friend of Eng land, and into an active champion of that very cause, which, for sixteen years, he 1110 been labouring zeal and success to subvert. That lie is serious, firm and honest in his present line of conduct it would now be 'rd. : surd to deny ; for it would be carrying caution beyeet; the verge of scepticism, to suppose that 13ET,N.11)01 - fl' , after having admitted a British Ambassador into Stock holm, and even invited him to Orebro, xdiere his pi esence cannot fail to have great influence on the proceedings 01 the Diet, is still a secret partizan of BUON A iimerr.. Can . iont like every quality of the same defxrip:ion, when carried to an extreme, plunges us into greater difficulties than those we wished to avoid, and always marks a dull, or superficial under standing. The recent conduct of the S wedish Go. vernment is the most pointed insult to the French Ruler which he has hitherto received. It is given in the presence of all Europe, and in a manner that stings and injures bin' the most. The great olject of his ablr...xrence and decia: matory invective is Great Britain. She is dr! source 01 his tears, and the principal impediment To his sue , Every demonstration of respect and confidence shew» to her, necessarily implies towards him, reproach anti (kb ance, and it is the grossest drivelling to imagine that Le is the secret instigator of a line of proceeding, which in so glaring a point of view the just and honourable tele dency of our exertions, and the iniquity of his measures. The conduct of BERNADOTTE offers much matter e,f pleasing and interesting speculation. I t contains tli.! strongest evidence of a fact, which was only s uspected fore ' and sweeps away at one blow those cobweb ries which some sullen fantasts amongst us have been ning for some years. It strews that BUON P ARTF, t I`. t ° 4 : r from being an object of veneration o r attachment o " French, cannot even secure the adherence of those per:oo Pow I 4