The National Register. — London, England, 1809-03-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. I Our airic Canaitution, anb Lilll4. No. 65. SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 1809, PRICE 9(1. POLITICAL DlSQUisrrioN. NUMBER SIXTY-THRtE. WAIt BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND FRANCE. We enter upon this subject with almost the same feeling and solemnity, as we would propose measures for securing our own independence, were the enemy uncontrouled master of the seas. The same phenomena which preceded, at any one period, the es tablishment of a general system of conquest, rapine, and slavery, begin to appear s every day, in a more and mote alarming de gree. The terror and general sympathy, which the novelty of the danger had created, have already began to abate sensibly ; and governments and states acknowledge the empire of custom. Familiarity has rendered the first terrible impression less mon strous and repulsive. A number of the ancient harriers have been swept away ; the landmarks have disappeared ; the last rnounds s hich intervened between our fields and the inunda tion, are shaken by its fury ; and Ise look, with stupid indif. ference, with the empty stare of bewildered folly, on the vast scene of desolation. No serious measures bave been proposed, not even the will is manifested, on our part, to avert from our neighbours the calamity, which, after it has overspread their lands, will rage, with tenfold violence, against our own fences. We perceive the danger of their situation, and may easily anti cipate our own ; their imploring cries are heard; their hands, invoking as,istarice s are stretched out to us; but neither sympa thy in their distress, nor the roar of the approaching torrent, can render us more alert, or produce a corresponding measure of vigilance and action. The low vices of dissipation old avarice undermine the nati onal Character. An incessant pisrsta of pleasure, and of wealth to gratify it, occupies our facultiPs and comprises our wishes.— All the male and ennobling virtues begin to migrate from a (sotto try where they long sojourned ; and temperance, love of glory, disinterestedness and patriotism, find no avenue into bo soms, which are incrusted with a thick and solid rust of selfish ness and base desires. The infection has - begun with the higher class, and communicates rapidly, through the Fe veral grada tions, to the lowest orders of the state. The rich and the poor, the nobleman and the mechanic, have now their midnight orgies, and resort to means equally iniquitous in order to support them —the one defrauds his creditor, and the other his employer; whilst both display more alarming indifference to their social obligations. Thus the heartless debauchery of the castle,and the wild riot of the cellar, equally contribute to corrupt the moral and physical stamina of the community; and our feelings arc blunted, our strength too much dissipated, to be able to display energy, resentment, or enthusiasm, sufficient to surmount the dif ficulties, or punish the atrocities of the pre4ent age. These disheartening reflections rush upon our minds with a painful conviction, whenever we take a survey of our national concerns and pursuits. On the part of the public, a chilling apathy is visible; on that of Ministers, weakness, and irresolution. The inch:- knee and improvidence of the latter are as repulsive, as the inditference of the former is alarming. Every sign tends to de press; nothing to encourage. Though the most vital interests of the country are at stake, its freedom, institutions, its very existence are menaced ; a peevish, impatient, puerile, con cern is manifested about trifling grievances, which men of a ceitain cast, were they to occur to thew in private life, would Vat. I f LXV. disre4:lrd, or coo:teni. The most :Ilion-sighted are seosit,le, that the disa,ters which menace us accumulate, and are coming 10 a crisis; and we feel. nevertliele, , s, an increasing reluctance to prepare seriously fur the event, and postpone, from nit!. to day, w ith unaccountable remissness and L•vity, to adopt the ne cessary means of resi.tance. We ntsgleet ourselves, aod do no thing for others ; and, whatever he the result of the impeading struggle, we blush to confess, that our present vigour, or fore sight, is not adequate to meet its pressure. These reflections, humiliating as they are, present themselves, on adverting to the approaching contest between Austria and France. We appear to manifest as much indifference on the occasion, as if it were a dispute between two Indian tribes. No preparations are made by Government, no strong inter..st is displayed by the public ; and we shew the same remissness though infinitely less enthusiasm, than we did in the case of Spanish resistance. Our negligence and inaction blasted every hope which that propitious occurrence hatl justified ; and we now purine the same conduct, after experience has snewn its disgraceful and ruinous tendency. We were among the mot at . - (eat advocates in favour of vigorous policy in support of the Spanish Patriots ; and however unsuccessful oar effort* have been, however disappointed our hopes, we will still persevere in recommending and impressing its utility. It is equal who the people are; their co-operation in the same cause cancels every former iiijury ; and they are affiliated the moment they evince , a desire to he free. Austrians or Spaniards, Russians or Turks, they become instantly naturalised Britons, as soon as they have declared themselves enemies of Frances and this single act givOs them a sight to our armies and treasures. Enmity to am abort*• nable and hated country, is friendship to us; and resistance to tyranny should couonsand the services and esteem of freemen. We discard totally, from our code of political morality, the ob liption of philanthropy to a state, which aims at our destruc ; and, so far from R3 . 3npattlising, we would glory hi its dis asters. Sentiments, like these, produced the astonishing effect% we admire in GI eciati and Roman history ; and similar senti: meats are atone capable of producing among other nations siini/ar, egects. Were these feelings strongly ingrafted in the hearts of our countrymen, and regulated the policy of govermnent, every anx iety about our future fortunes would he chimerical ; and we could laugh at the menaces and unavailing rage of a loathsortte and unprincipled tyrant. Whatever people rose to resist our navy would transport, with the rapidity and execution of intense hatred, a formidable army to assist their efforts. At the slightest demonstration of Spain or Austria to that effect, our entire military force would have meuaced, like a black cloud, the enemy's coasts; and if a particle of the spirit of our fore fathers remain, the first cannon that is fired on the Danube, will he the signal of our renovated energy. Let us imagine then, that Ministers, sensible at last of the dhgraCeful and weak part the country has acted under their auspices, would adopt measures of foreign policy more confor mable to our ancient maxims, and the alinost inexhaustible rc sources of the State. It might then he asked, how they could wield the energies of the empire A% ith any effectual advantage to Austria,--a country situated at so considerable a distance frora ours? The reply to this objection is, that they need ouly at here to the very plan, which they so unfortunately pursued relatise Spain, namely, to effect a diversion as remote ai possible from the direct scene of hostilities. A change of circumstances ren ders imperiously urgent, what was the highest impolicy at that . • 4 . . 141