The National Register. — London, England, 1811-03-10 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. • NON; shores of -the latter Circled by our fleets; And do not both suffer most' materially from our blockade? Your ports, once open like our own to receive the wolth and produce of distant lands, now remain unvisited by any flag, save that which from the masts of my cruisers waves defiance to your 'bat uries and your boats. There industry has ceased to exist, and poverty and discontent reside. The Continent, panting after our goods and the pro duce of both Indies, and in vain collecting all its might against us ; it is a prey to want, bankruptcy, and ruin. It suffers in its most vital interests from cur blockade ; why then, according to our own argument, not remedy the evil at once, by allowing us to occupy its kingdoms with our troops ?—But you knew the weakness of that argument, and only used it, because no one would dare to answer it, and because you were cou• s; ioua that sophistry unexposed always deceives the vulgar. Your next is of a nature still less convinc ing and more ridiculous. How could you maintain the Imperial gravity of your countenance when you epresented as one of the advantages resulting to France, from the conquest of her colonies, that the Latter would become more closely united to the Mother Country, and 66 more French," by being wrenched from her grasp, and placed under Eng lish rule ! If we are such good preceptors, and can !,0 well teach your subjects the duties of ti mem bers of the Great Nation," we may hope that in a short time you will entrust us with a wider range of instruction, and that -wherever rebellion raises her head against your government, you will lay the dis trict, province, or state, under our political tuition, to quell disturbances, and revive its loyalty and attachment to your sacred person and your Crown. Not satisfied with proving that your colonies will fare better ia our hands, because, they will no I , )nger be blockaded, and strange to say, " because my Government finds no greater pleasure than that of humbling every thing that falls under its p , Aver," -you proceed to shew the enormous burden vllich their support entailed on the revenue of France, and the use to which the sums saved by capture can be put. You tell the world that .fartinique, Guadaloupe, tarbon, and the Mau ritius, furnished nothing t& the parent State, but cost - s it upwards of tv.-entymillions per annum. These twenty millions, you inien•us, will build ten.ships of the line a year. But what use do you intend making of these ships ? You are a Continental Power ; canals pre--existing or newly formed, enable you ' - to hold uninterrupted communication with everrpart of your Vast Empire, and the territories of every vassal orally by which you are surrounded. Your ships must thexefore be ipi - )lied to some pur- 147 pose not immediately connected with use o;olitineot ; and I find it announced in your celebrated exclama tion after the battle of Uhl - I.—You wanted " ships" you then declared, in or,lor to procure " Colonies," and Colonies in order :o obtain " Commerce."— But how inconsistent and hard to be reconciled aro your declarations of 1805 and of 1511. Commerce which you then considered as the nerve of war and the life of States, you have since rejected and vain attempted to annihilate, because I would not encourage the contraband of neutrals. Colonies, which you then fought to conquer or regain, you now deem injurious to your Empire in time of war, because—they have all yielded to my power. Ships, alone still form an object, to the acquirement of which, you think undeviating attention should be paid, and yet their chief, if not only use, wou,ld he to reconquer colonies, or, according to your own account, to make you a second time liable to art useless expenditure of twenty million; a-year ! What, Mighty Emperor, is become of that system of policy, which, more powerful than the sword. was to rule the world ? It is vanished lost in uncertainty. Your steps are wand , your political views, as unfolded both bi tions and your editorial pen, are not on with inconsistency, but abound with err rejoices at our occupying those Colonies, could not defend on account of our naval sup, because we " must garrison them skongly, and thus weaken the mass of our force, and become vulne rable at a variety of point.." But you do not I%lh :et, what is self-evident, that since you could not defog? those islands because "our squadrons COILt MAD ded the ocean," it is still less possible that you should be able to attack them, when once theyoare in our possession and turned into stations, rot for our military, •but our naval force. The garrisons which we shall leave in them will bn trifling, and will chiefly consist of their own militia c, for such is the well-known " turanng of our Government," that wherever tisao plant our colours, the natives collect around them, . and not only request the introduction c.f our laws, but the honour of serving in cur cause. No extra expence will be incurred by disposing of our naval means, already employed in bide kading those islands, in their defence, and at the same time for • the protection of our merchant versels ; and shotald, not want their produce for our Lorne consuoripttp.n, or that of our trade, you wh , ) are so intimately ae, • quainted with the art of impairing the resotirceF• cf those Powers, wborn you one day call your allies and the next your foes, must well know, ihat cut off the most distant branch,of their supplies, :is a wound deemed too trifling not to become ciatw rous, if not Sometimes mortal - .• 1 forgot, it is true, - thuißthe verylirtiee which has called , this answer forth, you Ahreaten.me a fleet of 1 4 41 sail of the line an 4 V,o94icate4, wad - , plucking up a little of your former spirit , add your Colonies will to be reco'nuc.red, toecause, ne sworu. away, (*C o i i lering, ai .7; 4 '; y you illy sta -on. You vinch yott alperiority, w 1=