The National Register. — London, England, 1808-07-03 00:00:00

r • • r IP • -61 • One fling, ganotitutian, anb Latust.. No. 27, SUNDAY, JULY 3, 1808. THE .POLITICAL DISQUISITION. wilt split, will be his pressure on the feelings; of the com munity, %tot of Kings and Princes, but of Common ikien. It should appear. by the events detailed in another part of this, Paper, that his. eeettordinary success has inspired . him with too great a contempt of the effect produced by a sense of insult and oppression. A feeling which we have reason to conclude from the aspect of continental intelli gence, and the agitation evidently preeeiling in other places besides Spain—more likely to be urged into effectual eft'ort than all the plans of all the Cabinets upon earth without it. Should it therefore again prove necessary to give our aid to a general cause, let us determine in what spirit, and with what views we should oll'er it. It frequently happens, in the common intercourse of life, that individuals, who have points of mutual interest to adjust, become ,weary of practising upon each other all artifice and rules of come:on-place prudence, ,and suddenly perceive the policy of a frankness directly the reverse. The most important priur'plc of combination has seen seized, and the minor considerations before thought of so much consequence, have quickly found their proper station..—Let us give the reins to our imagination, ,and suppose a British Deputation, addressing a Continental Congress in the following manner : " The times are past, Noble irs, when over a hoard of " green cloth, we could rehearse at leisure all the etiquette " of diplomacy; advance our greater and lesser considera " then directly in the proper place, and balance equiva " lents,imaginary or real, with all that gravity and decorum " which gives an air of dignity to finesse and decteitiou. " Most sincerely we lament these times are no more, but " now that an overwhelming evil threateas the political " existence of many, and the welfare of all, it is right to " dispense with the ceremonious amusement of happier " eras, and mutually resolve to meet the common enemy " with all the alacrity of hope, and all the courage of " despair. We hesitate not to confess, that we has e been too much attached to sugar islands which we did not n:ttnt, " and secret expeditions against points of little consequence, " except to certain commercial factions, whose faresight " extended only to the first or second shipment. flat we 46 have entertained these partial aims e - ' close, but they " have not been unaccompanied by the mast zealous " exertions of a more disinterested nature, by the waste of " lives and treasure, unexampled, when conselesed as the " contribution of a single state, and by a disposeion (not " always prudently exhibited we own) to urge others to " their due proportion of etelea spur ill the tmisersal cause. "No longer then, let the artifice of the enemy " delude your nuderstanding, by exciting jealousy at " our maritime and commercial superiority—a stipe " riority which has Let been usurped, but which is " the natural result of oar insular situation, our in " ternal freedom, end the long possession of capital,• ma " nufacture aed credit. lente!aie these advantages, " if you can, as far as your situation will admit, ,seek " the same effects by the same means ; but do not • 2410118 K R, TWENTY-SEVEN• e..•••IIMMI•mm ON THE DELIVERANCE OF EUROPE. • In the history of nations, ancient and modern, we may discover many important periods, when a departure um the usual and acknowledged maxims of Government may be necessary, but shall not be able to enumerate many in stances, either in rulers or people, of an early conviction of the fact. Nor is this wonderful—its own orticalar experience ever forms the w;sdom of the multitude, and it is natural for common understandings to sanctify the poli tics and conduct which has hitherto guided them with safety and prosperity. It would be better were the general run of statesinen exempt from the force of this observation, but it is too true, that in questions of nice discernment, they more frequently follow than lead the public mind. indeed in despotic Governments, swayed by a race of Sovereigns of long standing, the nominal Ministers can scarcely be considered responsible, being commonly the mere organs of a junto of courtiers and men of ribband, little likely to perceive the spirit of the crisis, and stilt less disposed to act upon it. In free States, it is to be lamented, that they are mostly raised by, and consequently slaves to a party—a bondage little compatible with the freedom and decision which great emergencies require. The complete subversion of all the old and jarric rests in France by the Revolution, and the necessary ereis- ; tion of new by superior ability alone, have given a spirit and consistency to her plans, however daring. The terri ble energies which every ruling faction has been enabled to call forth, could hardly be successfully encountered by the worn-out maxims, leisurely preparation, and cautious movements ui old Governments ; who, in addition to these constitutional defects, for a long time entertained a most ill-founded contempt for their formidable enemy. In the BritislOominions, this mistake has been peculiarly predo minant, and is not even• yet entirely removed. Bit on the Continent the public mind appears to have verged to the opposite extreme, and to regard all further opposition as fruitless. Fruitless indeed it would be, if not exerted upon principles and views, and with a courage and ability altogether dilerent from the past. They who begin pre sumptuously, generally end abjectly ; .and nothing can tend more certainly to defeat Who a mistaken opinion of the genius and resources of an opposing power. A latent hope of the Deliverance of Europe may, how ever, still be indulged, even from the great daring of the enemy, if the insulted Governments were prepared and disposed to adopt that line of conduct which is alone equal to the crisis. To lay aside their mutual jealousies, and (at present) ridiculous fears of eaoh other—To combine in earnest and with confidence—To trust less to their tactics— Above all, to awaken the spirit of vengeance in the pro*, and improve the rising ferment which the excessive tyranny and insolence of France seems calculated to produce. If Napoleon should ultimately fail, the rock upon which he No. XXVII.—VoI. I. N. inte- . -111 1 r • • S MN .1•:.._ ~'rw - MOda . ; • e• S F `. 'F r' • 1 . I "'• . • . t • I " N !I ~•~~~- f''~' !f 4 i 1 I ) I 1 i I