The National Register. — London, England, 1809-12-31 00:00:00

DEC. 31. THE NATIONAL REGISTER Expose," an acquisition of glory." ' Every year is branded`-with an augmentation of human misery, with more alarming and wide extending aggressions on the freedom of mankind. If we did not supremely contemn the feelings and understandings of the Sovereigns of the Continent ;_ if we did not think them far inferior, in every thi;lg that constitutes human dignity, to the basest of their , subjects, we might vent some indignation at their subser- , viency to this roliber. But as long as he suffers them to enjoy their cooks and buffoons, their mistresses, minions, and fiddlers, their digestion will not suffer, their sleep be disturbed, or their consciences alarmed, by the disorder and ruin which are collecting around them. Are we, are they of the same nature, which our and their forefathers were oft Or, have historians and orators imposed upon us, and represented their coternporaries in too glowing colours I The events of the present day, the feelings of the existing gene ration, justify the blackest misanthropy. Swirr's dreadful picture of the Yahoos, with a prophetic glance, has been co pied from the slaves and parasites, that constitute the gene rality of the present generation. To live contented under the yoke of a murderer and robber, like BUONA PA RTE ; to sub mit to the innumerable outrages which such a state implies. for the miserable advantage of chewing the daily cud, of sleeping and dressing, and yawning and hiccupping-, con veys a far more contemptible idea of the human character, than is expressed in SWIFT'S Satire. Such is, nevertheless, the degraded, submissive, satisfied state of the greater part of Europe. For the lowest animal gratification, for the miserable privilege of breathing, they submit, in quiescent apathy, with unexampled patience, to all the tortures and iasults connected with slavery. The most recent intelligence fiorn America seems to bear us out in our last conjectures on the cause of Mr. JACK SON'S dismissal. A parallel to the conduct of the Presi dent and of Mr. SMITH towards our Ambassador, is scarcely to be found in the annals of diplomacy, and, for the sake of civilization, it were to be wished that mother may never occur. The most savage hordes appear to feel an instinctive deference for the character of an Ambassador. They have sense enough to identify him with the nation and government on whose part he appears ; and their native discernment teaches them► that an insult offered to his person is the grossest outrage on the country he represents. It is not necessary to read either PUrEENDORFF, or Glto - to be acquainted with this truth ;—what is within the comprehension of a half savage ; what has been practised from time iinmemoral in every country ; what is an esta blished, fundamental principle in the laws of nations, should not he discarded; or, at least, by his conduct, disavowed and outraged by Mr. MADDISON. This is the more extraordi• nary, and, we must say, impertinent and indefensible; be cause he and his predecessor, in all their public documents, affect an extreme .reverenee for principles, and deplore their infraction on the part of other Governments. The most odious and arrogant trait in man is, that he allows an unlimitted latitude to himself ; whilst he banishes others within the narrowest circle of duty. The policy of the American Presideot, grows out of this soluili and arrogant principle ; and Whilst he bemoans and strongly condemusi, on the part of other Governments, the substitution of violence for right, of inadmissible pretension for general law, of passion and re-crirnination for reason and cairn investigation of differences—he pursues the very con duct he so loudly reprobates in others. How that Gentle man will justify this insolent pretension, we are at a loss to determine. We are not much versed in the works of the American Civilians. But certain it is, that neither reason, nor the custom of Europe, nor British feelings will bear him out in this assumption. He may, perhaps, borrow the principle from that great prototype of presumption and violence,—the Corsican lawgiver. To judge from his submission, his fears, his obsequiousness, he must have a great deference for that respectable authority. But let him beware; the skin may fall off; and, instead of the lion, he personates, a long-eared, braying animal, the object of our contempt, and which calculated too much upon British forbearance, may expose himsellio ridicule, and his countrymen to chastisement. The con duct of the American Executive has been studiously cal culated of late to clash with the vital interests, the long-estab lished rights of this country ; whilst their language holds out principles, which we cannot admit without ruin. A bias in favour of the enemy is insultingly visible on their part. They oppose to their violence, complaint, or at most, humble remonstrance ; whilst they have the audacity to pretend to exact from the British Government, a renuncia- Lion of those rights, which all the naval powers in Europe had severally recognised, and in vain attempted to destroy, Under these circumstaeces, it wiil be asked how far this its soleace ought to be tolerated ; how we should take this new outrage; how far patience is a virtue, and equanimity on our part may create more friendly sentiments on that of tlh►e Americans. To ero to war with them is ridiculous. They are not worthy of a single discharge of gun-powder. But, we may carry on against them reprisals of another nature much more painful ; and that is to enforce to the full letter and spirit, our Orders iu Council. Our Minister should be immediately recalled ; and as they are not capable of re specting and maintaining the courtesy 'and principles adopt ed by all civilised governments, no diplomatic intercourse should be admitted with theirs. They may then pass as many Non-intercourse and Embargo Acts as they please; pass violent resol►tions, in their Clubs and Assemblies. against the Tyrants of the seas ; burn our Ministers, ►►►►d Rritaia herself, if they please, in effigy ; but, i‘e are convinced, they would soon grow tired of this fooli.h wrath, thase idle inoffensive menaces; and convinced of their inability to injure, learn to be rational and moderate. The evacuation of Walcheren is completed ; and with it closes the last act of the mad and disastrous expedition to the Scheidt. As every visible monument of it is thus destroyed, except the mourning dress still worn by the re latives of our brave and immolated soldiers, or the con sumptive hectic complaints caught by the survivors—it may not be unfit, whilst the impression is still alive in our distracted recollection, to bestow upon it a few parting re flections. It is si'most imperious duty Dot to let tbe me- _ .. •444. 4 • • 83 3