The National Register. — London, England, 1814-07-31 00:00:00

, THE NATIONAL REGISTER. • Our Ring, Conotittston, anb tabus. , 7 • .. ;dl. • •••• ..• ../‘ • It.••• 4 PUBLISILUP XT No. 11 NI:WCASTLE-STUEET ) . STRAND. SUNDAY,, -- JULY 31, 181,1. N o . 35'9. ON THE PRESENT STATE OF AFFAIRS. To-morrow shall festivities, such as England never yet witnessed, celebrate the return of Europ,ein peace. Would it not have been wiser to have delayed the re joicings till the day of itg consolidation ? Anticipated triumphs sometimes end in defeat, and the messenger dis patchud with tidings of joy from the field of battle; at the beginning of an action, is sometimes overtaken, ere his arrival, by the flight of the fancied conquerors. The tbs• cussions of negeciators lie subject to the same vicissitudes as the conflicts of war. A successful commencement is no pledge for a fortunate termination. Whether in the pre.ent case hope has proceeded beyond reason, and notwithstanding all our triumphs and magnanimous sacri fic:..s, the peace with France is not likely to be followed by the lasting tranquillity of Europe, is matter for serious investigation. To elucidate such a question may seem easy to the politician, who -.sakes his wilting desk his oLservatory, and, from the limited spites,. of his closet, pretends, by an effort of judgment or a flight of imagination, to regulate the destinies of that wortd he does not explore. The task appears of greater moment and difficulty to him, who has sought for information at the very birth-place of gloat events. Ile who has is itea the seat of revolutions, Mho has wan dered amidst the ruins of thrones, overturned, almost as soon as elected, who has seen ancient d)liasties resuming their departed sceptres and framing nt w constitutions, and has heard the expression, and studied the sincerity of the public mind under such mighty cha:zes., feels that the problem of European tranquillity is not easy to be solved. With such experience, however, he may be allowed to ap proach the question, and in order to do it effectually, must begin by withdrawing the film which the excessive splen dour of success has thrown over the eyes of the most re flecting, and enable them to Lee the true state and know the real feelings of continental nations. " Look over the fields of Europe, say the incredulous 4 and you will see no cause to apprehend fresh convulsions. All is happiness and liberation. The memory - of past evils has died away, and the restoration of legitimate Sovereigns has set the key-stone to the renovated structure of Conti nental peace and felicity. Does not the Bourbon stand ard supplant the Imperial banner ? his not the House of Orange recovered, enlarged, anal established its authority over the Dutch Republic ? Is not Ferdinand VII. so se curely reinstated in Spain, that he can wantonly persecute and prosctibe the patriots who for seven years defended, - their country and his rights against ntimbertess -ho i sts of nmprincipled invaders ? • Is not *the kiii! I'ol. VII. No. C.CC.I.V.Ir , Ki -, f tikiliiii, \ , ....... „ ' \., •.. .1: ! . rt , ilsi ' 4 !Si:a' .1( PRICE 9d• enabled to 'restore the blessings of the Inquisition to his regained Piedmontese kingdom ? Are not the Princes Germany whose territories had been swept by. the Land of Conquest into largo masses, and erected into new .. Severeiguties, now free to parcel outtheir statesand revive their prosperity ? Is not Italy once more . divided. into unnumbered Principalities ? Nay, has not the blessed tree of Popery been replanted in its native soil, and endued with fresh power to spread its branches. over the whole Iman race ?" Suchare the grounds on which most of the sanguine votaries of hope build their expectations : they arc unfortunately also some of these which encourage the restored monarchs to think themselves secure in their sta tions. They fancy that the chief object for which oppressed nations sighed during the long night of tyranny, was the return of their legitimate Princes, and that, having at last obtained the fulfilment of their wishesi . . they: arc corn: pletely happy. Bence they do not sufficiently study Now to make them so. Convinced that the state of exhaustion to which they have been reduced by the waste of their. re sources' and the slaughter 'of their population, under their late masters, renders them unable to make any new exer tion tt . .:;ainst - freill neglect or injustice, they do not always guard against the comMittal of both. But they are rais- . taken in their calculations. The people by whom they have been recalled, or received, expected, not only . a change of masters, but of measures. They asked at their hands, not the repose of exhaustion, but the reparation of their losses. They cared little for now laws awl con,t:tu tions,• provided those then established were kept and obeyed'. They had been compelled to give flu it rubes to a conqueror who repaid them \V nilitary glory. They were disposed to sacrifice that vain glory provided they should spire the feeble remains of their wealth. How have their expectations on all these points been folfilli d ? Let them answer .for themselves. You have been. libe rated, industrious Dutchman, from the most ruinous opt pression. Your trade, checked in all quarters, was almo! - - annihilated; and your purse, squeezed by insatiable t gatherers, would not have afforded . you the means of sup porting existence, had the day of your emau6paLion b - ea delayed. " SineeTely ' did I. rejoice at the rcvoletien which hurled our despot from his throne," will the honest Batavian reply; " and at the flight of his gold-hunting (JOUR.. niers. I then drew my ducats from their concealment and bade them gaily. See the light and-expect to dour le their num bers. But new governmentslequire new establishments. Constitutions are not made gratuitously:and cai►►'otim poseose the bin-then of Sovereign authority on a Pr' colt grantifog him the means -of supporting lience, -- . since our day' 'of liberation, the taxes pay exceed,...by twenty' per cent. those drawnt the Most , grindine period'of French oppreskion von are free, ye 'noble• an4l disinterested Germ do net. Weigh the Naive of emancipation in a scale: No nvvieGolierninent has been imposed.u. ''' ; ' rinGe, with. is diaLity. s whidt we !from u.; at it!!"—But mans. Ye • , • . mercenary upou.you; • ;.