The National Register. — London, England, 1811-08-04 00:00:00

MI I THE NATIONAL REGISTER i Our Aron, et ringitution, nnh 11,abic PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT NO. 5, PICK ETT.-STREET, STRAND, NEAR TEMPLE lAR. N' IRS. PRTCE • SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, POLITICAL. DISQUISITION. No. 174. RUSSIA A %I. FRANCE. • =M.0... Rumours of war conimue to as s ail us from the north of Europe, and begin to aFsume a more cre ditab'e shape. Yet it becomes evident, what we anticipated many weeks ago, that should the long threatened storm at last burst out into actual hos tilities, Russia will have but reluctantly engaged into a new contest, the issue of which, whilst she attempts to regain the independence she has lost, must prove decisive of her national existence. In formation which, we are told, may be considered as nearly official, has been very lately received from St. Petersburg. It states that Russia has " 7ZO tvish to renew the contest if she can maintain her independence tvithout it, and that the intentions of the Emperor ALEXANDER are certainly to act upon the difensive only:" For that purpose he is represented to.have formed three lines of troops extending from Riga along the banks of the Dwina, and consisting of one hundred thousand men each. Conscious of the total inability of his neighbour, the- Icing of PRUSSIA, whose territories he contributed to spoil and reduce, after vainly defending them, at the peace of Tilsit, he is said to expect no assistance from that quarter: and as "the free commerce of his domi nions is one of the first objects for which he is con tending, he naturally feels kindly disposed towards the only State with which he can enter into any com mercial relations, but is positively understood to want no money from England. For Russia seeks to stand by her own strength ; expecting, certairly, to profit by the war in the Peninsula ; but calling for no foreign supplies of men or money, to enable her to support the conflict in her otwr dominions, if there she be at last ob.riged to support it." Now what is all this, if, as we are assured, it be a faith ful portraiture of ALEXANDER'S intentions, hut a weak and timotous attempt at bullying a dreaded and encroaching neighbour into forbearance ? That Russia has the most just grounds for war, no one can pretend to deny; that she ought to have declared it long ago, before the union between Austria and France had grown so intimate, we have frequently expressed our firm opinion ; but that her tardiness the present occasion proves that she possesses little confidence in her own effective means, but much on their. exaggera,ion. Her object, as it is openly acknowledged, is to regain the liberty of trading with whom, and as, she i.leases ; and she thinks shat after years of abject subser viency, the show of reviving spirit will obtain for her that boon, which her servility and negotiations have failed to secure. Unlike a truly independent Power, she does not at once proclaim the injuries she has received, and demand satisfaction, or threaten vengeance : She rests satisfied with an armed neutrality, which she calls war ! For what, in fact, is ds:fiwsive hostility, but an armed neu trality? Can that nation Isv deemed a Belligerent, which, in order to obtain the full enjoyment of her own rights, sends word to a distant Usurper, that she has collected a large army, and unless he grants the objects of her request, will keep that army quiet 'within her c,tun boi dens, without committing the least offensivestxespass on the territory of his Allies, or moving a single slvi'sion towards his own : adding, at the same time, that she will accept no assistance either in men or money from a Power, with whom her unjust oppressor is at war, and that she will only fight if she is attacked, and has no other course left to her choice ? Such a declaration, al ways supposing that the intelligence laid before the public by one of our most eminent morning prints is true, far from amounting to a declaration of war, may rather be viewed as opening several doors to conciliation. Its terms are too guarded not to be tray, with a wish of appearing spirited, soMe fear of offending. The very assertion that ALEXANDER. will not accept any assistance in men or • !looney from England, an assertion, which, should hostili ties really break out between the two empires, would soon prove to have been totally unfounded, seems intended to disarm the suspicions which NA roteoN may entertain, of a scci et coalition between us and Russia ; suspicions which may have long existed, and which Russia may think the ss}le bar to the complete accommodation of her differences with France. We ought not, there fore, to rely too confidently on fhe secret as surances which ALEXANDER may transmit to this The termination of the Prussian war has coun - . . has not removed success beyond her reach we can • sued his faithlessness to his Allies, and cast a stain only venture to hope. Indeed, her conduc •. I . Ailif 1 onour and integrity which his subsequent -... \ • . rel. IV. CL XXX VIII. •=ti --0 , --:::." ! '' . 4 , 75.-1 , , • r-' • • . iT . t l?, 1 . tj . : 41. 4 1 7:4*. r - ?...;•• . OH. 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