The National Register. — London, England, 1809-10-15 00:00:00

111 A J 10- - NO. 94* SUNDAY, •OCTOB POLITICAL. DIS. QCISITION. and ,- • NUYS N IN ETY-TWO. POLICY OF BRITISH EXPEDITIONS TO THE CONTINENT.' The very title of our disquisition implies a kind of re lution in the principles and character of the people of country.— Our sanguine, ambition, temper is 13/ languid and indifferent. No inau doubts qt the provided it may be done with honour and .effect, o terferiog iu the concerns of Europe, and preve' state from acquiring over the rest an undue and ascendancy. If there he some people, never' adopt the reverse of this position, they are with the character of existing occurrences; not made for political combinations, and have little weight in the present discussion arises from the supposed insufficiency of well as moral resources ; and we renow tory and honour, the splendid frophie the pride of conquest, and the COOS& not from disregard for theme distills spair of attaining them. It is not neo; it is mot a sense of justice, sion, which render us to the mr we love the prize, but hate cessary to acquire it. This the cuuntrynen of Msni.soe in some measure, minors% rank and power, it is fit w' gradually for the subordi siegeneracy, and the rer tier unavoidable; or rr is far inure prudent difficulties, than to sinews. Stibmissic vengeance; when the eoemy,- with nishinent, with Such is the ance, and BF consequenc as manufa tetain, f bits of perior turb? age cn S' No. 94 * ' Lato. EGISMR r s. i b ;-. ; ' PRICE 9cf.• SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1809. POLITICAL . DISQUISITION. • NUMB N IN ETY-TWO. POLICY OF BRITISH EXPEDITIONS TO THE CONTINENT.' The very title of our disquisition implies a kind of revo lution in the principles and character of the people of this country.— Our sanguine, ambition, temper is become languid and indifferent. No man doubts qt the policy, provided it may be done with honour and . effect, of our in terfering iu the concerns of Europe, and preventing one state from acquiring over the rest an undue and dangerous , ascendancy. If there he some people, nevertheless, who adopt the reverse of this position, they are unacquainted with the character of existing occurrences; their minds are not made for political combinations, and their opinions have little weight in the present discussion. The objection arises from the supposed insufficiency of our physical, as well as moral resources ; and we renounce the palm of vic tory and honour, the splendid trophies of military glory, the pride of conquest, and the consciousness of superiority, not from disregard for these distinctions, : but f‘orss the de—, spair of attaining them. It is not moderation,:it weak ; it is mot a sense of justice, but indolence and indeci sion, which render us to the measure averse. In a word,' we love the prize, but hate the sacrifices and labours ne cessary to acquire it. This is a mortifying confession for the countrymen of MARLBOROUGH and WOLFE ; and as it is, in some measure, ominous of the instability of our present rank and power, it is fit we should either prepare ourselves gradually for the subordinate and passive part, which such slegeneracy, and the renovated character of the enemy, ren der unavoidable; or reverse our sentiments and policy. It is far inure prudent to submit to uncommon dangers and difficulties, than to oppose them with reltictant minds and sinews. Submission, by provoking contempt, may disarm vengeance; whereas ineffectual resistance can only irritate the enemy, without raising his esteem, and challenge pu nishment, without exciting commiseration. Such is the spirit of the new theory of passive resist ance, and such, if pursued, in all probability, will be its consequences. We may still continue our peaceable pursuits as manufacturers, shopkeepers, and farmers, and may long tetain, from the fertility of our soil the established ha bits of industry, and the ingenuity of our workmen, a su periority, in these respects, over our more warlike and turbulent neighbour. His cupidity, and the rapacity of his agents may diminish, it is true, the immense capital now employed by our merchants, and the vexatious and partial spirit of a proconsular Government, restrain their enter prise, and obstruct their industry. We may, however, live tranquil, if we are submissive and patient, and enjoy con• tent and competency, if we.ean restrict our wants, and for get our national impressions. But did the statues and mo numents at Rome, or the immortal trophies of MAR 'AVON Tv!. and PLATEA, which decorated the public places and tem• pies at Athens, mortify the servile descendants of the he roes who had raised them ? Or &A t the perusal of Dcmos _ TIIENES and CICIRO S THEICYDIDES, and Liv'v, render them more impatient under the yoke of their tyrants ? Half a cestury of quiet slavery might render the people of this country equally indifferent, and they would enjoy the plea sures of the theatre and the table, without regretting the turbulence of freedom, or the cares of independence. The country of Locaa and SYDNEY might also claim the exe crable distinction of giving one day birth to men who shod(' distort argument, good sense, and precedent, to prove that liberty has no other effect upon a people, than to create a spirit of • insubordination and discontent ; and that a despotic government is alone competent to reader them tranquil and happy. The question is not whether it he our interact, itit if we possess the courage and means to oppose an effectual bar rier to the ambition of France. Nobody has been 9k) ex travagant as to deny the propriety and policy of our inter ference, provided it be efficacious; it has been opposed only upon the plea of its inutility. To the mortifying and dangerous tendency of this self-abasemeht, we have al ready alluded. We-shall now endeavour to prove that the plea is futile, and this line of policy weak, erroneous, and ' 1 detrimental. It is futile, because our interference, ill and weakly applied as it has been hitherto, opposed very great impediments to French aggrandisement; and impolitic, because a great national object should not be renounced, in consequence of the uncertainty of success, or the'difti culty of its execution.. Such tniserable and short-sighted policy is an exact counterpart to the fable of the despon dent waggoner, imploring miraculous interposition. —" Ap ply your shoulder and whip," replied the demigod, and the Wight, by a natural and vigorous'effOrt, got his waggon out of the slough. If our Government knew to apply the • collected energy and vast resources. Of this country, they need not, in order to check the ambition of BUONAPARTE, implore supernatural interposition, or - calculate upon the . event of his decease. Multiplied faults and reverses; the over sanguine tem per of Englishmen, which hurries them to rash expecta tions, and in case of disappointment, creates a propor tionate degree of depression, are the causes of our present indifference to the affairs of the Continent, and to the alarming progress of the enemy. But it is only an affect- . ed indifference, assumed for parade, but opposed by our feelings, and incompatible with our national character. The preponderance of France ; the triumph of her arms ; the magnitude of her acquisitions; and the splendour of her exploits, will never cease to rankle in our bosons; and no Administration can pretend to, or deserves, popu larity, which will actin opposition to this rooted and sa lutary aversion. Six centuries of rivalship and seldom in terrupted hostility; the jarrn, ! .. 7 and irreconcileable preten sions of both; recent injuries, and Mutual recriminations; the incotnpatibiiity of their present aggrandisement, with our fetitre security, exclude the possibility of cordial re-