The National Register. — London, England, 1809-12-24 00:00:00

810 retain only such as are sufficient for our own consun►p tion. It would betray a puerile vanity to suppose that the inhabitants of the Norlll and South of Europe cannot dispense with our industry ; or that they should be such simpletons to encourage an intercourse, in which all the advantage would be on our side. Surely there is no Engr lish►nan, whose understanding is so limited, as to think that a Spaniard, or a German, or an Italian, cannot break- fast without our colke and sugar, or clothe himself, with . out ordering the articles in Leeds, or Manchester. Such an idea is not worth refutation; and too drivelling to require a comment. But our selfish politicians may have foreseen this objec tion ; and, unable to answer, will endeavour to elude it. Our efforts, they say, however obstinate, cannot retard the progress of BUONAPAItTE, or impede the execution of his projects against our trade. That they are productive of certain loss, without collateral, or prospective advantage. That they exhaust our treasury, and destroy the flower of our army ; without being able to prevent the enemy from sealing hermetically (a favourite expression), the ports of . the Continent. And as all our exertions are so much money, blood, and labour lost ; it would be more prudent to husband them for a future contingency—a probable struggle on our own shores. We deny absolutely the po sition and its deductions. it is impossible for BUON,I - whatever terror his power may inspire; whatever measures of rigour his hostilil may invent, to scat the Continent hermetically, or partially ; as long as the respec tive Governments arc interested in cultivating our friend ship, or look to it for future support. They may insert the tyrant's fulminating decrees in their Court Gazettes; they may even submit to the mortification of allowing his agents to superintend the exports and imports in their principal harbours; but as long as they consider the pro- sperity of Great Britain as material to their own ; as essen tial to the general safety and independence, they will be . careful not to promote measures detrimental to its con tinuance. The film, which obscures at present, the sight or the Russian Cabinet, may disappear instantly, and will, iu all probability, bekre the middle of next year. In their present purblind state, they have nevertheless sufficient light to discover the urgency of evading BUONAPARTE'S de crees; and not obstructing the commercial intercourse be tween their country and this. This is the general sentiment of every cabinet on the Continent ; and will increase in con viction and intenseness, in proportion to the development of the tyrant's power and ambition. But why is this senti ment so strong and universal? It originates in the convic tion that Great Britain is vitally interestedrm the inde pendence of the Continent ;—that !;he never can, nor will neglect any favourable opportunity of promoting an object so essential to her own prosperity ;—that the integrity of her power, her very independence, are endangered, should France reduce the whole of Europe to the same state of vassalage, to which a part is already brought. This truth is so strongly impressed upon every Government that the ty it down as race, we have and WILL Is blood and that off i. (able Supreme Junta, in ,tpttranima4ed Address, lay the invariablz l :- ;,. .: i 13 4 .—" The illlian contrasted -ii ir i g tr.. .. ~, ,continues, conTrifug. : 'd , . .. • ,'„,s,„„ ii,.. , ... ',• ,Pr us it: isaw ireastifes, , "I' ..• ••• -4,1 V ; , ude, and ' t trA ilir ‘L.4. l . • NSA , >,. Theo ob • •:"....- - ,..„ -- ► rr' . 4• 1 •' /Men, ;capa , THE NATIONAL REGISTER. viction, the futility and danger of that system of selfishness, which is so strongly recommended by ignorant, partial de claimers. Whether they impress it, from conviction of its advantage ; for a constitutional attachment to whatever is mean and contracted, for the sake of opposition; their la bours are equally injurious to the community ; they provoke discontent, give a circulation and stamp to erroneous theo ries, and prepares the minds and hearts of their readers for impressions, which would eventually lead to the dishonour and destruction of the conntry. Read their observations on Spain. If the paragraph, which contains them, had been translated into French, and thus shewu to a reader, acquainted with that language, he would immediately‘con ' eider them an extract from The itioniteur ; and if he enter tained any doubts on the subject, they would not arise from the moderation of the style, but from the local and political ignorance displayed by the writer. This indecency and virulence are a disgrace to the press ; au insult to hu manity, and treason to their country. They reprove ; they Calumniate the Spaniards. They triumph in their reverses; trample upon the fallen ; insult the unfortunate; pal liate the injustice and violence of their invaders; out rage the allies of their country, and thus advocate the pretensions of her most inveterate enemies. In what code apolitical ethics will they find a justification for this conduct ? Is it from a love of freedom, that they advise the abandonment of a people contending for independence? Is it from respect for justice, that they labour to extenu ate the atrocities which have been committed in Spain ? Or, will they have the boldness to impute tojiumanity their ill-disguised satisfaction, when. they communicate some signal reverse sustained by the Patriots ? But the cause of that brave, injured, and magnanimous people is not de pendant, thank Heaven ! upon the will, nor the wishes, of those unworthy Tritons. —" For it is 7c.ritten in Heaven, and the history of all ages attests the fact, that the people, who arc decidely attached to their liberty aid independence, must ultimately establish them, in despite of all the artifices and all the violence .f tyranny." FOREIGA lA TEL h IGENCE. FROM THE DUTCH AND GERMAN PAPERS. FRANCE. //ARP*, Dre.9,—The Council of Inquiry, appointed by his Majesty the Emperor and King, convened by his Ex cellency Count Munehurx, Minister at War, in obedience to his Majesty's orders, dated Scboenbrunn, 7th September, 1809, and assembled at the general military depot, closed on the 25th of last month. Its deliberations pronounced the following sentence:— " That General Munnet, contrary to his duty, did not fulfil the orders of his Imperial Majesty, in case of his being pressed bard by the enemy, to cut the dykes rather than surrender. " That he surrendered the fortress at a time when it had only sustained a bombardment of thirty•six hours, when the garrison was still composed of more than 4000 men; when no breach had yet been made in the ramparts, and the enemy was yet more than 800 metres distant from the fortress, and when our troops were yet in possession of the outworks, and when, consequently, the place was not really besieged. " That the General is therefore guilty of gross misconduct, which cannot be attributed to any other motive than cowardice and treason; and the Council declares, moreover, that the Ge neral is guilty of extortion and embezzlement, since it appears in evidence, that he did receive or caused to be received for his own private benefit and use, from the year 1803 to, the year 1806, the sum of 10 stivers, or 20 sous Tournois, for each half anchor of Geneva which was exported." - .-__. so 4 -r ' DEC. 24.