The National Register. — London, England, 1809-02-05 00:00:00

• • a THE NATIONAL'. U. • • • . • at iiihg,•ConOtitution, ant Latio. 58. , . . J f Oft PRICE Sit .. • . . . i o , : . ••• SU.NDA\, FEBRUARY 5, 1809. POLITICAL DEC LA IMItS. w. ~ No.. X.IXII. • TO Mak WHITBREAp,..QN THE.-SPRJECT. Of , THE OVERTURE'S •FROM ERFURTIL Sin, .or • ••• • •• . As an advocate for freedom of dissuplop t you wilt per mit me to address to you peciOnally a few observations on , the late communications froM - franceistid Itessia. A will . not, preface them by, making yoti an apology for Mani festing, in the course of this letter, priaciples, and •Senti-.1 . meats the very reverse of those attributed to you On the same-subject. Entertaining, however, a higher opinion of . your political integrity and talents, thanyour languid dis approbation of the atrocities committed against the Spa . niards, and your opinion on the propriety of negociating with the aggressor would appear to justify,. I will care fully refrain from mingling personalities 'with the sub ject of our correspondence. Did I write to you from mo • tivcs of private enmity, or to gratify the•passions of your political antagonists, I would lay a particular stress on the . extreme inconsistency of your professions infavour of uni versal freedom, with your indifference, not to say secret repugnance to the exertions- and sufferings of the Spaniards in the same cuise. Rat ai t. have no animosity . to gratify, nor any views of a, party to promote, and the individual totally disappearing in the magnitude and the importance • . of the subject, %our opinions and not you; will be the..ob . jectoltny aniroadyersion. • After indulging, for a considerable time, in a strain of angry. and dispiriting declamation, in which you attempt to • • exculpate the atrocities of BONAiART . E, by comparing • them with the excesses you accuse your own country of - ; '•ll‘aving committed otsdifferent ,occasions, you cOhclude this :" vehement philippic, by advising the necessityand t►g . 'the propriety of negotititien with the 'enemy. ' presitine; 'Sir, when you adverted to' the compa • raffve- intilgitiftcaned 'of England alliOng the' nations;' that " .1,0,460e/stk . ' ollditecbaractcrittic * gray ty •and serionsness , bed the rhtfiltafed idO mortifying; painful an opinion ' ,of his tbuttig, nAst'have had . some irrong and irrefragable •pfoOfs asSertiOn. - 'As you forgot, in vio -1 "lentgandt.'iltliftthosity -of 'yottetlisoitise, .make these • prieslehO . wn, you canna - condemn •me for reluctantly ti sting 'to the truth' of so grave a charge, .siiiiported by tto authority; but your 'b'are The - Whole tenor of -yout:di4eotirse strongly . eVilacei • the 'irritation of mind • 'you labb4fed 'ilnder, when YOu pronounced it and, 'I am misinformeB; or vOn * Ste no 'stringer to - the effect which •• too violent Un 'indulgence of passion has in disfiguring and , • exaggOritingTactii. • 'As I do' not labour habitually myself .••• 'tinder inffuente of this unruly sensation, and have assumed a more than ordinary composure in addressing myself to a personage of your rank and talents, I am, ac kno'wledging, to the utmost extent, your better means of • inforMatiou and ilitellettual superiority, consequently less liable to misrepresentation and error. I have no politi- IT.-- Vo. 7.1111 Cat''arttapnist to 'oyerthrOw, and have, theectore, less kw ducemeneto pervert . truth, in order to render his integrity suspicious and 1114 capacity doubtful., . - As ti have omitted, Sir, I will hope from tlefica o y, . yo. as well as coininfsseration fer the sunk and degraded state of your country, to publish the facts on which you fouud.ht this pitiful opinion. of our relittixe importauce,.l will en deavour to prpve t h e inaCcurail ring to myself the ?esery • task of pointing:, out on - i.futtire dangerous and criminal • tendency; cif these itst,tement;: It is.pa inful to be reduced to the .. .ll6'oe' isity.of.e4 f , tmlattin opinions of • this .kind the - confidence, with which they are prw • Mulghted; a nd tire alarming -appearance (if a concerted and systeuiaftc 'project of attending their.circulation, (for what piirpcise' time may detelope) "urgently : impress the necessity of exposing and _counteracting th .ir ft •eJustve and baneful tendency. There is not. a nevigei t iii. political rea soning, or a smatterer in th e first principliwelphilosephy, not an individual who has received his ?otioosoftivil go vernment from 'PAINE'. and Cosarr t vr.leai:nedlis,ethice in the schools of modern visionaries, siho does ;not spurn at the contracted notions of patriotism ,411(1,1senevolente which our forefathers possessed. The lAtterit : ,.. ii-Arne, loved their country, notwithstanding , all' her . defect,„...with passion bordering on distraction ; and,. an ittevitAie con sequence of every ardent attnliment, feaan unatuquera ble abhorrence for her enemies. ',Ttkey lovednankind ; but their friends, their nvig,libouri,:their relatives were the objects of their immediate and ,active. benevolence. Now the case is completely reversed ;land modern patriot ism and benevolence, having-,taken a higher stand, dis regard the spot and the objects itzmAliately. near them, to fix their eyes on. the interminable apace before them. All the magic of optical delusion, from this conspicuous eminence, contributes to embellish . the. remote objects; 'w'hilst the unevenness and imperfections of the station they are placed on, enhance the beauty and advantages of the distant scenery. Thus the patriots of our day overlook their country, or are shocked with -its imperfections ; and the delusive • influence of distance gives them the ntost fascinating idea of French institutions. They forget the exercise of the leisersocial duties, in the comprehen siveness of their views; and twit in 'the admiration -of BONAPARTE, .his armies; his statesmen, his literary or political, establishments, they never speak of their own country,' her military and GovernMeut, hut with con tempt, and reptign at the idea of promoting her interests and glory With their talents and influence. , • Such Sir, are unfortunately the spirit and mania of our new stickful for reforin,—they are blind to all the advan tages of their own nation, or even glory in its reverses and abasementi because it happens to have some defects inse perable from human institutions. With an Infatuation, (ninny incomprehensible and odious, they raise the cha racier and extol the resources of its enemies ; and forget in; the baseness, as well as cowardice, of offering up in cense itt the shrine of an insolent'on4l , inveterate antago nist, they denounce it as an act of madness on our part, to I