The National Register. — London, England, 1814-05-15 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. MAY 15. the ammexation of Norway to Swe.ien, but even employ force to compel Dempark to accede to it. ink was directed against the King of Dempark alone. If we did all that rested with us to com pel his asnot, the obligation contracted on our part was fulfilled. What did the treaty in question bind us to? It was merely to use every possible exertion that Denmark should agree to the transfer of Norway to Sweden. And now, when Denmark had not only ceded all her claims to that emintrv, but had fulfilled tint part of the treaty by actually joining the confederation with her tro this nio• anent we were resorting to rainier and more obnoxiuos measures for compelling the submission of Norway. What ‘rhere the rights of the King of Denmark ? Were they founded upon the common ad vaatage and the consent of the people on which all thrones rested? —or, were the people of Norway liable to be justly transferred without any consent of their's, like cattle attached to the soil, from one proprietor to another? Speaking in the nineteenth century, speaking to a British Honse of Parliament, it was only necessary to state such a proposition, to spew that it was absurd ! it was a clear principle of public law, that a sovereignty could not be trans. ferred without the consent of the people. If the King of England had attempted to transfer the sovereignty of Ireland or Scotland, would nut the people have resisted ? and would not their exertions have been attended with the good wishes of every friend of freedom and national independence ? When King John had given up the sovereignty to the Pope's legate, the Barons had maintained the fmrinciple that the King had no right to make the transfer. Richard It. had transferred Gascony but the Gaseous resisted the transfer ; and the result was, that the King revoked the grant. Here, then, was an instance where the transfer had been resisted with success. When Corsica was transferred to France, and the Corsicans resisted, did any man ever think of holding out these acts ofyesistance as re bellion ? But there was another remarkable case of resistance in our history. He alluded to the resistance made by Scotland, when the crown was transferred by Betio! to Edward I. They all knew the attempt that was made on Scotland by Edward, a case only parrelleled by that of Spain in our own times. It was well known to their Lordships by what fraud and violence Edward got time re signation of the Scottish crown from Banal ; and not only this, but be had also got Bruce, the other competitor, on his side, yet the Scottish nation resisted, and had history ever sanctioned the pre tence of rebellion ?—that the great and patriotic Wallace was a re bel, and that the subsequent execution of that hero as a traitor was well merited ? Did not this transaction form a deep and Untenable stain upon the reign of Edward, in many respects so splendid? Bruce had at last taken the better part. " Scots, who have with Wallace bled ; a‘ Scots, whom Bruce as often led, " Welcome to your gory bed, " Or to Victory !" Who had ever heard those divine strains without feeling.his heart heat high at the contemplatihn of the ciorions struggle then made for liberty and national independence t Who had ever read that part of our history without following the steps of the heroes with isetathless anxiety, and the most ardent wishes for their success " Thy spirit. independence, let me share, " Lord of the lion-heart, and eagle eye ; g"lhy steps follow with my bosom bare, " Nor heed the storm that howls along the sky." There a glorious resistance had been made to this transfer or *nye reiguty, and that resistance had at last been successful. What was the answer of the Scotish barons to the Pope, when he attempted ;c) transfer their allegiance ? That no king should be imposed upon Scotland without their consent. Such was the lain:nage of the Scottish barons, and in this language time people of Norway now spoke. Lo:•ii Grey next adverted to the documents. Oa those he had something to complain of,—defective information, and rather disengenuous treatment. He was told that in June there was on the Continent a force of 30,000, with some cuirassieurs and the landsturm. It was not explained whether this alluded to time total force in Sweden and. Pomerania, or that engaged. At all events the person who gave this return should have remembered his awn previ ous one, which gave but 28,000 in the following August. (Hear, from rd Liverpool). The noble Lord (Bathurst) said he had no reason to believe the Swedish contingent ever deficient. Now modesty an matters of opinion might be natural and even graceful in that noble Lord (a laugh), but really it was tether an inconvenient virtue, when standing in the place of the actual assurance and dis tinct knowledge, which, not to have in nutters of the state, was an actual crime (hear). But would the noble Lords absolutely pre. tend to say, that the Crown Mince lead done his duty ? Would any venture to call in misiestion the testimony of Mr. Thornton, the mi nister at his head-coal telt, or that of Sir Charles Stewart, in his military and diplumat:e capacity ? He (Lord Grey) wished he could examine at their Lordships bar that gallant veteran who had co.ntributed so nobly and so largely to the glories of the day. He a. dhe could examine Marsha: Blncher, and ask his opinion on the services of the Crown Pi ince of Sweden. (Hear.) On the 6th of June it was stated, that the whole SwediAi power woull ht avail, able. The battle of Leipsic was gained by the gallantry and devatel ress of tilt ';;lies; hut did that battle conclude all ? Was not Eu rope still danger ? Was not the balance still trembling ? Was not the tranquility of the world still almost hopeless? Rut for the madness of that one man, would not peace ha% e been made, and on terms, with a disproportionate allotmeat of enlpire, which would have only ;sista' him the means for new and more prepared attacks on the continent ? (Hear, hear.) And during this eventful period, whoever helid of the Crown Prince ? Was not the strJngsst dis content excited by his inactivity ? And when he did move, where did he move ? Did he pi ess upon the enemy ? Did he throw his sword into the scale ? Did lig pour down to augment the mighty stream of popular feeling and national valour that was rushing on aganit the great disturber ? No--he turned off for Norway ? (hear.) On the 16th of January he concluded the treaty with Denmark ; on the 28th of March he WAS at Liege (hear). A curious article-had appeared in the Liege Gazette of that time. It was worth notice. The Crown Prince, a man bred up in the school of Napoleon, was possibly not the most ardent admirer of the liberty of the press. At all events, it was not improbable that articles, judging of his conduct, could scarcely find their way into that Gazette, without his supervision. It looked perfectly like a demi-official article. Its substance was, that many people were surprised to see the Crown Prince, while the Allies were plunging, into the heart of France, re maining at Lice?, awl attending balls and public aninsements. The surprise might, however, cease when it was known that the Mince had expected and expressed his expectation of being called on to send a plenipotentiary to Chatillon, which plenipotentiary was never required ; and next, that the Houseatic Legion, which bad been raised and disciplined partly by the exertions of the Prince, had been withdrawn from his command, and placed under Bnlow ; that to ail his remonstrances no sufficient answer had been given ; and that in consequence, he had determined to take uo active part till it was given. Here, was a full and fair acknoWedgement b u st he had not done his ditty as stipulated to this country. Take the question in another way. Try it round. Look from right to policy. Who could doubt that policy was against the cession of Norway to Swe. den ! IVho evir doubted that Sweden naturally looked to France to balance tier against Russia ; and that the Russians was of all others the most natural, noble, and usefid alliance fur England. In France the dynasty was changed, and theme was undoubtedly the happiest hope of a long and lasting peace with France ; , but lie must be 4 sanguine politician who did not look to a possible f u ture differ. ence of prospPet. We are at this moment exulting in our efforts .tor the deliverance of Spain. (hear.) Ferdinand VII. had ceded his Hulas to Buonaparte. If The Danish King had a right to cede the Norwegians, Ferdi n and had a right to give up his Spaniards. But Ferdinand ceded on compulsion. Did the Danith King yield by les own consent? (hear.) lie cowhidesl by moving an athites‘, en treating that the blockade of Norway by a British force should be raised. The Earl of HARROWnY contended that the Swedish treaty was bindimr. - Tke terms %vete plain and clear; but the noble Lord said rucsia guranteed, and we did rut. True, for a simple 'reason ; Russia might ao as she pleased, and guarantee perpe:itaily ; but it had i,een the wise policy of this country to avoid that descr.ption of guarantee. It had been said in Lord Chatham's time, that America was to be conquered in Gertnary ; so now Norway was gained iu Holstein. Had cot a Sovereign a right in an extreme ease to cede part of his dominions for his own safety and the general g , od ? Ac cording to the doctrine stated, nothing would be sufficient but the complete conquest of ir State ; this would militate against any peaceable possession of a ceilcd province : it would prevent the yes, sion of any place most convenient,' and fit to be taken. There was dissimilarity of mind bet Ween him and the noble Lord, lei pectin:; the comparison of the cases of Norway and Spain. Was there any likeness between the Swedish treaty, aml the colichict of France towards Spain Compulsion in both it was said : hot io all cessions of territory there was compulsion. It was a dititreot m .t -ter when a sovereign had nut will of his own : bat way in a sow confinement. The decided will of the united Spitrillo people declared against the fraudulent transfer of the na t i on to a !PAIL foreign power. As to the services of Sweden , it wks him to know their iit litv in the north of Germa n y , and the s p i excited there by the conduct of Prince Royal. lint for this vantage, and the certainty that the Allies had s stroug force to :e of iicat t fur .# pmt i ad- Ills , ,