The National Register. — London, England, 1808-10-02 00:00:00

- IP -. !1. "OW 775? - ; 7 - .p ~! " :., . .. V .~ V i - ~ 4 1 I , zwriumm. AV!: IitEGISTER4D o ...a • .% 0 . .1 ~,.4 jaw- 474 • t 4.1 t • • • I I ' ' r. r " • . Our lime, conlrifu ll ii";‘,.si r tatufw - , . , • . ,„ ,• , • . 2 N DAY, OCTOBER , PAIS? I•crfl V' PnicE 8d • No. 40. POLITICAL DISQUISITION. NOklirlt FonTY. TO THE RIGHT HON. IiEURGE 'CANNING, &c. , THE grief, astonishment, and indignation manifested by the public, when the * Convention of Cintra was known, afford uneoniiiical proofs that the fully or • baseness of - the transaction is not to be sought in the national cha racter, but rests solely on the persons who had the infamy to sign it: This is our consolation at. this unexpected dis appointment and disgrace; and if we feel a degree of distress, bordering on despondency, in COIIIICTICIICe of the . unfavourable impression it will produce in Spain, at the effect it may have to discourage Austria, and to rivet the chains of the rest of the continent; our pain is mitigated • by the reflection, that the account of the horror it ex . cited among every ileseriptton of Englishmen, will save the nation from an imputation of blame, .and confine to the worthless authors the reproaches and execrations of mankind. This important circumstance cannot have escaped your penetration and judgment; and it must ufford you, in couunun. with every honest and enlightened mem ber of the cabinet,. a degree of plcasnre proportionate to the mortification it occasioned, that this loud expression of popular disapprobation will tend to weaken the per nicious effects of this 'ignominious crompromise. Verne injudicious persona, Met& to *the parties implicated, have .the imprudence to speak of severity and injustice; and ' in their officiousness to screen a relative, are perfectly indifferent to the honour or interests of their country. They appear to be ignorant that the very circumstance, of which they so overweeniugly comptaiu, holds out the only • chance of impunity to the accused ; and had the public been silent and indifferent, government would base been compelled to sacrifice the counnauders, in order to save the national honour. There was no alternative left ; and the honest, unadulterated feelings of a British public have saved us, in the present dilemma, from one of those san guinary scenes, which despotic governments are fueced to • resort to, in case of disaster or disgrace. However, Sir, we nre fur from insineating, that men, who -were cancan; einnigh to dislionoiir, as tar. as lay in their power, both the army and country, should °return bark with triumphant security, and, in the enjoyment of affluence and rank; laugh at the insulted b..eliiirs of their The -country eyes invariably upon you and from your integrity, and the prepotide ranee of your talents, it expects that the influence of lwwerfnl family will not be 'offered to set the whole cum . numity at defiance. This trans•setion, morti lying as it must be to your feelings, has you in the most honourable light, in which a statesman or patriot can appear : p Mist every tongue ,Inada the persons Pligited with execrations, ! the sentiment was as unanimous that yon would never consent that they /hyoid < cape nut the forms of a trial. • We kre far rimy t 4% 4 . . '• • • • '• t • no:4I,IAM in your patrlo — tisui ; 0:k N,,. .S' 1 • rabeu . the contrary, we henked drtlentiy forward from the very heOne — tog to an effeciiv'e interference on your part. Whatever event has taken place latterly in l'ortugal to i diot,* 'the diigractful tendency of the Convention, tile reinains Blatt able, and calls for the Strictest investigation. if a eeturning sense of shame, the indig nant remonstrances of our pruntlered allies, and the mit.- „tours of our brave army, have prevented a full execution of the articles as far as they regarded the property of the Pprtuguese, it is oeierthelcss indispensably necessary to convince 4nrope that the British nation and government aro not insensible to the miicOnduct of their officers. This deference to the feelingi of mankind, in . the present unprecedented crisis, when the sublimest etc. aninlei of zeal and rectitude are almost insufficient to ward'off the danger whirl' menaces us in common with other Elates, will he expected from a nation which is the hist support of freedom and right. It is not thoescape of fifteen ur twenty thousand . Frenchmen, or the return of the Russian sailors that we complain of ; but it is the dan ger of the example, and the fatal sanction it Limy give to national and . Military relaxation. .Itio half ireasurei, no partial investigation will be sufficient to maid oil this evil; but if a recurrence of the dangerous precedent is to he avoided, a severe, but salutury, example must be giv:.n, and the fortunes of Europe not be endangered filen a Fp iniect for person!, or mistaken untions,of When an indivldual yticret's through, the negligence . or treachery of another . ; 111i*Jst we commiserate , his distress, we cannot avoid Mingling with our pity, some indignation at his credulity, and some disgust at his want. of discern ment. But vt hen a cominunity, consisting of seventeen millions, whose prosperity happens, at the san* time, io be indissolubly connected with that of a large portion of the human race, is exposed to disaster or disgrace by the incompetency of one or two individuals, '1,4. feel, together with the former sensations, something like humiliation, that the happiness of so many should depend on causes so comparative!) . trivial. This reflection is undoubtedly the most discouraging cheek to ii di% idual exertion and to na tional selflov,.. We begin ,to be sensible of the weakne ss and inefficacy of the best civil inslitutiens and political nr rangeinents. l'Aery wish to employ our resources to their fall extent istestrained by the tonsitleration,'how insigni ficant a circumstance may frustrate the best-concerted pro ,ieet.—A plausible pretext •is thus aftinded to the sugges tions of egotiSlTl and ease.—! ivAividitals crow selfish and inditrerent ; and the community ;inks at last into weakness and 'This -.lts the secret of the ~Igileace and nriviety tested by ancient Coserninents in the c!,eice or their ger vaistir; and even the scliyiitesl inista;le, in conformity to these principles, %ens punished with unrelenting . sever*. These inexoraiile Patriots could not comprehend how . in 'competency coal.) be a plea for dishonour. They pardon ed a defeat ; they even C-,1 1 .c.1ti the defeated flelieral fin. hiS 'NlX:Sweet in himself and Lis tellow-c.itizensa but thy glitlignatsonressign to the. ekeiny. Ole most trivial artcri- Lee of the national- bonunr r.fti d with dea h. With •'ll is k , 1 L.; . , 4 L • ' i I 1 11. _»