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

8 16 ae lasenseatss and pet sesermice ot will, aild an indignant abitorr,nce, !is weil as contempt for the insulting forms, the arrangements of modern diplomacy. lairope is tot lost, as us this spirit and: these oiptoins continue. The hydra of despotism, and had lie a; many hands and heads ar his character is. stained , :volt :atrocities, cannot watch and lacerate eyer j discontented, geocrous spirit in Europe. It is as touistiin:„ !ki Protest,olt and more enlightened dis tricts ai sebin;ss;ve an , oletequions, whilst the more iptor:mt Catholics repugn at slavery. How wit L i ord DON and Mr. PERE EVAL explain this p:le -110111. ':or Hat the fact i. so ; and whilst the nor th oil ees ,f derinany and Hollt.nd, and the greater ( . ..!alons oi S itZt'Fialld vent Ines discontent m iaaritculate initianars, it private, immeaniag, inoffensive execrations; the peasanir, of Carnivia, Saltznare, the Tyrol and the smaller Het.— tian Ca:itons, togethe: with the intrepid Spaaeili peasllitry, meet melt oppressor in the field ; defy his lezious ; his offers of clemency, and prefer cieath to &sae -war aad slavery. It may be supposed, becaus nits a very quaint idea of the comforts of "'is ne;,;hbours, that Inc) do no' risk much, by incurring the penaLy and forfeitare attached to ineffectual resistance. NN'e least dtst ,- o) ties delusion. The lower class of people in the ;•.;oiith Germans are much happier, much more indeetaideat th..a the same. class in this country. They have all a nonst., lan.i, saperituity of sustenance, and warm cent lhiug ; aad, bra'vi!:g the vengeance of a ferocious tyrant, titer risk. :h.; I ruilian of these advantages. Whilst t h ey flame is %IT:Acing . out in Carniola, it rages, with more iwonse vioielice than ever. in Tyrol and the Voral bet Toe sabuission of HOFER was never more than a demonstration ; and we find him once more elicoura6ring his coital. .n rt.s!st he invasive of the French ; employ ing tl - se laag nage of passioii,sentiment, reason, and experience to iiidace them !o reject the serpentine embraces of an exe crable Jed insidious tyrant, who has left them no alterna tive n between slavery and destruction. Their example seems lo have roused the pristine virtue of the Swiss; or, at least excited considerable apprehensions in BUONAPARTI.: that it may produce this effect.—The last accounts from c,ofitititat inforisi tit's that a numerous division of the French had entered Schaff - muse:l; and their presence ex cited great fermeination .in the minds of tho ithabitants. Another division was expeaed to penetrate into the smaller cantons. These measures of precautionary rigour are pre sumptive woofs that the abhorrence of the kreuch is likely to excite hi'Switzerland the same hienseiless of feeling and resolution, it has already created in the neighbouring Tyrol. These demonstrations, together with his views on Turkey, and his jealausy of Austria, will not allow BtIONAP A RTE to withdraw a soldier from Germany. Spain will obtain a res pite; and we still hope that Austria may take advantage of thisyropitiouskincture. This is a happy moment, for an ardent, enterprising spirit on the continent. The name of an insurgent, warn despotism crushes every noble feel ing, and Lramples upon ;mai:enable rights, is the most sa cred, the most eniloblitli; hi the vocabulary of honourable dlstinetioes. It was h.. tely the age Of thinking and of lite rary emulation in Germany. It would he easy to convert that spirit ;nto the fornu.otatioll of action. That country from the Baltic to the guiph of Trieste aboends with cha racters, eioliti:iiasCr, and Cii i cprising. Their literature is full of strong iinage.i, and delights in the extraordinary. Tios in;aes of the pre ;eat generation are thus impregnated and familiar with daeing conceptions. 4 man, combining will with hi_eirt, genii's ;vitt' coura;,e ; controuliug the affec tions, e,mployiiiv; the sympathies ; speaking to his folloaers. as men formed for a nigher destiny, than to he bartered m} rinds, hetween some wretched conteinpti!!le intriguers— that inali•would s',on crumble the colticats of despotism. At the voice of Heaven horn freedom, tii6 temple and the silieuon would dis-ppear ; subordinate idols start from liehr niches, and be retransinuted into their coutemptible, DEC: 24. original forms. This would be - a blessed manifestaGa,i. If the missioaary appear, there are millions ready to embrace his doctrine. Tlie focus ofthis insurrectional spirit are the mountains of Switzerland, Tyrol, Saltzburg. The flame will serve as a signal from the summit of these lofty hills, to inform the neighbouring districts of the hour of deli verance. --f The men, who were capable of planing and executing the . Expedition to Expedition which be trayed poverty of intellect, anu c•eling,—are capable of every art within the range of human fo:ly and insolence. Thcse men advised their Sovere:gn to return an answer to the City Acidrels, which might have been as well applied to the object of the Persian Embassy, as to that of the City deputation. Not a single grievance was touched upon, The least offensive parts of the Address were culled ; and even to those the Ministers of the Crown evaded a direct reply. How much the miserable interests of those men must sepersede the respect they owe their master; how versed in petty intrigue, how familiar with evasion, must )i - ,ey be, to frame a similar answer 1 The object of the Expedition, we are now told, has been in part successful. Where ? when ? and how ?—lf defeat, disgrace, and pes- . Bence, were objects which the framers of the en terprize have in view, this answer might be relevant. But if the honour of the country, a diversion in favour of the Allies, and injury to the enemy, were to he promoted by the armament to the Scheldt, nothing could be more im pertinent. To a people, as well as to individuals, unaccus tomed to disgrace, the very shadow of dishonour is repul sive; but repeated disappointments render them incapable of resentment; and, on this supposition, Ministers thought theY might insult the public with impunity. But a reliance on this principle may lead them too far; for there is a boundary to patience; and even the ass will kick when goaded to excess. If Governmenti had skill enough to consult their real interests • they would promote, and not repress, the sensibility of the public for apathy in that quarter precludes all prospect of safety, when the country happens to be assailed by extraordinary dangers. The acts of the present administration, at home and, abroad, have been calculated to disgust and alienate. The feature of their foreign policy is strongly marked by a sentiment delivered by Lord COCKAAIVE--•." Oa witnessing the impotence and tardiness of our interference, 1 have been sometimes ashamed of my country." Their conduct at home has been such, that they have completely succeeded, if that has been their design, to undermine those attachments, without which Government depends upon every (rust, or accident. The answer to the City Address has left nothing to accomplish in this hopeful project. The latest accounts from Spain attempt to extenuate thq defeat sustained by the Spaniards at Ocana. Two-thirds of the army are represented to have rallied in La Mancha, where 42,000 men were already collected, to the command of which ROMANA was appointed. The most sanguine expectations were entertained of his activity and judg ment ; and little or no apprehension was felt, for the pre sent, for the safety of the southern provinces. R•OMANA took with him a reinforcement of 12,000 men; 4nd every exertion was making by the Supreme Junta to retrieve th 4 fate disaster. 'The following trait may serve to illustrate the future policy of the French in that country; and is a flagitious instance of military despotism. KELLEe44N, in a Procla mation to the inhabitants of the districts of Salamanca, Ztrnora, Toro, Leon, Placentia, Burgos, Guipuscua, and Maya, places in requisition all the horses and mules, of the height of four feet four inches, French mcapre, " in arder to multiply the resources of the army of his Imperial Ma jesty ; and to deprive the rebels and traitors of the means of procuring animals to accomplish their atrocious cicsigus.l THE NATIONAL REGISTER.