The National Register. — London, England, 1809-04-16 00:00:00

24 ticuce and complacency to the overtures of a man, whom he should have iustruceed the ATTOMY LY-C EN Llt A 4. to pro- I secute, had he any respect either for his own character, or 411te sanctity of his office,—afibrds an alarming proof, that • e frequency of the example has taken away from the cri minality and baseness of ti action. Crimes against the State are more heinotoi, as they are more 'extensive in their consequences, than private misdemeanours; yet in private life a man of common respectability would be ready to - sink into the very earth, would almost expire with shame, rief, and confusion, were he detected in any fl agrant vio lation of his engagements and duties; or convicted of tam pering with a sharper to defraud or injure his employers. 'Che Minister who abuses his patronage, and converts it to the injury, rather than benefit, of the State, is guilty of the grossest violation of trust ; tramples upon the most sacred engagements; defrauds his employers, and debauches them by his example ;—such a ftlinister, we have no hesitation to say, is ten thousand times more criminal than a pick pocket or highwayman, more deserving of abhorrence and punishment.—His misconduct greets millions, and is felt for several generations. These are maxims, which cannot be too frequently or to forcibly inculcated in our time ; when the very re- Verse of them seem to regulate the conduct, and bias the principles of pubic men. The surest restraint on t °Utica' delinquincy is severity of popular opinion ; and the highest clemency to the community is justice to offenders. Strict, inexorable impartiality 'on this head is equally beneficial to the governing and the governed ;—it places men in power on their guard; reminds them incessantly of their duty, • ac companies them, as a severe hut useful Monitor , teaches them discretion, if it cannot inspire them with virtue ; is lan infallible antidote against the poison of power, and pre vents those violent sanguinary convulsions, which counter act, and cast off, the excessive and enfeebling humours of despotic governments anti vitiated constitutiona. This un relenting severity to offenders is a sacred duty the public owe to their associates, as well as successors, in Mike ; for it were unjustifiable, even barbarous, they should be de prived ot confidence they never forfeited. Too unquali tied a distrust, too undiscriminating a jealousy of every ROM vested with an ostensible employment, must ulti mately ensue ; and the consequence is unavoidable, that the people will look, with a jealous, hostile spirit, to every measure of government ; and thus the great link of union be dissolved, which can alone render the community re spected abroad, and tranquil ai,d prosperous at. home. We do not remember an instance in the history of this, or any other country, where symptoms of a more danger ous fermentation have manifested themselves, than arc vi sible ia this moment in Great Britain. The highest reach of virtue, and a isdom, of conciliation tempered with firm ne4s, are indispeasible, imperiously urgent in order to restore calm and confidence. Those who are zealous and ardent in the detection of abuses, must be cautious that their veal be not transported to intemperance; their love of reform, to a passion for inno% ation. Public discontent is easily fomented, but confined, with extreme &faculty, with in due bounds. if it reach and swell to a certain height ; -the ordinary barriers cannot restrain it over flows and effaces every trace of the former amine:valetas. Intemperate :11141 violent resolutions will thwart, et the same time, every reasonable prospect of amelioration; and sensible, as well as moderate men, will recoil ('coin an undertaking, which, ilnot calmly and prudently managed, may be productive of disorders, far more dangeroes to 11:e cause of freedom, thaa the abases which now undermine the constitution. The highest prudence and temper are, therefore, -essentially reqesiie ;---- the wild, impracticable reveries of the visionary, as a ell as the frenzied, disor ganising projects of the demagegae, must be equally avoid ed in every attempt towards rational reform. efs ehieh seldom fall to the lot of humanity, are rc cessiry iii the in i• 4111., ho Nl'ollll bring this cris i s to a ft/ChM/AC 16S!:e ; • titeaequally 11111:011!'e to the deinandi of • • THE NATIONAL REGISTER. the people, and the interests of the crown ;—Who,know to yield with dignity, and to resist without - provoking irri tation ;—who enjoy, i❑ the fullest measure, the confidence of the public, and are worthy that of the sovereign;--who possess no sinecures ; have tampered in no unconstitutional jobbing ; whose hands are clew, and reputation unsul lied ;—who unite great talents with a sound ►,nderstanding ; liberal, comprehensive views with practical kn►►wledge ;-•-- w ho love their country ardently ; and betray no bias to he institutions of her grelt political rival ;—►f such men arc to be found, They arc capable of restoring tra.•►yciliity to the State, and re-establishing the indepeAdence of Europe. POLICY OF THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE. . r• The popular attention has been powerfully attracted to the rapture of Martinique, as announced in the Extraordinary Ga ulle, which will he found in full in another part of our Paper — The people are seldom wrong in their general feeling. Thereis something in the nature of this acquisition which calls for pecu liar consideration. It is with nations as with individuals—There is a seeming and an apparent good, and in the variety of human actions, and their unforeseen results, it is possible to sneered to our ruin, and acquire to our loss. I.et it not be here said, that we n ith hold from our brave rap tors the praise that is due to their personal heroism. With re spect to them there can he but one opinion. On this, as on every other occasion, they have maintained the reputation of their country,—they have added another laurel to our national w Iva th , and augmented the yenr ral stool. w ith their own individual ac quisilloes. It was the praise of the ancient Spartans, that every man imagined his country as it were embodied in himself. It is equally the characteristic praise Of Englishmen, that they fight as if the honour of the country rested on their individual efforts. A country must necessarily become great n here every individual thus identifies him-ell' in her interests and in her glory. But the merit o:'!irtvint acquired, rind the value of the acqui sition, are t different considerations, and in point or fact, retpeet very different parties. The merit of the conquest belongs to the Army and Navy--The plliev of it belJngs to the Minis ters. Upon this point of the queAlon, therefore, we wish to oiler 501110 observations. A conquest can only be valuable either by its absolute or re• lative importnnee,—by some value which has in itself, or by something; which it derives front t particular state of thiugs. Under the last point of view, the most barren rock may become of relative iinportance. Malta perhops is an example in point ; Malta neither grows corn, nor feeds cattle, equal to her own consumption,—it must always he supported by England.. But Alatut, barren in and therefore in an absolute point of view of no value, a.ssanies a relative imp o; twice as one of the hula arks of the Mediteranean, :Ind under these circunislanees teas the pretext, if not the actual Cause, of the recommencement of the war. The value of 'AI artiolipte toat h' rated npoa these Itrincipl -- What is it's ith-elate ya!ae ? W hat is it %%01 - itt in it.:elf? Or Nvhiit is it's relative %aim.? hat other points of importance does it protnoti. , or f;!cilitate? Does it f` X pel the French from the West Indies, and in co doitiz, does it materially promote the wealth and commerce of Inland Now, with re:Tect to it. absol'ite value. Martinique a stigar island, and ..vith the exception of Jamaica, ev ere& eV ery irinnd in our pot-,cion. Its antimil proitticc, in ,•tzgar and C01:01 1 , if proporliounte to its magtii:arl:•. and fertility. it has hero well olr,cr‘cti by tho' e ho have written on Ow 1 1 ,.est Indic' , , that the l'ret:cl4 VIII i vat it):1 11:1•• th a t of the I.:lnglis , ' Plaaters, and that therentre the l'roncli i , 1,111;h4 arty infinitely ttior, - ! productive. It will not th , .-refore he too extravagant au e.“iraate, it we take the annual rrinlace o f . 04 , ; : t r, co tt o o, anti other colotii:;1 prodnee at Mar*.itatine, at about 911e•-fOUrl h atilt • that i> raised in the rity of popular opinion ; and the highest tors the praise that is due to their personal heroism. With re- immunity is justice to offenders. Strict, , ialit y 'on this head i equally beneficial to spect to them there can he but one opinion. On this, av °a every s the governed ;—it places men in power either occasion, they have maintained the reputation of their ninds them incessantly of their duty, • ac- country,—they have added another laurel to our national a reath, as a severe but useful Monitor , teaches and augmented the gt`ltrrili stock with their uwu individual ac- fit cannot inspire them with virtue ;is quisitioas. It was the praise of the ancient Spartans, that every etc against the poison of power, and pre- I man imagined his country as it were embodied in himself. It is t sanguinary convulsions, which counter- I equally the characteristic praise of Englis hmen, that they fight the excessive and enfeebling humours of I as if the honour of the country rested on their individual efforts. tints anti vitiated constitutiona. This on- A country must necessarily become great st here every individual to offenders is a sacred duty the public thus identifies himself in her interests and in her glory. tales, as well as succesaors, in (Alice ; for oe, even barbarouc, they should be de- But the merit o!'llaving acquired, and the value a of the cqui- sition, arc to very different considerations, and in point or fact , !rice they never forfeited. Too unquali- uo undiscriminating a jealousy of every w l• re very di ff erent parties. The merit of the conquest belenti„.s an ostensible employment, must ulti- to the Army and Navy--T he p2liey of it Wangs to the Minis- id the consequence is unavoidable, that tors. Upon this paint of the question, therefore, we wish LO ok, with a jealous, hostile spirit, to every oiler some observations. 1 "'anent; and thus the great link of union A conquest can only be valuable either by its absolute or re. ' ch can alone render the community re- lative importance,—by some value which has in itself, or by t. ind tranquil arid prosperous at. home. somethimt; which it derives front a particular state of things. ember an instance in the history of this, Under the last point of view, the most barren rock may become lacy, where sylliptollai of a more danger- of relative iinpartunce. Malta perhaps is an example ill point ; have: manifested themselves, than arc vi- Malta neither grows corn, nor feeds cattle, equal to her own ant in Great Britain. The highest reach . consamption,—lt must always be s u ppo rted by England.. But dont, of conciliation tempered b with firm- , ;Ude, imperiously urgent in order to restore Malut , barren in it:,elf, and therefore in an absolute! point of , view of no value, assumes al relative impot ;mice as one of the !nee. Those who are zealou s and ardent o if abuses, must be cautious that their veal hula arks of the Mediteranean, :Ind under these circumsainees I I rd to intemperance; their love of reform, was the pretext, if not the actual cause, of the recommencemeut . . t innov alien. Public discontent is ( "aide, I of the war. I onlined, with extreme difficulty, with- The value of Martilliiitu - inta.t he rated nivel these principleei--.. • if it reach and swell to a certain What is it's ab-elate vase ? W hat is it 55 or: hi in itmlf? Or nary barriers cannot restrain it ;--it over- what is it's- relative saint. ? V, hat other points of importance t every trace of the former arrant:a-meats. d oes it "m a nta aor fa c ilitate? Does it expel the French from F I violent resolutions will thwart, I. the : 0 the West ladies, and in so (lulu,! , dues it materially promote the 7y reasonable prospect of amelioration; wea l t h an d efflomerce o f i; o .ri ao d ? n ' :. ' tell as moderate men, will recoil front an . ' 3 Now, a kit re:Tect to its absolute value, Martinique ig, a sogaf , ich, if not calmly and prudently maniered, , , ' sum , o, and :rich the exception) or Jamaien, exceeds every islaild re of disorders, far more dangerous tj ' llie in s e sion. annual las prodace, in sugar and cot:oa, if e, thaw the abases vi• kith 'tow undermine ie proportiounte to its magiii:ada and fertility. it has hero well The ICeghest prudence and temper are. 'tally requsile ;---- tle wild, impracticable oti,ery ad by those who havo w Tilton on Ow ,lest Indie , , that visionary, as well as the frenzied, disor- E the :'reach cultivation has :3 sx ays exceeded that of the English of the dcmagogae, must be equally avoid- Plaaters, acid that therefore the French isbauls are: infinitely lit towards rational reform. inure productive. It will not tlierefore he too extravagant an el:lom fall to the lot of humanity, are rc- , estimate, if we take the annual ! i t -ad:tee of .:agar, coque, twit ar imisirv, who would bring this cris i s to a lother colt iI produce ~ • . 1 ..., . . • • . )I, •. at _ .. 1 , hi Atea equally alteutoe to the demands ot that raked in the I.,:•g!ish ialandi• . o . a - _•. - . - i tiv : - ••• -•-• 4 • ~;-• •11. ••• ' IF :.:;;. • .t• a 1 • . • .O' . 4 . - • . - - - .... ' 4 ,L . •.. • 4.,. .• 1r .. - • al. APRIL 16. r i i i