The National Register. — London, England, 1814-01-16 00:00:00

JAN. 16. globe ? Wlsat was the object of France when victorious, unless to renew, and to fix upon a solid basis, the maritime system which Rns tia had conceived ? What %vas the most important stipulation of tat Treaty of Tilsit,---the engagement entered into by Russia to complete, in conjunction with us, that she had herself begun, and what she fur a long time considered as her fairest title to glory ? Can Europe have forgotten the solemn proclamations of the Em peror Alexander, in which he declared, that for the happiness of people, anti for the happiness of the world, he had agreed with the Emperor Napoleon on the means of maintaining the Continental St and of forcing the English to recognise the rights of neutral Powers? Did be not solemnly engage to revenge the crime coin. ;nutted at Conenh igen? Did he nut declare war against England? and, when AllSsiet afterwards tome in pieces the treaties to which she hail sworn, did not Prussia, Austria, Kivalia, and all Germany, fight under our banners to maintain the Continental System which they had so often proclaimed? Certainly, when the Emperor Napoleon marched at the head of the ConteJerated Kings against Russia, then the only ally that Eng land nal on the Continent, he exercised an enormous phponderaore beyond the limits of the empire; but the elements declared against him. His allies successively forsake him, join their armies to those of his enemies, and march themselves against France, which has re tired within its natural boundaries! Has not this preponderance changed hand.- r and if it is exercised at this moment by :My Power, is it slot by that which drags with it all the nations of Europe, and leads tlient against a people who have now nu wish but that of de fending tbeie rt'wn icErittlr% ? Thu: Russia, wine% within a century has by turns crushed Swe den, partitioned Poland, devoured the Crimea, threatened Caucasus, and coveted the throne of Constantine; it ussia, which at this mo ment governs Saxony, domineers over Prussia, and perhaps over aq Germany ; Russia, which pours into France her ,4siatir legions ; Rnssia declares that she mikes war against the preponderance of the Emperor Napoleon in Europe ! She proelaim , , hot vt ithstamlimf, that the views of the Allied tower:, have fur their object the iodepend owe of all Slimes; that these iiews are just, generous, liberal, encouraging-for all, honourable , fin. each. Why, then, do not these pawl Es express themselves in a precise manner ! %Why, in this new system eat speaking to the na tion, do not they say clearly what they propose? Why do not they point out, without evasion, the bases of the pacification! They wish " that Fraoce should be strong and powerlul,—that the art; ohou there they confirm to her " a greater extent of to rritory than she ever (brew under her kings." Well, :lien, why do not they formally fix this extent ? With this es.gue manner of ex pression they may otter us Poreotruy, which we did not possess • tinder ow kings. Amhigions phrases do not indicate sincere inten tions; perspicuity is the best sign of good faith. But the Allies had good reasons for wrapping themselves up in mysterious terms. If they ii , ad published the real proposals which they have made to France, the Emperor replied 66 I have accepted them." Thus the war would be finished, and peace made. But we are sorry to - spy it, every thing seems to indicate that such was not the wish of the powers, or at least of sotne of them. Let us be allowed to ask the authors of the proclamation, if it is any proof of a sincere w isle, inr the independence of the French Em pire, to invade its Natural bditmdaries? if we can fully confide in the good faith of Ihe Allies, when they pass the Rhine, atter having pub!icly declared last year, that they took tip arms only to repulse the French beyond that river t when they occupy the Swiss terri tory. after having announced to Europe that their armies would not ems it ? The %Mies desire that the att. should nourish in France : but their m u m:►meats every where strike our eyes. Do not our mu seums, our capital, I mi. towns, our public places, present incessant wonders, which have, as one may say, wearied admiration? Which of the wined-Powers is it, then, which desires to make the arts tlanrisit again in France? Can it be %pada, which allures our labourers, seduces our mannfacturets, and entraps our a: lists? It must be allowed, that it is curious to see the North invade the South, in order to make arts and eiviiization flourish there. The powers speak of a just balance ; but do they ensure to En rope that one them will n►►t won exerci‘e a fatal preponderance, --and that, finding the French Empire too powerful, it will not soon be desirous of putti►►g itself in a situation to tear no farther obstacle to its agguandi•ement ? They speak of a just partition of / I "%ver, — of natural liants.—and that at a time when Sweden desires to pass the Alps which separate it from Norway, when England pre tends to keep some of the principal ports of the Continent. Let us not fear to say it : what the-Allies profess is in contrasiles Von with what they design ; Holt promises arc as insecure as their THE NATIONAL REGISTER. 2+ • reproaches are unjust. 'they incessantly trumpet forth their m9de ration : but their actions void: more intelligibly than their word;. Wh L ile their declaration breathes only peace and happiness, their inva s ion brings devas.fition and death. France has had her days of ci , od fortune.. Let us remember her attitude in.the midst of her triumphs ; let us contrast what she has often granted, with what is now required of her : and let us determine then, which side displayed good faith, tusuleration,—and we venture to say so,—moderation in victory. Let as begin with Au'tria. Within these twenty years, France has concluded four treaties of peace with this power, at Campo Formio, at Limeville, at Pre,hurg, and at Vienna. At Campo Formic, theTyrot was comities ; the Emperor, at the head of that invincible -army; before which Italy had fillen, was w ithin thi: ty leagnes of the capital. 'l4e French arms , of the Rhine wa• penetrating to the heart of the monarchy. * Hungary, in a ferment, threatened to eptrate from the cspital The victLrs otfr peace. What were the 'conditions ; A usti is ceded Belgium and Lombardy, which were conquered ? but she received in exeliauge, Istria, D.,linatia, the Venetian islands in the Archipelago, Cattaro, Venice, and the provinces of that republic on the lett of the Adige. liens Austria, though vanquished,-..Austria invaded on all siA , s, finind herself, after all her diiasters, with a territory mole consi derahle in extent, and more advantageously situated ter Lee. Yet in 1800, she again gave the signal for battle! IV: , march; sic:ory leads hs again to the gates of Vienna. What conditions does 114 Emperor Napoleon impose on bet ?—the peace of Lmieville. The treaty of Campo Foe int) is nearly confirmed : anti France, always timniphaut. is never weary of being magnanimous. Who does nut remember that in this memorable campaign, the Emperor Napoleon, after the victory at Marengb, honouring conrage and inisf,rtone, granted to de Melia a capitulation, by virtue ut which ror,ou. Austrians passed with their arms and baggage through the middle ut the French army ? Assmed:y be was not i7norant that these troops were going to reinfOrce the Austrian army on the Adige; and yet they retreated across Italy without any obatack , Let us compare rho evitatation of Alexandria with that of Drevich?—the tie 4 M. ii+c 3ielas with that of 51arshal St Cyr.—and we shall see which party has llCWllllloderatiOn ice victory, and kielity to its treaties. t us proceed. After the treaty a Luneville the Cotainen; seemed likely to enjoy a long peace. France, eng:4;ed in its Irani- One preparations, had no forces on the batik,' of the Rhine ; all our troops were on the heights of Boulegue, the vessels for their em barkation were collected, the expedition was ready, the signal fur depattare was going to sound, when Austria suddenly gave the hilt. Hat for battle. The armies threaten our frontiers, we march with the rapidity of lighting, the tempeat bursts at Ulin,—Vies na and Austerlitz &diverts the m hole Empire into our I soda. 1f our enclitics hail been in our place, what would they have du ne ?We knows nut : but the treaty of Prelburgh tells us what the Emperor The. house of Austria, which might have been said to exist only in some of its eastern provin-es, recovers alt its possessions, except the Tyrol, the part of the Venetian Orate ceded by the treazies of Campo Formio, and Limevilro, and some other detached pieces of territory, but which were compensated for by the cession of Salz burg and flerchtuldsoben- Lastly in t 809, while the Emperor was beating at Astorga, the English army of Cieneral Ikloure,—an aggression still more unjust than in IBo9,—an aggression, the avowed purpose of which wa• to iavude France, again provoked the French legions. All the wester!' and Ismaili provinces of Austria are compere-11: the capital is f:br the second time in the hands of the victors; Hungary beholds the stench eagles ‘ on the ramparts of its cities ; an ever memorable. bate Ile puts the mho!. monarchy at the disposal of the emit - Inver ; the Russian armies, then our allies, threatened Eastern Gallicia ; the House of Hapsburg might have ceased to exist : the tresty of Vienna restored the House of Austria to the rin,k of a Power of the first order. Snell has been the generous and noble conduct of the Emperor of the Fiends towards owe of the belligerent Powers. Austria, after jour successive wars, unfortiniate for he r, iu which she sate her ex istence four times in danger, loses only a few provinces. Ah! if she had obtained over us all the advantage 'which we have gals ed over her ; if in three years she had twice occupied Paris, should we tie as powe fail as. she is now ? Should we have the influence which she exercises in Europe ? It seems that we may be allowed to Let us proceed to Prossia. In 1806, Prussia without provocation, made her armiel towards the Mime; the French legions .go to meet them battle or Jena, putting an end to this mdd contest, render quernr ) a fr t tits end 91 A math, puispir of the Prussian ~ ' > • o doubt it. es advance on, and the .rs the eon- ow:iatt:by. 35 I • I \