The National Register. — London, England, 1817-09-29 00:00:00

Having broukht the Sketch down to that point when Louis was a second time seated on the throne of France, and its late possessor a prisoner-on board an English ship of war, Sir Robert commences a furious assault upon the violators of the " treaty of Paris."— This was to be expected from him who had acted so unjustifiable a part in the affair of Lavalette; but the abuse which, at the same time, he heaps upon the Bourbons fur their cruelty, comes with an ill grace from him who is so striking an examp le _of their cle mency. To prove that the " treaty of Paris " was vi olated, is, I. souse measure, to palliate his own of fence, but it will require better arguments than those of Sir Robett, or of his friend " the illustrious advocate ofjustice," of of his other respectable friend, Mr. (or as Sir Robert chooses to dignify him,) Count Maceroni, to convince the unprejudiced part of mankind that the treaty was any thing more than a military convention, leaving every thing political to the King. The foundation on which the author of the " Sketch" builds up his edifice of Russian dormers, is his position that England has been the cause of the destruction of the independence of France. Let us look, however, into the actual circumstances of that country, and con 'sider for a moment, what the condition of it and the rest of Europe would, in all probability, have been, bad a different line of conduct been pursued. Her throne is at present filled by a sovereign, who, If not called to it by the whole of the French people, had cer tainly a large proportion of the public voice in his fa vour, to say nothing whatever of right or legitimacy ; the army of occupation interferes in no way whatever with the internal government of the country:—that army is placed there agreeably to treaties, and to en sure their fulfilment, and the period is fast approach ing when these treaties will eqUally ensure its re nievalt—How, then, is the independence of France • destroyed? Let us now suppose that when the allies last reach ed Paris, and were informed of Buonaparte s abdication in favour of his son, they had recognised such abdica tion, cad starched their armies beyond the frontier, leaving the French army as it then was ;—will the author of the " Sketch" have the hardihood to say, that the situation of France would have been better than it is at the present moment, or is he so besotted as to • imagine that Europe would have been now at peace ? 'The supposition is too ridiculous to be listened to for a 'moment. Buonaparte's whole history is evidence against it. The allies had but two courses to choose, dither the entire rooting out of Buonaparte and his mi -litiety system, or the certainty of having to combat him again on their own soil, the instant he should recruit his broken strength. But let us come to the second and most important part of the " Sketch," to that part, indeed, which gives the title toile whole. " How he (Alexander) will employ the east force at his dis positiou, is certainly a most interesting question. Whether ltia will take the line of the Vistnla or even Oder for himself, push Prussia into Holland ; instigate France to imitate Eng land, and womplete and terminate her revolution by the, election of a tovereign trom the family of Nassau : or whe ther he will closer into negotiations st ith Austria tbr a new arrangement of Europe, which may restore the balance ; are speculations, which have excited the hopes and ICan: of many. w' tether he willprotit by the positions and present superiorily of Russia, to accomplish other projects long assigned to hir as stem of policy, must interest all governments, a.e except ing the government of the East Indies; whose attention may also be snore excited by the information, that Goiieral Ver., nioloti, the governor of the Caucasus line, who probably at this very moment has reached the Capital of Persia ea an embassy, is au officer of the highest merit and capacity as all adininistrato: as well 64 a soldier; and that he is gone assisted not only by the 'French officers employed by Napoleon, antler Garslantie, in Persia, and whom Alexander, with the sire,. inn of three, engaged in the Russian service, hut with the reports and maps sent by that mision to Napoleon. and which being carried into Russia at the time of the iuvasioa, were found during the retreat, in two abandoned tumbrils._ " These Reports and plans had convinced Napoleon, that the expedition to India was practicable ; and it is a positive fact Ow lea had resolved on sending an united Riassian and French ((tree on that expedition, in crew Russia. bad been compelled to make peace on his terms." We should want no pamphlets like the " Sketch," nor I•tatements like the above, to tell us,ef the dan g er wc, in common with Europe, nay, the the world, had to apprehend from the immence territorial possessions of Russia, did we see the chief of that empire bent on a military system, and turning the minds of his people to nothing 'but what is miliLacy—but the contrary of all this is the fact. The Emperor Alexander seems to have Inuit: the campaigns of the West of Europe, not merely for the purpese of aiding in the liberation of its people, bat to acquire knowledge, and intimmation to the arts of peace. His whole conduct shewa him to be a sovereign, whose mind is cmpinyed in plans to &OW liorate the condition of his people—in unceasing aims to raise them from that state of degradation as men• in whioh the ancient institutions of his empire had fixed so large a proportion of theM, to introduce the arty of more civilized countries, and in short, to ren der Russia a rival, not in arms and conquests, but in civilization and the useful arts, with any other state in Europe. Thvse rsitions, we behave, are not to be denied ;—it must then follow that the attainment of these high objects are inflimpatiltle with a military sys wm, or with settled ',lnas of tertitorial agrawlisement. THE NATIONAL REGISTER Much stress is laid by Sir Robert upon the numeri cal strength of the Russian armies. " Itutsia,"says he, "after pmtilig thirty thousand men of appropriate force, with artillery, *c. in Finland, eighty thousand un the frontier of Gallic* slaty thousand in Mol davia, thirty thousand ou the frontier of Armenia, as many in Persia, and leaving a reserve of one hundred thousand men to sustain these armies, possesses still a disposable fore.. of above two• hundred thousand infantry, eighty thousand cavalry and one thunsand two himilred guns better horsed for service than any artillery or cavalry in the world ;—an army, than which, there is cone more brave, and with wh;rti no other cau march, starve, or suffer physical privations nil natural inclemencies. She has moreover a population eqiidi to the needed supply, and to a great portion of whom tbr habits and sufferings of war ate familliar ; while no power is Europe can raise, evil?, or maintain their lot ce3, with such disJaiii of the price of blood." And by way of confirming this latter statement, he tells us in a note that, " the actual pay of a Rus sian soldier is not much above half a crown a month." Does this prove a disdain of the price of blood ? But let not this display of thirty thousand here, and eighty thousand there, snake us forget the causes which have led to the creation of such a force. If ever a eousttry is to display its energies, it is when menaced with invasion, or when feeling the evils of it. Look at the number of men under arms in Great Britain at the time of Buonaparte's threatened descent ; the number was greater than even the present force of Russia, yes when the danger passed away, when the necessity no longer existed, this immense force gra dually sunk almost to naught. It is not meant to be in sinuated that the same thing will happen in Russia to the same extent, but it may fairly be asserted that Russia would never had so many men on ibot, had Buonaparte not invaded her dominions ; and if Europe remain tranquil, Alexander will find, that every man kept in arms, beyond what is necessary for the ordinary purposes of the state will be a positive evil, and a hin drance in the way of effecting the internal improvements of his empire, and the amelioration of its inhabi tants. There is besides another point which ought to be adverted to—if we are to judge by what has twice taken place lately, a military government and warlike pursuits, do not seem congenial to the great body of the Russian people; In both cases, when' the Emperor was absent for a considerable time from his Capital, (we have Sir Robert Wilson's own words forit) discontent be gan to manifest itself; murmurs were rising at the Em peror's absence, notwithstanding that, the whole course of that absence, was marked with triumphs for the Rus sian arms The contiguity of the South Eastern dominions of Russia with Ladle, has furnished the author of the "sketch" with arguments to prove the possibility and probability of her success in. that quarter of the world. We are not, however, amongst those who think so meanly of our strength there, as to allow, that the attempt need only be made to be successful. The preparations for such an enterprise, cannot be made in a corner, the danger cannot come upon us like the .shadow of night ; it can only take place when we are engaged in war with Russia, and that event would awaken at tention and watchfulness in the quarter likely to bc menaced. * But, has great Britain deserved so little at the hands of the natives under her mild sway ;—has she so little hold upon their affections, that they will quit her dominion in a moment to rally rounathe standards of unknown forei gners , w h ose on ly a i m i would bc personal aggrandisment and extention of power. On this subject, and our power in the East, we will cite the following beautiful and eloquesit pas sage from the lust number of the Quarleri . y Review. " Whatever doubts, or differences of opinion, the contemplation of Indian affitirs may awaken, whatever sadness in the retrospect, or alarni in the anticipation ; the view has one spot too bright, not to be observed with a feeling of general and mingled satisfaction. Oar past , and our still increasing efforts ,for the hap piness 4 thelndian people, these constitute at once, our hope and triumph. These are our real glory in the present season of our brightness and prosperity; and should the monsoon break up, and the hurricane arise, these Will elven our strongest and most abiding anchor." • • The Morning Chronicle, of Thursday lavt, contained •• a plan of the protected extiedLion to India, as digested by Buonaparte." finnal in the port-tolio of the Mini-ter at War at Paris. We will 1 c.ilnlitlly ccr rev. that if ever there was a man likely to attempt to lead an army trout i i.llOl/e to die borders of India, it was flume parte, hat the probable event of such an attempt and observations, on this pojetted plan will be given in our next number. ( ro be Continued is our cart.) The Lancasler Gazelle says :—" We were misin formed in the account we gave last week of several per sons having been taken up, as being concerned in the late murder and robbery at Pendleton. We have heard, however, from the best authority, that a transport, of the name of Wilik7n Salmon, on his way with others to the hulks last week, int4rmed Sutelifli!, (the person who had the care of them) that the Asherofts wanted him to assist them in the robbery at Pendleton; but when he understood that it was also necessary to com mit murder, he would have nothing to do with them. If any thing more were wanting to confirm tlu•ir guilt, and to saothe the minds of the Public, this confession typist surety he most elf :eta. SEPT. 29. TIIE LATE FRAUD AT LIVERPOOL. The following is an account of the attempt at Liver. pool to defraud the Revenue, which, though only re. cently discovered, has been several months in opera. tiun. In April last, a person named S----, who is now we understand in Ireland, purchased a common river flat at Liverpool, and having altered her so as to obtain a British register, and a licence for a sliding bowsprit, rigged her in some degree like a sloop, preserving how ever as much as possible the external appearance of a flat. He then entered her out for Havre de Grace, and shipped a quantity of mahogany in bond. She cleared out, and sailed round the Rock, where the bowsprit was thrown overboard, the sails altered, then returned by the same night's tide, passed the town of Liverpool, and proceeded to Runcorn, to the Duke's Canal, where the wood was landed as duty paid, and forwarded to Lon don, to the address of a foreign broker. The vessel was then dismantled, and laid up as a hulk, until the voy age to Havre might be supposed to be compleated. She was then rigged as before, entered outwards for Ham burg, and took in a cargo of pimento, balsam of capivi, gum copal, tapioca, and rose-wood. With these goods she sailed round the Rock again, and returned the same night to Runcorn, where the goods were landed as be fore and forwarded to London. To shew the ingenuity of the actors in this conspi racy, a foreign merchant went from London, taking most satisfactory references from houses in the City, whose characters are above suspicion, to Messrs. Drink water and Byers, most respectable brokers. This person employed them to purchase the goods, and enter them at the Custom House, as is usual, in their own names. whereby innocent parties have incurred the penalties of the bonds for due exportation. Some suspicion arose in t`►e mind of the Duke of Bridgewater's agent at Run. corn, from the vessel being found on the morning of the arrival of the second cargo with a full freight, but nei. ther master nor any person on board. One of the clerks. however, received letters directing them to be forwarded to London. When the searchers at Liverpool heard a rumour of the business, they proceeded to Runcorn and seized Litt vessel, which was in a state of preparation for another voyage, as instructions had been given to make her ca. pable of carrying lOU tons, still preserving her exterior appearance, which wound have enabled the parties to smuggle a cargo of India goods.; and Messrs: Drink. water and Syers had actually received instructions to inquire the price of black pepper anti turmeric. One of the Liverpool searchers then proccOdod to town, and with the assistance of ett , .! of his trethren here, aided by the important infinuatiw: given by Mr. Syers, who came to town for the parpose of i(lentifring the goods, they have not only regained the whole of the second cargo (with the exe.. , ption of a few bags of pi. mento, which had been retailed), but a large quantity of the mahogany that arrived in last. Several persons both in London and in Liverpool are implicated in this nefarious transaction ; and it is at least singular that souse of them stand high in the rank of the Itetimmers and orators of the day. We abstain, however, from publishing their names ; run from any delicacy to them, out because we do not wish the Pub. - 'tic to prejudge u case likely to come before a Jury. The poor's rate, collected in the parish of I.ewton Linford, in Lei. cestershire, fur one year, the beginning of last century amounted only to 31. 12s. W. Amongst the items in the account of the dilaval of this stun are—" Paid Constable for attending quarterly meeting. 6d. p .id Betty Dobson, to enter into a line of businers, Is. 7,1. P. A uottngl horse now standing was also built the same year. and *pauper au old wout.in. allowed tkl. per week towards her support. The poor's tate for the above parish last year exceeded 4nool. universal report (says the b` Bath Herald") of the agricultur.3 state of the uonutry, at tnis moment, may be summed up in tire words of a Gentleman, just returned from a week's tou The latter season of the hay has caused several damaged tields to he well saved. The Wheats arc all generally stacked ih immense ricks of she finest grain. Barley and Oat fields were every where either being co t or carried ; and the labourers appeared in swamis. Potatoes note never primed a Lrger crop, or of superior kind. OLD BAILEY. MONDAY, SEPT. 422. John Alcoa( was convicted tbi privately stealing, on the 17111 of July last, in the shop at Joseph Pearson in Beech- Weld, 46 yards of gingham, his property. Alter the examioatiou of 4evet . al witnesses, the Jury found a % erdiet of Guilty.— Death. . . . J•oites Crow was indicted for felonionsly breaking into and entei ing the dwelling house of Elizabeth Wei man, mid steal. ing therein six half guineas, five seven shilling pieces, and some silver her property. The prosecistrix lived in the parish of West Bacon, in the county of Middlesex. She nail a widow, and went out to work occasionally. About the loiter end of June she went out, leaving her 11011! , P fastened. Returned alum' four in the afternoon, and peril Ilse(' tiiiims to be just as she 101 l them. she had left the key in a hiding place for the use of to r son, nut she afterwards missed her money, in all about ten guineas, which had been delinsited in a blll4ll chest by her bed-side. She knew all to be safe when she left the house ; not muss the money until ationt a rolinight ;aliquot ds. She first 5v .1 1 141! i•t .noncy at the constable Lake's. One of iit gillre as ass di mud in il.e middle, and another was Ovid or ciookt il. They had been a cued aline by her ; was •alt• the •!1). Wals lier's Knew Vie piisone rat the bar. lie 11.111 bells cmploycd at oink in a b. ickfichl, but about the bine of the robbery was empluxed to thresh at a hal n heiir her house. Ile had been at the b.tto near thi cc mouths. CO es br swh th