The National Register. — London, England, 1809-09-24 00:00:00

THE - NATIONAL REGISTER. .~ r have not very serious inconveniences been experieaced in the commercial world from these very circumstances ? What is the actual state of our woollen and cotton ma nufactures at this period ? What is the general state of the • country, and how far is it able to continue the contest in the present mode of warfare, and at the present rate of expenditure ? These are important considerations, and when we arc risking every thing, when our very existence, perhaps, depends upon the issue:of this contest, it does not became us to .act with a blind and foolish confidence in the supposed inexhaustible resources of the country, but to examine, with prudence and caution, the real amount of its wealth and population. Itis a knowledge of these things only which can determine the propriety of changing either our ob jects or our means. When we have exanthled our resources at home, let us look to our relative situations with others abroad what arc our connexions with other nations. if it have allies, what are their respective situations? and circum stances ? What are their meaus, and what their inclina tions ? If the Emperor of AUSTRIA, either from inclina tion or inability to prosecute the war, make peace with France, we canuot hope to maintain the relations of peace and amity with a single Power upon the Continent. We fondly hoped, at the commencement of the war, to unite with us almost all the powers of Europe. They have been either conquered in detail, or awed into subjugation. What is the situation of Spain ? It is worth while to take the whole of our conduct to that country, aye, and the whole of their conduct too into our consideration. We were taught to believe that the " Universal Spanish Nation" were ready to rise in a mass against BUONAPARTE and " the Family." What is the fact, when the hour of trial came, the people were received, and treacherously sold by their officers; and there scarcely exists in that country a disposition to resist the French at all. French intrigue is doing a great deal in Spain ; but we are not able, even with the assistance of such of the Spaniards, who are well disposed, to compete with the . French force. It was supposed too, that the bigotted at . tachment of the Spaniards to the Catholic religion, would have inspired them with detestation, and even horror, against the French. 24419 such thing. BUONAPARTE has -chosen this very period to trample upon the rights of the :head of the Roman .Church, and his brother JOSEPH to Annihilate the servants of it. What does all this mockery and insult produce / 7 —Tameness, inactivity, and submission. even the Russians will turn if you flay them alive. The Spaniards; as'a : n ation, do not yet seem to have been suf fieiently.pro6ked; but all in good time. If this be a real And not'au imaginary statement of our own situation, and of our relation with others, what conduOt does it become this country to pursue; first, with respect to ourselves, and then with respeci, to our allies? It were easy to ac- Commodateour ideas upon this subject to popular feeling; to urAA the miseries, of war in detail,' and state the abstract position that any ifeace is better than war; but we have not been accustomed to perform cur duty in that wiy. 'We are not ignorant, that there is an air of plausibility 'whith accompanies vulgar reasonings and notions respeet _Fig politica, whea such reall'oplngs are taken frao . *eaten track of or d inary experience; and we know;Tike-' J. , " • .r •• Win" . that reasoning is - admirably calculat ed for the nirroii Capacities of some, and the natieral indolence others. BUt this advantage is lost, viten it becomes us -4 1 . to'jokes Wide iiitlaimprebeasin yaw Of 001.01- SEPT. 24. cated mattes, which require grave and serious considera tiati; when we must seek in a subject so deep, mysterious, and deceitful as politics, not only for arguments, but new materials for arguments, and new methods for their ar rangement. The subject and situation of the country is not only new and unprecedented in itself, but we are un able to derive any assistance from the former situation or experience of other countries. Warne obliged to go out of the sphere of our ordinary ideas, which gravitate, to other centers, than what they have been accustomed to do ; and in pursuing the mazy path of modern politics, we can only walk sure by being sensible of our blindness. With out asking who is to blame, is it not obvious that the na tion is brought into a state of the most iinininent danger? Is not our situation such, as to create just cause of appre hension to every man who regards his country ? If this be undeniable, and surely it is, ought we to lose a moment in applying a remedy ?—What that remedy should be is another question, one that involves more important consi derations than our present limits will admit us to enter upon. At all events, it is not the way to render us more respectable abroad, to enfeeble ourselves by divisions at home. Violence is not of a healing nature, wisdom is best exhibited by moderation, and conceit only lessens our res pect for those who cultivate it. Wise weed that is tooapt to spread itself, even without culture, in minds otherwise great; and the best virtues are frequently chilled beneath its shade. We shall close our observations of to-day, by calling upon those wk o still form the ostensible Administration of the Country, to look her dangers in the face; and, if there be among them men who are not yet sensible to the feelings, and alive to the call of their country, let them at least re spect her distresses, suspend their discord and ambition, disappoint the views of faction, and no longer endeavour by the treachery of intestine divisions, to accomplish that which the Ty rant of the Continent will, we confidently hope, attempt in vain. Let a true public spirit prevail over in terest, prejudice, or ambition ; and let the petty feuds of unbridled passion be buried in oblivion, if it be only for the sake of that nation whose present humiliation they wan tonly insult. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. ;: ~,. SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE PAPERS. BA DAJOR, Au G. 3l.—The following Royal Order, directed to his Excellency the I%larquis de Romano, has been transmitted to him by Don Martin Garay : " In the midst of the great care and attention which the Sue preme Governing Junta of the Kingdom has taken t ) follow with activity and firmness the defence of the country, it has never lost sight of the salutary reforms which the nation earnestly expects; which its actual situation requires, mid which must he the foun dation of its future prosperity ; one of the greatest okjects which now claim its attention, and which ought t) occupy it with the greatest activity, is the Convocation of the Cortes ; the most important object which can or ought to employ the Supreme Junta. • " The.more important this object is, the more necessary are the knowledge, the observations, and the experience of those - Who compose that assembly ; and as in a dissention of such mag nitude it will be 'expected by the nation that all should eon cur, his Majesty has been pleased to grant that all the deputies shall give their assistance. It will therefore be necessary in consequence of this sovereign and general determination that the Marquis de Raman* separate himself from his troops amid mut o this city, to exercise the functions of a Representative of-the National Doily, though' it it certainly moot diScult to Owl ts 1.