The National Register. — London, England, 1814-12-11 00:00:00

N , TIM NATIONAL REGISTER. .'s eottztituttcr, auD talus. PUBLISHED AT NO. 1.1, NEWCASTLE-STREET, STRAND. No. 358. POLITICAL DISQUISITION. POLITICAL PROGNOSTICS. Is that peace, so lately concluded and purchased by so many exertions and sacrifices, likely to prove lasting ? Or was it a vain dream which the world indulged, when it hoped for rest and prosperity from the negociatiotts at Vienna ? A brief time will solve these important ques tions. Appearances, however, arc not promising. Too long a period was suffered to elapse between the triumph of the Allies and the settlement of Europe. In the first glow of almost unexpected success and rapturous grati tude, self-interest seemed dead. Scarcely trusting their own fortune, the coalesced Sovereigns felt nothing but tenderness for mankind. Crowned by the hand of Pro vidence with blessings that passed their most sanguine hopes, they thought themselves bound to renay them to the world. Hence, instead of the partial treaty of Paris, had a Congress been immediately assembled to regulate the grand interests of Europe, they would have been dis cussed with true liberality and settled with impartial justice. But the favourable opportunity was lost : ques tions which might have been decided by the single fiat of the principals, were reserved for distant consideration, and exposed to all the chicanery and intrigues of diploma tists. Time, that weakens, if it does not subdue the firmest resolves of man, was allowed to interpose between the good intentions of the monarchs and their fulfilment. Meanwhile the voice of nations shouted forth their praise. From a state of thankfulness they rose into one of pride. The unintentional flattery of millions who lauded them, more for what they had promised, than fur -.vhat they had done, caused them to forget that they had acknowledgpd themselves the agents of a liberating Yvovid?tice, to NI boy) alone they had attributed their triumphs. They begun to consider themselves as the real deliverers of mankind. and to receive the expression of its gratitude and admii a 4ion, not as a reward, but as a tribute due to their high deeds. The revival of pride was followed by that of in terest. Full of the great services they had rendered the world, they conceived that the least they could expect in return was not mere praise. ) but substantial ni aggrandize ment. 'fence !! eV( plans were forme, and mo re re 'ave- fr 4 ‘l4c oainAl for their execution. Dela . - mit ve:l fr •, . o Vol VI. No CCCLVIII tt SUNDAY, DECEMBER .11, 1814. PRrrn gd. month, the Congress became, not the solemn tribunal be fore which the rights of nations were to be discussed and defined, acknowledged, and finally settled, hut the board by which the private arrangements of confidential Ministers were to be sanctioned. Secret negociations su perceded public deliberations, and all effectual opposition to the pr-gress of ;he intended measures was prevented by concealing their exact nature and tendency from the world, under the pretence that the publication of particulars could not take place till the final arrangement of all the matters at issue had been closed. Notwithstanding thy attempt at secrecy, some of the intentions of the most am bitious Powers have so far been revealed by the transfer of the countries which they occupied, and the movements of their troops, as to excite the doubts which are now generally entertained of the stability of the present peace. That these are not chimerical, the preparations of France sufficiently prove. With an exhausted treasury, and a male popula tion which has been represented as almost destroyed by the repeated wars of her deposed Emperor, it is scarcely credible that she should once more dare the fate of battles. But her spirit was only bowed, not broken for much of that love of war with which Napoleon was justly re proached, is chargeable on the French nation. Whatever be the person at the head of her Government she seems destined to banish tranquillity from the Continent. If it be a conqueror, he has only to let loose the warlike pro pensities of his people, and Europe will be set in flames. If it be a pacific monarch, he is hurried into hostilities by the inilitary ardour of his subjects. This, we fear, is the l,resent Lituation of Louis XVIII. lie has found the French irritated, more than humbled, by their reverses. Fcreed to submit whilst the Allies occupied their territory, they closed their eyes to the generosity' displayed towards them, and were vain enough to think themselves spared through fear, not roagnanimity. Revenge burned silently within their Feuls, and no sooner had the independence of their country been recognised and its limits freed fiom presence of an enemy ; no sooner had their resources !)een re-organised and their prisoners of war returned, than, conscious of revil;n4; strength, they openly vented forth their feelinfo. 15::/illiti a .; to ieward hit; benefactors, the European Princes, with immediate hostility, Louis Vit* disregarded, or vainly attempted to curb the dis-