The Sun. — London, England, 1806-12-06 00:00:00

Vr= TO THE EDITOI? OF THE SUN. "Those who quit their, proper charaaer, to assume what does riot belong to them, are, for the greater part, ignorant both of the characia they leave, and of the charader they assume. Wholly unacquainted with the world, in which they are so fond of meddling, and inexperienced in all its alfairs on 'whien they pronounce with so much confi c:elic.:, they have 'nothing of Politics but the Posions they excite,"—tsux 'MR. EDITOR, IR .. Were IlOt , COnVinCed that your ,Readers take a stronginterest in the charafter of the late Mr. PITT, I should be ashamed of engrossing so much of your valuable Paper upon the remarks of such an arro gant trifler as Mr. Gopwria, whosb late attack upon the memory of that great man has increased the contempt with which the Public have long viewed a Visionary in Politics and a Novellist in History.— The Writer in question observes, that " PITT was surrounded with all that can dazzle the eye of a vul gar spy iator.%.-Can there be a more impudent libel upon the ganeral * sentiments of mankind, as well as the opinions of this Country do our great de parted Minister ? Mr. PITr stood in. a "situation in which he dazzled none, but poured the light of truth upon all. He obtained the high situation which he so long possessed by the force of his great talents, and he retained . it by the influence of his wisdom and the unimpeachable reftitude of ,his con du&. I am by no means inclined to irritate the ad mirers of Mr. Fox, as Mr. GODWIN -has done those of Mr. PITT, but I should desire no other test of the superior discernment of the latter than the declara tions of each on the bursting forth of that dreadful Volcano, the French Revolution. Mr. Fox congratu lated mankind on an event that promised an in• crease of liberty and happiness, not only to France, but to every other peeple, and to all succeeding ages.—Mr: PITT beheld it as the source .of the most alarming evils. The events which have since 'oc curred too forcibly evince the superior penetration and judgment of Mr. Pt:rrs Instead of that free dom. which Mr. Fox triumphantly prediaed, we see the degraded people of France reduced to the most la inentable state of . tuilitaey oppression ; and wher ever the power of usurpation has yet extended, the same disastronS events have followed, insomuch that those Governments which formerly were conceived 'to be founded in despotism, now appear to be upheld by those principles andT that degree of authority which ' are necessary to, preserve order in a State, and pre vent the people from destroying each other. I will not recur to the common-place abuse 'which Mr. Gobwits - has heaped upon the chara6ter of Mr. PITT, as it shewsi mean and 'splenetic mind, and deserves contempt : rather than. netice. But let Us see in what manner Mr. GODWIN attempts to exalt the chara6ter of his favourite. He says that " Mr. Fox, as an orator, appeared to come imme s _diately from the forming hand of Nature." If this be not mere bombast; it implies that Mr. Fox want ed those attainments' and that experience which are best calculated to enable an orator to speak with uti lity., What is a mere orator of Nature ? We are told that " he spoke well bi.-rcause he felt strongly and earnestly," not that he was fully possessed of ail that related to the subjea in discussion, and was able to deduce every proper inference from a due consideration of that subject :—No,. Sir, we are told that " though on all great occasions he was thorough ly energetic, yet it was by sudden flashes" and cmuna- ' lions that he elW,lrUied the heart and shot through the blood of his hearers." Is this the description of a sound teams, who, though animated, ought to be wise, colleaed and l intelligent ? Observe, Mr: Edi tor, I am not attempting - to depreciate the charac. ter of Mr. Fox as an orator, but examining into the nature of that praise which Mr. GoDwIN has be stowed upon him. Does not this " elear'ifying the heart and shooting thro' the blood" belong, as I before hinted, to the Kovellist rather than the Historian, a character Which Mr. Gonwrsr has presumptuously undertaken by his animadyersions on the events of the present awful period, and his daring attempt to les, , en the character of one of the greatest and best of men that the present age has produced, and whom it would not be national vanity to places upon a level with the most distinguished orators and Statesmen of any age. To shew how puzzled this poor man is, and how inconsistent with himself, he in one passage- says, that " the English seemed fast degenerating into such a people as the Dutch ; but BURKE and Fox, and other eminent characters, redeemed us froM the imminent depravity ;" and in another, " what he (Fox) did is the due result of the illumination of the present age, and of the character of our ancestors for ages past." Can there be more absurd contra diaion than this delvnce and attack upon the pre sent age ?, We find that the illumination of the age Made Fox what lie was, and that his powers contributed to illuminate the age, and kept off ap-. proachiog darkness. But now, Sir, let us turn to what . Mr. GODWIN says of Mr. Psi T as an orator. He asserts tht " no man was so skilful as Mr. PITT to answer the ques tions of _his adversary without communicating the smallest information." Is it then necessary, Sir, that a Minister should be obliged to answer every question that a weak, an interested, an artful, and a mischiev ous man may propose ,? A Minister would be unfit for his situation, indeed, if he did not reserve what 'it might be not only indiscreet but dangerous to dis• close. But Mr. PITT, we are told, " was never taken off his guard"—" he had a measured warmth; there Were no starts and sallies, and sudden emanations of Ihe 'soul." Here again we see the wild Romance Miter usurp the place of, the sagacious Historian, and acknowledging in effeet, that Mr. PITT was the orator of reason, of knowledge, and of judicious self government: " He seemed to be as much under the minutest reghletion in the most vehement swell ings, as in the Coldest calculations." It must be evident, Sir, that notwithstanding all Mr. GODWIN'S spleen towards Mi=. PITT, nor to Ilse a harsher word, he in reality thinks more highly of him than he does. of Mr. Fos, for hi,s praise of the latter in etfea conveys ridicule, while' his accusations against Mr. PITT com prehend those qualities which becothe a man placed in a situation of high trust and awful responsibility. Will it be imagined, Mr. Editor, by those who have not la ad Mr. GopwrN's charaEter of our great Statesm , which has produced these remarks, that, adverting asain to Mr. PITT, he should think it ne cessary to apol,gize, by saying, in,a parenthesis, " if I may be excused for mentioning him again."—Can there be any thing at once more offensive and more THE GoLtenburgh Mail which arrived this morn ing contains the following intelligence respe&ing the Battle which is said to have been fought be-, tween the French and Russians in Poland " GOTTENISURGII A DE.C. Captain of a Ship just arrived from Elsineur reports, that when he left it, accounts were received that an A6tion had taken place between the RusEians and French, in he neighbow hood of Posen, in which the latter were defeated with great slaughter. "The Ausian Army consisted of 140,0,00 marl ; the French .but of 60,000. " A Ship had arrived at Elsineur in three days from Stettin, the Captain of which saw 19 waggons full of wounded Frenchmen enter Stettin." GOTTENBURGH,NOV. 00.—A Russian Courier has just arrived in 10 days from St. Petersburgh—he reports, that in passing througb Stockholm, he was told that there had been an Action between the French and Russians, in which the latter were completely vietorious; he could not learn any p.ar ticulatsi". The following intelligence was received this morn ing at LLOYDS : EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM YARMOUTH, DEC. 5. I have just time to inform you of our arrival here from Hamburgh, which we Were: obliged to leave at a few minutes notice on the - 25th, tilt. after a De cree making all the English here Prisoners of War, " BONAPARTE'S last Proclamation is to this of fed That British Property, of every description, is to be Confiscated ; England is declared to be in a State of Blockade ; and all British Subje&s who may be found in the Countries occupied by the French, are declared to be Prisoners of War.- " We left Altona at half.-past 3 O'clock on the 26th ult. four or five thousand French left Haruburgh the day before; they went through the Stein Gate (the road to Lubeck), their destination was not known. The British Fat Story had been arrested, but was afterwards liberated on Parole, and it was to be hoped would effect a compromise with the French ." EVERY possible exel'tion is making for the equip ment of the Squadron with which Sir SA MVEL HOOD is immediately to sail into the Baltic. In addition to the Ships of .the Line and Frigates which' that gallant Officer had under his command, he Will have several Bomb Vessels. Orders have been sent to Sheerness to fit out all the Vessels which are cal culated for Bombs without loss of time. IT has been stated that some difficulties have occurred in the Negotiation pending between this Country and America. We are inclined to believe that there is some foundation for the statement, but we trust that the impediments which have occurred are not of an insurmountable nature, Yesterday morning Hp; MAJESTY, the Princesses AUGUSTA, SOrHIA, and AMELIA, attended by the Hon. Miss EGERTON, in Her Majesty's . Phreton, General FrTzuoY, Colonels TAYLOR and DF.sLitow, rode in the•Gyeat Park, and returned at twelve. The Lean for the ensuing year, according to re port, will .not exceed twelve millions. As tlie scale of our expences probably will not be diminished, the smallness of the , expected Loan is atiributed to.the productive state of the Revenue, particularly the In come Tax. `t'hi's opinion may also have assisted'io operate the favourafale change in the Funds. THE LATE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEA CE. OUR attention has been attra6ted by a 'Work on this interesting and important subje&, which seems to wear a form of authority, and to speak with the con fidence of knowledge. The Work in queStion gives a brief but explicit history of the origin and pro gress of the Negotiations, with an account of every thing that is supposed to have advanced or retarded the great obje& in discussion. It admits that France made the first Overture ; but as it appears that France, in . the course of the Negotiation, made de mands with which it Was impossible for this Coun try to comply, and as the French Ministers indeed praaised every artifice, no reliance can be placed on their sincerity in making that Overture, and, therefore, the merit is only ascribable to the British Government for its readiness in attending to any pro- position for restoring the Blessings of Peace. The first part of the Negotiation, so far as France was concerned, 'consisted of profe,sions of regard for Peace, and declarations that it had attained enough for its own glory. -The British Government required an explicit declaration from France of the basis upon which it was ready to treat, in order to con fine within certain preliminary limits the line of dis- • cussion. The basi s then proposed is stated in the Work • to which we ter to have been, ". The state of ad tual possession, the uti possideas, subject, however, to the exchange of equivalents.'" Our -Govern ment, it is stated, unequivocally accepted this . pro--; posed basis, excluding Hanover, however, from the • principle of exchange upon equivalents, as. that Elec torate had been seized without any just foundation of hostility, and that consequently it should be re stored on the conclusion of Peace without the de mand of any equivalent. At this period the Capture Of the Cape of Good Hope by His MAJESTY . Arms .became known. This event ind , ,iced France to propose a variation from the basis of the Uti Possidetis, as. that event was not before in the contemplation of either Government, The British Government, on the other hand, contended that an Expedition had been previously sent out, and it .was as likely to end in the capture of the Cape as any other place. The French Government, in reply, began to adopt its characteristic petulance and haughtiness, and pro• posed to restore Hanover as ati equivalent for the Cape. Findint; however, that the British Ministry continued firm in its determination not to consider Hanover any thing but " the spoil of Peace, and the pillage of Neutrals," France repeated its offer of Hanover, but suggested the cession of Malta as another compensation fore the surrender of the Cape. Things remained much in this state, and many te dious discussions took place, and at length, it is said, the following Terms were proposed on the part of Great Britain : " t. France to confirm the Cape of Good Hope in perpetual sovereignty to England. 2. France to procure the immediate restoration of Hanover. .3, .France in the same manner to confirm the Island of Malta in perpetual sovereignty to England. This Article to be expre s sed simply. 4. France to Evacuate the Kii,gdoni of .Naples, and be come a party 'in a general guarantee of the integrity of the Turkish Empire. • S. That if, in return for a due valuable consideration, the Sublime Porte,could be induced to the surrender or exchange of the Distrid of Montenegro to His Russian Majesty, France should not oppose, but should, on the other hand, faithfully and strenuously concur to'give dna to such Ne gotiation. ' 6. That the Republic of Ragusa should be declared inde. pentieht, but under the protee.tion of Russia. 7. England, on her pert, in return for the above cessions, and the restoration of the, ordinary amicable intercourse be tween nations at peace, to acknowledge the Imperial and loyal,Title, and the state of actual possession on the part of i France and her Allies, subject to the above exemptions only; 8. The several Settlements and islands, conquered on the part of His Britannic Majesty from France or her Allies, in Asia, Africa, awl America, with the exception of the Cape of Good Hope, and the Settlements of Surinam and Pondi cherry, to be restored to the several Powers from whom they may have been conquered. Here the artifice and subtlety of .the French Mi nisters began to display themselves. The project was admitted into discussion, and the French Nego tiators argued with a vehemence that looked like sincerity, but which was in fact nothing but a mere theatrical trick to delude England. D'Ounatu. at this time was worked upon to sign the preliminary Treaty between Russia and France, and then de French Negotiators assumed a more decisive tone, in refusing to assent to the former basis. The British Ministry, however, though much surprised at this aa of D'OVnaIL, knew too well the sentiMents of the Court of Russia to be deceived by this arti fice on the part of France. The Earl of LAUDER DALE was however sent over, in order to endea vour.to remove all difficulties, as our Ministers were sincere in their efforts for Peace upon proper terms, whatever might be the secret designs of France.— The details of the Negotiation after his Lordship's arrival in .Prance are not given in the Work to which we havt-aluled. • The Court of Prussia then mani fested smile degree of spirit, which doubtless had an influence ni):m the French Councils, and some change in the fo,ln of the Negotiations with this Coun try was the result. It found s that Russia would . enter into no Treaty but in conjunaion with Great Britain. The Negotiations went on, and our Ministers proposed the terms upon which England and Russia would conclude a Treaty; among - which was the cession of the Greek Islands to the EMPEROR of RUSSIA. After mere profeisions and studied delays, France declared, that she would as soon surrender one of its own pro vinces to Russia as one of the Greek or Mediterra nean Islands. Such is the succin& history of the Negotiations, according , to the Work to which, on account of the importance' of the subject, we have thought it our duty to draw the attention of our Readers. It seems, as we have observed, to be supported by grounds of probability, but though we have thus noticod its contents, we do not. presume to vouch for its authority, and shall, of .course, suspend. our opinions till more substantial proofs are brougli forward: Some ,letterS were yesterday received from Lis. ban; which were landed. at Weymouth, but it is not yet ascertained by what conveyance they were brought to England. One of them, from an Eng liSh merchant, states, as the current rumour at Lis bon,..that B.ONAPAttTE had demanded from the Spa nish Government a categorical answer to three ques- tions 1. The nature aulterm§ of their late Negotiations with Russia ? . 1 ' ?. The reasons for net providing sufficiently for the sqcurity of their Possessions in America ? .. Why. Spain was at present arming ? Demanding at the same time the payment of fifty thousand dollars per day until such questions should be satida&brily - answered.—The same letters state,, that-two:Packets from England were off the Bar of. Lisbon, and mentioned that several captures oi English Vessels had been made by Spanish Row boats of the Oporto Bar. Viscount and Viscountess SIDMoUTU arrived at Windsor onThursday, on a visietoTH cut MAJESTIES. Yesterday the Right lion. the CfiANCELLOR of the ExcHEQu ER, Lord Howtcs, Mr. TIER N EY, and a few other friends, dined with Lord HOLLAND, at his hOuse, Kensington. SHREWSSURY N0v.,21,-- , -Yesterday week, the day of the Marriage of Col. SHIPLEY with Miss C.l - 444.* LOTTE WILLIAMS WYNNE, exhibited a scene of feStivitY and rejoicing in the town and neighbour hood of St. Asaph, perhaps, never before eqtialled. The morning was ushered in by the discharge of cannon, musquetry, &e. apd as the day closed, bun. fires appeared in all direelions, from Denbigh to the sea ; every house, even to the smallest cottage, 44 the several parishes of Cum, Diserth, Melidan Rhuddlan, and St. Asaph, was lighted up ; so that the whole atmosphere appeared illuminated, At St. Asaph, a large company assembled at 019 White Lion, where many appropriate toasts wero• drank, and quantities of ale given to the populace. At Rhuddlan, the tenants of the &OILYIMAM Family, and-every farmer in the parish, met at the. ditierent•ions.. A large bonfire was.lighted on the Castle-hill. The Rhuddlan Me corps-fired seve ral vollieS; • A profusion of liquor Was distributed; and the huz. zas of the populace; and the rattling of the cannon, repeatedly the echo of the Old Castle Walls, 'were beard for . miles around. Similar_-rejoicings took place at Diserth, and all the adjoining parishes. In short never were more gratifying marks of affeetion and respe& shewn to any family than upon this oc-. casion. VOLUNTEER RESOLUTION, This day being their first meeting since the Pal" xogation of Parliament, the Dunnichen Corps of Loyal Volunteer Infantry, consisting of five Com panies,_ Resolved unanhnously, That, as long as their Country is threatened with Invasion, they will con tinue their Services on whatever footing it shall please the Legislature, in its wisdom, to place the Volunteer Force of the Kingdom. Resoled unanimously, That this Resolution he communicated to the Lord Lieutenant of the Coun ty, and inserted in the Newspapers. Head-Quarters; Clocksbriggs, County of Forfar, Noi th Britain, Oct. 24, 18.36. (Sign:•d) DAVID DICKSON, Major Commandant of D =lichen L. V. I On the 28th of November a numerous body of the Freeholders of Dumfries-shire assembled at the county town for the eleEtion - of a - Representative in Parliament. The Candidates were the late Member, Capt. JOHNSTONE HOPE, of the Royal Navy, "son in-law of the Earl of HOPETOUN, and Sir JOHN LOWTHER JOHNSTONE, of Westerhall, Bart. The last of these Gentlemen has recently succeeded to the estate of his ancestors, and though it is only a few months since he offered himself as a Candi date, when 'it was not expelled that Parliament would be soon dissolved, such was the zeal of the Freeholders to maintain the independent princples upon which he stood, that he was supported by a large and highly respe&able number of that body. The Ele&iou was carried by Captain HOPE, by. a majority of- only eight votes. 'l'lle proceedings were conduCled with perfect lj.berality on - both sides. No division upon any, points, previouS to the Eleation, took place, except with re g ard to the claim for Dr. .LuioNT. The Loiter had pur chased a freehold qualificawn from the Earl of HOPETOUN, a few years ago; but some of the Free holders in Captain Hores interest objeCteol . to the 'claim, on the ground that his Lordship had sold a freehold to which he had no right. I'lle objec=tion was keenly supported by the Earrs'lriends, but, when the vote wai called, it was over-rule a ma jority of one, and Dr. LAmoKt's name waded to the roll accordingly. Mr. MALoNE is indefatigable in his researches for his intended Life of SHAKtSrEARE. If any man, by unwearied industry, cat► SUCCeSsfUlly explore the recesses of antiquity on this interesting subjeal, we may expeet that this Gentlemau'S labours will not be tuarewarcted. flippant, than fuC this Buok-grubber thus to speak of a Minister to whom we are indebted for an exemp tion from all the miseries which bloody ambition has brought upon so many other States'? Indeed, Sir, it is difficult to say whether Mr.taionWiN, by his weak and malignant attack upon the memory of that great man whom we all revere, deserves most to be spurn, ed for his presumptuous insolence„ or despised for his conceited, folly. PUBLICUS. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The persevering malice - that has so long been attempting to wound • the feelings of the Duchess of DoRS ET, has resumed its odious . labours, and has sent to us an Aqicle of the same kind as those which have often found their way into the Public Prints. We trust, however, that our Contemporaries are now fully aware of this inappeaseabk rancour, and will in future balk all its des picable attempts to disturb the peace of a Noble Family, MA 11,S. Attitivzo—l Dublin, I)ux--3 Hamburgh, t Cottenburgh, i Dublin, t Waterford. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK. Consols - - 6o I Red. Ann. - - S 9 THE SUN. SOLE!.I QUIS DIC&RE. FALSUM AUDEAT? L 0 N D 0 N, SATUED“, iDECPIBER 6, 1806.