The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-02-04 00:00:00

plans of the great mover of mischief in Europe ?
They shall have it. They may remember' after the
severity of the French Maritime Decree but been
felt by most trading towel on the Continent, one
'city had the honesty, cm rather let me call it the
temerity, to expostulate by Deputies Is the Court
of Frame. They received from the lips ofliona-
partohis :neediest resolve, which he pledged himself
no private motive of convenieuee to ally state or city
should ever shake, that should the fate of England
mid commerce be inseparably united, all com-
merce whatever should be utterly exterminated, to
effect that gnmitl- object .of the common interest of
Europe and the civilised world. Nor should this
lie confined alone ho him and those in immediate
alliaine with Inns ; all other nations should be
towelled to assist iu it ; and shortly after he took
_an opportunity of more expressly alluding to
Denmark in a public assembly, where he bald
of the Crown Prince, " he would advise that little
Prince to take awe how he acted, or he would
teach him his lemon." This could not be con-
cealed from the whole world ; and could it then '
be said that Denmark, by any shadow of possibi-
lity, could be ignorant of the nature of the price
at which she was to buy her exemption from
slavery, or at least the terms on which she
was to, hope for the continuation of the pos-
session of Holstein and Jutland P But, Sits
now come to the serious call of, the ltight Ho-
nourable (;moitlemsui and his associates, for the
proof of the hostile designs of Denmark against
this country. This, Sir, t shall do by an appeal
to an authority of the first respectability. both ae
to personal and local advantages. Imam the British
resident Envoy to the Court of Denmark (Mrst:nee
licke). He, us a letter written to the novereilicnt
here, states the utter impessibility of Denmark
maintaining •her possessions on the continent of
Europe, except in compromising her honour and
independence to the tiews of Bonaparte. Ile men-
tions the disgraceful retreat of the Danish 'forces(
from the frontier, and the panic of the Crown
Prince in flying from Jut:and, .having relays of
horses on the roads to expedite his Journey to
Zealand. He states the unbounded insolence ,
of the French soldiery in Denmark and the coasts
opposite the island of Zealand; the intimida-
tions and bravadoes of General Mortier; and
the total disinclination of Denmark to assume
a mealy posture of defence ; and adds, the natural
consequence of sock neglect must be the abaudon-
inept of :their trade. and the surrender of their
fleet. in compliance with the ensiles and views of
the French Emperor. I shall quote, from his let-
ter, which I now hold at my hand, his own words :
" "nevi* mach regret I perceive that many are
in the Win* of the French nation, and even most
offices or *use are in the hands of their party. In
this view of things, it is imposeible to rouse the
Danes to act with vigour against the French infli-
ence. 1 perceive, on one hand, indecisive despon-
dency, ou the other, growing expectation." This
melancholy letter closed with the intelligence, " the
troop, are now retiring from the frontiers of Hol-
etein; This is an opinion at least entitled to some
respect, even in the eye of the Right Hon. Gentle-
man, though he professes himself so utterly inca-
pable of framing to himself a probability of the ex-
istence of an imperious neoessity on us, to act in
anticipation of the meditated hostility. There,
to be sure, snould be some ditleretice in the
opinion formed on the *abject by an intelli-
gent Envoy, on the field of action al the irk-
tool moment, and that of n resident in this
country. cavilling, after a lapse of six mouths, on
the principles of national morality, and at
probability, in a matter of direct testinios,773)
incontrovertible stubborn facts. The Right Hulled
Gentlemas cannot unfortunately see what (rennet-
lion there can be between the taking of Holstein
and the surrender of the Danish fleet to the raeuch,
no snore than he could see a connection between
the taking of Alexandria, and the surrender of the
Turkish fleet. (Hear! hear! loudly reiterated
,from the 7`reasery Beach. mingled auk pale of
laughter.) He thinks the invasion should not have
taken place until " the steed was stolen," the
fleet was surrendered, or, at least, made over by
treaty, and 'till we had receiveda regular notification
of the intention of Denmark from her own Prince.
Is this the country be panegyrises so enthuaiasti-
cally ?--Ls this she, of whose covenants we have
only heard, to mid in the next dispatch of those
covenants being outraged and fowitten ? This is
situ who could rely with such profound security on
•the bosom of French profession. Had not we
feted vigorously for the attainment of this grand
end, and put our plan into instant execution,
to use the words of a greet authority, the temporis-
ing nature of weak Rowers would have kept her in
' a state of wavering .vibratien, until she had fallen
shits the greedy jaws el the conquering devourer.—
The Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Wind-
ham)) had said on a former occasion—How, of all
things, could von hope for success, in demanding
their navy ? admit, from the Gentleman's own
experience of the indignation excited, and the defeat
Aacurred by attempting to enforce such a demand,
be no doubt recollected what were the fee:Bags of
a much less enlightened nation on that topic, a
poor unsophisticated Turk would even feel when
asked to give up his fleet. Yet Ido not admit that
be gains as much in the argument, as we might
and probably did gain from his and his colleagues'
oad experience in that affair, since his own conduct
shews that he was by no means averse to similar
conduct, when in nearly similar situations. I hare
heard much said of the outrage committed oa
national feeling and digeity, in robbing Denmark
of her fleet ; but I have it from very good authority,
that Denmark, in consequence of the alarming
situation of affairs, and dreading what has
since eons, to pass, actually deliberated en
the expediency of disposing of her fleet ;
and that some everenrei were actually made
by the Russian Ambassador to purchase it.—
How then coned it be supposed to excite such pe-
culiar indignation in Denmark, that she should
have lost what she was anxious to get rid of as a
dangerous incumbranee ? To talk of national
feeling in such a case is idle and ludicrous. In the
treaty made with the Duke of Nlecienbure. the re-
lative, by marriage, of the great mid powerful me-
diator of the north of Europe, Denmark again
received a warning of the now almost undisguised
intentions of France ; one the stipidation. of
that treaty is, that the sea-mats of "Wi.stir sal