The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-07-21 00:00:00

member of the Germanic body. The mere title of
Emperor of the French is a suiEcient reply to this
singular idea. The Germanic body is composed of
kings, eleaors, and princes, .and admits into it only
one imperial dignity. It would, beside, be to judge
poorly of the noble ambition of our country,
to suppose it possible that she would consent to en.
ter as an element in any particular body. If ands
a thing had been compatible with the national dig.
nity, what could have prevented France frost pre.
serving her rights to the circle of Burgundy, and
those which she acquired by the possession of th.?
Palatinate ? We will even add, 'with the sentimetut
of a just pride, which no person can blame, who
has presented France from keeping part of tho
States of Baden, and the territory of Suabia ?
No, France will never pass the boundaries of the
Rhine I nor will her troops pass it any mort,
less it be to guarantee the Germanic Empire, and
those Princes who inspire her with so much intere.t,
by their affeaion fur her, and by their utility in
preserving the balance of Europe.

If these ►eports are born of idleness, we have suf-
ficiently answered them.

If they owe their origin to the inquiet jealousy of
some powers, accustomed to cry incessantly that
France is ambitious, to mask their own ambition,
there is another answer. Thanks to the two call•
lions formed against us, and to the treaties of
Campo-Formio and Luneville ; France has no pro.
vince near her territory that she can wish to hind;
and if, in past events, she has shewit a moderation
v:ithout example in modern history, this advantse
results to her, that she will no longer thencefin
have need to take up arms.

Her capital is situate in the centre of her empire.
Her frontiers are environed by small states, which
complete her political system. She has nothing
ographically to desire, that belongs to her neigh.
hours. She is not, therefore, at natural enmity
with any one; and, as there exists for her, neither
another Finland, nor other Banks of the Inn, she
finds herself in a situation diLrerent from thud
every other power.

In like member, of those reports. which have fir
their objeft to inculcate a belief, that France pos•
senses an unbounded ambition, they circulate idea
of another species.

Lately revolt was in our camps. The day before
yesterday, 30,000 Frenchmen refused to embark At
Boulogne. Yesterday, our legions fought 10 ag t
10, 30 against SO, standards against standards.
It was said, in the four departments of the Rhine,
that we were going to give them up to their fot:r:tr
domination. This day we are told, the public tr, •
sury is without money, that the public works ate tt
a stand, that discord is universal, and that tht e-n-
-tributions are unprodudlive. If the Emperor se'.s
out fur the camps, they my be is gone there to 12-
pease disturbances.
In a word, if he remains at St. Cloud, if he E- 's
to the Thuilleries, if he is at itamaison, all th e
are subjedls of reports, more siigeulaus one th.a
another.

And, if these reports, carried in the same moment
into foreign countries, have for abject, to give Lb'
alarm respelling the ambition of the Emperor, lad
to embolden themselves, in raising wine liqn
on the weakness of his administrat;on, so far as t•
take dangerous and erroneous measures. we Ur
only repeat what a minister was charged to say it
quitting a court, the Emperor ofche heath does not
wish to go to war with any power, he does not fen
war with any. He does not interfere is the af.irs
of his neighbours t and he has a right to a similar
conduCt towards him. A long peace is the wiA
he has uniformly manifested ; but the history a
his life will not authorise any one to think. he ".1
I be disposed to see himself outraged or menaced.