The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-12-09 00:00:00

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But this perversion of ideas, and this abuse of
words, are nothing, when compared with those
which you have reserved for the end of your Decla-
ration. You boast of "an extreme forbearance,"
as a generous power might do, who nad for a long
time endured attacks, and suffered outrages, dis-
daining to reveege them. You complain of a
" violence always oases," as an oppressed people,
whom it would always have overawed ; let ns,
however, put fads in place of words. Which is
the Power, who forming and nourishing four suc-
cessive coalitions, has, during fifteen years, spread
over the Continent all the scourges of war ?
Which is the Power that has been the last to
decide upon peace, who was the first to violate
the condi:ions of it, and who has been the first to
break it off ? By whom bas the treaty of A miens
been annihilated, almost as soon as concluded ?
What Power is it, whn, by hostilities and robberies,
committed during a profound peace, forced Spaia
into a war ? What Power is it that has enriched
herself with the spoils of Spain and of Holland ?
and who in India has usurped the throne of Tippoo
Saib ? What Power is it that has, without ceasing,
varied and multiplied its vexations in regard to
neutrals ; who has tyrannized over all the commer-
cial world; and who, not long since, has further
pretended to subjed ilie Americans to the most
humiliating law ? What Power is it that has
constantly trampled under foot the law of nations,
plotting among its enemies eompiracies, assassina-
t;ens, and proscriptions ? What Power i. it that
Europe has accused of horrible executions at
Naples; of the assassination of Paul I. ; of attempts
against the life of Napoleon? What Power is it
that the whole world accuses of proteding the
butchers of Sr. Domingo ?
I might confine myself to one of these last ques-
tions, and I might be able to add, Ma sa presses('
rentrnemergrem refaria si bus ens, sot papala widasrl
indignists. But to all these questions there is tut
one and the same answer—/f iskngland. And yet
it is you who at this day boast your forbearance.—
Your absurd boast reminds us of those Chiefs of
barbarous hordes of Africa, who, after having had
the heads of some hundreds of slaves cut off for their
pleasure, call themselves mazaanilaars Priam.
After so many and such tertible adi of violence,
what right have you to complain of the avowed
design of combining against you all the Powers of
Europe ?
Undoubtedly if you reflect on the period when
you combined every state against France, and
come dowa to your present situation, you may be
somewhat astonished at the contrast of the two
situations; you may even be somewhat alarmed at
your present state, notwithstanding that enormous
Mini of usurpations which you strive to increase
every day, as it you were capable of supporting its
weight ; but is not this general coalition which you
dread, your own work ? Have you not long enough
since tired out the Continent with your alliances and
vezatons,with your subsidies and your cupidity, with
ycur precipitation and your tardiness. with your
tut bulence and your iaadivity, with your promises
and your impotence, with your successes and
your reveries ; and to comprise all in a few wends,
with your friendship and your hatred? Which of
these two sentiments would have been the most for-
tunate far the King of Sardinia, for the late King
' Naples, for Austria, for Prussia, for so many
other States? Wnat recompense has Denmark ob-
tained fur so much respect, so much attention, so
many ads of docility. which she granted upon your
imperious requisition?
Were the coalition which you dread, the effect of
the terror with which the Emperor Napoleon has
inspired the nations, you have nobody but your-
selves alone to blame far it. Napoleon has always
predicted to you, that war would turn out to the
aggrandizement of France, and yet you have suc-
cessivela armed every nation against him. He has
conquered them all ; he has scattered terror among
the enemies whom you raised up against him ; and
you reproach him with this as a clime; and you
strive to discover in this terror a justification of
your tyrannical oppression!
Happily for Europe, your calculrions are as false
as your claims are absurd. You fl :tier yourselves
with being able to balance the effeds of the terror
which France has struck into the nations by the ex-
ercise of the poVrer of Great Britain ; that is, you
flatter yourselves with being able to balance the
victories of Napoleon by expeditions similar to those
of Copenhagen. Being unable to inspire terror by
vielories over your enemies, you fell upon a neutral
state, where you perceived a rich booty ; you car-
ried off your prey without danger; and you hops d
by t!lis to terrify the States who have reason to re-
venge your excesses.
" Natorrharanains the declaration of war on the part of the
Danish ti reerninetit, it shit imams tot Denmark to determine,
whether wet shall centavos between the two nations. Ills
Majesty still pv,.ffers so amicable arrangement. tie w anxious
.fresh the seta* *lsla be Lit Inca most .elurtantly cum-