The National Register.
London, England, 1808-12-25 00:00:00


No. 52.

POLE DISQUISITION:

NUMBER Ell." 1 1.

..—.dle

m.i.JEsTrs bEct.ARATitiN TO titE LATE
OVERTURES FROM FRANCE AND RUSSIA.

There ire few pertons, WitateVer their abhorrettiC of on
11:flitted warfare, or their party"-hiaS may be, who must übt
read, with satisfaction thiS interesting document The
principles it enotinced; were to coMptetely the reverse of
that system of spoliation Me enemy pursues t the language
so dignified; that when Contrasted with the prevarication,
scurrility; hypocritical cant, and unblushing arrogance of
the French Bulletins', that Such as feel au intereit iii the li&..
nonr of their country, must perceive with pleasure; that
the convulsions of our time, which have Sapped altruist
universally the morality of states and individuals; hive not
contaminated as yet our natibtml probity. It has 'weft re-
marked of an age, when . moral profligacy attained the
greatest height-, and was *Mod 'Widely dittoed, that public
and prisate virtues likewise displayed their most astonish-
ing elects. The ekamptes were few, MA so powerful; as
¶-o reconcile iiditcritv frith the most degraded and revolting
'period known in history. The age, which immediately
followed the Christian Sera; though cursed %kith the exist-
':nee of such monsters as Tiberius; Caligula; Nero; and
Domitian; and with ill.rate of men perfectly stiitable to
such masters., vaunted; at the same time, examples of the
Sublimest virtues: Iu the universal wreck of itatibnal
rights, and the •alarming eucrease tif public depraNity,
Which marked the end Of the last and the beginning bf this
century, it furnishes us matter of titi uncomtbott tritthiph,
that the public and private virtues bf thik country have ra-
ther augmented than diminished, within that Very itterval.
What cuereases the pleasure of thi's reflettitin, is the hues-
Nity we are Oared under of ektentling their influence, if we
will surmount ?he diflicultibS of our situation. It 6 only the
utmost range, of the social duties which offer% us securirs
;;;•ftinst the confusion and vices ofthe present time: To be
Safe. we arc obliged to tie virtuous.
Under this point of view, we arc hot enabled to appre-
liate the policy; as well as justice .%f his 'Majesty's Declara-
tion : and we are happy that neither the menaces; nor the
late illusory overtures of the etilmny, hairt been able to
etake our goYerunieut swerve from that rigid probity, it is
kilr true interest in adhere to. Petite is a great and desk-
ablc object z but to ttitain its advantages, by violating the
lima s!creil engagements, by sacrificing; a people we have
Solemnly pletige4 ourselves to Support, would induce every
individual in Great Britain to sacrifice his latt mite; sooner
than consent to so disgraceful a comprtnnise. Our adher-
ence to honourable, iu prelereuce to selfish, policy, be-
comes imperiously urgent by the conviction we must now
i
l'f'l, that concession, though it might appear to appease
for a year or two, the inveterate animosity of the enemy,
'''°"ld ultimately tend to expose us noieh weaker, and less
Vol. L-11'6'; 1.1 r.

Out /Julie, conitftation, nub 11a1130.

ME/.//l/

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1808.

PRICE 811.

...

prepared, to its most dire effects. Li the intermediate
time, those which now have the appearance Of ins
dependence And ineah4 of resistance, would fdll a Sacrifice
to the tk•ratit t and, after he bad divided the continent
among the members of his. family, aed organised, for his
own purpose, its inerrense resourees, he would then throw
off the troublesome 'flask of moderation, and employ the
new accumulation ilf Strength to etlect our destruction. Ilis
NlajeSty'S MinisterP have nut been insensible to this circutu.;
stance; and very justly 010.erveil, that'd The continued ap.
" pearance Of a odgticiation; when peace was found to be
utterly uhattatilutide; Could be advantageous only to the
" enemy.
1' It might citable French to to* distrust and jettlouSy in
" the "Commits df those Whei ere combined to tesiss her
oppressitin i and; if; attlong the nations who green under
16 the tyranny Of French alliance, or among these which
1' niainteln agaiult Eranee a &tub! ful and inetefious
pendenee; there should be hey which even no are balate.
ifig betWecti the certain iitin of a prolonged activity, and
" the edutingent danger Of an effort to save theleselves froth
" that ruin; to Wiens so situated, the delusive prospect
" of a Peace betel:eh Great Britain and Frauce could not
fail to be peculiarly injurious, Their preparations might
" e Velaied by the vain hope of returhing tranquillity t Or
" theft' purl oie •iliaken by the appreheesioe of being left
Ig td Contend ileac with the undivided strength of the
enettle4
It is impossible to refuSe dir eikint ithd unlimited iippfre•
bation to this part Of the Declaration; and it impresses so
mach eimviction that it would be impertinent to Clement
• on it. We Only regiet that Minislet4 who, on the first re-
ceipt Of the dispatches front Erfiirth, could not leeve been
inseusihle to thug, had keen islaced in the mortifying predi4
CatiiCnt, In toniequence of our party tbuds, as to permit
the Cartel, whlih breught these ifitisory overturcsi to
touch on our shores. lint We are sensible what obloquy and
abuse such dignified pefity Widd have exposed theen to i
however; the Moment they received the tyrant's message to
the Legislative Rudy, they were justified to break Id ever.:
kind of intercfittm. The ithinient Bonaparte made known
his intention of prosecuting his nefarious:egg-million against
the Spaniards, they were. teleas,•,l from their. embarrassing
delicacy; and Should immediately hasten to retnove the
anxiety of those powers, which arc barairing benvech tie,
certain rain of dpintOngeft activity, anti the Conlingent dan-
ger 1* P (rt 10 m savc theselvet :rrtnr. Matt ruin. They
left tiitrla in the carward state of her military prepara-
ticiS, Whet' tier co-operatiee in the f:ivoiir of the l'Atriets
*as so neteSsary, in the rad 4 dreadful utcerta.iqty and anx-
iety relative to the iitie of polity our Government meant to
pursue. In order Id itetp its, this interval of anxious sus-
pense, Bonaparte depArted to put hileself at the head of hos
arinies, and consequently afforded at plausible excuse fur de-
ferring an answer to the proposal of our Cabinet. Whatever
confidence Austria might be inclined to repose in the deters
mination of this coiintl.y, not to retract froth her engat,ee..
tee“ts,she could have come to tte tettimatc 4ccisidv, as long