The National Register.
London, England, 1808-07-03 00:00:00

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One fling, ganotitutian, anb Latust..
No. 27, SUNDAY, JULY 3, 1808.

THE

.POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

wilt split, will be his pressure on the feelings; of the com-
munity, %tot of Kings and Princes, but of Common ikien.
It should appear. by the events detailed in another part of
this, Paper, that his. eeettordinary success has inspired .
him with too great a contempt of the effect produced by a
sense of insult and oppression. A feeling which we have
reason to conclude from the aspect of continental intelli-
gence, and the agitation evidently preeeiling in other
places besides Spain—more likely to be urged into effectual
eft'ort than all the plans of all the Cabinets upon earth
without it.
Should it therefore again prove necessary to give our
aid to a general cause, let us determine in what spirit, and
with what views we should oll'er it.
It frequently happens, in the common intercourse of life,
that individuals, who have points of mutual interest to
adjust, become ,weary of practising upon each other all
artifice and rules of come:on-place prudence, ,and
suddenly perceive the policy of a frankness directly the
reverse. The most important priur'plc of combination has
seen seized, and the minor considerations before thought
of so much consequence, have quickly found their proper
station..—Let us give the reins to our imagination,
,and
suppose a British Deputation, addressing a Continental
Congress in the following manner :
" The times are past, Noble irs, when over a hoard of
" green cloth, we could rehearse at leisure all the etiquette
" of diplomacy; advance our greater and lesser considera-
" then directly in the proper place, and balance equiva-
" lents,imaginary or real, with all that gravity and decorum
" which gives an air of dignity to finesse and decteitiou.
" Most sincerely we lament these times are no more, but
" now that an overwhelming evil threateas the political
" existence of many, and the welfare of all, it is right to
" dispense with the ceremonious amusement of happier
" eras, and mutually resolve to meet the common enemy
" with all the alacrity of hope, and all the courage of
" despair. We hesitate not to confess, that we has e been too
much attached to sugar islands which we did not n:ttnt,
" and secret expeditions against points of little consequence,
" except to certain commercial factions, whose faresight
" extended only to the first or second shipment. flat we
46 have entertained these partial aims e -'close, but they
" have not been unaccompanied by the mast zealous
" exertions of a more disinterested nature, by the waste of
" lives and treasure, unexampled, when conselesed as the
" contribution of a single state, and by a disposeion (not
" always prudently exhibited we own) to urge others to
" their due proportion of etelea spur ill the tmisersal cause.
"No longer then, let the artifice of the enemy
" delude your nuderstanding, by exciting jealousy at
" our maritime and commercial superiority—a stipe-
" riority which has Let been usurped, but which is
" the natural result of oar insular situation, our in-
" ternal freedom, end the long possession of capital,• ma-
" nufacture aed credit. lente!aie these advantages,
" if you can, as far as your situation will admit, ,seek
" the same effects by the same means ; but do not
•

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ON THE DELIVERANCE OF EUROPE. •
In the history of nations, ancient and modern, we may
discover many important periods, when a departure
um
the usual and acknowledged maxims of Government may
be necessary, but shall not be able to enumerate many in-
stances, either in rulers or people, of an early conviction
of the fact. Nor is this wonderful—its own orticalar
experience ever forms the w;sdom of the multitude, and it
is natural for common understandings to sanctify the poli-
tics and conduct which has hitherto guided them with safety
and prosperity. It would be better were the general run of
statesinen exempt from the force of this observation, but
it is too true, that in questions of nice discernment, they
more frequently follow than lead the public mind. indeed
in despotic Governments, swayed by a race of Sovereigns
of long standing, the nominal Ministers can scarcely be
considered responsible, being commonly the mere organs
of a junto of courtiers and men of ribband, little likely
to perceive the spirit of the crisis, and stilt less disposed
to act upon it. In free States, it is to be lamented, that
they are mostly raised by, and consequently slaves to a
party—a bondage little compatible with the freedom and
decision which great emergencies require.
The complete subversion of all the old and jarric
rests in France by the Revolution, and the necessary ereis-;
tion of new by superior ability alone, have given a spirit
and consistency to her plans, however daring. The terri-
ble energies which every ruling faction has been enabled to
call forth, could hardly be successfully encountered by the
worn-out maxims, leisurely preparation, and cautious
movements ui old Governments ; who, in addition to these
constitutional defects, for a long time entertained a most
ill-founded contempt for their formidable enemy. In the
BritislOominions, this mistake has been peculiarly predo-
minant, and is not even• yet entirely removed. Bit on
the Continent the public mind appears to have verged to
the opposite extreme, and to regard all further opposition
as fruitless. Fruitless indeed it would be, if not exerted
upon principles and views, and with a courage and ability
altogether dilerent from the past. They who begin pre-
sumptuously, generally end abjectly ; .and nothing can tend
more certainly to defeat Who a mistaken opinion of the
genius and resources of an opposing power.
A latent hope of the Deliverance of Europe may, how-
ever, still be indulged, even from the great daring of the
enemy, if the insulted Governments were prepared and
disposed to adopt that line of conduct which is alone equal
to the crisis. To lay aside their mutual jealousies, and
(at present) ridiculous fears of eaoh other—To combine in
earnest and with confidence—To trust less to their tactics—
Above all, to awaken the spirit of vengeance in the pro*,
and improve the rising ferment which the excessive tyranny
and insolence of France seems calculated to produce. If
Napoleon should ultimately fail, the rock upon which he
No. XXVII.—VoI. I. N.

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