The National Register.
London, England, 1814-09-25 00:00:00

347.

POLITICAL DIS2UISITION.

THE APPROACHING CONGRESS.

The conduct of Prussia, if she prefers security to a pre-
carious increase of territory, cannot be doubtful. As she
participated in the infamous destruction of Poland, she must
resign her share of the spoils. This act of retribution will
entitle her not only to respect, but to receive a greater re-
ward for the efforts which she has so powerfully and so suc-
cessfully made to overthrow the European despot. But even
here she must affix bounds to her expectations. Entire states
cannot be sunk into her kingdom without a decided infringe-
suent of the principle of moral and political justice adopted
by the Allies. The balance of the Continent ddes not re-
quire that every power should be equally great, but that
there sh .uld be a sufficient number of inferior states to
counterweigh by their union the strength of the most mighty.
llenCe Prussia, witbut any *bare of Poland, and with only
a moderate portion of Sax :my, wiii hold an useful and dig-
nified, but not a dangerous place in Europe. To give her
remote dependencies on the left bank of the Rhine, wwild be
only to "eakcn her meal power, and to lay up a teal'', fa-
,
i:Ninc.!..ions.- How aim have not tL pt.,‘

when in the bands of Austria, proved the sources c; conti-
nental war ? Placed at a distance, and cut off from the seat
and strength of the empire, such poisessions offer points of
temptation which powerful neighbours are always on the
watch to seize. To secure them, the parent state, if such
an expression may be allowed, must drain a considerable
portion of the force which might be wanted to maintain
its Own integrity : and even then their safety is but pre-
carious, for if it be the intermediate Power with whom war
is waged, they can receive no relief, and their gacrisons, even
when not compelled to surrender, remain captive in insula-
ted fortresses. Of the impolicy of keepitig such possessions,
Buonaparte himself gave us a remarkable instance in his last
campaigns. They were, in fact, the chief causes of his ruin,
for had Inc abandoned them to their fate, and collected the
troops which they contained, and which diseases wasted in
their bosoms, he would have still possessed armies superior
in numbers and in quality to those by which he was assailed.
What proved fatal to Napoleon in 1818 and 14 might have
the same result with Prussia at a future petiod and the.
Yule VU. No. cc(aLVitt

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PUBLISRAD AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLE-STREVT2 STRAND.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1814.

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likely, as the fortresses she would hold on the:;-left bankof the
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Rhine being intended as a bulwark against•the .sleving, but
not extinct, ambition of France,.wou!d occupy Icilgrge a
portion of her strength as to leave her weak at Irorne, and

yet the object •in view would not be attained. Tor should
France commence hostilities, she would turn or mask those
places and march on and should other Powers declare war,

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they would have to contend with only onehalf of theViussian
force. Did those fortresses command any E,rreat,comiikercial
advantages to compensate fox.these inconveniencieS and dan-
gers, then might their poves'sioWiliecorue, if not ckiiiiti:e, at
least no burtheu to the statels'lrDtit comparatively. havren as
..
they arc, and ueioenected W4tilthe rest of the Prtisian do-
minions, they ought to be cemsidered by Fiederic-William as
at best a treacherous gift, and therefore refased.
The conduct of Austria, if she be troe to the principles
she professes in comtnory with the 'rest of the Allies, demands
perhaps still greater magnanimity. She has also to expiate
the guilt of having annihilated the national existence: of a
brave and injured people. -She most surrender Gallicia to
the renovated country from whence it was torn. Bit.',Anlike
Pros a. she cannot claim any increase of terrl:ory. S:•!iould
she -eti be Ale to •.'cover sil. her own, she shoulch .sacrifice
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:„..,.., • jt,-,1%,....- ,rtinp etf it tg, the b:ll4nee and the repose•of
'.--t--
Europe. zihe is one of tilti 11'; rate CorttinetKalr ~.EveL , -
She extend% hr. r immediate rule ovt. r thre.2 Kingetdins,numei--
ous Duchies and Marquis;ites. :,As the Lead of
.;init tEnlef-.: • ,
~.
she can wield the whole force of-Germany: ..he' 'is tvtg-r-...,-,.
already great, perhaps too much EO,• were she not i lAA 4 th. :
barrier •btween Russia and the rest of the contistVtie.-, In re-
peated wars she had lost alt her remote possessionl,lorn.ing
at least one-third of -her ddtikinions. At the CO.o. gr'ess she
can therefore only expect to '34;e6ret 'not acquire. ' 4.:it the
extent of the restitetioes must 1A limited, if not by
:her own
Choice, at least by the: yrissdoen and
,firmness of the Allied
Powers. Most Of the. concessions mei& by her to her we--tern
neighbour cannot bOietracted.- They.have served to rAse
the Bavarian ths'onC, and policy requires.thaf ii'iliould sand.
If she has already regaluect the Tyro!, she.owes it cbletly to
*the loyalty of its population, which eve!, when abandoned
by its Sovereign, and formally Ceded to another, never
ceased to display .the most ardent and constant attachment to
the flotiSe of Lorraine. Every province where the sane
e.
spirit pe,ail M' ay safely be reunited Whet empire. But
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let her beWare, lest the wish of recovering- 'alfshe once pos.
-sessed, should lead her to bind unwilling subjects to her
throne. !'They would shake the fabric, which, but I,r the ii-
troductiott of unsound materials, would. have baffled the ef-
forts of all foreign enemies. .
..(To os•Vottintterl). -..
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