The National Register.
London, England, 1813-09-19 00:00:00

SEPT. 19.

alter of their commercial existence, and with that, ni their means °I
subsistence. This vi.dent step was adopted, without even any plausible
pretensions, in contemp of every decent form, without any previous
declaration, or communication with any other Cabinet, under the arbi-
trary 3,:d futile pretest that the war with England required it.
This cruel sys,em, which was intended to destroy the commerce of
the wori.l, at the expellee of the independence, the prosperity, the
ri hts unti ,li.;nity, and in utter ruin of the public and private property
of a:I the Continental Pnwers, was parsued with unrelenting seven's,
in the vain expeetailon of forcing a result, winch, had it not fortunately
proved unattainable, wuu d have plunged Europe • for a longtime to
Come into a state of poverty, impotence, and barbarity.

The Decree by %% HO a new Y each dominion was established on the
German coast, and of the title of a Thirty-second Military Division,wns
in itself sufficiently calcidated to raise tile suspicions of the adjoining
States, and it was the more aisrmi: to 'heat as the forerunner of fu-
ture and greater daiwers. By this decree it became evident, that the
s‘ St- m which had been cre Eted in France (although previously trans-
es. d. vet ;ail! nroclaiu to be in existence), the system of the pre-
tended irittiral liriiN of the French Empire, was, without any further
ju-lication or estc•m. lion, overthrown, and even the Emperor's arbi-
trary acts were in tl.e s one arbitrary macner annihilated. Neither
the Prince, the E lie: ish Confederacy, nor the kingdom of Westpha-
lia, no teiritore. great or sm. It, was spared,. in the accomplishment of
this dread'ul u.dirpatian. The humid .ry drawn apparently by blind
caprice. with int either rule or plan. without sully consideration of an-
cient or more recent poinical relati •ns, intersected rivers and countries,
cut off tlw middle and southern zstatcs of Germany him' all connection
„lilt the German Sea, passed the Übe, separated Deamark from Ger-
many, laid its pick nsions even to the Baltic, and seemed to be rapidly
ai)Pf oat:lung the line of l'russean fortresses still occupied on the 04-r ;
and so little did this act of wail-pinion (however powerflilly it affected
all rightvand p ,ssessions, all geoaraphic, political, and military
demarcation) carry with it a charm ter of determinate and cnimplete
uczession of territory, that it was impossible to view it in any other
light than Its a forerunner of still greater usurpations, by which one
balf of Germany was to become a French Pro• ince, and the Emperor
Napoli on the absolute Ruler of the Continent.

To Russia and Prussia this turamtural extension of the French terri-
tory could not fail of producing the most serious alarm. The latter,
surrounded on all sides, no longer capable of free action, deprived of
emery means of obtaininT fresh strenoth, appeared hastening to its dis-
sok.,rion. Russia, already in fear kr her westr en frontier, by the con-
version of the city of Monza:, declared a free city by the Treaty of Til-
sit, into a French military port, and of a great part of Poland into a
French province, could not but see, in the advance of the French do-
minion along the va coast, and in the new chains prepared for Prussia,
Ole imminent (faller of her German and Polish possessions. From this
moment, therefore, time rupture between France and Russia was as good
as decided.

Not without .deep and just nnxiety did Austria observe the storm
which was eathering. The scene of hostilities woeld in every case be
contiauous to her Provinces, which, owing to the necessary reform it;
the financial system, which has cramped the te,toratien of her military
means, were in a very defenceless state. lit a h„-her point of view,
the struggle %Inch awaited Prussia appeared still more doulaul, as it
commenced under the sae unfavourable conjunction of affairs, with
the same want of co-operation on the part of other Powers, end with
the same disproportion in their relative means, consequently was just
as hopeless us all former straggles of the same nature. His Majesty the
Emperor made every effort in his power by friendly meditation aid;
both parties to avert the impending storm. No human judament could
at that time foresee that the period was so near at hand, when the
failure of tht se friendly aileMpts should prove mare ihjoiious to the
Emperor Naror.aos; than to his opponents. Thus, however, it was re-
solved by the wisdom of Providence.
When the commencement of hostilities was ao longer &Wald, his
Maje.ay was compelled to have recontae to measures which, in so un-
natural and.dangerous a conjuncture, might combi to his oa security
with just considerations for the real iaterests of neighbouring States.
The system of unarmed inacti4l, the only neutrality which tho Empe-
ror Nwoleon, according to his own declarations, would have permitted,
was by every sound mmtios of policy wholly inadi»issible, and would
at last have proved only a vain endeavour to sbrink trout the approach-
ing trial. A power so important as Austria could not mmme all par-
ticipation in the Interests of Europe, our could she place herself in a
situation ill whieh, equally inatfcctiee in peace or war, she would rose
her voice and influence in all great negotiations, without acquiring any
guaranee for the security of her own froetier. TN prepare for war,
aaitiast France would have ;teen, under the existing ci. Cents! a I iCeSt as
little consonant with equity as with prodeitee. The Emperor Napoleon
had given Ws Majesty no personal ground fur hostile pincuOiags ;