The National Register.
London, England, 1808-09-26 00:00:00

THE NATI

better success, impute to him conscientious scruples rela-
tive to the past, and projects of reformation fur the faint.
Unfortunately fin mankind, he is not subject to qualms of
this nature ; and when he abandons a project, he does not
do it from any tenderness for the sufferings of millions, any
respect for the sentiments of his cotemporaries, or anxiety
about the atrocity or profligacy of the means ; lie re-
nounces it from no other motive, but because it is not in
his power to execute it.

617.

Such is undoubtedly the man, and such are the prin-
ciples which the whole tenour of his unprincipled and re-
morseless conduct justifies us to impute to him. There-
fore, if he does not attack Austria at present, he declines
the contest from apprehension of the consequences. Are
the preparations of Austria so vast, so commanding, as to
effect this extraordinary revolution in the politics of the
Continent ? Has the Cabinet of Vienna suthleidy roused
from its former iudolcnce and rentimess, to a sense of its
late degradation, aud to the resolution to wipe it away by its
future energy ? This may be the case ; we would willingly
believe that its preparations are commensurat..! to the dan-
ger of its situation; and that the Archduke CitAiii,Es. as-
sisted by the patriotic and enlightened part of the inhabit-
ants of the Austrian provinces, has introduced more energy
and a better policy into the Imperial councils. But taking
all these circumstances in the most enlarged sense, we do not
find, we must confess, a full and satisfactory explpnatioa
of .:: 3 change in BONAPARTE'S conduct. The more we ex 7
att;ne it, the more reason we have to be convinced, that
our yoservations relative to the French armies and finances
were just ; and that it is the incompetency of hos resources,
military and pecuniary, which inunces him to compromise
with Austria.

BottArAnic is at the same fine reduced to the difficulty
common to.every usurper, who has pretended to sanction
his usurpation, by substituting a regular Government to.
the anarchy and uncerta nty of a i.eyolut'on. He cannot
violate his own regulations in fa, our of property, withe,.t.
undermining and even overthro%, ing the very prop npon
which his power rests. Ile dm not have recourse to rie
revolutionary means of forced loans, &A-. nor impose too
burdensome taxes. He has also little or nothing to expect
from his vassals : Their own means :Ire toiallv insufficient
for the extraordinary exertions they are obliged to make.
Holland is exhausted. Tice South aml North of Germany
have been totally ruined ; and in tic present crisis of his
fortunes, he will be rather cautious of not drising the un-
fortunate victims of his treachery and ambition to abso-
kite despair. This is undoubtedly the principal s•nfrce of
his difficulties. If we now cast our eyes over the chart
of Europe, and look out for a single province, to Which
he has not given cause of detestation for the past, jealousy
for the present, and fear hr the future, we shall Lind rea-
son to conclude, tha t there is not a single town in Germany,
Holland, Brabant, Switzerland, and Italy, which dues not
anxiously wait for the moment of deliverance and ven-
geance. Let the inhabitants be ever so insensible, im-
moral, so degraded ;—let them he as indifferent about their
former independence as a people, the fate of their Sove-
reigns, and the honour of their country, as such corrup-
tion of principle and profligacy of heart, would induce vs
to suppose ;—allowing all this in its fullest extent, will any
man be mad enough to suppose, that they are callous to
their own losses and the ruin of their families. The greater

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