The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-29 00:00:00

Having broukht the Sketch down to that point
when Louis was a second time seated on the throne of
France, and its late possessor a prisoner-on board an
English ship of war, Sir Robert commences a furious
assault upon the violators of the " treaty of Paris."—
This was to be expected from him who had acted so
unjustifiable a part in the affair of Lavalette; but the
abuse which, at the same time, he heaps upon the
Bourbons fur their cruelty, comes with an ill grace
from him who is so striking an example
_of their cle-
mency. To prove that the " treaty of Paris " was vi-
olated, is, I. souse measure, to palliate his own of-
fence, but it will require better arguments than those
of Sir Robett, or of his friend " the illustrious advocate
ofjustice," of of his other respectable friend, Mr. (or
as Sir Robert chooses to dignify him,) Count Maceroni,
to convince the unprejudiced part of mankind that the
treaty was any thing more than a military convention,
leaving every thing political to the King.
The foundation on which the author of the " Sketch"
builds up his edifice of Russian dormers, is his position
that England has been the cause of the destruction of
the independence of France. Let us look, however,
into the actual circumstances of that country, and con-
'sider for a moment, what the condition of it and the
rest of Europe would, in all probability, have been,
bad a different line of conduct been pursued. Her
throne is at present filled by a sovereign, who, If not
called to it by the whole of the French people, had cer-
tainly a large proportion of the public voice in his fa-
vour, to say nothing whatever of right or legitimacy ;
the army of occupation interferes in no way whatever
with the internal government of the country:—that
army is placed there agreeably to treaties, and to en-
sure their fulfilment, and the period is fast approach-
ing when these treaties will eqUally ensure its re-
nievalt—How, then, is the independence of France
• destroyed?
Let us now suppose that when the allies last reach-
ed Paris, and were informed of Buonaparte s abdication
in favour of his son, they had recognised such abdica-
tion, cad starched their armies beyond the frontier,
leaving the French army as it then was ;—will the
author of the " Sketch" have the hardihood to say, that
the situation of France would have been better than it
is at the present moment, or is he so besotted as to
• imagine that Europe would have been now at peace ?
'The supposition is too ridiculous to be listened to for a
'moment. Buonaparte's whole history is evidence
against it. The allies had but two courses to choose,
dither the entire rooting out of Buonaparte and his mi-
-litiety system, or the certainty of having to combat him
again on their own soil, the instant he should recruit
his broken strength.
But let us come to the second and most important
part of the " Sketch," to that part, indeed, which
gives the title toile whole.
" How he (Alexander) will employ the east force at his dis-
positiou, is certainly a most interesting question. Whether
ltia will take the line of the Vistnla or even Oder for himself,
push Prussia into Holland ; instigate France to imitate Eng-
land, and womplete and terminate her revolution by the,
election of a tovereign trom the family of Nassau : or whe-
ther he will closer into negotiations st ith Austria tbr a new
arrangement of Europe, which may restore the balance ; are
speculations, which have excited the hopes and ICan: of many.
w' tether he willprotit by the positions and present superiorily
of Russia, to accomplish other projects long assigned to hir
as stem of policy, must interest all governments, a.e except-
ing the government of the East Indies; whose attention may
also be snore excited by the information, that Goiieral Ver.,
nioloti, the governor of the Caucasus line, who probably at
this very moment has reached the Capital of Persia ea an
embassy, is au officer of the highest merit and capacity as all
adininistrato: as well 64 a soldier; and that he is gone assisted
not only by the 'French officers employed by Napoleon,
antler Garslantie, in Persia, and whom Alexander, with
the sire,. inn of three, engaged in the Russian service,
hut with the reports and maps sent by that mision
to Napoleon. and which being carried into Russia at
the time of the iuvasioa, were found during the retreat, in
two abandoned tumbrils._

" These Reports and plans had convinced Napoleon, that
the expedition to India was practicable ; and it is a positive
fact Ow lea had resolved on sending an united Riassian and
French ((tree on that expedition, in crew Russia. bad been
compelled to make peace on his terms."
We should want no pamphlets like the " Sketch,"
nor I•tatements like the above, to tell us,ef the danger
wc, in common with Europe, nay, the the world, had
to apprehend from the immence territorial possessions
of Russia, did we see the chief of that empire bent on
a military system, and turning the minds of his people
to nothing 'but what is miliLacy—but the contrary of
all this is the fact. The Emperor Alexander seems to
have Inuit: the campaigns of the West of Europe, not
merely for the purpese of aiding in the liberation of its
people, bat to acquire knowledge, and intimmation to
the arts of peace. His whole conduct shewa him to be
a sovereign, whose mind is cmpinyed in plans to &OW-
liorate the condition of his people—in unceasing aims
to raise them from that state of degradation as men•
in whioh the ancient institutions of his empire had
fixed so large a proportion of theM, to introduce the
arty of more civilized countries, and in short, to ren-
der Russia a rival, not in arms and conquests, but in
civilization and the useful arts, with any other state in
Europe. Thvse rsitions, we behave, are not to be
denied ;—it must then follow that the attainment of

these high objects are inflimpatiltle with a military sys-
wm, or with settled ',lnas of tertitorial agrawlisement.