The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-10 00:00:00

1254

posed by the effort—when we observe extreme caution suc-
ceedion,toextreme temerity, and confidence in means giving
way to doubts of sufficiency and suspicions of desertion—
when above all we eNuitingly know that the fame and
fortune of the French arms have fallen under the glorious
ascendancy of British valour and triumphs, and that the
Tyrant of the Continent durst not leave his capital to head
his armies in the North, without the most serious and well-
grounded apprehensions for the security of France her-
self, we cannot but consider the present a NEW AND GLORI-
OUS ; and we can entertain no doubt that by a manly
persever Luce in the vigorous course which has been hither-
to pursued, the contest in which we are engaged, will be
brought to a secure and honourable termination—honour-
able for the character and arms of the nation—secure
against the ambition, caprice and injustice of the violator
of every la* and right, and the common enemy and dis-
turlser of the repose of Europe.
If •his• be a correct picture of the external relations and'!
prospects of the nation, (and for its truth and justice we may
appeal with confidence to the conscience of every reflect-
ing man in the empire; where, we will ask, is there ground
for uncertainty—where occasion for despondence ? True
it is our manufacturers feel distress from the temporary
stagnation of trade and the consequent want. of employ-
ment. But is it not equally true that the French nninn-
fieturers and merchants suffer in a much higher degree
Do we forget that the Berlin and Milan decrees, which
wet e to be fundamental parts of the French Constitution,
had been issued for the express purpose of injuring the
manufactures of Great Britain ; or is it a secret that the
conviction of their inefficiency to their object and of their
injury to the interests of France has been pronounced by
their author himself in the adoption of that system of
licences, under which alone France can now export a sin-
gle article of her produce or receive the smallest supply
of foreign produce for the relief of her internal wants or
the support of her pul-Fc revenue ?
In considering the State of the Nation at the present
. ,
momentous crisis, it snould, in order to form any just
estimate, be compared not only with what it has been at
any previous period, but considered relatively with respect
to the actual state of France at the two periods of com-
parison. The result of such a contrasted view would give
a satisfactory demonstration of the vast improvement that
has taken place in the situation and attitude of Great Bri-
tain, and of the corresponding determination of the means
a id magnitude of the enemy's power and resources.
A war begun under a denunciation on his part that
Great Britain could not fight single-handed against
Flat:cc, has been successively maintained against not only
France, but, at different epochs, all Europe confederated
with her.—Every year of its duration has developed the
exhaustlessness of our means by calling forth new energies,
and exhibiting in every quarter of the globe the fruits of
the irresistible valour of our fleets and armies in the con-
quest of every settlement that belonged to the enemy—
The kingdom of Portugal has been saved from the grasp
of the enemy, and. the deliverance of Spain is far ad-
vanced—Every sea ackiteNledges the sovereignty of the
British flag, and all Europe resounds with the fame and
glories of the British arms—A contest begun under a me-
nace of invasion of this country, presents at this stage of
its progress the proud contrast of the enemy boasting of
the works and fortifications constructed for the security of
his own coasts from the attacks of England—ln short, the
improvement of our means and situation after an expen-
sive and sanguinary contest of nine years, is so various and