The National Register.
London, England, 1811-07-14 00:00:00

432 ,

•

ment alone, seems to have beeliburried for the pur-
pose of rendering the hostility cf America so
marked as to prevent all an-tempts at :conciliation.
For to follow up an offence by a justification of it,
is at once to proclaiM the most decided hostility.
But it may be said, Commodore RODGERS'S ac-
count was, perhaps, so clear, that no doubt of his
having acted right could remain in the PRESI-
trINT'S mind. The statement of this officer, as
might naturally be expected, is such as to throw
all the blame of the engagement on the Little
Belt. But the very description which he gives
of the conduct of the two vessels, however art-
fully laboured, proves—that he chased our sloop,
which manoeuvred for hours so as to avoid the Pre-
sident—that although he could nut all day perceive
the inferior force of the Little Belt, he could, at
night, and after a firing of some minutes, which
must have covered her with smoke, see that her gaff
and colours were down, and her main-topsail-yard
upon the cap—that the gun said to be fired by our
ship was not heard by him, although the two vessels
.were uot more than 70 or 100 yards distant from
each other, but by his Captain of Marines ; and
that his very MCI& knew so well the intention with
which he chased us,- that even before he had given Me
'order, a gun was fired from the 2d division of his ship.
Then, indeed, his -bearing was cleared, and with
the greatest surprise and indignation he found that
we committed the unprovoked outrage of returning
the fire of a vessel that for hours had pursued us
as an enemy ; that refused to tell us to what Power .
the belonged, and could not, therefore, be thought
a neutral, although she might wear, the colours of
one, but a foe in disguise ; for why should a Nen-
tral Power at peace with all the world, refuse to
quiet the suspicions of a Belligerent ? Still UllaC•
quainted with the nationality of our ship, but
. thinking. " that the insult was premeditated," al-
though we had for a whole day endeavoured to
avoid him ; and that the American neutrality
had been vio/oted; through a vain wish in the Cap-
tain of the unlinottln ship of acquiring promotion,
Commodore Ronct:tts at last fired his whole broad-
side, and less than tea minutes we were twice
silenced and finaly put hors de combat. Such an
account, so full of glaring inconsistencies and con-
tradiction's, and which in the estimation of all men
of impartiality and common sense, must stand self-
refuted, was however too satisfactory to the Ame-
rican Governments to justify even an inquiry into
Its truth. They have-not only expressed their ap.
probation of the past conduct of this officer, but
have sent him out again with, the American Pa-
pers assure us, positive orders to renew it whenever
he shall find occasion. This, with NAPOLEON, they
call, ,4 Supporting the dignity of their flag !" We.
_ hope that Commodore RODGERS wilr soon find a
fresh opportunity of adding to his laurels, by en-
gaging a ship nearer his force, when. we trust the
insult offered to our flag will be duly expiated.

\

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH EXPOSE.

M 4)

•••••••••••

1-r"

PARIS, JULY 1. . • •4 ..•:.:00?
IXPOSITION OF THE STATE OF TILE EMPIRE, Mi.
SEXTET) TO THE LEGISLATIVE BODY AT ITS SIT•
TING Or .ruvf.:. 29, RI HIS EXCI..I.I.ENCY COUNT
I.I,I4.`TALIVET, MINISTER FOR THE INTERTOR.
His exposition begins by stating that since the last sitting of
the Legislative Bady, the French empire has received an ad-
dition of sixteen departments, five millions of people. a.terri-
tory yielding a revenue of one hundred millions, three hundred
leagues of Least with all their maritime means, and the mouths
of the Rhine, the Meuse; and the Scheldt, as well as those of
the Ems, the Weser, and the Elbe, whilst the French frontiers
are supported on the Baltic, It then mentions the union of the
Simplon to France, and that of Rome, in the following terms:—.
The union of Rome has removed that troublesome interme-
diary which subsisted between our armies in the north and
south and in the south of Italy, and has given us new coasts on
the Mediterranean, as useful and necessary to Toulon, as those
of the Adriatic are to Venice. This union also brings with it
this double advantage—that the Pope's are no longer Sovereign
Princes, and in the relation of strangers to France. To bring to
our recollection all the evils which religion has sustained, by the
confounding of temporal with siiritual power, we have only to
look iiito history. The Popes have invariably sacrificed eternal
thing; to temporal ones.
The divorce of Henry the Eighth. was not the cause ofEng-
land's separation from the church of. Rome. The pence of -St.
Peter occasioned that event.
If .it be advantageous to. the State and to Religionothat the
Pope should not continue to be a Sovereign Prince, it is equally
desirable that the Bishop of Rome, the head of our Church,
should not be a stranger to us; but that ke should unite in his
heart, with the love of religion, that love for this country which
characterises elevated minds. Besides, it is the only means
whereby that proper influence which the Pope ought to possess
over spiritual concerns can be rendered compatible with the
principles-of the Einpire, which cannot suffer any foreign Bishop
to exercise an authority therein.