The National Register.
London, England, 1808-10-30 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

691

piest and most innocent people upon earth, whose wisdom
and moderation had preserved them fur almost three ten.
tunes in a state of constant Peace, with all their neigh-
bours i lie gave uo other than ghat he assigned in vindi-
cation v►t his conduct tow arcs the Spaniards :—That their
independence and form of Government were incompatible
with the happiness of trance ! Just Heaven's t if the feli
city and security of one state, or rather of one individual,
C:171 only he maintained by the misery and debasement oi
the rest of Lurope, we have not a stronger proof of the
degradation and apathy of the nations of the Continent,
than their not having long since risen to a man, in order
to extirpate a commenity, which avows so monstrous a
pretension. Under this very pretext, revolting as it may
appear, he committed so many outrages on the Swiss ; and
what is more irremediable, destroyed the innocence anti
integrity of their character, by inoculating it with the pes-
tilential virus of French manners! However these facts
were known ; these atrocities were committed, when a
number of individuals in this country had thought fit to
recommend peace and amity between the British Nation
and the Ruffian', N% ho was guilty of all these crimes.
They are now silent, because the horror of the perfidy,
with which the Spaniards have been treated, is too recem
and deeply impresied in the rrinds of the public ; but as
soon as any reverse occurs to our Allies, or to our our-
selves, they will a-gain raise their impious voices against the
honour and loyalty of their country. They were also
silent, as lung as the Swiss were contending for their free-
dom and property ; but as soon as their oppressors ha:
succeeded in robbing them of both, they reiterated their
cries and remonstrances in support of their favourite pro-

Let us now say a few words on the object and tendency
of these overtures. if every impression of the past be not
totally effaced troin our re;ollection ; if we are not volun
tarily blind to the gigantic events of our time, we calm)!
he at a great loss to make a satisfactory conjecture on that
head. We have, certainly, no right to pretend to a more
1 )‘ al and equitable treatment from Bonaparte, than Austria,
Holland, Italy, and Spain, have received at his
hands. We have don,: ;Lore to lndlie his designs, and resist
his power, than any of those States ; it would be, therefore,
eildish to imagine he hati more deference or friendship for
us. There is no individual so enamoured of his opinion, or
s.) infatuated by his prejudices, as to expect from a man we
have ofl•nded, beyond the power of pardon or reconcilia_
Sion, inure honenrable treatment than those nations have
received, who have made most sacrifices to acquire his es-
t..!em and good will. We expect our Headers will spare us
tile recapitulation of what they suffered, and still sustain in
i:ousequence of thcir submission and confidence. It is,
however, perfectly useless to indult,,,e in all these conjec-
tures : for Itoriarirte, knowing well what ought to be the
smtiments of the People of this Country with regard to
him. and pretty well convinced of the penetration and
en • ' LT, y of our See etary for Foreign Affairs, entertained no
expee'ations of iinposin on our Cabinet by any of ers he
may be led to reconcile the
Russian induct of their de-
graded s agents the alarm-
ing acgn LI and in order to
prevw crisis of his for-
tuntisi 4:than by shewin;

.

..
..
% . - ,
ki•llMlMOMMmlberruk—___ _ .

OCT. 30.

eircuinstances,7i
a disposition to negociate. Under these
g
a question of the highest importance to decide what answer
our Cabinet ought to have returned, to overtures mane so
nsidiously, and under such pressing necessity. To send no
swer, but to treat them with contempt, as the sincere.
with which they are made is not unknown, should be, per.
haps, not advisable : But, we are firmly of opinion, that
wnatever answer Ministers have given, should be made
known to Europe, and that immediately, as the spirit of it
caunot fail to coincide with the wishes and feelings of eery
State on the Continent : and we are as strongly persuaded,
;.hat, as our sine qua non is the immediate evacuation of
Spain, Finland, and Naples, no other communication of anT
kind should be permitted with this country, till these points
are consented to. That Bonaparte proposes some mischief.
or treachery in these overtures, nobody doubts ; but that
ne has done it in consequence of some unexpected embar •
rassmeuts, exclusive of those iu which he has involved hire.
self in Spain, many may not he inclined to believe. 'tilt
extraordinary restrictions, however, ordered in Holland
afford strong ground for surmise, that events of an impoe
taut nature have, or are on the point of breaking out either
in Russia, or in Germany, which he is unwilling we shoula
know. Why should we then be guilty of the weakneo
to assist in extricating him from those difficulties,- by
turning the attention of the Continent from the present
cause of its discontent to the attractive novelty of a Nege•
elation. It would be unpardonable if our Government
could he guilty of such an oversight. The stand we have
made against the united efforts of Europe, and the tornii•
Jabte army we have sent to Spain, are a favourable spec
men of our resources, and of the extravagant bombast of
the tyrant's menaces. Let. every village and town, from
Gibraltar to Moscow, know this ; let the Cabinets be like•
wise sensible of it ; and a spirit of union and resistance
shall be diffused over that large tract, which it will not he
in the power of Bonaparte to counteract. This cannot he
effected by an inclination on our parts to concede; it is onr
energy, and the independence of our attitude, which alone
arc capable of raising the courage of nations, and of in
spiring them with a desire to fall on their oppressors. by
simply adopting the language of defiance, we have already
done wonders. Mankind look up to us with astoaishment
and veneration : they were led to believe that our dome
was pronounced, and that no exertions could even defer
the fulfilment of our destruction. What must be their
opinion of us at present ? There we stand, that devoted
cammunity,after having not only weathered the storm which
menaced us, but more powerful and secure than we had
been in any one period of our history ! Will this make no
impression on the neighbouring States, or produce no re-
volution in their sentiments ? The more pains the enemy
takes to depreciate our resources and situation, the nor^
falsehoods he accumulates in order to paint our weaknce
and despondency, the more unfavourable and disastrous the
eousequences will be for him, as soon as the truth is
known. Whatever edicts he may publish, whatever 6,1;01'015
restrictions he may enjoin, it n ill finally burst out, like.
thunder, and confound him,
the people he at present enslaves. Let us not prevent,
whilst it enlightens and einies
weakness or an act. of false policy, what must eventuoev.
happen. As we have profited so much by a displav 0,
energy, and as no nation gained any thing by pusillaiiimoes
concession but blows and outrage, we have reason

... ..1.....

.f

disposed to make. lie wish
i Noble ail 'l,Nk4fl. the col
x.
t
/n . 1.
' '... ~ .i4._• ;A:....,.: ,. • ...s 10 .
a - itts
'C ,7111 ."'.- *rut
. 1.
it ik
11111. •••" .4...0'