The National Register.
London, England, 1808-09-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

ance were proclaimed by one party, and countenanced by
the silence and dejection of the other. A few enlightened
men, whatever indignation they might have felt in conse-
quence of this unwarrantable despondency, were unable
to oppose this degrading innovatiou in our councils, and
yielded to the exigency of the moment. A change of Ad.
ministration was thought necessary ; and with it a change
of political conduct. The multitude, as usual, judging
from the impulse of the moment, and overwhelmed by the
reverses of our Allies, considered as the intuitive wisdom
of istatesmen, what was only the effect of intemperate and
unprincipled opposition. Even the party itself, intoxicated
by this unmerited reputation, continued to waver between
the duties of their new station and the impolitic measures
they proposed when in opposition.
This was the secret of that fatal inconsistency, of that
vacillating policy, which marked their administration.
They had not the manly candour to acknowledge the de-
structive tendency of their former suggestions; and from
incompetency or want of principle they adopted .concilia-
tion and concession, supported by vigorous self-defence, in
preference to our ancient vigour and unyielding policy.
Weak and unprincipled men ! A series of fifteen instructive
years, the annals of every people who had risen to power
and opulence, our own history for two centuries,- the
energy and enterprising spirit of the British nation, were
inadequate to make them feel the danger and folly of such
measures. A pusillanimous fluctuation was visible, for
the first time in our councils ; and they had the honour to
discover that as our generals- and soldiers were inferior
to those of France ; it would be the highest policy to ea-
deavour to obtain an honourable peace from the enemy ;
and, if disappointed in this expectation, to confine our
future efforts to the defence of our own altars and fire-
sides. Thus a disgraceful imprisonment within our own
limits, and a voluntary renunciation of the pretensions of
former statesmen, were impudently pronounced to be the
acme of political wisdom, and rendered imperiously neces-
sary from the preponderance of the enemy. Europe was
to be abandoned to its fate ; and we were to consider our-
selves happy, should ne have the fortune of escaping the
general wreck. Such was the prospective happiness held
out to this country, mid !rich was the beginning of thoep
improvident measures, which led to the negociation at
Paris, to the discussions relative to Ilannover, to the over-
Ihrow of the Prussian state, to the subjection of Europ. ,
and to our disgraceful apathy during that awful crisis.
But a mode of conduct so unconformable to our feeling,,
resources, genius and policy, so expressive of contempt for
the courage and discipline of our army, awakened at last tl e
better feelings of the public, and they saw with indignation
how the national character bad been degraded by a junta
of systematic blunderers. But these men have passed away
into that insignificance and obscurity from which they
should have never been iemoved ; and with their succes-
sors re-appeared RrAish energy, preponderance and mag-
nanimity. Shall we pause for a moment, and compare our
dignified situation with the degrading• and pusillanimous
part we then acted at that time ? Shall we indulge our
national feelings by contrasting o r • victories at Roleis
and Vimiera, with our expeditions under Whitelocke, to
Alexandria, and to the Dardanelles ? Or draw a parallel
between our glorious exertions at present in favour of
European freedom, and our apathy and fa slam before
and after the battle of Jena b.—But our constitution is oa

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sanguine to dwell with pleasure on past misfortanes and un-
m • lied dishonour, when we can enjoy all the exquisite
sensatious arising from the contemplation of immediate
.and future advantages; and did not a sense of justice to-
!
Vrards the army indude us to advert to the transactions of
that time, we would willingly consign to oblivion an Ad-
minaitration which bronght so undeserving a stigma on
our military and national character.
A brighter prospect, than any perhaps in our history, be-
ghis to open onus. It is the more cheering; because we have
;passed through some dreary and disconsolate scenes before
'we attained this height. In our persevering ascent every
ohject about us attempted to mislead and discourage us ;
and notwithstanding the insidious remonstrances of treach-
ery, the timid counsels of the weak and the blustering me-
n lees of inin.tice, we have now reached that commanding
height where no storms can assault us. Let us take, then,
a comprehensive view of oar situation and advantages.—
•Let no indulgence of frivolous curiosity or ignominious
ease turn away, even for an instant, our attention from
the object w.; are pursuing with so much boldness and
souses.
But to drop this figurative language—the immediate
consequences of oar victories in Portugal are the emanci-
pation of that country and the eventual liberation of Spain
from the despotism of Frauce. From the extraordinary
changes which have occurred of late, let us not be tempted
to appreciate those advantages too moderately ; they are
of themselves almost incalculahlr. There is something of
the extravagance of gamblers introduced into political
spcculaticms of late ;—so many States have been won and
lost, that the acquisition of one or two ,mighty kingdoms.
will he considered, perhaps, as a trifling circumstaace.—
However, this is a fatal and irretrievable check to univer-
sal despotism. Mighty armies arise in a quarter where the
-Tyrant least expected them. They are ready to inundate
the immediate scat of his despotism, and by their presence
and victories convince the discontented inhabitants of the
southern departments of the contemptible, perfidious, and
• equivocating- character of their present Ruler. What a
chain of atrocities and falsehoods will be exposed to them !
=How strongly will they fell their own degradation, and the
Infamy of their Chieftain and his auxiliary Ruffians ! Their
provinces have been the nursery of Jacobinism, and the lass
retreat of the Royalists. Till: individuals of this kind form
the majority of the popteation. They are, at the same time,
the most restles3,the in:l`. active and enterprising; and if we
• reflect how egregiously they have been deceived, it would
be an excess of political drivelling to imagine that they
-will oppose any resistance. The cause of the Spaniar4s is
'attractive for both parties ;—it is that of liberty and of the
'Bourbons. Nothing can be more amusing, if inconsistency
stand folly can excite such sensations, than to retrace the
fluctuations of opinioa for the last ten years. In the early
part of that period the public were periodically entertain-
-ed with insurrections in the South. A proof that our ape=
dilative politicians saw the probability of such an event
taking place. But now those very men, who were so for-
liikrd and sanguine in their expectations from the discon-
44nt of the natives, have, since a few years., condemned as
f ,ccal foutabstird every speculation to that effect.—
7 those d were at both periods mistaken. They
ssui
'were Mistaken, because they had neither local knowledge
to direct them, nor the slightest insight into the moral and
'physical character of the natives to guide them. They

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

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