The National Register.
London, England, 1808-11-21 00:00:00

THE pnEsEsT wArt.

" At the epoch of your last sitting, Gentlemen, every thing
combined to deliver Europe from its long asitations, but Eng-
land, the enemy of the world, still repeated the cry of perpetual
war, and war continues. What then is ttc object, wont V. ill he
the issue? The object of this war is the slavery of the world,
by the exclusive possession of the seas. There is no doubt, that
by subscribing treaties of bondage, disguised under the holy
name of peace, nations may obtain repose ; but this shameful
repose would be death.
" The war which England has provoked, which she coati.
MICS with so much pride and obstinacy, is tile terieination of the
ambitious system which she ha• cherished during two centuries.
Mixing in the politics of the Continent, she has succeeded in
holding Europe in a perpetual agitation, and in exciting against
France all the envious and jealous passions. She has extended
her Colonies, and augmented her Naval Power : and, by the
aid of that power, she hopes henceforth to enjoy her usurpation,
and to arrogate to herself the exclusive possession of the seas.
" It is impossible to foresee what might have been the con,
sequence of so much audaMy, had not fortune,
• on our part.
raised up a mart of superior order, destined to repel the evils
with which England threatens the world.
He had always to combat the allies of that power on the
Continent, and to conquer the rising enemies she succeeded in
creating. Al Ways attacked, al s% :LN'S threatened, he found it tie.
cessary to regulate his policy by that state of tbiogs, and felt
that to lay the coolest it was accessary to augment our forces,
and weaken those of our enemies.
" The Emperor, pacific, but armed by necessity, wa; 0":
“MbitioUi of aggraittlizing the Lcogire. It became trcesAlf

114;01t. 2.1•
to relieve our ancient frontiers from the, too near daeger of suililee
attacks, and to found their security on limits fortified by na-
ture; it becanie necessary so to separate France, by alliances.
from tier rivals, that even the sight of an enemy's staudarti never
could alarm the territory of the Empire.
" England, defeated in the disputes she en often 'renewed, pro-
fited, however, of them to lactease her wealth, by the univer-
sal monopoly of commerce.
" The genius and the prudence of the Emperor have hot over-
looked this daugee. Involved in the difficulties of the Contineu-
'tat War, he ceased not, however, to repel from his States the
monopoly of English comiterce. lie has 'init. conipleated the
Measures of an effectual resistance.
" No one can now' be deceived on this subject; since the
English have declared this I** 'kind of war, all the ports of
the Contineat are blockaded; She 'ocean is interdicted to every
hentral ship which will not pay to the British Treasury a
tribute which is mead[ to be imposed on the whole population of
the globe. •
" To this law of **very other stations hove replied by then-
tures of reprisal, and by wishes for the annihilation of such
tyranny.
" The English Whits ltd[ sepatitted itself from every other
Station. She is smitten by the e.reollimuniZ:ation which shit has
herself provoked.
" The war will henceforth eenstst in repelling from all points
the English commerce.
" France has energetically concurred in the exclusion of the
Monopoly of commerce; she has resigned herself to privation:
which long habits most have rendered more painful. Some
branches of her agriculture and her industry have suffered, and
Still suffer, but the prosperity of the great body of the nation is
not affected : she is familiarized *ith that transitory state, the
hardships of which she beholds without fear. The allies of
France, and the United States, sacrifice, like her, and with n
resolution equally gesiekoar, their private convettiencies. Eng-
land was on the eve of the Moment when her exclusion from the
Continent was about to be consummated ; but she availed herself
hf the last circumstanceo spread the genius of evil over .41iftiri,
and to excite in that unhappy country fill the rage of furious
passions. She hat sought for alliances even in the support of the
inquisition: Unhappy people, to whom do you confide ffiur des-
tiny ? —You have without doubt recovered from your. error.
1r 011 will groan for the new perfidies that are reserved for
you. But how much blood, and what a quantity of wars will
Sinn before this tardy return to your senses. The English hi-
therto, absent from all great conflicts, try a new fortune on the
Continent. They migarrison their Island, and leave it almost
Without defence in the presence of 'an en erprisiug and valiant
King, who commands a French artily, and who has already
snatched from them the strong position of the Jslund of 'Capri.
What then will be the fruit of their efforts? Can they hope to
he able to exclude the French from Spain'and Portugal ? Can
the success be doubtful ? The Emperor himself will command
his invincible legions. What a presitge does the Wait Army
'it Portugal offer to us, which, straggling agaltert ttouhle its
!firer, has been able to raise trophies of victory on the very land
s here it fought to such disadvantage; and to dictate the condi-
tions of a gloridus retreat. In preparing 'for a new struggle
ii;ainst our only enemy, the Emperlir has dont all that was
necetsary for the maintenance of peace on the Continent. lie
intht ream' upon it without dotibt; -inasmuch as Austria, the
only Power u'llich could dftturb it, has given the strongest assu-
talfces of her disposition, ih reeallihg her Ambassador from
London, and desisting ftudt all political communication with
England.

Still Austria, had recently made arniattletstsi.but they took
place certainty without any hostlteintentinni. Prudence never-
theless dictated energetic mea,ures of precaution. The armies
f Gerinahy and Italy are strengthened hyllivies of the new
Conscription: The *troops of ;he Confedenstiou of • the Rhine
toe eo replete, well organised, and disctplined:
" Ono hundred thousand 'of the Grand Ai my lekve•tbe Prus-
sian States to occupy the camp at itoulegne, while • Denmark,
henceforth safe from any linglithlityfition, is evacuated by our
troops, which are concentrating- and centritii,•ing themseiveS.
Refine the- end of January-the batttalons wirhdraw n• to Spain
u. ill be replaced on the Harks of the Elbe and the Rhine.
" Those which qlrelied I aly las&eir refurn to their former
I
de.stinntion.
" finch, Messieurs, iS the ezteirlini situaticin of France.
" In the interior, the greatest order in all 'parts of the adnii-
ltistration, important inseliomtions•
the
oustiber of new' in-
ssistionS, have culla the gratitude of l'"l'l(**

THE NATIONAL RttIISTEIL

" The creation of titles of nobility. Move envjrosied the throne
with a new splendor. This system creates in all hearts a laud-
able emulation.
" The Clergy have distinguiShed themselves by their patriot..
isni, and by their attachment to their Stivereign and their ditties.
" The Magistrates of all classes every where aid, and with.
out their efforts; the views of the Sovereign and the People.
" Soldiers, Magistrates, Citizens, all have but one object,
the service of the State; but one sentiment, that of admiration
for.the Sovereign; but one deire, that (Jr seeing Heaven watch
ever his days, too just a. recompenve for a Monarch who has rio
other thought, no other ambition, than those of the happinest
and glOry of the French nation."
The Orator descended from the. Tribune amidst the applauded
of the Assembly.
• The President,—Moasieur tl Minister of the Inferior; and
Gentlemen Counsellors of State--
" You have painted the true greatness of the Prince, in res
tracing all the good he has done. The:t roat! pictures of his
internal administration Still One day be the finest monuinentS tot
his reign; Uuhappy the Sovereign who is great only at th 6
head of his armies ; happy the Otte who knows how to govern
as well as to conquer, ot ho occupies himself incessantly with
useful works, in order to rest himself from the fat isrues of •wari
and ,whose provident handsaws in the midst of so many ravages,
the fruitful sceues of public felicity: One single man has fuk
tilled these two great destinies. Ile has subdued powerful
States .; he has traversed Europe, tts a Canquerior under tri-
umphal arches, corseted to his glory, ham the hounds of Italy 16
the farthestextremetles of Poland. 11 was ~ugh fur the first
of Deroes, but not. enough foie the first of Kings. In the fields
of Marengo and of .level; that indelotigatile genius meditated
the happiness of nations. All the ideas of public order;—all
these safe counsels which protect societies and empires, have
always areompanied him in his worliht tent. It voids he that
re-opened the temples of dc:solated Religion, and time saved
morality and the laws from a rola which was almost inevitable
In one word; he Has fonsided more than others hod destroyed:—
Behold that which recommends his memory to eternity.
" In the midst of the most magnibeeht of our• squares,
columni worthy the nee of the Antonines of the Trajans, has been
elevated in opposition to the voice of the nerd that is above
such things: Odr exploits will be engraved on the glorious
bronzes with which It is to be covered; Victory erect on that
triumphal column will point to Italy twice eitbdue.d, to Vienna,
to Berlin, to Warsaw, opening their gates ; our standards float;
ing on the Pyramids, the Po, the Danube, the Rhine, the
Spree; the Vistula, stooping beneath our laws.—Frenchmen
w ill stoop with pride at the foot of this monument. The day ip
perhaps hot far distant, when we way be able to erect, to the
pacification of Europe; a Monitment still more Worthy of him:
Let all the arts decorate Ilitn with the cinUleavl 'or apiculture
and industry; let the images of peace rfAlfi abliodance preside
above; let there be represetited with theta, nut cities destroyed,
but cities rebuilt—not captive risers, but risers mia4g their
streams for the benefit of commerce—not gelds of slaughter, but
fields fertilised—not 'the tzar which shatter* abrones, but the
wisdoin which re-establishes them. Let them engrave ou them,
in fine, as a substitute fur all other inscriptions, these memorable
words have felt that hi Order to be happy it was necessary
for the first to be assured of the hoyifine's of FroncP.'
This triumphal arch of a new deScription will otter he
beholden
.without emotions of respect npd love. ..it ;s thete that
every heart will send forth;, without el fort, the most exalted
eulogy. -of the great man who has been the Author of su much
good. We cannot render him fink homage in a better mode than
by putting up vows, that his talents as a. warrior may soon be.
come useless. Secure is he of Slatting within hipoself othet
sources of greatness. Let its not doubt it. Thadit sio ull that he
shall undertake for the happiness of the nation. II is .enown as
a.Conquerot will henceforth be but the Most feeble part of hit
glory."
The Assembly renewed its applauses;
The Legiilative Bodies gave a formal deed of acknowledge-
Meat to the Orators of the expoe., which they had presented in
the name of his Majesty, which they ordered to toe 'entered on
:the journals, and also to be printed and distriooted trkeach of
;the Members:

®a
FROM THE .1'..3:v1611 i'..IPEnS;

Coutxpi; Nbv. B.—A dispatch has been received by the
3dnta of this kipti;dorn, from General Joacluirn Wake, Cap-
talc) General of Gallieta. dated 1, Ctllltaiiiirlg thi`