The National Register.
London, England, 1813-12-05 00:00:00

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5. 1813.

CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

We are aware that the resources of the common enemy
continue to be greatly exaggerated, and that many persons
expect, not only a protracted, but a powerful struggle on his
part, to recovershis lost pre-eminence in Europe, and once
more to stand a candidate for the empire of the world. Our
opinion is widely different. The lien may roar after he
has lost his teeth, the tyger may spring after he has lost his
fangs, but -their power to do harm is gone, and, although
noisy and turbulent, they arc no longer formidable. Such
is the situation to which NAPOLEON seems to be reduced,
and the evidence en which we found our opinion cannot
be deemed unfairly partial, since it is that of the enemy
himself.
The. Paris papers which arrived yesterday to the Ist in't.
slim the miserable state to which the French finances are-
; educed. To raise the 27 millions of franks (about 1,200,0001.
sterling), necessary to carry on the war, NAPOLEON is
artiged to .have recourse to the old revolutionary system of',
Mandats. These Mandats are to be sent to the Prefects to
the requisitions made for provisions, hay, horses, &c. for I
the "army : and the price is to be, not the market price, but
the price which the Prefect chuses to fix as the value. The
buyer is to determine the price of tlfe article—he is to pay
fur it in paper, which paper is to be assigned for liquidation
upon taxes which may be utterly unproductive. It is per-
haps expected, that, as the sum is not very considerable, the
arbitrary nature of this measure will he less noticed, as its
weight will be less felt. But there is no doubt that this sup-
ply will prove. insufficient, and must be frequently reiterated
in the course of the year. Had NAPOLEON possessed any
other means of procuring money, be would have used it in
preference to this tyrannical and unpopular mode. To the
same expedient he must therefore recur, whenever his wants
become pressing, and the effect of such repeated impo-
sitions
on his people must powerfully assist the progress of
the Allies, by leaving to the French no other object than
ruin to fight for, even should they succeed in repelling '
every hostile army from...their territories. These invaders
and ravagers of the world are now doomed to feel the ter-
rors of invasion in their turn, and the Journal de Paris con-
. tainsan animated appeal to the patriotism of the people, to
rise in defence of their wives and daughters, and by 'a
mighty effort to renew the scenes of 1793, when the armies
of coalesced Europe were driven Itom the heart of Fiance.
Did it never enter into the mind of tilt writer of this appeal,
bow many ,countries the French lave since invaded, how
many kingdoms they have wastrel, how many nations en-
slaved, and in how different a situation they now stand?
Mad they been satisfied with the deliverance of their terri-
tory at that period, had they not overflowed their flaw:al
boundaries, carried war and desolation to every state of Eu-
rope, and endeavoured to plant the banner of despotism over
a subject world, their homes, their wives, their daughters,
would now be secure, and the brand plucked f: om the
flaming embers of Mcscow, would not wave terrific over
their trembling cities, and menace even the maguiticent
palaces of imperial Paris.
No military operations of importance are mentioned io
Vol. VI. No. CCe_t

these Papers. BEAUH A RHO'S, as usual, claims a victory in
Italy. But all his triumphs have hitherto terminated in re-
treat ; and although, in the present instance, he pretends
to have kept his ground, it was not without suffei ing a se-
vere hiss. The neutrality of the Swiss Cattons is now the
gland consolation of France. It is indeed no less astonish-
Mg than the obstinacy of the king of Des: MARK It is a
phenomenon in the history of man, a contradiction to the
feelings of nature, an apostacy fro.n the ,virtue of their an-
cestors, that a people, who five centuries back, gave Eu-
rope the noble example of emancipation from the yoke of
despotism, and through a succession. of ages, amidst
volutions that changed the political and religious face
of Europe, • preserved their liberties unalteresl, and .the
native simplicity of their manners untainted, should now
be found almost the only prop of the most oppres-
sive tyranny on earth, is a problem not to be solved
by the common rules and principles of human action.
Is it because the sacred edifice of their ancient constitution
had lately been overturned, and a new system of political
existence imposed upon them, by the Despot who styles
himself their Mediator, that out of gratitude they stand forth
his ft lends, for their neutrality is nothing but an alliance in
disguise ? Has he, who hunted freedom through the world,
really reconstructed their liberties ou an improved. plan, and
lavished on their favoured land the rights of which he robbed
every other nation, so as to havelained their hearts and se-
cured their fidelity ? or, has the ancient Swiss character pe-
rished with their constitution? Has corruption kept pace
with submission, and the charm of novelty made even slavery
appear sweeter to their lips .thaa antiquated, and therefoie
tasteless independence? Whatever be the cause of their
conduct, the effect is the same. If they do not assist Napo-
leon with their swords, they shield his vitals with their ter-
ritories. Their neutrality, if acknowledged by the Ailies, is
an impassable rampart which covers the moss ins; o. tan; com-
munications. of his empire, those that conduct Italy with
France, and without which the former, entirely cut oil from
external assistance, must return under the sway of her ancient
Princes. Switzerland neutral. prevents the coalesced unites
from turning the positions of the enemy on the Rhine, and
compelling him to abandon that river and allAusti ian Flanders,
without fighting, to seek a shelter behind the tripple line of
fortresses which formed the ancient boundary of Fratice.
Even the hostility of the Swiss would be pieferable to their
neutrality, Their nutubers are not so great hot they may
be overpowered, and their spirit is not so mighty, but it has
been, and may yet be quelled. .A way might be opened
through their legions, to sever those ticks that still unite
Italy and France, of which, as neets ak, they kaaynie
the salegnard. Let not, therefore, the feir of eam.iog
the Swiss cantons to declare openly in tevour their
MediLtor, induce the Allies to acknowledge their brut, ality.
An armed neutrality, especially, ought to he mere than
suspicieus, for who can• doubt, after their late heat ty co-
operation in all the wars wag(al by Franca, that at tie best
signal of altered fortunes on the pat( t;f the Allied l'eraers,
these conscientious neutrals would licsi tate-to tall on
and rear, and contribute to dept lye t nein of de.- ft.:
nvany toils, so many datrifers, and many sactifiLes

liits $(, )A

Du rcu PAPERS.

THE HAGUE, Kos•. tie.

Le!feral His Serene Highness the Prince of Orange and Nassau to
Mr. Guyabert Karel run Hoogendorp.
SE:--Referring you to what Colonel Fagel will verbally inform
y4;ti of on my part, I cannot, however, permit him to depart with-
out testifying to von all the sai.isLetion which L feel at the happy
event which again places my country the rank of the nations of
Europe. The manner in which it hay prowmuced its wish, pene-
trates me with gratitude, and adds, wets it possible to the obliga-
tions which rest upon me, to labour for the accomplislnvent of its
object, and to devote my .elf to its prosperil and happiness.
Col. ragel will acqu ,iot you with the etfect produced here by the
condeet pursued in Holland ; and that the Prince Regent and his
Ministers have taken all measures to acsit us with all the the means
at their disposal. You wilt immediately experience the effect. I
hope to follow in a few dAys, and in the mean time feel a lively im-
patience again to see my countrymen, after having been 19 seats
separated from them ; happy thus to reply to the invitation which
alt sirs, Perponcher anti James Fagel have.brought me.
I am infinitely pleased with the manner in %add' every thing has
taken place, and I •-ntirtly approve of the basis on which matters
have been provisionally conducted. Be assured yourself, and com-
municate the same to the °Mime), who have come forward with
you in these critical circumstances, of the right: which they-have
acquired to my gratitude, and also to that of their fehow-citizens.
I am, with distinguishel consideration,
Your very devoted servant,
WILLIAM, Prince of Orange.

...THE INTA 'FIONA T.
- • .
FOREIGN INIELLIGENCE. 4111