The National Register.
London, England, 1808-03-27 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

ewer •d, that as the excluding system of France must ,
prevent tranquillity in the Baltic, the Emperor ought
first to prevail on the French to leave it. That
whereas, when the Russian demand was repeated on the
`,ink October, compliance was urged on the ground of
the Convention of 1760, his Swedish Majesty had answered
nn the 42,15 t of January, that " by the Convention of 1801,
between Russia and England, to which Sweden had acced-
ed at Russia's desire, the former armed neutrality WHS done
away. That his Majesty had then entered into direct en-
ppagetnents with England, which he could not justly break
while England fulfilled them, Tha!, with the other armed
neutrality, the stipulation to shut the Baltic naturally fell
to the ground 1 a stipulation the less fitted for the present
circumstances, as the former Danish Navy then reckoned
upon, did no longer exist, and as England had besides Open-
ed a passage through the Great Belt. Yet that as Sweden
was not at liberty to contribute with an armed force to pre-
gen e tranquillity in the Baltic, she would endeavour to ob-
tain, by negotiation with England, that the latter should
send thither no ships of war, unless some other Power ren-
dered that measure necessary by hostilities committed in
that seat but that it was too much to expect that Sweden
should serve Russia fora bulwark, since she had been
pleased to provoke England—that Sweden should sacrifice
her fleet and her trade to protect Cronstadt,"
The Swedish Declaration proceeds to state, that hostile
reparations were immediately commenced on the Russian
frontiers, on which, however, his Swedish Majesty had
still looked with indifference, as long as no grievance had
Peen started to him, and no claim preferred. That the
offer to obtain, by negotiation, the tranquillity of the Baltic,
opened prospects of peace and profit for Russia, and for
the whole North of Europe, and therefore apparently
could not be refused. That the offer was made on the
supposition of England's consent, which there were strong
grounds to expect, and which his Majesty hoped to obtain
before the Englisfi Fleet, which was so much dreuted.
should be able to reach the Baltic t but a direct answer to
this offer being avoided, his Majesty's Ambassador wasde-
s•red the 13th of February to make remonstrances on
that subject, when at once all (Alicial communications with
Pdell werr broken otf, and the Hessian troops entered
inland. The Declaration concludes by a spirited notice
et lie contemptible Proclamation of General Be xnoveEs
to the inhabitants of I.inland, which we base given iu our
foreign lotelli;:ence.

It will be observed, that the only allegation in the Rus-
sian Paper, which can be plausible even for a moment, is
that which relates to the obligation that former treaties
imposed upon Sweden to co-operate in shutting the Baltic.
But this allegation is ably answered by the King of SwF-
n rv, who proves that all these treaties have been, in fact,
annulled by the consent of Russia herself, if not by the
situation of alFairs. The conduct of the Emperor is by.
this Declaration of Sweden placed hi a point of view by no
means respectable. The eager hurry of his wars, and
the treacheroes suddenness of Iris paeifications, the wretch-
ed policy which has accompanied his attack upon Sweden,
and the wretched arguments which are employed in justi-
fication of that attack, are aft of them treated with the
spirited neglect they have deserved.

It is to he hoped that the vigorous conch:et of Sweden
will procure for bet A safe Atut tkocifialwas rwize. A. an

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