The National Register.
London, England, 1809-01-01 00:00:00

:THE NATIONAL REGIS

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SUNDAY, JA

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TO QUI, TIIE PUBLIC:
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Flattered by, and, at the same time, grateful for, the encou-
ragement which TUE NATION At. REGISTER fias received; since
Its first appearance,we seize, with alacrity, the occasion of a New
Year to express our high souse of this reception We proMised
much, when we first announced it to the Public; and no pains
have been spared since that time to fulfil this eligagettie•t. It
is not for us to Merinine how far we hive answered tht p'ut;tie
expectation; Hitt tht rapid increase of it.; circulation h an ho-
nourable remuneration for the exertions we have Made. ror a
t).t r ICE* SPA P kit to remain even stationary, w heti almost
every week presents a new competitor, is, at least, a negativet
commendation of its worth how much higher must our
Cation be, at the et fraardtilacy auguientittou it tontinuet to i.e-'
`ee.ive

z' O gift' nt Price of taper hs.iiitiuceti tie f‘rispriciors
•
of some otker Sunday Papers to appeal to their Subscribers; and!
to consider It as a justification tor raising considerably their
pecuniary value. The Pao t'Rfl sorTH R NATioN it 11- •
GIST En. have likewise been -Cted to this inconvenience; and
even greater than those allude to as above, frOM this augineola-
tion, but are determined to keep it at its present standird,
front a reluctance to deviate fram their first engagement. This
ill ilioduee, howbier, nO relalxition in tifeit' exertions ; on the
Contrary, they hope that every subsequent nuinVer will Manifest
nevi proofs of their teu.l atld perseverance to render it of more
earnl utility.
t is, perhaps, unnecessary to 'advert to its political princi-
ples; their Subscribers are able to appreciate their tendency.
.14b0.16intellt0' it expresses in the disclission of every subject; that
• .liatetinAlitetest reference to the interests of the corrimunity; is
tin unenuivocal proof of their sincerity ; and; however liable
to error they may be in Collllllolk with other jouriwilists, they.
can, with sotie conseitiosness of integrity and little fear of coteL
tradietion, aver, that they are guided in their speculations by
tin other Motive than that of the public good. They strongly
discictiau party-views and interests; and are always ready to
bestow on public men and ineasnres a just tribute of edninien-
eation, without first consulting whether they sit on, or 'enianate
front, tire opposition or Ministerial benches, if they lay claim
to the suffrages of the P tiblic, they rest, particularly, their
Merit on their impartiality ; and the ardour of their zeal in
support of a great and good cause, so closely connected with the
future happiiieSx and security of this country (they advert to
tkeraus of the Spauish Patriots) requires neither ex plattiiiiite
Vir comment. They will persevere unremittingly in this career,
tontident their exertions *ill meet the approbation of the houest
ittdd intelligent.

The Strlctsres signed " 0:4 ESIIIITS," have excited such gene- 1
ral interest, and display such strong proofs of impartiality and
,ludgment, that the Proprietors feel a considerable degree of
pleasure, as well as pride, ,in announcing that thiti intelligent
writer prouii•es to favour theta with a continuance Of 1114.11tbnurs.
They therefore conclude with an assurance that the future Num-
bers of Tun N strtok A 1, IttGlSTl:it,so far from dergiellog from
w hat they have been h ithesto, w ill he w r aims, ith greater care,
and jester cluituk to public apptobation.

Our Ding, doatitution, anb twatO.

iTUARY 1, 1&)9.

"i

ituainxa 111"/ -TWO.

POLITICAL' DISQUISITION.

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RETROSPECTIVE AND ,PRESENT STATE Olt s•
POLITICS.
It i 4 impossible; with any little Seriousness or tlisphsi!-
tion, to enter on the. Sew 1-ear, without taking a retro-
spective view of the last. In our prospect* of refOrtnatioh
for the futUre; we Mild turn frequently and scrupulously
back to the past, to observe where our conduct hay heed
doketive. Rut our intention can be attended with onthing but
the mortification of disappointment, unless *c exclude from
this examination -whatever self-love it to prompt to plugs-
est; in order to palliate our former emus. What is appli-
cable-to private life; is supremely true in every thing which
refers to public toucerns. Here - a deviation fromihis said-
tary ride is productive of confusion- and uncertainty . and
Governments betray: that alarming, inconsistency; ,and flee-
quation, to which we may safely attribntellail the inisfiktuites
arid disgraces of.the last fifteen Teari: To cscapc -a similes
• imputation, tif decide do the propriety of pubtiomeasures
during the course of that year we have • noir quitted, •b
examice where and how a change ought to be introdheedi
is the subject of this disquisition.
We do.not recollect a. single year; and Should Ive-gib !IS
far back.as the beginning of tbiesikteenth century; •which
commenced under- more unfavorable auspices than the
last. There was not a single State on the Continent; with
one or two comparatively trilling,exeeptions; that did not
voluntarily; or by compulsion; associate with Priam. is
order to effect our destruction. We were left; in contr.
quence of this unnatural league; to contend alone againet
the united Awls and resources of that Power, combined
with Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland; RUSliai and Den-
mark. Tire accumulated means of this powerful Confe-
deracy were placed at the discretion of a man; whose ab-
horrence of our nation was at inveterate as his success was
singular and his talents comprehensive. Whatever re-
luctance some might have felt to enter into this monstrous
conspiracy; fear for their don immediateexistante deprived
'them of the *ill of refusing their assent. They knetv,
however; that in assisting to, effect our ruin, they,were
signing their own destruction ; but the dreadful calamities
they had a little before suit:tined; and the fulminating inc-
naces of the enemy, who threatried still greater evils, if
they hesitated to promote the veneance he had denounced
against us, silenced their fears and overpowered their re-
pugnance.
The interdictory decrees against our commerce, and the
subsequent exclu4ion of the produce of our colonies and
workshops frOin the Bosphorous to the Neva, formed ugly
a litik of the vast chain of restrictions to which we were
to be subjected. The project of the enemy went so far as
to cottne its literally to our own shores. For this purpose .
India was to be invaded and turn from us ; whilst the
Asneritau atnbarja'sbewed that a WON was aimed 4 fur

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