The National Register.
London, England, 1808-01-24 00:00:00

0

TILE NAT.

sentiments, must also have been desirous of peace ; and in this
Case her mediation could only have tended to accelerate that
most enviable event. If France acid Russia were both hollow
in their pacific professions ; no adisl negociation would coon
have (ambled us to detect their iasincerity, , and to expose it to
the world.
The other objection of our Ministers to the acceptance of the
Russian mediation, their ignorance of the basis on which France
was willing to negotiate, seems equally untensble. To arrange
the basis itself was a matter of preliminary negociation, in %hich
the mediating power might well bear a part ; nor can we see
any reason whatever, why the acceptance of the Itossian media-
tion should be deferred, until this arrangement should be com-
pleted by France, and approved by our Government.
Ins Majesty mentions his concern that the enemy has succeed-
ed in rendering the Ottoman Porte our enemy. The friendship
-or the comity of this worst of governments, or rather this worst of
anarchies, is of so little importance, as scarcely to deserve men-
tion among our other truly great and interesting concerns.
The Speech extols the fidelity and magnanimity of the King
of Sa viten ;it hints that it is a ban-NI duty to render asaistanee
to that Monarch ; and expresses a hope that Parliament will
enable his Majesty to discharge any obligations contracted for
this purpose. The conduct of the King of Sweden towards this
country has certainly been meritorious : but we doubt his ability
to resist the powerful combination of the surrounding powers ;
and we are apprehensive that our subsidies to him s% ill prove as
fruitless as they have done in every other country of the Conti-
went of Europe.
With regard to America, it is stated that an attempt has been
made by that Government to C1)1111441 with the atrair of the Che-
sapeake, pretensions inconsistent I% ith the maritime la:slots of
Britain : such preteusious, it is added, his Majesty is determintsl
never to admit. We cannot but give our hearty assent to this
determination of his Majesty, in the sense in which we under-
stand it : it is surely absurd in the Americans to imagine that
we should gratify them by renouncing our right of seareltieg
either for deserter:. or far contraband goods, on board their iot--
chant vessel?. ,The rtAlits which s; e here claim, are accortletl
equally to every state by the law of nations.
The Orders is Csouncil are spoken of as a mere measure of re-
tal ti on, indispctualsty necessary to counteract the previous
Edicts of Bonaparte ; and Pal liament is called Jpon to give vi-
gour to these measures by lit sanction. • itie: never doubted of
the jut,' len of these Orders, as they were plainly an act of ref:l-
- ; but we must own that we entertain great doubts of their
expediency. The coneuvrec of neutrals sas the only , means re-
maining to us of diffusing our mauulactork.s over the Continent
of Europe ; hod eiperienee seems to show that no efforts of Bo-
itaparte could have l'Untetr repressed this tont:twee, unless our
Orders of Council had come to his
ohm* to the state of the tescsse, hi* Majesty gives us
tsteawroeultic inforsoatinu, that both the tempt.rary and
Mll'l have proved mor.. productive than in the preceding
rear; and that he hopes the tweessary stwlie% for the present
:ear may be raised withotit any material addition to the public
hardens.

• Toward 3 the conclusion of the Speech, mention iv made of
peace and war ; huf itot in such term, as can itiAtify an, .
pectation of the speedy restoration of tranquillity. " if ever
here was a just and national ivar," says the Speech, " it is
thea which his Majesty is now compelled to proiecute. This
" war is in its principle purely defensive. 'lig Ninjestv 10010
44 but to the attainment of a arcure and honourable peace: but
44 such a peace can only be urrociato,l upon 4 footing ot.
perfect equality."

From these ex preisions sre may di,ti,tictly perceive th.it the
pretint does no:appear to oar Minister.: o proper .e:von for ne•
What invre rAvut:r tide c;4,tiv,i,