The National Register.
London, England, 1809-09-24 00:00:00

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POLITICAL

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111VMSER EIGRTY NTNB• •

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ALARMING STATE OF THE NATION.
We arc supported by the highest authority when we
say., that a house .divided against itself cannot stand."
What is true of individuals is not the less true when ap-
,plied town Administration, or to a Country. Na man in
the kingdom, however.desirous he may be: to strengthen
the hands of Government, whatever may be his partialities
for those who compose it, can shut-his eyes upon the dan
gerous situation to which we are at length brought ; bad
men may exult, good men may. deplore ; but the.wisest
will deliberate with no common interest upon the-means
of extricating us from our present alarming situation.—
Recent events have contributed 'not a little to increase our.
danger, not -merely the events abroad, .but the circum--
stances which bave,occurred at home, have snore particu-
larly contributed to render the prospect imminent and
alarming.

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Let us have the courage to look our real: situation in the
face, and, if •a knowledge of that does- not operate to the
exclusion of private discord and public animosity, oo effect
would or could be produced even though one rate- from
the dead. The executive government of the country, wile-.
they good or bad, has ca.rried.on a war certainly just in
its origin, and, perhaps, necessary, has incurred.an expense
.beyond the example of all former wars, with an immense
-erasion of blood, has adopted a system for the attainment
'.of certain objects,..and, in -the pursuit of that system, has
•bten .assisted with ,the confidence arid support of the-peo.,
-plea The greatest exertions have been made to assistiha:
effects of Spain against thp common enemy ; and even our
well-founded complaints against the conduct of Austria,
have not prevented Ow
,most formidable equipment that
ever left our coasts froni being sent to her assistance in the
hour of her distress; and-. jet, after all these exertions, we
are confessedly at a greater distance from every object that
we had in view. than when we first engaged in the contest.
If these thingi; be so, there is prima fade evidence that
something has been wrong, and that. Wrong ought to be'
inquired into at ;east. If the war has been prose-
cuted vigorously and wisely, if our plans have been ma--,
tured by wisdom, and executed with vigour, if,* as Lord
CASTLEREAGH contends, the Administration at home can-
not be inipeached, and; as.Mr.'CAnnssa declares the Coin- ,
Manderaare irreproebabte,..ihat is the situation of the
,country If.sfie bare bden and,. xiiteronsly,Jilt at:
any *rate ineffectually exhausting our resources, the.sesutiCi
feud, of necessity he despnii.—lf nothing cad be:hrhied. fors
change 'Ten, if there be no chance' af,:b,eifer„iiii.
Cells ftproAlie prosecution of other measures, what is thei
situation of the country- but that of irreMediabieuniveid*:
able-rit:in.? It seems to follow from this reasoning that'.
objeet,which have beeti pursued so long, and with
.so much',
-vigour, at such ~an expcnce too, are unattainable ; and if;
lixpesrienceitai shewn that they cannot be acT'omplivbed by i
Fol. 11.•--No. X(1.