The National Register.
London, England, 1809-04-16 00:00:00

POLICY OF THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE.

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The popular attention has been powerfully attracted to the
rapture of Martinique, as announced in the Extraordinary Ga-
ulle, which will he found in full in another part of our Paper—
The people are seldom wrong in their general feeling. Thereis
something in the nature of this acquisition which calls for pecu-
liar consideration. It is with nations as with individuals—There
is a seeming and an apparent good, and in the variety of human
actions, and their unforeseen results, it is possible to sneered to
our ruin, and acquire to our loss.
I.et it not be here said, that we n ith hold from our brave rap-
tors the praise that is due to their personal heroism. With re-
spect to them there can he but one opinion. On this, as on every
other occasion, they have maintained the reputation of their
country,—they have added another laurel to our national w Iva th ,
and augmented the yenrral stool. with their own individual ac-
quisilloes. It was the praise of the ancient Spartans, that every
man imagined his country as it were embodied in himself. It is
equally the characteristic praise Of Englishmen, that they fight
as if the honour of the country rested on their individual efforts.
A country must necessarily become great n here every individual
thus identifies him-ell' in her interests and in her glory.

But the merit o:'!irtvint acquired, rind the value of the acqui-
sition, are t different considerations, and in point or fact,
retpeet very different parties. The merit of the conquest belongs
to the Army and Navy--The plliev of it belJngs to the Minis-
ters. Upon this point of the queAlon, therefore, we wish to
oiler 501110 observations.

A conquest can only be valuable either by its absolute or re•
lative importnnee,—by some value which has in itself, or by
something; which it derives front t particular state of thiugs.
Under the last point of view, the most barren rock may become
of relative iinportance. Malta perhops is an example in point ;
Malta neither grows corn, nor feeds cattle, equal to her own
consumption,—it must always he supported by England.. But
Alatut, barren in and therefore in an absolute point of
view of no value, a.ssanies a relative imp o; twice as one of the
hula arks of the Mediteranean, :Ind under these circunislanees
teas the pretext, if not the actual Cause, of the recommencement
of the war.

The value of 'AI artiolipte toat h' rated npoa these Itrincipl --
What is it's ith-elate ya!ae ? W hat is it %%01-itt in it.:elf? Or
Nvhiit is it's relative %aim.? hat other points of importance
does it protnoti., or f;!cilitate? Does it f` X pel the French from
the West Indies, and in co doitiz, does it materially promote the
wealth and commerce of Inland

Now, with re:Tect to it. absol'ite value. Martinique a stigar
island, and ..vith the exception of Jamaica, ev ere& eV ery
irinnd
in our pot-,cion. Its antimil proitticc, in ,•tzgar and C01:011, if
proporliounte to its magtii:arl:•. and fertility. it has hero well
olr,cr‘cti by tho' e ho have written on Ow 11,.est Indic',, that
the l'ret:cl4 VIII i vat it):1 11:1•• that of the I.:lnglis,'
Plaaters, and that therentre the l'roncli i,1,111;h4 arty infinitely
ttior,-! productive. It will not th,.-refore he too extravagant au
e.“iraate, it we take the annual rrinlace of .04,;:tr, cottoo, anti
other colotii:;1 prodnee at Mar*.itatine, at about 911e•-fOUrl h atilt
•
that i> raised in the

rity of popular opinion ; and the highest
tors the praise that is due to their personal heroism. With re-
immunity is justice to offenders. Strict, ,
ialit y 'on this head i equally beneficial to
spect to them there can he but one opinion. On this, av °a every
s
the governed ;—it places men in power either occasion, they have maintained the reputation of their
ninds them incessantly of their duty, • ac- country,—they have added another laurel to our national a reath,
as a severe but useful Monitor , teaches and augmented the gt`ltrrili stock with their uwu individual ac-
fit cannot inspire them with virtue ;is quisitioas. It was the praise of the ancient Spartans, that every
etc against the poison of power, and pre- I man imagined his country as it were embodied in himself. It is
t sanguinary convulsions, which counter- I equally the characteristic praise of Englishmen, that they fight
the excessive and enfeebling humours of I as if the honour of the country rested on their individual efforts.
tints anti vitiated constitutiona. This on- A country must necessarily become great st here every individual
to offenders is a sacred duty the public thus identifies himself in her interests and in her glory.
tales, as well as succesaors, in (Alice ; for
oe,
even barbarouc,
they
should be de- But the merit o!'llaving acquired, and the value a of the cqui-
sition, arc to very different considerations, and in point or fact,
!rice they never forfeited. Too unquali-
uo undiscriminating a jealousy of every wl•
re very different parties. The merit of the conquest belenti„.s
an ostensible employment, must ulti- to the Army and Navy--T he p2liey of it Wangs to the Minis-
id the consequence is unavoidable, that tors. Upon this paint of the question, therefore, we wish LO
ok, with a jealous, hostile spirit, to every oiler some observations. 1
"'anent; and thus the great link of union A conquest can only be valuable either by its absolute or re. '
ch can alone render the community re- lative importance,—by some value which has in itself, or by t.
ind tranquil arid prosperous at. home. somethimt; which it derives front a particular state of things.
ember an instance in the history of this, Under the last point of view, the most barren rock may become
lacy, where sylliptollai of a more danger- of relative iinpartunce. Malta perhaps is an example ill point ;
have: manifested themselves, than arc vi- Malta neither grows corn, nor feeds cattle, equal to her own
ant in Great Britain. The highest reach .
consamption,—lt must always be supported by England.. But
dont, of conciliation temperedbwith firm- ,
;Ude, imperiously urgent in order to restore Malut, barren in it:,elf, and therefore in an absolute! point of ,
view of no value, assumes al relative impot ;mice as one of the
!nee. Those who are zealous and ardent o
if abuses, must be cautious that their veal hula arks of the Mediteranean, :Ind under these circumsainees I I
rd to intemperance; their love of reform, was the pretext, if not the actual cause, of the recommencemeut . . t
innov alien. Public discontent is ("aide, I of the war.
I
onlined, with extreme difficulty, with- The value of Martilliiitu- inta.t he rated nivel these principleei--..
• if it reach and swell to a certain What is it's ab-elate vase ? W hat is it 55 or: hi in itmlf? Or
nary barriers cannot restrain it ;--it over- what is it's- relative saint. ? V, hat other points of importance t
every trace of the former arrant:a-meats. does it "manta aor facilitate? Does it expel the French from F
I violent resolutions will thwart, I. the : 0
the West ladies, and in so (lulu,!, dues it materially promote the
7y reasonable prospect of amelioration; wealth and efflomerce of i;o.riaod ? n
'
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tell as moderate men, will recoil front an . '3
Now, a kit re:Tect to its absolute value, Martinique ig, a sogaf ,
ich, if not calmly and prudently maniered, , ,
' sum,o, and :rich the exception) or Jamaien, exceeds every islaild
re of disorders, far more dangerous tj'llie
in se
sion. annual las prodace, in sugar and cot:oa, if
e, thaw the abases vi• kith 'tow undermine ie
proportiounte to its magiii:ada and fertility. it has hero well
The ICeghest prudence and temper are.
'tally requsile ;---- tle wild, impracticable oti,ery ad by those who havo w Tilton on Ow ,lest Indie,, that
visionary, as well as the frenzied, disor- E the :'reach cultivation has :3 sx ays exceeded that of the English
of the dcmagogae, must be equally avoid- Plaaters, acid that therefore the French isbauls are: infinitely
lit towards rational reform. inure productive. It will not tlierefore he too extravagant an
el:lom fall to the lot of humanity, are rc- , estimate, if we take the annual !it-ad:tee of .:agar, coque, twit ar
imisirv, who would bring this crisis to a lother colt iI produce
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..., . . • • . )I, •. at _ .. 1 , hi
Atea equally alteutoe to the demands ot that raked in the I.,:•g!ish ialandi• . o
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APRIL 16.

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