The National Register.
London, England, 1809-10-29 00:00:00

TITE-NATTONAL REGISTER.

The same observations apply to Portugal. Its fate is in
dissolubly connected with that of Spain ; =and it would be
tray an excess of fully tostipulate the independence of one,
without securing th•tl of the other. It is es-en probable

that BUONAPARTE would consent, with pleasure, to the re-.
instatement of the family of Bnioasz4 upon the throne of
"Vortugal, an event which would exclude us- as effectually
from all intercourse. with that country, as if it were subject
to the sceptre of JOsapu, and eventually shut the ports of:
the Brazils to our shipping. Ve have no doubt that the
many tyrant will. readily consent to this, pretended sacri-
fice, upon condition of our recognizing Joseru's title to
the Spanish crown. Malta, the Cape, Gibraltar, Marti-
nique, St. Domingo, the two Sicilies, and -Hanovero- offer
new difficulties towards an accommodation. Pondicherry
is another bone of contention ; and sincerely as, .we would
• wish to see Peace restored to mankind, we cannpt possibly
. discover how that blessing is attainable.
But supposing even that these difficulties were to be re-
moved; the next consideration is, does a peace offer a pro-
.spect of duration I Or, can we confide in the moral cha-
racter of the enemy, that he would not employ the interval
of repose to disseminate disunion in the country, tamper
with the vices and wants of some profligate individuals;
make use even of the press to promote his future projects,
and empliiy the interval of repose in acquiring what he does
not not 'now possess—a navy, and seamen? These are
weighty considerations; in particular as we knew that his con-
duct towards others has been marked With duplicity and per-
. filly ;—that he pretended his hand Only to betray, and
embracedonly to murder We really do not meals to
weaken theimpression by employing figure or by perbole.
lie has been hitherto a very perfidious character ; and his
conduct toWards the unfortunate family of CHARLES IV.
She'-'S liim in the light of a bold, unfeeling reprobate, who
Wit: commit., without remorse, the blacke:t crime, provided
it: offers him the prospect of some advantage. But, in ,
~ •
fact, he displayed in Italy, and Egypt, the same contempt '

of p:iblic opinion, the same atrocity of heart, and syste-
matic, planslve villainy; as he did upon that occasion.—
We alwajs refused to credit the report of his having poi-
timed :nig alck soldiers. We rejected, with horror, the
idea of a human being committing such a cool, un-
Viiteful, unprovoked', unjustifiable, act of atrocity. But
now. we ace as confident' .of his having. murdered his
. unfortunate companions, aq 'we were formerly unwilling
fof.he;ieve it. Can we,- good heavens conclude with
such a loan a treaty ,of .lasting peace and amity I iiitere is
oar Aecurity What 'plehe have we of his good faith ?
Is there any Amu amongst ni fool, or vlitain to advisc: the
atkis!:re ? With reified
.to every other rople, lie conai-
dered .the sinettt) of eligiigoritenti, the faith.of treaties,
the interchaikge of oat hi, as a:surer rocans.of effecting their
4nin than by open violence, •It woial4 he ahandoking ex_
.p-rience for tilt, franti.e'stigg, .'fictions of •inimenen., if we ex=
tected E 1 morg religious phservance of Airy engagerneritoi he
may contrail !t:',th .19. The persons, whO czUvL.e us to try
the ;:xpeiiiiiVnt, not i..dnfide, far.ai their.pri.
vat° interests are conci:rned, the value of a single guinea
• -
toile intewrit or • lionOir, of rtrni.rir individual; and
.
they feel no beiitatiiikili.entruct the of their coun-
- in to his probity "'Wit MOderation; 'Thvre is gica: incon-
truitv, and peat hi • woch-condliet. !lOW I they
would exprt.a'tke'Kroirgeg.apfct:YcrAio. tau earn isto any
• A . i; 4,4 ..4.1 .„

,Irr

V ..1

'OCT. f 9.

compact which concerned their private concerns, with one
who had been guilty of the tenth part of the duplicity and
enormities, which mark the conduct of NAPOLEON BCONA•
'PARTE ; and evince no jealousy, no suspicion, after the
instructive examples of Spain, Prussia, Switzerland, the
Pope, Austria, and so many other States, when the trans.
action relates to the general welfare. For our part, we en-
tertain not the slightest doubt, that a Peace would be no
more than a substitution.of secret fraud for open violence;
of underhand intrigue for hostile menaces; of never-ceasing
irritation for bold aggression. Every inland town and sea-
port in the United Kingdom swarming with his emissaries,.
his Ambassador assuming the haughty manners and lan-
guage .of a Proconsul,—the press, the Senate, affoOding
the Tyrant as eternal subject for complaint, remon-
strances, insult., • and menaces.—are only a slight sketch of
the evils incident to Peace. War, perpetual War, would
be a blessing, compared to the unceasing torments of such
a state. At peace, we could not abandon ourselves to the
confidence and security of Peace. We could neither dis-
band our army, nor unrig our fleets. In a word, we
should be exposed to all the alarm and inconvenience of
War, without witnessing any of its splendid effects. The
Public, when such an event occurs, have a right to expect
a considerable dilainution of their present burthens ; or
what benefit does a Peace confer'? 'But would the menac-
, in; attitude of the enemy admit of the slighest retrench-
meat, in any one branch of the expenditure ? When-
ever necessity, the impatience of the pub!ie, the intrigues
of •a Minister, or a change of public men, remove the
impediments to. a Peace ; very few, who are acquainted
with the' ambitious character of the enemy, entertain any
hopes of its duration, should such an event occur.
The prospect before us is gloomy, cheerless, ter-
rific, aud wrapped upsfin dreadful inexplicable mys-
tery. War; perpetual War, is a horrid idea. But
Peace, with au individual like NAPOLEON BOONApAItTE, is
still more alarming and repulsive. On this side is Scylla ;
on t:fat Charybdis. It implies great skill, courage, vigi-
lauce, an undaunted presense•of mind, to escape the whirl.
ins eddies, which, in both directions threatens to ingulph ,

us. But, in this embarrassment, we have a very Simpht
mode of condtv:t to pursue;--to live and die as freemen I
'• "'A day,—an hour of virtnoni liberty,
sY:titr " Is worth a whole eternity of bondage." `1••1-

FOREIGN ISTELLIGENCE.

43fE111(1.4.

•.14 . St!

• ; •
Niew- YORK* SEPT. 14.—8 y a Gentleman; a pasiedge;
in the Sehooner•Fair American, we learn, that the garrison
awl inhabitants of the City of :it. Domingo were in strch
extreme want of the necessaries or life prior to its sur-
render to the British, that flour sold at 120 dollars per
barrel, and every other article equally dear.; that dogs'
and mules' meat sold at one dollar per pound, and that they
K ere determining to feed on each other before they would
surrender to the Spaniards.' All the French were quitting
the City as fast as possible, as it was given up to the Spa-
niards by. the British. All American vessels found in the
City at the time of its surrender were condemned.—(A oi
l'ork ('azette.)
SEPT. 15.—Mr. JAcisom.:—Our readers will recollect.
that, ns soon as gr. Jackson's appointment, as Minister to
this/country, was announced, violent efforts were made,
iq .2' it* #lurora, 24 well se by the minor prints of the Freueb
•

• •