The National Register.
London, England, 1808-07-24 00:00:00

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 1808.

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

NUMBER TIIIRTY•
.-.11M1DN....
PEACE WITH RUSSIA AND DENMARK-RESTI-

TUTION OF TH3 DANISH FLEET.

A great General, when he has obtained a considerable
advantage o.:er the enemy, unremittingly pursues it. Not
a moment's repose is granted ; but the pursuit continued
from one strong position to another, till the enemy is to-
tally annihilated, or obliged to surrender at discretion. A
great Statesman should act on the same principles. The
glorious change which has taken place in Spain and Por-
tugal, is unquestionably the only decided advantage which
has been obtained over Bonaparte since the commencement
of his nefarious career. The more unexpected this disaster,
the greater must be his astonishment and consternation.
Men who have been invariably fortunate in their pursuits,
are more confounded at a sudden reverse of fortune, than
others who are more inured to disappointment. An indi-
vidual, who had run so madly in the career of fortune,
who had so frequently vaunted her propitious influence, is
suddenly opposed by almost insurmountable difficulties,
at the very end of his course, where he least expected
them, and where he was least prepared to meet them.
But this extraordinary man has so often baffled calcu-
lations, so frequently turned, to his advantage the difficul-
ties which seemed most to menace him, that in beholding
a brave people defying his immense resources, whilst we
admire their courage and virtue, and take the liveliest in-
terest in their success, we feel as involuntary apprehension
that they may be unsuccessful. Not that we doubt of their
flail success, but their interests are so interwoven with
our own, their liberty so inseparably connected with that
of Europe, that we behold this contest with the animated
sympathy of strongly interested spectators. We see our
friends, our relatives, (related to us by the strongest ties
of interest, love of independence, and horror of oppres-
sion) contending with a bold, unprincipled ruffian, and his
ferocious soldiery.' We know the remorseless heart of
that sanguinary monster ; and our imagination, aided by
past experience, draws a horrid picture of desolated fields,
burned habitations, and plundered cities. We know the
man, we know the insult he has received, and we know
that his vengeance, if it be in his power, will be equal to
the mortification he sutlers.

The people of this country, who arc as celebrated for
their humanity as for their love of freedom, agitated by
these reflections, shrink with horror at the idea of the,
atrocities which may he exercised on Spain. In their ar-
dent interest for their Spanish brethren, they Overlook pos-
sibilities, and reproachfully ask our Ministers, why have
not our several Expeditions already sailed ? Convinced
of the bravery of our troops, they anticipate their
success. National feelings arc here absorbed by more
comprehensive sentiments; they are totally insensible
to the dangers our soldiers are going to encounter. They
impatiently wait for the first news of their arriTal on
N. .1 XX.--ret. 1.

Spanish ground, of their junction with the Patrio.s, of
their marching at their sides to engage the perficikus one-
my, and of their victories. With the same anx.ety they
enquire if Austria intends to make no diversion ; and if
our Government has done nothing to conciliate Russia and
Denmark ? Now they say is the moment IV*l. petty cow. .
siderations and unmeaning disputes must yield to therm',
interests of humanity. We have defied the united efforts
of Europe. We have convinced the Powers of the North and
of the south of their inability to scare us aato a renunci-
ation of our maritime rights. It is time to awaken them
from their IMal delusion, in order to turn all their energy
against their common tyrant.
These are the reflections which appear to occupy the at-
teution of the public in this moment ; and these are the
motives which induce us to resume a subject, which has
been so frequently and ably canvassed. However, as it is
of the highest expediency to conciliate the States of the
Continent in this important juncture: And as the seizure
of the Danish Fleet was the principal, and in fact, the only
specious pretext for their unnatural confederacy against
us, it is a consideration of the first magnitude, that we re.
asinine a subject which appeared to have had such decided
infthenre on the resolutions of the Russian Court. It gave
the French fiction in f;t. Petersburgh such an opportunity
for charges and invecti-ve against our Government, that
no consideration, no • sacrifice is too weighty, when put
in cuivipetitiun with the advantages we gain, were Husain
brought over to the r,oloMoll cause. The part she taken
will have a decided influence on the other States of the
Continent; and were the Restitution of the Danish Fleet,
now that we have nothing to apprehend from it, capable
of effecting a salutary change in the Councils of that Courts
the most enlightened policy would suggest the imperious
necessity of making that Restitution immediately, and
even unconditionally.
The unprincipled ambition of Bonaparte, his inveterate
hatred to this country, and the weakness of the Danish
Government, together with the animosity which the
Danes felt against us since the memorable 2d of April,
now convince us that the present Ministry were not only
justifiable in seizing it, but deserved !he gratitude of their
Country, for having prevented it fallieg into the possession
of the enemy. Had they, three months ago, over-
ruled by the indecent invectives, and affected love of jus-
tfce of sonic members among their o'pponf
to the Danes their fleet, instead of coati; i
us4a, or any other State on the Continenl
sion would have been attributed to pusi
the desperate opinion we entertained of
This ill-timed moderation would show,
fiance of their pretensions, their contempt
and whilst these States would dastardly crouch
Usurper, they would endeavour to •effac
their cringing servility to him, by an imolai'
our rights. The wnole conduct of our
delicate affaif, was thai of consummate
kin:less in resisting the clamocis of factli
critical humanity of disappviated ambition,

.

ecttla to% e or jos-
nents, given back
iliating Denmark, -.1.
eat, their concei.;:,,l
villanimiti vitt, .44
of our sitnittii4il''l -:
bi
ants ;e4itlitNtit: = -•; •
• • • 41 Ilt
rt of cot% q:-
.. ,
3: '..
Duch to the r '..:
t ~,a
ace the shatilte. 44{4'
olent resistance
4, •
Ministers, in
Statesmen. Their,
ion, anti the li`yorg=,
1011, was Inure !ken*"