The National Register.
London, England, 1809-10-01 00:00:00

OCT. 1.

Sentiments are more'directed.bv passion than reason ; and
have contributed not inconsiderably to the divelmin mews
which the country has been lately exposed to. We have
been bandied about from one party to another, not _re-
flecting that it is not a change of party, lint a radical
change of policy, external and internal, which can prevent
their recurrence. The present moment is the most auspi-
cious for a revolution of that kind.. The Impressical is he.
come general, in consequence of our recent disasters, that
something is
,fundamentally defective in the management
of the national concerns and resources. The varioes
changes which; had .taken place for the last eight years in
the Cabinet, did not obviate the evil ; and I seriously ap-
prehend; that in spite of experience, we shall continue
shuffling and Aggliag. with the same deplorable levity,
until some tretnenduousconvulsion awakes us, perhaps, too
late, to a sense of our folly. Every change in the Cahin&
is a revolution in our foreign policya Extremes are always
to be deprecated ; but more especially .in this moment,
.wheu the most trival error, even the .slightest miscalcula-
tion, might occasion irretrievable injury: I perfectly agree
that the present Ministry, particularly after the secession
of Mr. C. ri NINO, and constituted as it is at present, is to-
tally incoespetentto the management of the iwt blic business.
Since its formation, it evinced blustering without energy,
tardiness without caution, interference without effect,
and hostility without injury, except to our own army.—
llut I. ant still more thoroughly convinced that the
tisselated, or Mosaic, Administration that has been so
vapidly projected, is still more unequal to the im-
portant and arduous task. The late Ministry have
been torn by dissentions ; and to this unfortunate spirit we
may attribtite a considerable part of the misconduct and
failures which marked their projects. Would it not be
madness to expect greater unanimity+ or greater success,
from a body, where the parts are far more discordant ;
where their views, their principles, their professions, have
been so diametrically opposite ? l cannot think, Sir, with-
out horror and unutterable anxiety, on such a Chaotic
Cabinet, Instead of devoting. their attention exclusively
Sind unanimously to ward off the imminent danger which
threatens us from abroad, and to conciliate the people at
home, they would consume the precis titerval m petty-
fogging intrigues and mi,iterable squabbles, in ordec to
supplant each other. ita:her than see the prosperity and
Independence of my country, confided to a Junta of sueh
heterogeneous men-titers, I shoul4 almost prefer to behold
Lord CHATHAM at the head of the Treamay ; the Earl of
WESTMORELAND administering our Foreign Affairs; Lord
CASTLEREAGII reinstated in his former situation ; and Lord
AIULGRIVE continue to preside at the Admiralty ! The
consequences wolild. not be less destructive, or their it:ef-
ficacy less alarming. This is really no season for Ministe-
rial match-making ; the entire party must abtiointely re-
tire, or reorganize an Administration out of their c'a'n
elements. If they adopt the latter plan, the voi.e of the
Country loudly demands the reinstatement of 11r. CAN-
NING. His eloquence, iistegritv, and the suavity of his
manners, have deservedly gained hint a large s!iaie of the
public confidence ; and I do not hesitate to declare that,
without his co-operation and support, they Ar4ad not be
able to waddle through six months of ofricial ezistence.
The enemy we shall have to contend witit for the future,
alone •iod unaided. is a dreadful antagonist. Ate has sub-
jug^.ted Europe ; torn up the barriers of Ink iadependenee,
and levelled her landmarks, in the sneto :Is was nl!ot-
ted to our fasltiolable tourists to gallop over the seine'
space of (-round. hits success does not ap:tetu' :0 have re-
laxed the energy of his mind, or se tisaal hi 3 ip,ordinate am-
bition. The dethronement of one inc,narch, and the occu-
patioa of a kingdom gave him a keener appetite for the
seizure and aba::ement of another. He is, ir, no man to
lie trifled with. He hates us, our freedom, and opulence,
inteusely ; and there is not an engine, which the extraordi-
nary powers of his mind can devise, or the united efforts
of the contiwiat wield; which duplicity' can sl:4.ge4t, or

indefatigable etrorts mole, that will not be employed to
effect ohr destruction. I would you then, seri-
ously, it the people •Of this countrv, A9IIOSt such a stflrill
s cellecting about their shores, a 1.,. to ht made a shuttle-
cock or, to be played to and fro by narty intrigtwrs ?
would ask, as dispassionntcl7, if :iu the dincontent,
which pervades the.pu:ilic, in consequence of repeated dip.
Asters, it be prudeut to foment those agitated feelings, or
to inuease the schism between the governing and the go-
vented, by a disgraceful scram'ule among the former
':bout the profits and influence of ofuicc ? !t!clt mean
rapacity and vulgar amh:tion were indecent and disgust-
ing, had no danger menaced from abroad, and no symp-
toms of discontent appeared at home ; but, in a crisis of
unprecedented difficulty and Teri!, they tear from the
:ireast of the patriot the la:it hopes he might have enter,
taiued of the safety of his country.
A CONgTAIT READEIIio
'Kent-Read, Sept. 30.

FOREIGS 'NCE.