The Sun.
London, England, 1801-10-12 00:00:00

MR. ADDINGTON'i ADMINISTRATION.

IF it he true, as is generally believed, that the
talents of men at the head of Public Affairs are to
be estimated by the success which accompanies their
measures, how much ought not this Country to ad-
mire those of the present Minister; and what obliga-
tions does it not owe him ? During the short space
in which he has had the management of our affairs,
what rapid steps have we not made from Evil to
Good, from Trouble to Repose, from Uncertainty
to Security ? A brief review of the past will be
sufficient to demonstrate this.

At the commencement of the year, although we
had been every where viftorious, although we had
sustained, both abroad and at home, our Charafter,
our Honour, and our Power, our situation was ne-
vertheless become disheartening in Many points of
view. The Enemy with whom we had been con.
tending for more than eight years had acquired a
more vigorous government ; had triumphed over
our Allies ; had displayed unforeseen resources ;
and had loftily announced his, design of di-
refting, from that time, all his strength against -
this Country, He bad taken advantage of his
successes to weaken our ineuence in the different
Cabinets of the Continent ; and, favoured by themo-
mentary dispositions of that of Petersburgh, had suc-
ceedcl in provoking to hostility in the North of
Europe, three Powers leagued together to resist
our Maritime Rights, and our Commercial Inter-
ests, At home, the Spirit of Turbulence, encou-
raged by the melancholy aspeft which our internal
situation presented, and turning to its account the
sufferance and privations which two unproduftive•
years in succession had occasioned, renewed with
fresh ardoui its dangerous and mischievous prat,
:ices. An inmortant question, in which those most
distinguished for talents, for rank, and charatier,
were divided in 'opinion, agitated the Public, ex-
cited much anxiety amongst the best disposed, and
criminal hopes in the breast of the faCtious. It was
under these circumstances, that Mr. ADDII3GTON,
aft:Jated solely by a sense of Duty towards his
Sovereign, and Love towards his Country, ac-
cepted the Situation of Prime Minister. •
His Public Career began by the declaration, that
he wished only to be judged of by his measures :
and the Country has not been disappointed. His mo-
derate and conciliatory Prepositions, nochaving im-
mediately succeeded in surmounting the unjust preten-
sions of the Northern Powers, an Expedition
der taken, in which the vigour of the Execution equal-
led the wisdom of the Plan, and the aftivity of the
preparations anticipated the piojefts of our Ene-
mies. That which the force of Arms paved the
way for, MOderation in Council and Political A-
ddress accomplished ; and a Treaty, more compre-
hensive than any of those. which had before con.
fleeted us with the Powers of the North, solidly esta-
blished our Maritime and Commercial Relations
with them. These were not the. only advantages
which resulted from the Viftory of Copenhagen,
and from Of: Convention of Petersburgh. Our
Fleet was recalled from the Baltic, to cover our
own Coasts, and to threaten those of the Enemy.
We recoveied oar preponderance in the North, and
in Germany, and France found herself deprived of a
powerful diversion, by which she calculated on
distrafting our strength, and on favouring the fur-
ther projefts that she bad entertained against this
Country.

But it was not to measures of defence alone that
our Government confined its views. While it re.
venged the insults which we had experienced, and
asserted our Maritime Rights, it resolutely fol-
lowed up an Expedition of the first importance, we
mean that against Egypt, without a happy termi-
nation of which we-could neither have prosecuted a
successful War, nor have obtained a.solid
Of the whole of that brilliant Campaign little need
be said by us ; but had the. means of carrying it on
been sparingly afforded, it would, prosperously as it
had been begun, have probably failed. In the same
spirit of unremitting exertion is to be classed the
sending of Sir JAst ts SAUMAR z to Cadiz, Sir Joarr
WARREN to block up Toulon, and .Admiral PU&S,,
with a strong Squadron, to Gibraltar; the former
of which measures paved the way for that brilliancy
of Exploit at Algesiras, and in a subsequent
Aftion, with a force double to our own, which
would have, added trophies even to the great names
-of a DUNCAN or a NEI,soN, and have alone contri-
buted to immortalize the Naval Atchievements of
this War.

While abroad our efforts were attended with so
much glory and so many advantages, the measures
of Goverment at home had not less merit, and were
not less successful. His Majesty's Speech dire Bed
the attention of both Houses of Parliament to the
two objeEls the most proper to engage it, the High
Price of Provisions, and the machinations which
threatened the public tranquillity. The number
of Bills passed, after the most mature consideration

ant ample discussion, proved the common solicitu
of Parliament and of Government on those important
topics. The Hydra of Sedition was again crusheit
The measures of the Legislature co-operated wits
the beneficence of the Rich to alleviate the sufferings
of the Lower Orders, and to induce them to await
patiently the time when Providence would rewala
their fortitude by a most abundant harvest.

We say nothing of the unremitting assiduity
paid by. His Majesty's Ministers to their public
duties ; of their alertness to reward merit wherever
eminent services have called for recompense ; 01
their moderation during their whole career of un'
interrupted Prosperity ; or of the secrecy with
which they have concluded the most important Ne'
gotiation ever carried on by any Government-01
these a discerning People will form a proper

estimate.
To sustain the glory of our Arms, to maintain
the power of the Empire, and support the National
Charaler, were not the only objeCls to which the
generous ambition of Ministers has direEted its attest'
riot', From the first moments of their AdministrP,
don' they had it in contemplation to put an
if it were possible, to the sufferings of flumanitYi
and to
.put a termination to a glorious War bj
a solid Peace, A direo Negotiation, conform'
able to this objeCt,. and pursued in, this spirit'
experienced long and trying difficulties, They per'
severed.—Strong in the purity of their motives,
they seem to have avoided the two extremes of
impatience on the one hand, and of weakness
on the other ; and feeling the importance
of so desirable an object, thoy had the goo 4
sense to proceed_ towards its accomplishment
with slow, but certain steps, While they caltoli
discussed the Conditions of PeaCe, they aaiveli
prepared to proseettte the War with vigour* While
they testified to the, French government the since'
rity. of their desire to terminate it, they shewedl
the same time, that they had nothing to fear from
its prolongation, This "judicious and meritorious
conduCti has, at. lengths produced its efreet,
Peace has been concluded, which confirmed the Ore'
:dit we had acquired in the long and painful
whichinfu
ls
otrti;
gle in which we have been engaged, by )
ancient Possessimis are preserved,_ and others the
most desirable added to them x which confirms ()a
faith to our Allies, and which, by satisfying I,o°'
parties, carries with it the best pledge of its I.)cr
manence and Solidity',
We do not mean to at as the panegyrists of tb°
present.Qovernment we leap o. 4to our Countrylifl
to con Sider, whether to have rendered: such signal seta
vices during the short period in which they 101 i
been called by HIS MAIE§TY to the helm, does °I
does not entitle them to Confidence, and wile'
ther any doubt ought to be entertained that tho°
who have condb6ted the War with vigour, and ter"
minated it with honour, will continue by a haPPI
mixture of firmness and moderation, to preserve tt
us those Blessings, for which the Country canil
but feel itself indebted to their talents, wisdoms a°
exertioos‘