The Sun.
London, England, 1807-12-01 00:00:00

BUON4P4RIT iIIVD MR, MdRTENS.

oi A blorning Print gives an account of .a suprosed
conversation between these two persons, in which
'Mr:l* MARTENS is made to say, that not having
stodied the modern Law' of Nations, be can give no
.opinion asto thecondtid of the English at Copen-
agen.
. _ _

The Editor of *this Paper bas made rather a bad
sele&ion, in the- Professor of Gottingen, as the
vehicle'of his attacks upon the British Government.
Mr. MARTENS has not'unly written a Book express-,
ly on the " Modern Law of Nations," but be hasi
maintained, in the clearest terms, the principles,
upon which ow. attack on Zealand was founded.-
-if a Sovereign sees hinisetf menaced with an attack,.
he may take up arms in order to ward (yr the blow,
'and MAY EVEN ,CO)IMENCE THE EXERCISE OF THOSE
VIOLENCES THAT HIS ENEMY IS PREPARING TO MIER-
CISE AGAINST HIM, without being chargeolle with
having began ,aniolfentive war. Such- measurer, 'in
such a case, dre nu more than THE MEANS or MIME
DEFENCE."--(Marten's Law of Nations, B. 8. C. 2.
§ 2.) Nothing short of the violation of a perfect
right, either comniiited, Committing, or WITH WHICH
A NATION IS THREATENED IN FUTURE, can justify
the undertaking of a ;win'. On the other hand, every
s'ich %iolation, when proved, and when amicable
means have been tried in vain, or when it IC evi,
dent that it would be, useless to try inch means,
justifies the injured party in resorting: to arms."
§ 3.)
It BUONAPARTE had laid !adore this learned Pro-
fessor his Plans for transporting an Army to Ireland
in; the Danish Fleet, and the means which he bad
of compelling Denmark to assist in this violation of
the pertea rights 61 Great Britain, , Mr. • MARTENS.,
consulting his:Book,- would unquestionably have
answered, " Sir, the ENG tastt, in attacking COFEN-
. I4AGEN, were exercising only4he means q/ SIMPLE

TO THE EDITOR.Off'` TEE SUN.

mt. Epttoa,. •
`As pin have proved yourself a gteady friend of
the good old CotiAitution •of thiS Country, as well
as of our great natiOnal amusement, THE DRAMA, I
eq)C6tedt9 find some in,tice in your Paper of a 'cer-
tain fashionzible:lnstitutiOn, as it is avowedly found-.
ed upon a basis repugnant to the feelings and
ciples'of the British Character. It is the professed
objeal' of Ibis Insthetion to be confined entirely to
the Upper, rank of Socity. This, Sir, is an invidi-
ous and illiberal di:iiiktion, unsuitable to British
feelings at all times, hut putiCularly improper at the
present awful crisis, when the strength of the whole
must.ckpend on an union of the whole, and when it
becomes the upper ranks, in all States, to con-
duet themselves with ,a proper regard to . the
rest of the People. Could it be supposed, that
in this Country, which has long •'exhibited a
rational equality of character in priVate life, while
the politind distinations which the frltile of our
m Government de.ands have been duly main-
tsinvd and respected,, that any fishionable Projector'
should attempt to introduce a new priviteged order,
whichis to exchide people'tvho have raised them-
selves into independLtice by their talent,, and by
works of public utility, from a public amusement,
because they do nut belong to a particular Cast, not
recognized by that Constitution which ills Po long
kept us free and happy, while despotism has in gene-
ral charailerized the nobility of other states, and
vassallae marked the condition' of their people ? •
Shall it be said that, while men of talents in literature
and the arts are admitted into free intercourse with
the highest orders of society ; while our Citizens are
no longer subje& to that ridicule with which they
were assailled in former periods, but emulate our
Nobles in splendour, taste, and an enlightened pa.--
tronage of genius, as well as in those map ificent exer-
flans of public benevolence which would do honour
to any rank, and while there is a free intercourse
among all the various classes ofSocietY, that the des-
picable principle to which I refer should receive any
countenance in this, wise and manly nation ?—I
trust, Sir, that if there should not be found authority
enough to suppress an institution founded upon such
unworthy narrow-minded principle's, that, contenzpt
wiltoperate like law, and that a want of encourage-
ment will induce the Projector to devise some=thing
more suitable to the enlarged feelings and elevated
sentiments of Britons, or that disappointment will
, attend what indeed may heconsidered as an insult to
our national .charaaer..

THEATRICUI.

British, Cqffee-Ifouse.

Yesterday the Royal Society held their Anniver-
sary. meeting at their apartMents Scimerset-place,
When the President, the Right Hon. Sir JOSEPH
BANKEs, Bart. X. 8.. in the name of the Society, pre-
tented t head medal (called Sir Godfrey Copley's) to
EVERARD Hem, Esq. for his Various Papers on
•
Anatomy and Physiology, printed in'the Philosophi-
cal Transa6tions,
Afterwards the Society proceeded to the choice of
the Council and Officers for the ensuing year, when,
on examining the ballots, it appeared. that the follow-
i Gentlemen .Wereeleaed of the Council r
Of the Old-Council. the Right Hon. Sir Joseph.Bahkes,
Bart. K. B. Sir-Charles -13agden Knt. licnry.Caventhsh,
Esq. Humprey Davy,- Esq. Right Hon. Charles Greviller
Wm. Marsden, Esq Rev. Nevit Maskelyne, 3D. D. George
Earl of Morton, Right Hon. Sir William' Scott, Knt.
Charles Wilkins, Esq. Wm. Hyde Wollaston, _ M.D.., ,
(lithe New Council, John Duke of Athol, Sir lames Earl,
Kin.. John Gillies, LL. D. James Glenie, Esq. Frederick
Morton, Lord Henley, Benjamin Hohhouse, Ls q: Joseph
Jekyll, Esq. Edward Innes, M.D. John
rester, LL.B.- •Renn ia, Syl.
•
And the Officers were, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Bankos,
K. IL. President; William Marsden, Esq., Treasurer ; Wit.
bath Hyde Wollaston, M. D. Humphrey, Davy,
cretaries.

Afterwards the Members of the Society dined to
ether as usual, at the CroWn and Anchor Tavern,
in the Strand. .
-Letters from Madeira, of the 2/Itii Of 00ober,
state, that on the oth and 21St of that month,
two Portuguese Packets, arrived.there from Lisbon,
with Dispatches for the 'Governor, and Sailed,
again immediately. Their farther destination was
unknown. The -nature of the Dispatches was
kept a profound secret ; but little doubt was en.
tertained that they related to the defence of the
Island, as, immediately on the departure of the
Vessels, the Governor gave orders for the re-
pair of the Fortifications ; and all potions, ca.
pable of bearing arms, were called' upon to learn
the use of them.