The Sun.
London, England, 1812-10-21 00:00:00

DENMARK.

A traveller lately arrived from Denmark,
gives the following melancholy picture of the
country :

" From the powerful influence of .the French
Minster, Alquier, the King, is now little better
than a French Prefect, being obliged to be con-
stantly issuing new Decrees, all tending to the.
annihilation of trade and depreciation of•his paper
money, which is now little better than the former
French assignats, and must soon even be• worse,
if the Kink continues to regulate the Course of
Exchange, and to 'take upon himself the regular
tion of all commercial transactions, by allowing
no persons to trade but such as can obtain parti,
cular privileges, which are generally procured
through the means of his people about him, who
retain a share of the speculation, and easily per-
stiade the King bow beneficial this mode of traffic
is for the country. At the same- time the. mer-
chants in general, from the 'Vexations and difficul-
ties thrown in the way of trade, seem to have lost
all their energy, -so that they make no exertions,
by remonstrances or explanations, which perhaps
if given,. might convinee the King of the injurious
consequences of uis theasures. Many, of the in-
habitants who think reasonably, Or think at all,
blame the English, not so nine!' for coming to
attack them, as for not remaining when they were
there ; this is the universal opinicn of the lower
orders of people, who Would rejoice to see them
return, hut they would not be so ready to'reeeive
the. Swede, of whom there,alveays has been, and
alweys will be, an unconquerable jealousy.
" The state orspersecution against the mer-
chants is eueouraged- by a numerous Nobility;
with whom the country is over-run, and who are
jealous that some of the merchants are still able
to live better than themselves ;. not recollecting,
that it
.is the merchants alone who made the
country once, so flourishing, and to whom the
King resorts when\ a forced hien. is, wanted. A
greater proof of partiality on the part of the Go-
vernment towards the Nobility cannot be want-
ing than this, that among all the multitude of
new taxes, few or none immediately affect the
Nobility. There is no-tax upon horses, carriages,
servants, dogs,-silver-plate, and a variety of other
articles of luxury, which affect Only the rich ;
whereas, the poor must pay for every room which
Contains a stove to warm them.

" It would appear from a variety of eircnra-
stances, that th+e late mysterious movements of
the Swedes have caused a. great deal of conster-
nation d;nong the inhabitants, as well as to the
Government ; but nothing alarms and terrifies
them so much as the idea of being visited by -a
Russian force, which they dread beyond every
thing. It seems singular, that though at the
period when the. Daces declared war against Swe7
den, in 180 S, they declared they would stand or
fail With their good ally, thes.limperor of Russia,
they have not retained the same sentiments, when
Russia found,herself attacked by France, and be-
came her enemy. Hitherto Denmark may .stand
excused; perhaps, for suffering so many degrada-
tions from Franee, because the loss of her Con 7.
tinental possessions would have been the imme-
diate consequence of resistance. The Govern-
ment is sb poor, that. it has not been able to fulfil
its engagements with individuals, and yet it talks
of raising
,more troops, both in Denmark and
Norway ; which it can only pay by creating more
paper, to the ultimate ruin of the country-. The
expences are estimated at 70 m. of rix dollars, and
as the money declines. in value, the expences.must
increase, whilst the revenues fall short, and no
loans can be expected but forced loans: The re-
venues on commerce are trifling, exclusive of the
colonial tax, which has been excessive, but pro-
duces no constant supply. The Sound Dues, which
were considered fo bring in an annual income ,of
600,000 six-dollars, do not produce enough to
pay the Collectors."

Ptiblished by WILLIAM ARMIGER .SCRIPPS, South lkfc>ltol
the Paper, Letters for the Ectit;r, &c,. (post paid.); -ni