The Sun.
London, England, 1802-11-29 00:00:00

the highest state of prosperity, and adds, that the
French Troops were received with demonstrations
of joy, and that there was even a spontaneous illu-
mination upon the occasion.
St. Lucia has also been taken possession of by the
French.

These Papers contain a Letter from VICTOR
HUGU ES, dated Cayenne, Oct. xz, which gives a
very flattering account of the Commerce of that
Colony.
There are no further accounts from St. Domingo,
but if we may rely upon the accuracy of our Private
Correspondent, the French Troops in that Island
are reduced to 3000 men, and a general Massacre
of the White Inhabitants has taken place.
The Funds are 53. to.

WE this morning received two Dutch Mails. Let-
ters from Ratisbon, dated Nov. i 6, state, that in
the z7th Sitting of the Deputation of the Empire,
the Direaorial Minister of Mentz communicated to
it a Note from the Ministers of the Mediating
Powers, containing the Modifications which they
have judged necessary to make in the general Plan
of Indemnities, but the nature of these Modifica-
tions is not stated.

The French Party in Switzerland continue to ar-
rest their opponents. Among others, ERLACH,
WATTEVILLE, and MAY of Berne have been coin-
mitted to prison.
HAUTERIVE, Chief of Division in the Depart-
ment of Foreign Affairs at Paris, is employed in
preparing the New Constitution for Switzerland:
when it is completed it is to be submitted for
approbation to the Swiss Consulta.

Liz Parliamentary Campaign may now be con-
side red as
,fairly opened; and His MA3 EsTy's Speech
from ,the Throne, with the assistance of the subse-
quent Debates upon it, pretty clearly indicate the
Line which his Ministers purpose to pursue, and
still more distindly the ground on which their Op-
ponents mean to rest their Opposition.
If we have hitherto purposely abstained from ob.:
truding on our Readers, any comment on the pro-
ceedings of the last week, it has been no less from
a sense,,of the charge of presumption which we
should have justly incurred, by attempting at all to
lead the Public Opinion at such a Crisis, than from
a consciousness, that towards the formation of it,
our observations would have been superfluous, per-
haps impertinent, where such abundant and inte-
resting materials presented themselves. In periods
so critical and doubtful, we have always been in the
habit of looking forward with impatienee to the
Meeting of the Legislature, which, under wise Go-
vernments, has never. failed to appease those anxie-
ties, and to assuage those apprehensions, which a
state of ignorance and uncertainty is so calculated
to inspire. We have then some knowledge of the
real state of things, as far as prudence and duty
will admit of its being imparted to us ; we have
some compass to guide our judgmeot ;—and by
ascertaining and weighing the sentiments of the great
Political Authorities on either side, are enabled
more correctly to form our own.

It is to us matter of the most sincere gratifica.
tion to observe, with what inconsiderable symptoms
of Party virulence the new Parliament has opened
its career.—This can no otherwise be explained
and accounted for, than by the mutual persuasion,
that the principal Leaders on either side are aluated
by the same motive, though differing about the
means ; that -while the one may think that the
interests of Great Britain would be best promoted,
and its security best established by the preservation'
of Peace, the other by a renewal of the Wary that
a common devotion to its real welfare is a sort of
secret bond of union between both. All agree in
the danger to ke apprehended from the formidable
preponderance of France on the Continent, differing
only as to the degree in which it should be estimated,
and in the means which should be employed as its
correetive. On the one side we see alarm and
despondency ; on the other firmness and precau-
tion. The Public will best judge, under the im-
pression of which of those feelings it is most
becoming for our Rulers and for our Representatives
to aa, under the peculiar circumstances which mark
the present crisis.
Though His MAJEST 'S Speech has nothing in it
sufficiently explicit to admit of our ascertaining the
precise measures which ar6 likely to be taken, we
believe that its language and tone have afforded uni.
versal satisfatlion„ We trace in it an anxious desire
for the preservation of the blessings of Peace ; but no
less prominent is the assertion of the right, the poli-
cy, and the expediency of maintaining a close connec-
tion with the general Interests of Europe. In the ap-
plication of thiS—" times and occasions must teach
their own lessons." Deprecating, as we do, thin- in.
triguing spirit, which might dispose a more restless
Government to be constantly mixing itself With Con-
tinental Polities, and thus wantonly ha Larding' the
continuance of the tranquillity which at present/we

enjoy ; we ire far from thinking that circumstances
may, not occur, that might male a neglect of them,
to the highest degree injurious, disgraceful, and
culpable. The Minister who places too much re-
liance on, or attaches too little importance to, Con.
tinental Alliances, does not, in our opinion, deserve
the name of a Statesman.

That the recent conduct of France towards Ssailt.
zee/and, coupled with other circumstances, has
excited a general indignation in this Country, as it
probably has throughout Europe, none but the
Friends and Advocates of that Government can
deny. To suppose that it has not, would be to
libel Human Nature. In this sentiment we have
fully participated, and shall never be disposed to
disavow it, till we are prepared to disown our feel.
ings as Englishmen, and our sympathies_as men..
But whatever may be the Public Feeling or this oc.
casion, it may surely be a serious consideration 4
how far a prudent Government could think itself
warranted to ad under its impulse. There may be
much to regret, where there are no rational means
of prevention. A very strong Public Feeling on
this subject has evidently been mistaken by some
for a wish to renew the War ; which has however
been completely disproved by the recent Proceed-
ings in Parliament, supposing, as we alWays shall,
that the language of Parliament is identified with
the wishes and dispositions of the People.—Possi.
bly our own Sentiments on this subject may have been
too strongly expressed. If we have been in an er-
ror, we shall find abundant allowance for it in the
breast of every generous Cotemporary.
In the debates which have taken plaCe on the
KING'S Speech, very high-coloured pictures have
been drawn, though very just ones, of the alarming
aggrandizement of France, in Territory and in,Pow-.
er, and of the spirit of Universal Domination which
has marked its conduct. By whom will this he
denied ?—But is the inference from it a just one ?
The argument seems to us to make against itself;
and the proof of the stupendous ascendancy (which
we admit and lament,) that France has acquired
on the Continent, is, to our understandings, an ad-
ditional reason why Great Britain alone should not
attempt to counteract it.—ln those periods of our
History, which have been always considered as the
most glorious to this Country, does it appear that
any such extravagant idea ever entered into the
head of Monarch or Minister, however anxious
to preserve the Balance of Power, and hostile
to French aggrandizement ? But it is no small com-
fort to relied (as was well observed in the House
of Commons) that extent of Territory is not always
an extent of Power ; and France may possibly, in
due time, add another instance, recorded by His.
tory of a great State, which, hurried on by the in.
retested and unreflecting ambition of its Rulers, at
length " Mole ruit suri."
We cannot dismiss this subject, without observ.
ing how totally the Opponents of Government appear
to have been misinformed, with respect to thefath on
which they have ventured to establish charges against
them. We mean particularly our Commerce, our Re.
venue, and the State of our Military and Naval Esta.
blishments. OUT. Commerce has newer been so flou.
rishing—our Revenue never been so produtive, even
in the best times of the great Minister, who laid
the foundation of their Prosperity, and to whose
' breast, we are persuaded, ,their
,Improvement and
Increase will afford no less solid satisfaftion than to
his Successor, under whose auspices we have the
happiness to experience them. Those salutary ef.
fees have resulted from the Peace, which the one
accomplished, and the other approved ;
,and which
effects both united in prediding. And what have been
the redudions of our Force ? None of the Regulars—
only a part of the Fencible Regiments ; and both In.
fantry and Cavalry remaining double to what it has
ever been suffered to remain after the conclusion of
any War. Even this has been condemned, as too
large a Force to maintain in Peace, by some very re.
speCtable Members * of the House of Commons. The
Militia has been disbanded, which the termination
of the War necessarily required ; but the foundation
is already laid of the most formidable internal Force
which this country ever yet possesSed in Peace, par..
titularly in that which has always been considered
as the most constitutional. Of Sailors, it has been
stated from Authority, that we had at this time
near 50,000, and twice the number of Ships that
were ever in commission on a Peace Establishment.
Under the present circumstances it be right to
add even to this strength—" to make assurance
double sure ;" and we trust that few indeed will
be found disposed to assent to the inexplicable pa-
radox, that the security of Peace must depend on the
smallness of our Establishment.

* Mr. liaiikes particularly.

Lord CASTLEREAGH gave a grand entertainment,
on Saturday, to the Chairman, and several of the
Directors, of the East India Company. The De.
puiy:Chairman, and Other Dire&ors, are shortly to
pay their personal compliments to his Lordship.