The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-01 00:00:00

Celsa sedet ZEolus area

" Sceptra knew; ; mollitque animas et temperat irai ;
" .2Vi faxiat, mania cc terras ccalumque profundum
" Quippe ferant rapid; secum, verrantque per auras."
" This then is a reason--a reason the reverse of fear—a rea-
son the contrary of disability—why I dread the recurrence of
war.' These words can only fill us with profound regret. It
it is the first time that avowals so disdainful, that maledic-
tions so plain, have been pronounced from a public tribunal.—
Neither Chatham, nor Fox, nor Pitt, have expressed against
France feelings so painful. When Lord Londonderry gave to
the English Parliament an account of the battle of Waterloo,
what did he say in all the exultation of victory ? He
said, the " French and English soldiers washed their bloody
-hands in-the same stream, mutually congratulating each other
on their courage." This was the language of a noble enemy.

" Let England be a giant. I dispute not the stature which
she assigns to herself. But this giant impresses, I think, no fear
upon France. A colossus has sometimes feet of clay. Let Eng-
land be Eolus, I have still no objection. But has 2Eolus no
storms within his empire ? There is no occasion to speak of the
dissatisfied subjects who may be found in other countries, when
you have at" home 5,000,0043 of oppressed Catholics, 5,000,000
of men whom you are obliged to keep down by a permanent
encampment in Ireland—when you are under the .severe necessity
of shooting every year masses of the working population who are
in want of bread."--when you have poor rates perpetually increas-
ing, and so announcing distress increasing in the same proportion.
It is a well-known fact that distress always occasions discontent.
Well _then, My Lords, if the British standard is raised, we shall
see all the dissatisfied spirits of the world ranging themselves
around it. Is it France atone that ought to he disquieted by
- "'iatisfied spirits in Italy, in

Hungary, in Poland, and in Russia ?

" It is a very sad thing to have to fear, as auxiliaries, the pas-
sions and misfortunes of men, to calculate upon the successes
which may take their rise in the overthrowing of empires, to por-
sess such a standard as would he instantly chosen by discord. It
is unfortunate to confess that one could find power in confusion
and chaos. If the giant of England, in departing from his island,
perceives that he can set fire to the world, does it not justify the
continental blockade of another giant ? France, gentlemen, has
other pretensions. If ever, which God forbid, she should he ob-
liged to re-appear in her defence upon the field of battle, she
would rally around her standard, not the discontented of other
countries, but all those who were faithful to their religion, to their
king, to their honour, to their country—all those who were
friends to public liberties in a wise and lawful manner. If we
were even obliged to enter the lists with England, we should not
attempt to excite in her bosom those millions of discontented per-
sons
whom I have mentioned. We should never endeavour to
obtain success by lighting the torch.of civil war in the country of
an enemy. A victory, which was not purchased with our own I
blood, would be unworthy of us. God forbid, gentlemen, that
the English nation, which is so great an honour to.hurnan nature,
should ever perish by the disturbances which one might possibly
excite within her own bosom. The grateful world will never be
persuaded to see any thing but talent, principles of liberty and of
civilization, in the country of the Bacons, the Lockes, and the
Newtons. The world will never believe that the British flag can
possibly be the standard of those disorders which give rise to
anarchy, and with anarchy, to that despotism which follows, and
which punishes it. The English Minister boasts of having pre-
vented the consequences of a war in Spain, and of having taken
advantage of the same, to emancipate a new world. In this boast
there exists only a chronological error. It is forgotten, that, long
before the Ministry of Mr. Canning, Lord Castlereagh, at the
congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, declared that England would, soonir
or later, acknowledge the independence of the Spanish colonies.
It is not then our war in Spain which has produced this recogni-
tion. The Spanish colonies were emancipated; the ports of
England were open to their vessels for the purposes of commerce
at the very time at which the Hon. Mr. C. was about to embark for
India. Now this statesman has merely, followed events, as many
other statesmen have done. We felicitate him upon it, for if he
had foreseen the evils with which Spain has been overwhelmed for
the list three years, and if he had suffered them to increase in
the hope only of injuring France, by what name should we call
such a policy ? The English Minister has declared that the Bri-
tish forces were about to occupy Portugal. They could, and
they ought to do so, upon the terms of their treaties, if a cases
fcederis has really taken place : we must, however, do him justice;
the English Minister has done us the favour to. declare to the
French Government, called to the bar of the English Parliament,
that he is satisfied with it. Still, however, our sincerity was a
little doubted ; actions, and not words, would have been preferred,
but, as it was, all was satisfactory. France was little accustomed
to he thus summoned by the Usher of the Black Rod. It is
somewhat hard for France, which has still the best finances of
Europe, and which, upon a single word of the King's, could as-
semble a million soldiers round the Dauphin. The occupation of
Portugal by the English, which may have advantages under ge-
neral consideration, is, however, in particular, a very sad affair
for-iti, inasmuch as it compels us to remain in Spain. Here is
the cases fcederis of honour ! Never will Frenchmen refuse to
abide by the expenses of it. For the rest, I. do not believe in a
wit. between Spain and England.' England has no longer any
thing to take from a despoiled people, not even their last garment.
Of course, it is not imagined that we should deliver up to Eng-
land the ports of Barcelona and Cadiz. To take possession of
Cuba, it would be necessary to make war upon the United States :
England knows all that. I am not any more inclined to believe
in the possibility of a war between France and England, of which
we declare ourselves even at this very moment the faithful
allies. What should we have to lose in a maritime war ?
two or three rocks in two oceans. One hundred and fifty armed
vessels, not united into a fleet, but dispersed over the seas of the
globe, would do more harm to the immense commerce of Eng-
land, than all the fleets of England could do to the commerce, un-
fortunately too confined, of France. Upon the continent, where
is the point of attack? The English, who would no longer have
the population of Portugal on their side—could they make a stand
there against us? Since England justly vaunts itself upon its
power, it gives us the right of speaking of our own. It should
not be forgotten that there is in France a superabundant popu-
lation, which sees what France has lost, and which it is more
difficult to 'restrain than to let loose. It would be super-
latively impolitic to wound, by contemptuous words, the pride of
a million of young Frenchmen, who throw their impatient eyes
upon the vast field of battle, which is gloriously bathed in she
blowd of those who have but just preceded them. I am 'pot
about to propose to you, to return in your address outrage for
outrage Lthat would not be consonant with your dignity, and

I dare aMrrn that such ii not in my character. But lam per-
suaded that you will think, as I do, that a grave, and even a
severe tone, is that which becomes, at this moment, this Cham-
ber, which is the guardian at once of the lonour. of France, and
of public liberty. Complaisance has already been carried to a very
great extent ; whoever suffers himself to be humiliated, obtains
shame and not peace. I try my utmost to convey; in the word
which I use, the moderation which circumstances require ; I haves
not even recollected Ministers : we shall recover ourselves in the
internal affairs of France. To-day the question is wholly of fo-
reign affairs ; upon the former there is no difference of opinion.
We are all Frenchmen. Let us maintain the interests of our
country, the majesty of the throne, and of France, If it were
wished once more to fetter our opinions, if it were dared once
more, by some miracle, to deprive us of the franchises which
the charter assures to us, and which the oaths of onr kings gua-
rantee to us—let us at least save our honour; sooner or later,
with honour and with glory, we should regain our liberty."