Star.
London, England, 1803-12-08 00:00:00

TO THE FEOPLE OF THE UNITED EMPSRE.

LETTER XI.

•
Humbly Imploring the bleffing of Divtra Paovio ENCL. I look
forward with a firm convitßion, that if, contrary to all jeft
cx-
pecßation, the enemy °mild elude the vigilanee of my nume-
rous fleets and cruinerv, and attempt to execute thdrprilvmpta-
ear threat of invading our coals, the confealucncewiU be to thew,
dijiossfitere, eeeffs9;ea, and di rate, and that ear's will not only be
the glary of ferinnunting prefent diff.culties, but the fetid ald leer-
gnawed adoeitiggs of fixtvg the Nity end irdeltervienee if the hingdoos
ihit the dafu ef asbewledgd Peva, toe r Pert f it: ewe tried eatery
isad refirren."—King's Speech. Nov. 12.

Nov. 27, xBO3.

Such. alas! is the deplorable condition to which
thq violence and perfidy oejrance have reduced
mankind, that I will venture to affirm, there is not
another Monarch throughout Europe, in a fituation
to utter the fearlefs and majeftic language delivered
by the Britifh King to his own fubjees, in the face of
the moll formidable enemy that ever menaced the
repofe and independence of any people. There is
not one among the peace-ridden Princes of the Con-
tinent, who can with truth and juflice congratulate
his country on a fimilar unvarniffied picture of its
glory, profperiry, and patriotifm. How then (ball
We account for this extreme diffimilarity of moral
condition between Sovereigns whofe affeeions, inte-
refts, and dangers are the fame ; whole means of
refiftance are co-equal, and whole fafety is effentially
interwoven in the faccefs of that nniverfal cattle for
which the Britifh Empire is aroufed to arms and
glory? Is it not an anomaly in politics, that the
molt martial nations of the earth, powerful in the
virtue: of prince., the fidelity of fubjees, the talents
of minifices and generals, and the immenfity of their
population, (hould be calm fpeeators of periodical
(tenet of rapine and ufurpation, and (bould view
with lupine indifference the circuit of an ambition,
which approachts their confines in rapid progreffion,
and accumulates, at every Rep, frefh materials for
the accomplifhment of their ruin?—Theft are quef-
tion: or weighty and momentous confequences to the
prefent, and to future ages ; but happily, they are
fo divefted of ambiguity, as to render their folution
neither difficult nor laborious. There are no myfte-
ries to unravel, nor arguments to diffn ove ; it is only
neceffary to delineate legitimate power, fully ade-
quate to the emergency of a conteft, crouching be.
neath infufferable tyranny, from no other motive than
that the charms of indolent: appear more congenial
to feeble minds than the noble tumult of arms, in
behalf of honour, liberty, and independence. The
extraordinary lethargy of the Continent is the effete
of a delirious fatuity which Was poffelred the higher
orders of fociety, with lefs areal of military anarchy
and Confular ufurpation, than the rifle of oppofing
them. They are abandoned to an irrefiftible deftirty,
and,like the fordid Creeks of Contlantinople, dream
of a fairy land of fecurity, at the very moment their
iruthlefs enemies are employed in figning their death
warrant. Like them, they are referving for their
future conquerors the treafures and refources by
which they might now defend themfelves, and char-
tile the common enemy of mankind. Every one
hopes for perfonal fafety in the min of general con.
fufion ; coolly calculates the extent of the tributes
and difhonour to which he may be condemned; and
congratulates himfelf with the confoling refteftion, that
after having been (horn of ancient luftre, power, dig-
nity, and honour, he may efcape with a tenth of
what he formerly enjoyed. Yet, by the prefent Is-
crifice of this tenth, by the prudent determination to
decimate their property, in order to preferve the
whole, the Continent might (till be laved l- It is in.
difputable, that if it were to call forth only the tenth
of its genius, ftrength, and refources, its fate would
be ultimately retrieved, and the hydra of revolution
driven for ever from the face of the earth. It is this
wretched penurious hope of a difhonourable fafety,
this miferly confidence of obtaining the refervation
of a pittance from the bounty of infatiate robbers,
this daflardly felfifh feramble an the midi of the
tumbling edifices of civil fociety, which has pervert-
ed, ruined, and loft the public fpirit of Europe.
But, as if Hsavaa decreed the punifhment of loch
a downward and profligate lapfe of principle, even
this poor confolation is attended by correfpondent
eircumnances of alarm and anxiety. The defolations
&cid-toned by a Rate of manly warfare, vanifh before
thefe corrofive heart.burnings of ignominious peace.
For wherever a beam of hope &kends to irradiate
the gloom of defpondeney, the illation is difpelled at
else neat moment by the damps and terrors of the fu.
tare. Hence they view, with immoveable Stoicifm,
the dovrnfal of kingdoms, religion, (costes, ranks,
manners, facia'', property, and cautioufly abtlain
fi-om giving vent to a murmur of indignation, let'
Fame, with its theufaod wings, thonld waft their
iiillen whifpers to the cabinet of the Corfican. To
(wallow contumelies, to (loop to humiliations, to be
thankful for outrages and the molt revolting enormi.
ties, they mifcall Pridaece; and to probate thensfelves
1 ,ri the dirt,that the (form may pars over them, or that
they may efcape its dent-naive fury, by not looking
ler in the face, they deem the perfation of rvfnedite&g.
Inßead of fulpending their fatal jealonfiel, of com-

It,ning in one facred league 'gala! the common ene-
my of Goo and man, and of fummoning to their
E.'d the whole living world: the Sovereigns of Europe
`etch bat thel arms to their alteffias, fubstit their

authority to the arbitration of the fulmtrters of all
lawful power, importune their murderous proteition,
and le:le for fafety in that culpable infenfibility with
which they regard the whirlwind that (weeps from
the earth, at fhted periods, fame independent realm
or country. In Silence, awl without pity, they fee
the wrecks of the weak and innocent periodically ag-
grandize the gigantic fpoiler ; and they are (ale to-
day, only to tremble to-morrow. Before the morn •
ing's fun has Set, their horizon is overcall with dif•
mal Signs and fearful augury ; they lie down on
the pillow of care, envy the bed of Procrufles, and
the burning couch of the depofed Inca; and their
moments of raft and of difmay are the fame.
The meafure of tyranny always exceeds that of
cowardice. In the midft of their fyftem of felfifhnefs,
fervility, and elrcumfpeflion, anxiety is pictured on
every countenance, defpair and apprehenfion obtrude
themfelves even into the circles of pleafure and frivo-
lity. Every fentiment is coralrained, every expreffion
worded with caution and referve ; the Confular op-
preffion is felt from the Straights of Gibraltar to the
frozen Sea ; every germ of it naturally grows into
vice and malignity, every branch is fupported by vio•
lence or corruption, and it goes down fo low that
none can efcape it. Its police fearches into thoughts
as well as aftions, and where it cannot difcover faults,
it creates them ; the pillars of focial confidence are
broken down, and leafs are placed on truth it elf.—
Neither Governments nor their fubjeCts can be certain
of their lot for a tingle month ; they undergo the
mortification of affronts, without experiencing the
confolation that they leffen their dangers. Nay, fuck
is the abjeft vaffalage to which they are reduced by
the herald: of freedom and emancipation, that there is not
a folitary journal upon the Continent which dares dif-
avow the crimes of France, or open the eyes of cre-
dulity ; on the contrary, the prefs is either compelled
or fuborned to be the minifler and advocate of op-
preffion, to be the echo of Parifian talpofture, and
the pioneer that fmooths the road of Corfican ag-
greffion.
To elude open hoftilities, the Continent prefers the
dangers of a fecret war, the fatality of which is the
more to be depinred,inafmuch as it rifles from Princes
the affeftions of their fubjefts, weans the latter from
all nationality of fentiment, and exercifes their pa.
ttenee without exercifing their patriotifm. Who
looks for prntetion from thole who are unwilling to
defend themfelves ? What fubjeffs will draw their
(words for Princes, who veil their faces, left they
Should fee an enemy, who empty their coffers to ob.
tain an hour's reprieve from their executioners, and
who, inftead of employing the blood and treafure s
of their people in the conftration of baftions of de-
fence, fur ender both, without one ftruggle, to an ex-
tortionate adventurer, whole undeviating policy it is
to amafs, in order to wafte, and to colic& the forces
and Sinews of the world, in order to become its undif•
puted mailer ? In a Similar crifis, the ancient Ro-
mans would have clothed themfelves with the refolu.
tion to die or conquer; the primitive Chriftians would
have cnauated hymns to Plovivamcs, and wilted on
martyrdom ; but their fucceffors neither die nor
fight; they coalefce but in one principle, to await
their laft hour with ftoical indifference, and to count
the days of their exiftence like the unhappy viaims of
offended juftice.

Let us not be deceived. It is not the French who
have fubjugated the Continent. but the chimerical
fears of its fovereigns. What has been gained by
concelfion ? Several States have already been firuck
out of the liR of natious, by means of thole very lar.
geffes which they had given for their prefervation.—
A fimilar fate awaits the remainder. Can feettrity be
obtained by provoking the contempt of the enemy ?
Will diplomatic notes repel the Chide of ambition,
armed with principles, feduElion. and cannon ? Does
any man in his fenfes think of conciliating an earth-
quake ? Every conceffion obtained by the tyrant re•
moves a prop of legitimate fovereignty; it fharpens
his appetite, expands his romantic imagination, in-
creafes his audacity, and Ramps with a Ipecies of le-
gal Citation his boundlefs ambition. The temporary
calm which the Continent feels, but cannot enjoy, is
the retitle of the neutrality which feconds his fubver
five projeds. Intent on the deßruSion of Europe
in detail, it is not his interelt to difcornpofe the pro-

found Murton of fovereigns, while be is beating down
republics and monarchies. But, very loon, unlefs he
is inflantly checked, he will arm himfelf with their
ruins, population, and wealth, to crust thofe infulated
Powers, who have beheld with apathy all the bul-
warks of their fafety renewed. He cannot jai& the
flightelk blow upon stis country, which will not be