The Statesman.
London, England, 1814-01-11 00:00:00

Correspondence, as laid upon the table,ol the House
of Commons, or in the explanations of the Minister,
i►► his place in Parliament, to discover a cause, suf-
ficiently imperative, to justify England in the dread.
ful alternative she embraced. Ours is an unpopular,
and, perhaps, a solitary opinion ; hut it has been
formed, not in the spirit of a political gladiator, not
with the views of a literary partisan, not upon the
princil►les of a mercenary avdocate, whose opinions
on cases of this kind are not worth the breath which
f( " i

itotois them into words, but upon repeated and im-
partial consideration.
We touch upon these particulars, however, only
as introductory to the picture which we shall have
presently to submit to the Reader. In 1805 a new
Coa!itioo was excited against France, which Bona-
parte, now the Emperor Napoleon, terminated by
.the defeat of Austria, at Austerlitz. Prussia fell
before him the next year, on the disastrous plains of
Jena.

i
Crerrespondence, as laid upon the table of the
i
...•
1 of Commons, or in the explanationi of the M
in his place in Parliament, to discover a caus
ficiently imperative, to justify England in the
ful alternative she embraced. Ours is an unp
and, perhaps, a solitary opinion ; but it ha
formed, not in the spirit of a political gladiat
With the views of a literary partisan, not or
. principles of a mercenary avdocate, whose of
• : on cases of this kind are not worth the breatli
flops them into words, but upon repeated ai
partial consideration.
We touch upon these particulars, howevet
as introductory to the picture which we shat
presently to submit to the Reader. In 1805
•
Coa:ition was excited against France, which
parte, now the Emperor Napoleon, termina
4 .the defeat of Austria, at Austerlitz. Prus
before him the next year, on the disastrous pi
Jena. .
From this period, a new principle which
parte had loth(' to concealed, or which wa
trnuled by ciicornstances, began to appear
character--from this period he seems really tt
locked to the unlimited controul of the Con
The Emperor of Austria had been previpusly
pelted to resign the most magnificent title
world, and all the power and circurnstanc
which that title was accompanied. Napolei
already formed his cordon. of kingdoms roust
Fratice—Lnd secured Italy and Holland to his
—given a French Constitution to Sisitzerlani
;I ndereil himself the Arbiter of Europe.
But the facility with *which he beat down a
renowned army in Europe, after those of I
headed as it was, by the last and inviolate gal
Frederick the Great—the tide of glory whiCh
upon him, seems, for a moment, to have into
VI imagination. There is a haughtiness,,a
'heartlessness, in his Bulletins at
.this perk.
subdues and startles. Hitherto the glory of I
the grandeur of the Great Nation, were the
of his Manifestoes, and the burthens of his Spe
but heerefurward the glory of the Emperor, I
fence of his rights, the vengeance with which
noted his enemies—these were the topics of I
course.—these cunstituted the subject matter
. Addresses to the Senate and people of Franc
The were not empty expletives coming from
parte, Ilk. the Peoclamations of other Princes
carried his views into substantial operatic
made his brothers and relatives Kings, Car
and Princes : he had already rendered himst
nowtted as a great. Monarch, and a mighty w
He had give,' France a code of laws which is a
gon—his sword had given laws to Europe.
. ile.ry was,46.77but he should have.the tinsel a
trappings. He I) of alasmed the iron crown
Lombards—but he was not content with the
and simple dignity of the soldier and lawgive
. With all the power wf Constantine, he sighed I
gorgeous paraphernalia with which the Easter
rmuch surrounded his throne. Not content w
pare glory of a Titus, to which, even at th
riod, he might be justly entitled, he ambi
1 the barbaric pride and massive magnificence of C
magne.
If, upon a subject of this kind, the wore
could, with propriety, be introduced, we woe
that this ambition of Napoleon betrayed bad I
most certainly it was bad policy. It is neither
'sophy nor nature, to maintain that Kings
!trot feel personalaffection, or indulge in the t
tk charities of private life. But a King, con
his own Interest alone, or at least-postponing
his subjects.:.--should not be a family man. F
itlsm has often been as fatal to' the Monarch
Injurious to the 'Nation. The history of our
'try will supply many
.eximples. That of F
varticularly under Louis XV. it still more si
Ind characteristic. The mistresses of that Mt
inade Generals, Archbishops, and' Ambasatid
'The affairs of-France were never so wretched!
ducted—not even in the madding time of Ja
. ism, than under thet inglorious and contest
Prilice. '
• It is true, the materials of which Nnpoleot
Rings were infinife'y superior to those of
Madame Pompadour made Generals. Even a
duct of his own family demonstrates that a
throve Ve level which, in our day, natu
assigned to the old Kings of Europe. One at
bas preferred a philosophical and poetic retir
go
end even exile, to the cure and duties, and
grandeur of a throne. Another,. rather tl
the instrument of his Brother's ambition,
• to resign the scertre with which he had
Invested.—llis ErJther-in-Law, who Jill
throne of Napes, is an Officer of tht
rank ; and the Viceroy of Italy has display
*pidinary talents in the field, as well as the C
It is not against the men we object, but the pr
of favouritism and selection is bad. Relation:
allowing this cleverness, are not always the
• silents which wise men would choose to acne
their designs. Tl,y rely too much upon the
of blood, and imagine that their consangelni
justify their errors, or even excuse the iton•pt
once of the duties which have been reser
them. No French General but Bernadotte,
have acted as the brave Prince of Sweden hair:
and his Royal Highness would not have turf
arms against his former Master, had he not at
ally happened to be married to the sister of
Bonaparte's wife. But the strongest instance
folly of trusting to the friendship of relations,
ficult and doubtful affairs, has been furnished
naparte by his own thther-in-law.
In our anxiety to illustrate this position, s
anticipated a topic that might naturally fat
later period—but we 'wished to designate act
the rise of the principle in Napoleon's charm
which he may trace his present misfortunes.
After having effectually humbled the 111
Brandenburg!), he issued his celebrated Berl
tree against Great Britain. From this peel
war assumed a new and portentous character
Decree was levelled directly against what 1
calls her Maritime Rights. Those rights a
bodied in the Navigation Act, and are descri
i Jurists, as not only forming the foundation
slii'l power, but absolutely embracing the p
of her existence as a state. Whether aril
eriggeration we shall not pretend to say ; 1
.
' certain, that the Navigation Act not only It
. 4
,1 % •
~i