The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-12-29 00:00:00

—opportunitlet.arestinOt.tet bioast in public of
I the victory, and to hall Ote restoration of the
golden age : the paradise of abuse has thrust out
its devil, and will flourish safe from disturbance.
Ihad not corruption established among the peo-
' pie a strong party, would it be avolvcd by public
men 'withntit contrition or shame E Conicl thy
combine to ti hel;er it (all their animosities for the.
time forgotten) under the aggravating plea of
common practice ? Could it happen, that any one
i of them, desirous to remove a colleague,.s!totild
I •
hizird his !merest, and even ultimately detest it,
to escape the suspicion of disapproving a design
the most fatally corrupt, and should declare the
motive with ostentation? A considerable part of
the people must be bad, when, in the face of the
people, public virtue ;.s disclaimed as a disgrace.
If, in proportion as war is prolonged, disaster
accumulates ; if pecuniary embarrassment rapidly
increases ; it the nation, though prone to confide,
becomes generally discontented, and though lately
celebrated for independence, contracts a temper
of corruption, to incinire into the character or the
public councils is superfluous. Nut to have pre-
vented such a mass of calamity sufficiently con-
deams them. Lint if thy have caused it ;if it
has proceeded, not from inevitable outrages of for.
turte, hint, crett-imitriourCfortuuate conjunctures,
in a natural current from the system of policy ;
if, throughout the whole scene, one uniform as-
pect appears— in negotiations, in expeditions, in
commercial regulations, in the management of
public tribunals (whether a Curnmaticler-ia-Chief
,or a War Secretary is to be durcudtsl), even in Ca 7
binet arrangements, among the Ministers them-
selves—of all possible Administrations that would
be the worst, whose political knowledge was con.
fined to the science of intiortice, and w hose poli-
tical efficiency did not extend beyond its practice.
The particulars hitherto exhibited, comprise
the dark features 'of our situation. Trere are
brighter circumstances, upon a partial and etch'_
sivn consideration of u hich, the reliance of those
who lean to confidence, seems to be founded.

We possess uncontronled sovereignty upon the
ocean, an army of superlative valour, and a corn-
' merce vast and flourishing ; the question is, how
far these ohjects of pride and gratification may,
in practical effect, countervail the evils which we
Illre contemplated.
Of naval sovereioty, the great advantage re.
fers to commerce and distant warfare. In that
domestic defence, which must be the future pur-
pose of the war, an engine dependent upon the
eapri,-c of winds, is of very limited efficacy.
That It cannot tuvrovind our with a constant
barrier, the repeated evasion of our blockading
squadrons has evinced ; and an armament destined
against Ireland, from the western ports of France,
and the northern and western of Spain, would,
with extreme difficulty-, be intercepted. For de-
cisive protection, it is upon our land force that
we must rtly.
I ain assuine, what I am wilting to believe,
that, wish troops the bravest upon earth, °or mi-
litary officereare Competent to enigma(' ag Clint the
consummate generals of the enemy. Of what
advantage is this perfection of military means ?
IVO! these competent Officers be appointed to a
command ? If appointed, will conduct in the Geld
be rendered effective by wisdom in the Cabinet ?
Will they be doomed to achieve, by stupendous
victories., defeat ? While the principle of our
councils remain the same, the same result must
be expected from our military operations.
The flourishlug state of our commerce is a cit._
cumstance of vital moment. Di ninish the influx
of wealth throw;h this main channel, and we
' must indeed despair ; incurring, not only a fail-
ure of resources, but the general and deep distress
that attends declining opulence. But though the
present fact countenances 'congratalatitat, it is
only the prospect of its continuance that can jiis.
tiff confidence. Does oar commerce flourish se-
curely ? Through this quarter the enemy directs
his principal attack : all Europe (gpa:n soon
must be included) has become)shtit against us
America betrays an alienated tamper, prohibiting
intercourse, and fitreatening war ; half of our
trade must necessarily Li:, carried cm 'twin a smug-
gling system ; and that absurd p01:c.7 continues,
which issued the late, Orders in Council, and has
estranged America. That the restrictions imposed
by the enemy will be baffled to a considerable v;..
tent, I entertain no doubt ; but the degree of oar
.future success in this particular not ascertained
•by the past. No neutral or friendly port will re-
main to collude in covering our merchandise, or
to form a depot for its circulation;
'the chief circumstances of our situation we
have thus hestily,,surveyed. The evils which it
presents appears.to he numerous, each of alarm-
iag megttitudr, and indeed with an independent
piinci, le of increase, while elf have either been
created or arc aggravated by the system of go-
vernment: its
.advantages, on the other hand,
secure and valuable according to the skill with
which they are administered, sink, under that sys-
tem, into a condition more and more precsiiiims,
aud are wasted ig. mimosa asisapplicatiaw.. quit

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