The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-04-17
EVENTS IN EUROPE.


Spain. The importance ofan adequate acquain'
tance with its situation, in every view, has be.
come very great, because it appears to be, like
New York at the close OF our revolution, the last
citadel Of the British On the continent and the
consequences which must necessarily arise out
gifts resistance or submission, have An interest
on the affairs of all commercial nations, and a
very momeptous effect on the political and COM
mercial relations of Europe particularly for Por.
tugal can never resist even an equal force IN pos
session of the upper courses OF the rivers which
meander throughit il.
The politician who looks to events singiy, will
seldom judge correctly. To appreciate effects
we must combine causes and estimate various e.
vents as they lead to . common result The
subjcction of Austria in the campaign OF last year.
averted the destiny of Spain for season. but the
very necessity which abated the measures for
conquest in Spain, will now render the measures
taken for its accomplishment more prompt, more
rigorous, & from the very occurrence ofthe Ger
man war, will give tone ofcnergy & determinat.
on to the accomplishment of the great design OF
the European conqueror, that OF fixing his dyaas'
~ on basis as nLmutable as human sagacity,
with SO much ofhuman power at his command.
csn assure t>
III we'll worthy ofthe consideration of men
who are concerned in the prosperity of nations.
to examine the probable consequences to the
world al large, of that general revolution of all
Tire European continent, which closes the fate of
Cadix'. 1t il q subject on which, thougA the eff.
tects may reach us in one shape or another. we
san contesaplate only as spectators. There was
\ time whesl we might have had vote in the
convention of civilized nations. That time is
now past; WIG can manage our own affairs in our
own way, but the period is past when we might
have had a powerful and an useful vote to give.
That time passed away with the mostfatal mea-
sure of blindness and imbecility, the abandon.
ment Ofthc embaia go law by the tenth Congyess /.
TO that unhappy and deplorable point, will pos
terity look back with sense of humiliation and
IN imprecation of indignant represch.
We live unhappily in an age when the Princi-
pies of many ages struggle against each other
The military spirit of the ages preceding the 10th
century, had been for a time made subservient to
religious fanatacism, but were finally undermin-
ed by the spirit of commerce. The civilization
of modern times has been the effect not of the
agreement but OF the collision and sometimes of
tbe compromise of all those passions, the militia
ry heroic, the fanatic religious, the slow but firm
pace of analytical philosophy, the growth of what
IL termed faste, and which consists in a love of
xhe fine arts, and solicitude to possess their f.
nest monuments, and to rival and to excel them |;
this t,ste, sustained by the expansion of the navi-
eating art, and the still more humble but more
mighty power of printing all these have, as it
were, combined, without compact, to liberalze
and to extend over larger portion of the spe.
eiss, the blessings, and the influence of intellect
IN civil society. While the progress of the libe-
raj passions was only an operation of emulation
competition oftnental faculty, the effects were
suspicious to mankind. But there remained still
in great portion of the most civilized quarter of
the globe, dark spirit of fanaticisH,. which had
withstcod the light of science, and degraded the
species wherever its muriSy influence predomi.
mated. A large portion of Germany exhibited
perhaps the greatest quantity of bold and ans ly-
sing mind and also the greatest portion of in
tellect, frozen and benunbed by superstition and
ignorance, always associates The sparks which
Bacon struck frora the intellect in dark age
which were re-ilEimined and rendered more il
lustrious by Locke, at aperiod more recent, had
elcctrissd Europe The condition of the human
mind had indeed, like certain bodies, bsen prepa-
red, or the nav properties whish they had acaui-
red rendered them well adapted, to be its con.
duetors, Thought dared to scintilate in the At.
mosphere of thrones and catbedraIs. The scep-
tire, the diadesn, and the triple crown, already
shook. Empersrs, and popes, and kings, were
forced by an inevitable necessity, even in the
midst Of embattled armies and the esnclaves of
che Vatican, to bow and pay homage to the pow
ers of the human mind. Catherine ii. Joseph,
and Frederick, came from their thrones upon
the common floor of the human Species and
Eanganelli saw from the escurial chair that
there was alternative for the triple crown,
but its accommodation to the liberal spirit of the
age, or its extinction.
The SUCCESSORS ofthose potentates, less wise.
or perhaps not so well educated in the know
ledge oftheir species or the character of the age
attempted to return back the tide Of intellect
upon the human species, anu 10 assert power
against reason and right. The same causes o.
perating extensively in a nation distinguished for
Its acuteness and its impetuosity, had unfolded
abuses, found them inveterate, and aimed at q
radical cure Had the thrones of Europe been
filed by wise politicians, or their councils been
formed of men qualified for the age, the reSen-
grafton of france would have been as certain and
as innocent as the reformation of Florence by
Leopold, or the organic alton Of Prussia by Fred
erck.
Fanatcism and unynerited power were alarm
ed The American revolution had established
principles in politics which had been only theo-
Jesiealiy preached and upheld in England for two
centuries The monarchs with genius. who had
occupied the thrones Of Europe, had Disappear.
ed within few years of each other. Imbecile
men demonstrating in themselves tho absurdity
Of hereditary capacity, had succeeded them it
required but incendisry and assassin like Pc
ter the herrnit, to rouse them, and they found
him in Burke, triple purchased traitor to the
principles of virtue, and an Iacendsry qualified
BY his talents TO earn the wages of is crimes and
set the world ia arms.
This memorable epoch was marked BY the ro-
vval Of the fanaticaI spirit the crusadrs march
ing arm in arm with the spirit of worldly ava.
rice The Billie and the Ledger were forced in.
to treaty offensive and defensive, 20 sustain
superstition and trample morals, philosophy, and
the rights OF man.
Then it was that the slumbering spirit Of chival-
sv which had been Invoked in the cause Of the most
infamous debsuchees. was found to arise, clad IN
terrible paoopy; when the spirit of resistance
aroused nation mensced with premeditateS
x,,rt;tion and or,enly Droclauned destined To