દ and NOTWITHSTANDING all the boasts of the Russians in Poland, the anticipations of the War-Faction in England, we find the progress of the former completely checked, and the Equilibrium of Europe" nothing nearer than before.-To take our conclusions from the reported situation of the Grand French Army, even after the promulgation of their last Bulletin, it might have been confidently expected that not a Frenchman would have been found af this day in Prussia: yet, what is the fact?-that, with the exception of a few places in Western Prussia, occasioned by the defection of Gen. D'Yorck, the Russians have been brought to a stand-still; and appear to be recruiting their strength merely to be enabled to find their way back. It is true the Gottenburgh Mails are greatly in arrears; but their intelligence, at any time, at least during the Northern Campaign, has rather had the effect to mislead than afford us right informa tion. The French Emperor, in the mean time, is making every preparation for, a vigorous renewal of hostilities; nor is it among the slightest of those preparations that he has conciliated the disposition of the Holy Father, the chief-priest of Fanaticism, by whose consent to ratify the famous Concordat, a termination is asserted to be put to the existing differences between the Emperor and the Church. It might reasonably be asked, how His Holiness could so soon forget his own indignities, the subversion of his temporal power, the plunder of the holy relicts at Rome and elsewhere, and last, though not least, Surely, in the lengthened train of his impieties, the sacrilegious inva sion of the Sacred City of Moscow, and the degrading expulsion of its Protecting Saint-It is admitted that His Holiness appeared reluc VOL. III. tant to join in "sweet accordance" with such an unceremonious and determined despoiler of the Church and its appurtenances. Nevertheless, notwithstanding every provocation and every wrong, and with repeated and deadly proofs of the little regard to be expected from the protestations of one who only used them for his present convenience and advantage, the Holy Father has received him, fresh reeking from. the slaughter and sacrifice of millions, into the pure and undefiled bosom of the Church, concluded, or rather compromised, every difference, sunk in oblivion every injury, and consented to sanctify with his prayer and his blessing, the political though not spiritual divorce and marriage of this greatest and most unblushing scoffer of religion and morality!-But we are to look at the inducement which has conciliated His Holiness, before we condemn his condescension;-it was a partial restoration of that temporal Power, of which, by the same hand he had been deprived, and which it will only wait the pleasure of the same hand to do again.-But was this sufficient in the eye of rea son or religion to prostitute his high office at the feet of his unremitting and remorseless enemy?-Surely not: - but it might have been from compulsion:-aye, then is the sincerity equal on either side, and the issue will fall accordingly. The Speech of the Emperor to the Senate, which will be found in our present Number, appears to indicate a resumed tone of menace and defiance.-The resources of the Empire are spoken of with confi dence, from which is anticipated the impending fate of the Russian armies: "the Russians shall retire into their frightful climate!"-The War in the Peninsula, which he acknowledges to have been greatly influenced by the proceedings in the North, is mentioned with a peculiar degree of triumph in respect to the discomfiture and retreat of the Allies. The Emperor no doubt regarded the late opportunity as the only one that could arise to benefit the Spanish cause; and he plainly and distinctly indicates that the subjugation of Spain is indispensibly necessary to the future interests of France. To suppose he cannot effect it, or that he will, after all the sacrifice he has made, and the be nefit in prospective, relinquish his purpose, is a most idle and ridicu lous notion.-No sooner shall he have driven, as doubtless, he will shortly do, by force of arms or negociation, the Russian hordes to their "frightful climate," than we shall find him at the head of his armies in Spain to add another Empire to his triumph.-In the midst, however, of all his boasts, his policy is not forgotten: the conciliating tone towards America, while it displays his artifice, confirms our date ger. He tells her the world should make common cause in her wrongs, that the flags of nations cover the merchandize and crew, and that any compromise of such a principle is a derogation from the dignity and konour of an independent Power: and it is much to be feared that such a stimulus, added to the miserable and self-destroying policy of the British Cabinet, will contribute to the protraction of a war, already begun under no very flattering auspices.-The Speech concludes with promising the publication of the usual Exposé, and with an assu➡ rance, that, notwithstanding all the accumulation of disaster, loss, and privation, he shall not need to lay any fresh imposts on his People.It must not be omitted, that he openly accuses England of fomenting the late rebellion in Paris, and of holding out most dazzling prospects to the traitors:-the finest provinces of France were stipulated as their reward, together with the entire dismemberment of the present system;--which certainly appears synonimous with the Declaration of the Mighty and truly Magnanimous Alexander to restore "the Equilibrium of Europe!"-It will appear, however, something derogatory to this boasted magnanimity of this Deliverer of Nations, should he be again compelled to meet that man face to face, as heretofore he has done, whom he has had the dastardly and most barbarian-like audacity to set up as a mark for cupidity and ferocity to hunt down and destroy; on whose head he fixed a price, and whose personal danger he contrived to render a medium of profit or revenge to his half-famished hordes of blood-hounds!-Was such the conduct of his Enemy at Austerlitz? Could not he have taken a lesson of humanity for once, and proved himself something advanced in the progress of civilization ?-Napoleon has declared that Russia shall lose her influence in the political affairs of Europe, while the latter tells us she intends to restore its equilibrium here they stand at issue, and the ensuing Spring will most probably des cide the contest. Sweden. The State-Paper issued by the Court of Stockholm, (for which see page 33 of the present Number,) so far from developing the policy of that Cabinet, appears calculated only to thicken the mystery. It complains bitterly of France, and recites a train of injuries and insults, sufficient to have awakened the spirit of any independent Power; and therefore it is that the apathy of Sweden in the general cause, her res luctance to avow her wrongs, and her refusal to join the active operations of the Allies, and take advantage of the distress and discomfiture of the common enemy,-these points and circumstances, so directly at - variance with the tenor of this public document, incline' us still to doubt her sincerity, and we shall continue to do so till she shall resolve to adopt a decided system of policy, at once to throw off or to acknowledge the yoke of France. In the mean time, it is worthy of remark, that the French Emperor has preserved a total silence in respect to this Declaration, or the policy of Sweden altogether; nor has the British Ministry appeared to take any notice of it to the improve ment of the general benefit. By a Gottenburgh Mail, just arrived, we are told that an Austrian Minister has been sent to Stockholm, from which it is augured that the Emperor Francis is disposed to secede from his alliance with France, and join the Coalition: but in our minds, should it be true that the Court of Vienna has sent such a messenger, it is more reasonably to be attributed to an endeavour to conciliate Sweden in behalf of the inte fest she herself has determined to support, than to any other cause whatever. By the same Mail, we are informed of some requisitions de manded of Denmark by the French Emperor, which had been refused; Sixty Thousand cavalry, it is said, was required, a number incompatible with the ability of Denmark, and which we cannot believe could have been asked by one who knows so well the full capabilities of all his dependants. It is also stated in these accounts that the Russians' had in reality possessed themselves of Koringsberg, Memel, Elbing, Marienberg, and Marienwerder; all which places, it will be remembered, had long before been declared in a state of siege, and many of which, especially Koningsberg, had been stated to have fallen full a month back. There is nothing, therefore, in these latter reports to alter the situation of af fairs, or to contradict the position, that the Russians are brought to a stand, and must there wait the issue of the contest AMERICA. During the pending negociations between this Country and the United States, it had ever been our declared opinion, that the sword once drawn, there would require something more than a partiak redress of grievances to lead to a complete adjustment of differences.→→→→ And hence it was that we insisted upon the position, that, to the fatal measure of our Orders in Council was to be attributed not only the evil of the present rupture, but probably the still greater misehief of ren dering that rupture perpetual-According to our prediction, the dis position and demand of America appear to be guided by general prine ciples, and to embrace a wide and comprehensive view of political an reason. well as national privileges and rights. Notwithstanding the varnished statement of My Lord Castlereagh, the fact is too plain that the charge of offence rests with us; that, in our eagerness to avenge our selves on our Enemy, we disregarded the respect and obligation due' towards our Friend; and that, in a fatal persistence in a system of aggression, not to be defended on any principle of reason or policy, we' have at length created a rod for our own backs, which will not easily be removed. But we had Rights to maintain, inalienable Rights, which to relinquish would be a dereliction of our national honour and reputation!What are those rights?--America herself has explained them. They are those assumed privileges which are sought and maintained only by the pride of power; that species of right which might alone lays claim to; the worst of claims, because not to be supported by There is a necessary privilege of power for the control and› management of States, which is directed by a regard for the common safety, and with which no external power has any concern :—such is a right of authority given by the common consent, and ordained rather i for the safeguard of our natural rights than for any infringement on those of others.-But such power was never intended to extend to the control of the common rights of nature. Thus, is it not a reproach to a nation like Great Britain, a Nation professing itself to be the very' Guardian and Patroness of Liberty, to be herself the very instrument> of the vilest despotism that was ever practised in the worst of times? The Dominion of the Seas, as it is termed, with all its appendages of right of search, impressment of men, &c. is a species of tyranny unknown and unsupported even in the blackest ages of oppression.-It is not that the title of Mistress of the Seas has become indifferent to us; po; it is still as dear and consequential to us as ever, and we trusť will never be torn from us by any neglect or mismanagement of our own. But it is only on certain occasions, certain necessary occasions, when we wish to see this Title insisted upon; and that is, when any dare openly to dispute it: in all such cases, we trust we shall ever be found capable and willing to prove our pre-eminence, but not to use the victory as the medium of oppression. If any dare contend with us, let them suffer for their temerity; but, the contest past, the superiority determined, the end and purpose of the struggle over, ge nerosity and magnanimity demand a relaxation of authority, only to be resumed when alike provoked.-The American Government did not desire to contend for this supremacy inimically but friendly; that is, they wished the enjoyment of those natural rights ordained by nature B VOL. III |