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shots have been daily prepared to be sent Here ends the letter; and if I am to to the army. The chief engineer in this be allowed to judge from the last Paris business has been created a nobleman for papers, and from the previous facts which his discovery, and a large pension has been I have stated, and which are within the assigned him by the Emperor.- How reach of every man who chooses to seek terrible an effusion of German blood will after them, it appears to me that this this invention occasion! The Emperor's writer from Paris has neither overcharged own army consists of at least 280,000 men, nor exaggerated his statements. Now for and these are to be marched against Prince the viperation of the Courier."This Schwartzenberg, with whom Napoleon is " is a kind of trash," says that immaculate particularly enraged.The other armies journal, "with which the friends and ad-' maintain their communication with that of "mirers of Buonaparté console themselves, the Emperor, and will be commanded by" and these are the statements of which an Marshals Victor, M'Donald, Augereau, "English news-paper is made the vehicle.. Marmont, and Mortier.- The reserve, ""Some of the statements," the Chronicle 200,000 strong, is at Meaux, Chalons," modestly observes, are probably overSoissons, Troyes, and Arcy sur Aube.- ""charged or exaggerated, or may be erThe towns and villages have shewn the "roneous.' But it assures its readers greatest energy, and every one of sufficient age "that the letter is a genuine letter, a'real' and strength has entered the National Guard."bona fide letter, which "reached the About 50,000 remain here because the ""Chronicle from the French capital yesEmperor would not allow them to attend ""terday." LOOK TO IT, MY LORD SID-' him.66 -You may perhaps already be in- MOUTH; if one letter can come, another formed that the Allies could not persuade a may, and this letter, absurd and foolish single French General into their interest," as it is, proves that the writer (whoever although large pecuniary rewards, and he be) is either a drivelling sycophant, other advantages, have been offered. Every or a hired tool of Buonaparte's! How attempt to corrupt has been unsuccessful." comes such a letter into the hands of the The Duke of Dalmatia and Albufera have "Morning Chronicle? We request the communicated to the Emperor the proposals "public attention to this point, because, made to them.The Duke of Vicenza" though we know that Buonaparte has rehas actually taken his departure, to be pre- "duced the French press to a slate of the sent as Plenipotentiary at the expected" most base instrumentality in his atrocious Congress, but he was stopped in his way, because the Allies refused his passports." English news-papers should become the This circumstance has given the Emperor great offence, and he has solemnly sworn that he will appoint no other Minister on that duty; and now that the gall has overflowed in such abundance on both sides, we must expect in a short interval dreadful scenes; bloody battles must be fought, to which the armies of the unfortunate Allies will be impelled by the famine that must await them if they avoid the conflict. Magazines of wonderful extent are every where provided to support the native army, most base instrumentality." and the diligence is unremitting in this important department. Paris is very quiet, although the singular resolutions of the Directors of the Bank produced a disagreeable sensation. No evil otherwise has attended them; the wants of the armies were pressing, and the measure was necessary. The Empress goes every where, in order to animate all classes of the people, and she is assisted in this purpose by the principal families, who are anxious to load the army with presents, to conduce to the comfort of the soldiery during the inclemency of the season.”

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designs, we see no good reason why our

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"vehicles of his manufactures.-With all "sincerity and fellow-feeling, we really "advise the Chronicle to drop, in good "time, its intercourse with its genuine "Parisian Correspondent. Now, reader, what do you think of these sentiments, put forth by a writer who is incessantly dinning our ears about British liberty, about the liberty of the press, and who assures us that he knows Buonaparte has y" reduced the French press to a state of the

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hireling scribe tells us, that the Parisian letter is trash, is absurd and foolish, and that it is the production of a drivelling sycophant.Take care, Mr. Courier, what you say about drivelling sycophants. Either you suppose that Lord Sidmouth will Look to it; that he will, without delay, put a stop to this "treasonable correspondence," or

you do not. If you do, why do you call the letter trash, absurd and foolish? Do you wish us to infer from this, that it is inere folly and absurdily which engages the attention of government, and that trash only can alarm them? Or if you do not be

that it is time enough to prepare the mind for an event, when that event actually happens.

-We shall see by-and-by whether my Lord Sidmouth "looks to it" or not; but if he does, and if it is to be held a crime to publish authentic intelligence here, respecting the disposition of the forces of an enemy, I confess I do not see how any political writer can calculate upon being in safety to take up the pen. I have much to say respecting the manner in which the foreign intelligence is published in this country; but I must delay this till another opportunity.

OCCURRENCES OF THE WAR. -The departure of Buonaparte from Paris, to take the command of the army destined to repel the invaders of France, is an event which will be attended with consequences of greater magnitude than any thing that has occurred during the war; perhaps of more importance than any thing recorded in the history of nations. Napoleon left Paris on the 25th ult.; but it does not appear from the French papers to what point he meant to direct his attention. He was greeted with the loudest acclamations, and carried with him the fervent wishes of his people

lieve this, how can you avoid the charge of
being the most contemptible sycophant on
earth, for endeavouring to attract the notice
of ministers, and to excite an interest in
the public mind, by raising a cry against a
document which you say is the production
of a driveller, is absurd, is foolish; in
short, is nothing but trash? Was there
ever such sycophancy practised? Was
there ever such drivelling heard of? But how
comes such a letter into the hands of the
Morning Chronicle? In reply, I would
ask the Courier, how they come to the
knowledge of many things which they an
nounce, and with which they are every
day cramming the gaping multitude, as
authentic intelligence of what is passing in
Paris; of the state of the public mind in
that city; nay, more, of Buonaparte's pre-
cise language in his conversations to his
ministers and generals? How, I ask, can
the Courier acquire a knowledge of these
pretended facts in any other way than that
by which the Morning Chronicle received
the above letter? The Courier must either
have a correspondent at Paris to communi-
cate these particulars, or all the stories
with which it is filled about the Parisians
being in a state of revolt, of all France
being ripe for insurrection, and of every for success.
Frenchman panting to embrace the Bour-
hons, are downright falsehoods. But
the public attention is requested to this
point. Very well. The public, it seems,
are not to be told the truth. This is letting
out too much, Mr. Courier; for it is tell
ing us, in plain language, that the facts
stated in the letter published in the Chro
nicle, which you do not deny to be true,
ought to have been suppressed by the
conductor of that paper. If the letter
which appeared in the Morning Chronicle
should turn out to be false, and this will be
ascertained beyond all controversy in a few
days, it can do no other harm than impeach
the veracity of the writer. If its statements
prove to be true, and Napoleon succeeds in
driving the invaders of France beyond the
Rhine, is it not right, is it not proper, that
the people of this country, who feel them
selves so deeply interested in the matter,
should be prepared before hand for whatever
may be the result? Or are we to be told,

By accounts from Lord Wellington we find that a division of the French ariny, under General D'Harispe, has compelled the Spanish General Mina to abandon his position, and "to retire into the valley of

the Aldudes."The Gazette, in which his Lordship's dispatch appears, does not inform whether there was any one killed or wounded in the engagement.

Dispatches from the American government announce, that it has been agreed to enter into acgociations of peace with this country, and that Gottenburgh has been named as the place of meeting for settling the terms; but there is to be no suspension for the present of hostilities.

There has been some successful fighting on our part with the Americans. We have taken Fort Niagara by surprise, and, according to the American official details, our troops fell upon the enemy while they were mostly asleep, and committed a most horrible slaughter."

Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden.
LONDON: Printed by J. M'Creery, Black-Horse-Court, Fleet-street.

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COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER.

VOL. XXV. No.7.] LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1814. [Price 1s.

193]

[194 -Now,

"had paid so high a price.". SUMMARY OF POLITICS. reader, observe, that Mr. Canning told us, ROWLAND HILL AND THE DEVIL. that it was we who had humbled France; The attack, and, as it appears to me, wan- that we had proved to the world, that we ton and unmanly attack, of the former of were able to stand alone in a war, not only these upon the latter, I intended to notice against France, but against all Europe comlast week; but was prevented by the unex- bined. But, then, say you, Mr. Canning pected length of my Answer to Mr. Can- had a different object in view. He wanted ning's Liverpool Speech, which Auswer, to inculcate the notion, that we had gained by the by, is almost wholly out of print, glory and reputation and conscious safety though an extraordinary number of it was by the war; whereas Mr. Wilberforce printed.. Before I proceed, however, to wanted to get money for the German sufnotice this attack itself, I ought to give ferers.Be this as it may, both these some little account of the occasion, which tavern speech-makers cannot be right. If gave rise to the attack.- It appears, from we are indebted for our safety to the Gera report in the Times news-paper, that, on mans and Russians, Mr. Canning's asserthe 27th of last month, a meeting was held tions must be false; and, if Mr. Canning's at the City of London Tavern, for the pur-assertions be true, the Member for Brampose of affording relief to the "Sufferers in ber must have uttered a falsehood."Germany."At this meeting, the must, however, take the liberty positively speakers were, as it is reported in the to deny the second proposition of Mr. WilTimes, Mr. HENRY THORNTON, Mr. Ro- berforce; namely, that the Germans have BERT THORNTON, Mr. WILBERFORCE (for-achieved our security at their own expense. merly member for Yorkshire, but now member for the nice little snug borough of Bramber, of which a curious account may be seen in Mr. Oldfield's history of Boroughs), Mr. BUTTERWORTH, the bookseller, member for Coventry, two or three GERMAN PRIESTS, Mr. HOWARD, a Quaker, and the "Rev. ROWLAND HILL," our assailant of the Devil and Buonaparté.

In the speech of Mr. H. Thornton it was stated, that the distresses of the Germans had already arrived at such a pitch, that, in some parts, famine and epidemical diseases had made their appearance, a fact well worthy of attention; for, we had been made to believe before, that the Germans were rejoicing in their deliverance; but, now we are told, that famine, and even epidemical diseases have been the fruit of this precious deliverance; so that, if this new representation can be believed, we may also believe, that the poor Germans would have been better if they had not been delivered at all.—Mr. Wilberforce (member for the snug borough of Bamber) is reported to have said, that we were bound to assist those," who had achieved our security at "their own expense, and for which they

They may have suffered severely in the work, which work, by the by, is not yet, I fear, quite effected; but, it has cost us some few millions in taxes. We have paid the German sovereigns at a very handsome rate, and, we are so paying them at this moment. Taxes make misery and paupers; and, therefore, we have not only paid and are paying, but we have also suffered and are suffering from the same cause. -Whenever peace shall come; whenever the day of reckoning shall come, and that day is, may be, at no great distance, the Member for Bramber will find, that the people of England will see the consequence of the war, and that they will discover, that the wars in Germany have not been carried on wholly at the expense of the Germans.) -Mr. BUTTERWORTH told the meeting, that he i had received 2 or 300 letters from the different places where money had already been distributed; and that, in some of these letters, it was said: "Let England sympa"thize with us; for we have suffered in "her STEAD." Whence it would appear, that these Germans look upon themselves as our deliverers, and not upon us as their deliverers. These modest correspqn,

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dents of Mr. Butterworth do not seem to Quakers have been persuaded, that this think that we have suffered any thing at all.. money is not given for warlike purposes. They seem to think, that our subsidies of those arguments will, at bottom, be found so many millions have been nothing. They to be fallacious.- -The case of the good seem, in short, to think, that we ought to Samaritan, with all due deference to one look upon ourselves as their debtors to an who professes to be moved by the unerring incalculable amount; and, I should not Spirit, is not a case in point. The poor wonder if they were to threaten us with let- man, who had fallen amongst thieves, had ting the French loose upon us, if we refused not got his wounds in FIGHTING for the them indemnification.At any rate, if good Samaritan, as the Germans have in Mr. Butterworth speaks truth, as to the fighting for England. The good Samaricontents of his continental letters; and, tan (who, by the by, was no Christian) who will suspect so ghostly a man of utter- poured in his oil and wine from a motive ing a deliberate falsehood: yet, if he speaks of the most pure and disinterested benevotruth, one thing is very certain, and that is, lence. He did not say: "I see, friend, that the Germans believe what Napoleon" that thou art wounded in fighting for has so often told then; namely, that they my safety. I will, therefore, do my were fighting the battles of England; that "best to heal thy wounds," leaving it to they were incurring misery and shedding be inferred, of course, that, the wounded their blood merely to advance the power man, if need was, might, perhaps, be and riches of England. These notions, if able to fight another round in his service. Mr. Butterworth speaks truth, have been No: the good Samaritan, who was no completely imbibed in Germany; for, as he Christian, and even belonged to a set of says, his correspondents tell him, that they people thought to be reprobates, did not have suffered in our stead; which has no stop to ask, in whose service the wounds other meaning than this: that, if they had had been received; but, seeing a wounded not fought the French, we should have been and suffering fellow-creature, he set about invaded and conquered, notwithstanding all relieving him at once. If Mr. Luke that Mr. Canning has said about the result Howard's motives were those of pure (it is not known yet) of the war having Christian compassion, wholly unconnected proved to the world, that England is able with all ideas of self-interest and security, alone to secure her own independence and why did it never occur to him to make her own greatness and prosperity-Be- some effort to assist in relieving the people fore these gentlemen come forth again upon of France, who, if we have been told truth, these subjects, it may be as well for them have, for many years past, been suffering to have a preliminary select meeting, a remiseries of all sorts in the most supreme hearsal, in order to arrange their several degree? But, Mr. Howard, have we no parts, and settle upon the doctrines and ar- sufferers at home? The very day on which guments that each shall bring forward; for, this meeting was held, the news-papers as they may perceive, this clashing fur- told us, that there were in the parish of nishes weapons for those, who are inclined St. Giles's alone, six thousand poor creatures to dispute the points which they appear to actually in a state of starvation. Have they have considered as indisputable.- -Mr. been relieved? No: unless the humane LUKE HOWARD, the Quaker, is reported to man who pleaded their cause with the pubhave said, that the Society of Friends, who lic has stated falsehoods, which I do not reject baptism and the Lord's Supper, believe. Why need we send money to as being idolatrous, would "join in the Germany, upon the pure basis of Christian 66 "object of the Meeting, because its compassion, while these and hundreds of "basis was Christian Compassion, upon thousands of others of our own country "which ground also he had accepted of the people are suffering so severely as they are? "office of assistant Secretary. He trusted," Here is quite field enough for all our comhe said, "that they would feel and act like passion. We want no hunting abroad for "the good Samaritan, who said to the host miserable objects; unless we connect the "of the wounded traveller; take care of feeling of self-interest with the act; unless him till I come again.' -Mr. Luke we give the money as a reward for having Howard's" basis" is wholly different from fought in our service and for our security, that of the object of the meeting, which as Mr. Wilberforce states it; and, if that was to give money to the Germans, because be the basis of the gift, what becomes of they had aided us by fighting; and, what-the religious principles and of the proever may be the arguments by which the fessed motives of Mr. Luke Howard?

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" funds of the meeting. The motion was "seconded by Mr. Brunnmark and carried "unanimously.". Reader, you may not,

if you live at a distance from Loudon, know who and what this person is. He is, and has been ever since I was a boy, a preacher at a meeting-house on the Surrey side of the River Thames, at London. He has

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I am truly sorry to have been compelled to make these remarks upon the speech of Mr. Howard. My recollection of the excellent qualities of the Quakers, in Pennsylvania; my long observation, and, indeed, experience, of their real benevolence, their integrity, and their good sense, always makes me deeply regret to see any meddling and vain persons amongst them mak-long been famed for those sort of harangues, ing the Society a tool in the hands of de- called sermons, which seldom fail to draw signing politicians. But, I feel myself together great crowds of the lowest and disposed to exercise much less forbearance most ignorant of the people, with whom a towards the personage, whose name stands bellowing voice and distortion of attitude first in the title to this article, and whose do usually more than make up for the abspeech, upon this occasion, exhibits, I sence of reason and sense. One might, think, as complete a specimen, in a small however, have expected from a person, compass, of egotism, vanity, folly, false- with whose denunciations against pride and hood, and impudence, as I have ever met vanity the walls of his meeting-house (he with in the whole course of my life.calls it a chapel) are continually ringing; To do it justice, I must first insert it, word from a man who, in his "" sermons, has for word, as I find it reported in the news- no mercy upon the showy gowns and caps paper above-mentioned, thus: The of the poor girls who are amongst his hearRev. Rowland Hill was of opinion, that ers; from such a man, from one of the "the sword had never been taken up in a elect, from a vessel set apart unto holiness; more necessary cause, than against that one might have expected to hear no boastwanton cruelty, by which mankind hadings of any sort, and more especially of that "been harassed for the last 20 years. It "might even be termed a righteous cause: "but for the battle of Leipsic, instead of "10 per cent. we must have paid 20. He "had a worthy nephew, equally distinguished for humanity and courage, who was now fighting for an insulted nation, "and against a kidnapping of royalty, "which must have been suggested to Buonaparté by the devil himself.—(Loud ap"plause.) Buonaparte might now squeak "for mercy as much as he pleased; but he "had shewn none himself when he had "the power. His nephew had received a "sword, worth a hundred guineas, from "the City of London, and he trusted they "would give another hundred guineas to 66 the present fund. The Quakers, as they were called, gave no money to kill, but were always ready to give money to cure (applause). He thought that in every episcopal diocese, the Dean and Chapter "should be called upon to assist the fund; " and were he as high in the church as his "nephew was in the army, he would set "the example. As it was, he hoped they "would soon hear something from Surrey "chapel: for,

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most disgusting of all the sorts; namely, about one's family blood. Fielding, in speaking of a man's beating his wife, after reprobating the act, generally, in very strong terms, does, I recollect, observe, that he thinks the medicine of a reasonable switch may be justly and beneficially used in cases where high blood breaks out in the wife. I do not recommend a similar remedy in the present case; but, I put it to the reader, whether it was becoming in any man, much less in a man putting in claims to superiority as a teacher of humility, to take such an opportunity of dragging out neck and heels, the fact, that he was the uncle of General Hill; and, in a speech of only eight sentences, to contrive to bring out this fact three several times? -What had

this fact to do with the subject before the meeting, which related to the raising of money for the German sufferers? First, he told his hearers, that he had "a worthy Nephew, "equally distinguished for humanity and

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courage, who was now fighting for an in"sulted nation.' Without disputing the facts with him (for I do not know that they are, or are not, disputable) what had they to do with the object of the meeting? The Nephew had nothing to do with the money to be given to the German sufferers; he was not even in Germany; his example, or his authority, was not cited; his name was not wanted for any purpose of illus tration. Why, therefore, drag the poor

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