moron y. OF EUROPE: 
rated language which could be em- 
ployed by the English government; 
and it must be confessed, that if its 
tone were not exactly that which 
marked the decision that should 
ever be found in the resolves of a 
great nation, it was yet sufficiently 
firm to disappoint and mortify the 
first consul to an extreme degree. 
Being ‘however committed in his 
temerity, he evinced the weakness 
ofa little mind ; his determination 
was therefore Palen, rather to, per- 
severe in the course he had com- 
menced, than to adopt that which 
would certainly have far better 
suited the existing state of his af- 
fairs, and the successful prosecution 
of his extensive views on the liber- 
_ tiesof Europe and projects of univer- 
sal empire; namely, the conciliation 
of Britain by retractation, or tempo- 
rary compromise. Accordingly on 
the 22d of Februagy, he caused an 
exposition of the state of the French 
republic to be published in his oiii- 
cial journal, as laid before the le- 
gislative body; and which was at 
once minute in its detail, and ela- 
borate in its conclusions, This 'state 
paper, acknowledged to be such, 
displays such a picture of strength, 
acquisiiion, and greatness united 
in the present French government, 
as must of itself haye opened the 
eyes of the rest of Europe, to the 
comparative insignificance of the 
"greatest of its component states, 
_ when brought to the test of impar- 
tial comparison, All the past po- 
_liey of France, all her future views 
might be traced in this ostentatious 
instrument. It shews the other 
_ powers of the continent how impos- 
sible it would be for any of them 
in future to obstruct or interfere in 
the prosecution of her projects ; 
263 
and reminds those over whom she 
has secured her supremacy, of the 
advantages to be derived from her 
protection, or the destructive con- 
sequences of her enmity., It can- 
not be supposed that England was 
undistinguished in this modern sys-, 
tem of statistics. 
After dwelling with rancour up- 
on the political efforts of those in 
the British legislative body, who 
were notorious for their eternal 
hatred of France: it adds, that 
while they persist in their declama- 
tions, five hundred thousand men 
ought and should -be kept in 
readiness to avenge her injuries! 
That whatever success intrigues 
night have in London, other powers 
would not be involved; and “ The 
government savs. with conscious 
pride, THAT ENGLAND ALONE 
CANNOT MAINTAIN A STRUG- 
GLE AGAINST FRANCE.” 
The indignation cf every class of 
society inthe British empire, pre- 
‘pared as they had been by the public 
conduct of France, as well with 
respect to England as to all 
Europe, from the period of the 
preliminaries of London to the 
present moment, had been excited 
to a great degree of resentinent, at 
the insolent promulgation of Sebas- 
tiani’s mission; but the publication 
of the “ Acts of the Republic,” 
which contained the above detailed 
exposition, was the signal of uni- 
-versal ferment; which not the love 
of peace, nor ihe inertness of a 
commercial people, nor the dread 
of fresh burthens, nor even the 
worst consequences that could be 
apprehended from unsuccessful 
warfare, could allay. The press 
of London had, since the abhorred 
interference of France in Switzer- 
$4 land, 
