HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
governor prorogued the general as- 
sembly, he expressed a deep regret, 
*‘ that it had not allowed him an 
opportunity of thanking them for 
furnishing the supplies required in 
aid of Great Britain, and for their 
own defence; but he trusted, that 
upon more mature consideration, 
they would feel the propriety of 
supporting government most ef- 
fectually at the next meeting, 
and thereby restore to themselves” 
its confidence in their loyalty and 
patriotism.” Immediately after 
‘this speech the general assembly 
“was prorogued, and there therefore 
was no opportunity afforded of 
reply. 
This discontent and unwilling- 
ness to contribute to the expences 
of the war, still appear to continue ; 
and it is certainly a disagreeable 
reflection, that those whose pro- 
perties have been protected by the 
strength of the empire, and to de- 
fend whom, the flower of the British 
army has fallen in their pestilential 
climate, should afford the solitary 
exception of resisting the payment 
of (what we must suppose from the 
character, temper, and experience 
of their governor) a reasonable con- 
tribution—not for the defence of the 
empire at large—but for their own. 
immediate protection. 
A painful analogy has been 
forced upon our mind by those dis- 
putes, with the circumstances which 
produced the disastrous and unfor- 
tunate struggle with the revolted 
colonies of North America. What- 
ever parity, however, there may 
‘exist in tHe causes of com- 
plaint, the effects can never be the 
same, for reasons too obvious to 
need our exposition. Nor strall we 
pursue a subject so painful, farther 
Vol. XLY. 
357 
than to express our most heartfelt 
wish and hope, that before the ex- 
piration of another year, a re- 
ciprocal sense of duty between the 
government.and the governed, will 
terminate those disputes and heart- 
burnings, to the general satisfaction; 
and thus restore the harmony of an 
empire, which can alone exist by 
the concord and union of its com- 
ponent parts: and which will be 
efiectgd by the simple eperation, of 
the West Indian proprietors con- 
tributing what is reasonably de- 
manded of them, and by the go- 
vernment limiting those demands, 
to the exigence of the case, and 
the ability of the islands. 
The affairs of the United States 
of America, were, in the course of 
the present year, peculiarly inte- 
resting. We have already stated 
in our last volume, that no sooner 
had the peace of Amiens been sign- 
ed, but a secret treaty between 
France and Spain “was produced, 
by which Louisiana was ceded to 
the formér power. The views of 
Bonaparte doubtless extended to 
the dominion of the. western 
world; and had he succeeded, 
through this insidious negociatien, 
in obtaining firm possession of 
Louisiana ; and had reconquered, 
by his vast armaments the colony 
of St. Domingo, he might well 
have hoped, not only to crush the 
British colonies in the West Indies 
at his pleasure, but even govern in 
future the American states, as de- 
spotically as those of his European 
neighbours. The combined, fleets 
and armies of France and Spain, 
would, unopposed by that of Great 
Britain, be much too powerful tor 
the Western Union; however gal 
lant and high-spirited we may sup- 
pose 
