» historical chronicle. xi 
generally feel their minds so much irritated against any power that 
makes a direct attack upon the territories of their native country, that 
the first impulse they feel is an indignant desire to oppose them; nothing 
therefore tends so much to allay civil discords as such an attack, nor can any 
other means be devised equally powerful to unite different parties in a state 
where discord hegins to prevail. The allies seérn either not to have ad- 
verted to this human propensity, or they have believed themselves so power- 
fal as to think that they might with safety disregard it. Insteaa of endea- 
vouring to conciliate the good will of such persons in France as might be 
seriously anxious for the restoration of peace and good order in that distract- 
ed country, thejr conduct has been such axto give them reason to dread that 
the chief object these allies had in view, was a dismemberment of the king” 
dom, by obtaining such a footing in it as might put it in their power at any 
future period to subject the people of France to whatever regulations they 
fhould please to dictate ; and the dismemberment of Poland affords at present 
but too striking an example of the use that may be expected to be made of 
such a power. ‘That such considerations have occurred to sensible mea 
in France there can be no doubt; and there can be as little doubt that this 
hhas produced an ardour and unanimity in opposing the allies, that never 
would have been experienced had no such jealousy against their views ex- 
isted—Whether such a jealousy has entered into the mind of such of the 
allies as can han have no interest in the dismemberment of France, so as to 
cool their exertions in the cause, we have no authority as yet to say. But it is 
so natural to expect it fhould, that we can scarcely suppose it ean have 
been entirely overlooked. It is not at all improbable, but the capture of Dun- 
kirk was held out to Britain as a bait to keep her quiet in the mean time. 
The failure of that enterprise has occasioned an indignation, which among a 
high spirited people, may produce a temporary spurt that may keep the o- 
ther object out of view for some time. : 
That the views of Austria and Prufsia with regard to conquests in France, 
are such as they do not dare to avow even to their allies, seems scarcely to 
admit of a doubt, otherways their proceedings have been such as to contra-~ 
dict all the dictates of prudence and of common sense. Had they had no si- 
nister object in view, would they not have made aclear and unequivocal 
declaration at the first, before they set a foot upon the territories of France, 
Gpecifying, in the most direct terms, the precise object they had in view, 
and in a candid and open manner inviting all honest Frenchmen to unite in 
freeing their country from that opprefsive despotism which now threatens to 
destroy it; reqesting them to make haste in establifhing such a government 
as fhould be calculated to preserve the person of individuals from danger, and 
their property from insult ; declaring at the same time that they had no, 
- other object in view than to contribute to the establifhment ofsuch a go- 
vernment «5 fhould seem to be calculated to preserve the internal: tranquilli- 
ty of the kingdom, and to give to foreign states such q reasonable security 
