rendered the communications easy. "The communication by land," said St. Jean de Angley, "now, that neither the Alps nor the Appenines oppose it, is as easy as from Leghorn to Paris, or from Paris to Nice. It has been the policy of the European states, to subdue the most distant countries, in order to obtain new commercial and maritime resources. Why then should we neglect those resources, and acquisitions, which are so valuable to us. The territory of the Medicis, the countries of the sciences and the arts, must form an immediate part of the French empire." * "Holland was united," because she "sunk under her contributions, and could no longer pay them;" and because she could not defend herself; and because it was just that" she ought to be associated in our blessings, as she has been associated in our calamities." + Spain was united, because her institutions wanted renovation-and the mouths of the Elbe, the Oder, and the Vistula, in order to secure the execution of the Continental system: and lastly, the "confines of Asia," were threatened by the "Imperial thunder," in order to prevent "British or denationalized flags" from having any communication with the Eastern part of Europe. Yet these are but part of her ways. The word of France was the law-her principles, which were formed to subvert social order, were proclaimed as those only which were henceforward to guide and govern Europe. Nations who, callous to their own honour, and deceived by French promises, surrendered their rights, and embraced them as deliverers, were by this condescension and baseness entitled to no favour. They, as well as all others, were first robbed of what they possessed, and then insulted with the taunt that they could no longer defend themselves; and therefore, to secure their liberties, and their independence, it became necessary for the Great Nation to take them under her immediate protection, by incorporating their territories with hers. In this manner did the French nation, by whomsoever governed, proceed with regard to every country in Europe. Every promise that France gave she has openly and shamelessly * Senatus Consultum, May 24th, 1808. Champagny's Report to the Emperor, July 9th, 1810. broken. violated.-Every treaty that she has made, during the last twenty-five years, even when these were dictated by her unfeeling arm, at the point of the bayonet, have all been broken by her. Nor was it all, that these were broken; but the breach was uni formly accompanied by the blackest perfidy and deepest guilt. Promises were made for the purpose of being violated. Treaties were entered into whose sole object was to disarm. Oaths were deliberately taken with the express intention of being Interest and convenience, were the only dieties which France owned-their laws, the only rule of her conduct. The consequences were fatal to the liberties of the world. Continental Europe was trampled under foot, by a fierce military banditti, whose glory consisted in being most conspicuous in ferocity and crime. To their power and insolence, there seemed no limits-their strength, for the moment, appalled human might. But resistance still remained. Guided by an arm unseen, the stone was raised from the side of the mountain, which was to dash to atoms this terrible image. The command was irresistible-its career rapid as the lightning's flight. British valour and Russian patriotism, which in their mad flights of success, had been treated with contempt, tore his boasted laurels from the tyrant's brows. On the banks of the Dnieper and the Berezina, the breath of the Almighty, withered his strength. Encouraged by His assistance, Europe burst her fetters-guided by his Spirit, on the bloody plains of Leipsic, she crushed beneath her feet, the collected energies of French ambition. With the eagle's speed and the lion's strength, her indignant millions, planted their victorious banners upon those walls, from whence had issued all their wrongs -all their griefs. Dreadful retribution was within the reach of their swords; France and Paris lay beneath their feet, and completely within their power. France knew it-she trembled at her situation-she tried to escape-she denounced her Emperor -recalled her king-requested peace from offended nations, and the sacred name of Jehovah affixed to a solemn treaty, disarmed the strong-the just rèsentment of Europe. She believed-and France escaped. But France soon proved herself ungrateful, and soon treated the favour that was shewn her, with contempt and scorn. She openly boasted that the conduct of Europe to her, proceeded from fear, not from mercy. She ridiculed the dangers which she had run-she again provoked her fate. In the meantime the congress of Vienna continued their labours. Faction and discontent, in every country, were on the alert, to misrepresent their intentions; and nowhere was this more prevalent than in England and in France. But the views of the propagators of these calumnies, in the two countries were different. In the one, its only object was to vilify or displace a ministry, though this might be affected by sacrificing the repose of Europe. In the other, it was done with the view of establishing the French character, and French interest, at the expense of every other nation. It would be inpossible, and is considered altogether unnecessary to repeat the numerous falsehoods, propagated concerning this august assembly. At one time Alexander laid his hand on his sword-at another, Austria. England was now duped, and from the saviour had become at one time the enemy, at another the derision, of the Continent. At one time Poland was in a state of agitation-at another, Italy was in flames. Here Turkey was intending to march against Russia, Denmark was preparing to erush the head of Sweden, Bavaria was afraid of Austria, Saxony was about to rise in rebellion, and Belgium could only live happy under the French sceptre, and all ended in holding up France as the pattern of justice, and the benefactor of the human race. Thus did the idle and discontented in France, endeavour to alarm and confuse Europe, while they were carrying on their dark and diabolical designs, against her future peace and happiness. To do them justice, however, it must be confessed, that they had powerful auxiliaries on this side of the water. Their most alarming reports, were etched out on this side the channel, and cheerfully extended by French ingenuity, who laughed at the ignorance of those to whose opinions they submissively seemed to bow, and whose principles they appeared eager to imbibe. In the midst of all this torrent of falsehood and abuse, the Congress continued their deliberations. Their labours were fast approaching to a close, རྩྭ and that in a manner, which was well understood, by those who' wished to understand the subject, would give general satisfaction to Europe. To rebuild the edifice of European policy, which French tyranny and ambition had overthrown, was no such easy task. To reconcile, and at the same time secure, the interests of all, was a most arduous undertaking. To have restored Europe, to the same state, as when France began her system of oppression and aggression, would have been the height of folly, and would have thrown away the labour and experience of twenty-years, in order to pave the way for the recurrence of the same evils from the same engines, viz. French power and ambition. The great powers of Europe, were too wise not to perceive this. Some interests must suffer; and therefore, the most guilty were singled out. Denmark, Saxony, and Italy, which clung to the fortunes of Bonaparte, and the interests of France, as long as they could; were pitched upon to encrease the territories of the neighbouring States. To Prussia, who gave up a considerable portion of her territory to add to the Duchy of Warsaw, a considerable portion of the territory of Saxony, was bestowed; and, to increase her power in proportion to that of her neighbours, she acquired a considerable accession of territory, on the left bank of the Rhine, which brought her into immediate contact with France. To Austria, who had so often contended, without success, against French ambition, all the Venetian States, were given, as also her old possessions in Italy; and in return she ceded some parts of her territories to Bavaria, and gave up all her claims upon Belgium, which was annexed to Holland, and now forms with the former the kingdom of the Netherlands. To strengthen the kingdom of Piedmont against French power, Genoa with its territories was added to the former state. Several other arrangements were made amongst the minor states of Germany. The principle of which, related to the strengthening of Bavaria, and the kingdom of Hanover. The friends of French politics cried out loudly against the arrangement; and every species of abuse and reproach, were heaped upon the heads of the allied Sovereigns, and their ministers assembled in Congress, in thus bartering away, as these factious demagogues called it, the in dependence of thousands of people, as if they had been so many cattle. These men forgot, that cession of territory, had in every age of the world, been necessary from one nation to another, and that those cessions had always been regulated with regard to the wealth, riches, and population of the parts so ceded or exchanged. There was nothing uncommon-nothing oppressive in all this. Nevertheless, the conduct of the allies, was described as the most odious and unjust; and, even that of Napoleon was considered mild and merciful, when compared to what theirs had been. Such were the broad assertions and accusations, of a party in Britain. Those men, could not possibly see the difference between the allies regulating the power of each state, so as that it might never gain a decided preponderance, over its neighbour; and the conduct of Napoleon, who wanted to overthrow the whole, and swallow them up, in the dreadful vortex of French rapacity and ambition. But in the midst of their mournful lamentations, for the fate of those who were justly suffering for their pertinacious adherence to French power, that great dragon which swallowed up individual and national liberty, not one sigh escaped their lips, for the fate of 700,000 inhabitants, once the subjects of other states, but which the treaty of Paris annexed unto France. No, these were added to the great nation, where freedom and happiness only could dwell, therefore, their fate was happy, their annexation an act of political sagacity, of the most beneficial kind. So argued French policy, and the men who had opposed those principles which had rescued Europe from French tyranny, against the proceedings of these men, whose judgment was now directed to establish that equilibrium, in the political balance of Europe, which might for a long time to come, preserve her from the same dreadful scourge. Other changes took place in several parts of Europe, particularly with regard to the kingdom of Naples, but which will with more propriety be noticed in another place. No sooner were the immense hosts of Europe withdrawn beyond the French frontiers, and the troops of each nation, |