speculation, "ride in the whirl-wind and direct the storm." However, the public feeling, of a certain description of the good people of this country, is to be discovered on the Stock Exchange. Its wavering and hesitation, at this moment, are a proof that it is not fixed but distrustful. This is the first phænomenon that the public mind is

afraid, short of a miracle, can save the country. But as I hold it to be the duty of every one who has the means in his power, to detect and expose the moral and political deception universally practised through the medium of the press, particularly by means of the public journals, I shall never be sparing in my strictures on any writer, be his pretensions to patriot-practicable, if I may so say, which I notice isin what they may, if he forgets the duty which the press owes to the people; and if, in the course of my labours, I succeed in unmasking the vile policy, by which the partisans of an equally vile and pernicious system have obtained so extensive an empire over the credulous, I shall have the satisfaction of having at least endeavoured to stem the torrent of general corruption, and of having entered upon record my solemn protest against all who may have promoted the views of those, if any such exist, who aim at subjecting the throne and the people to an unprincipled oligarchy.

PUBLIC FEELING,

Mr. Cobbett,-To your opinion of the lamentable corruption of the public feeling, and of the nefarious practices employed, by means of the press, to produce that corruption of it, I heartily subscribe. It is some consolation that a inan, of your powerful intellect and spirit, is aroused to stem the torrent which threatens destruction in its progress, to "man and man's weal." You seem, however, to enter on the grand enterprise with a portion of despair of suc

for your encouragement to proceed in giving it a right tone and direction.-The public press may furnish similar indications that Englishmen are, at this moment, of corruption and delusion, penetrable. Some of the news-papers have assumed, lately, a degree of courage, and ventured to speak unwelcome truth. Their venal opponents are alarmed, and suggest that it becomes the Secretary of State to take cognizance of the sources of their information. This is hopeful. It is thus avowed, in effect, that te give the rights of things is a political crime, and that the system which deserves patronage, is that of deluding, not of informing, of falsehood, and not truth. These things bring a ray of hope, and impart a portion of consolation. A feeble paper, conducted by a man of a feeble mind, is just now before me. This poor thing has, as one might expect, been enticed by the bauble of the day, and snivels something about the cause of independence, and that kind of cant which the dwarfs of the hour have learnt from the giants of corruption. "Were the invaders freemen theinselves, there would be little chance for him; as it is, &c." This is sufficient. The invaders, then, it is acknowledged, are not freemen. And to this is reduced the cause of independence! Of this point, however, there is little hope, for there is an obstinacy in diminutive men which it is vain to combat: but they are not cunning enough to see the consequences of concession. From their concessions, from the more courageous daring of greater intellects, and from the rage of their professed opponents, prognostics may be gathered of good effects on the general mind, on which light cannot be poured without producing illumination. Stock Exchange, that barometer, as it hasIn the present state of the contest in the been called, of the public feeling. The field, we may discover a pretty clear source height, at which that species of public of the removal of the present illusion, and property has stood, may be easily account- of the return of sober sense among our ed for. That place is an arena where the countrymen. An instance of greater imkeen and the cunning encounter the dolt and policy and rashness never has occurred in the dupe. That scene indicates the opinion the history of nations than that which the At Frankof the last only, and not of the first who, Allies have lately supplied. snugly wrapped up in a cloud of unmixed fort they might, with swords in their Love of gain, and shielded by the genius of hands, have obtained a peace on satisfac

And it is the design of this communication, by pointing out dawning prospects of encouragement, to reassure you, and to strengthen your vigour, that, in the hope of conquering, you may assume the energy necessary to wrest victory, in so holy a cause, from the hands of the amphibious crew, the mixed Sybarites and Goths, who prowl, like Cossacks, for plunder, and extract their spoils from the blood of mankind. There are evident symptoms of returning reason, scattered over the face of this country. Fluctuation is felt on the

tory conditions. But they have set all on generals had changed sides; if Soult had the cast of a die. From that station, they been at the head of one hundred thousand could not have provoked France to rouse of the finest soldiers in existence, and his its energies. But they have left her with- antagonist at the head of a moiety of that out alternative, and shifted the cause of number, of motley men of all nations, half independence from themselves. To the without discipline or experience, what tasting grief of every friend of liberty, they would be the case in the south of France? have delivered over, to such a man as the Let any man put this question to himself. French Emperor, the honour of defending When events shall no longer cloud the his country, and every thing valuable which imagination, delusion will vanish. It apit contains. However, the general delu- pears that the only hope which remained sion is likely to be more effectually removed, has there perished. Soult cannot be bribed, under these circumstances, than if the Al- and the tale of the Newspapers will serve lies had suppressed their genuine designs, only to point out to the English nation the at the suggestion of policy and prudence. honour of the attempt upon a man who Had they then stopped short, as they ought was not otherwise to be subdued. Although to have done, the world would still have such transactions cannot fail to draw blood been goaded by the assassinating rage of the of affliction from every noble British heart, papers, and tauntingly told that the peace they bring their consolation with them. of Europe was the effect of drivelling pu- The nation will not be deceived by the sillanimity. This cannot now be the case false medium through which objects are for any length of time. Should France be now presented to its view. -Lastly, you subdued, which is next to impossible, and may allow indulgence to your hopes on ac of which there are not the slightest appear- count of the success with which you have ances, the stupor will be removed, and the hitherto tried your efforts on the public. certain state of the world will, cruelly, You may know the fact, but I will still because too late, open its eyes: and, sure- state it for the benefit of the world: your ly, it is better that a patient, suffering late Numbers have been bought up with from a fatal disease, should know some- uncommon avidity and read with uncommon thing of his condition, in order to apply zeal. The public is impressed; a sensation remedies, than that he should, through un- has been produced. On Sunday morning, consciousness, riot in luxurious fare which I could not procure your paper, though! must render him beyond the power of me- had sent an order for it, to the newsseller dicine. On the contrary, if France should in my neighbourhood, early on Saturday repel the invaders, which is the more pro- evening. I was disappointed, notwithstandbable case, as it is supposed by all pre-ing his promise to supply me: it could not sent appearances, and by all past his- be obtained. This has been the case with tory, the delusion will be at once re- two or three more of your papers. And moved. The consequences of such an let me advise you to have a larger number event need not be detailed; besides pre-printed, for the demand "has increased, senting, in a clear light, the views of the is increasing, and will not be diminished." parties engaged, it will prove, to demon- Who can contemplate this case, and enterstration, the impolicy of not following up tain for the public, either fear or despair? the declaration of Frankfort by sincere, You are, alone, sufficient to unteach the practical, proofs of the truth with which English world the follies, which its own the objects of it were entertained. It will ductility, practised upon by interested craft, have a still more beneficial effect, for it has rendered it so easy to adopt. Others will undeceive this country, than which will follow your successful example; and nothing can be more desirable. The time there is reason to believe, that the British is fast approaching. The scales will fall press will yet save the country. It will off from the eyes of the blind, in one way administer the medicine to madness, and or other, and the blessing of restored sight rage will give place to returning reason. will be recovered and appreciated. On The career of self-destruction will be obthis you may securely calculate, and your structed, and health will be brought to efforts may be pursued without despondency, revisit the unhappy patient, led by the for the day of their effect and ascendency is hand to him by the pure and placid DiviIn the south of France, there nity-PEACE. are almost clear proofs that deception will not long prevail. The genius of

at hand.

HORTATOR.

THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON AND HIS ARMY. But I will only ask, if the two contendingIt is curious to observe the change of

tone which the news-paper press has as-" and down to the latest accounts had not sumed since Buonaparte left Paris at the "gained any advantage of a decisive nature head of his army. Like cowards, the con- " over him. He has thrown himself in the temptible conductors of these vehicles of "Prince's rear, a movement the prudence falsehood "swagger and bully" when the" or imprudence of which is yet to be ascerenemy keeps close in his quarters :-like “tained. If he be strong enough to risk a cowards, they "squeak and tremble" when" battle with the Prince, and if he gain a he threatens to take the field against them." great victory, the Austrians, placed beIn the one case, nothing is too gross for "tween him and the capital, may be exthese reptiles to swallow; nothing too ridi-"posed to great difficulties and dangers. culous and absurd for them to propagate." He evidently wishes by manœuvres to seIn the other, they would fain retract their "parate Schwartzenberg from Blucher, calumnies and lies; but the rancour and "and make an impression upon the former, malice excited by disappointment, gives to "the Austrians being his first object, for their concessions so bad a grace, that their" reasons which we mentioned two or three duplicity appears more notorious than it "days ago. If Blucher moved from Metz would otherwise have been. That the" towards Verdun, or from Pont-a-Mousreader may judge how far these suggestions" son to Bar-le-Duc, Buonaparte by his are correct, I shall direct his attention to "movement first to St. Dizier, and afterthe leading article of the Courier of the 8th "wards to Vassy and Brienne, is between instant, and then bring under his view" him and Schwartzenberg, and so far may some of the former, though very recent," be said to have separated them from each statements of this prostituted journal, and "other. But both Blucher and Schwartits coadjutor in iniquity, the Times. "Buonaparté, as our readers know (says "the Courier), proceeded straight from "Paris to Chalons, Vitry, and St. Dizier, "which he entered after an action, and

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"zenberg, by the preparations made at "Chalons, and the march of French "troops to that point and to the line of the "Marne, must, we apprehend, have been "aware of Buonaparte's plan. If the Ausslept there on the 27th, pushing on his "trian General directed his route, as we "advanced guard to Vassy. In the last infer from these papers he has directed "Paris Papers, which were to the 1st, weit, to the Aube and the Seine; if he has "were informed that, "the Emperor con- "taken the road that leads direct to Paris, "tinues his movements upon the rear of" he must have been aware, we repeat, that "the enemy!" In the papers just arrived" Buonaparté could throw himself in the "we are told, that after the taking of St. "rear of his line of march. He would "Dizier, "the Emperor advanced upon "hardly, therefore, have pushed on, if he "the rear of the enemy at Brienne. "had been convinced that his force was in"Hence it is obvious, if these papers be "sufficient to cope with that which Buona"correct, that the army under the imme- "parté could bring against him, because "diate command of Prince Schwartzenberg" in the event of a decisive defeat, he would "had advanced from Langres by Chau- "know that his retreat would be cut off, or mont, and spreading from thence to the "at least exposed to the greatest difficulty. "Aube and the Seine, to the two towns of" But there is another point in which this 66 Bar, had sent forward their light troops, "movement is to be considered. "the Cossacks, to Arcis and Sens, the "parté is in the rear of Schwartzenberg; 66 gates of which, we have the authority" true: but Blucher may be in the rear of "even of these Paris Papers for saying," Buonaparte. If on the 17th or 18th he "they had reached on the very day (27th was at Nancy and Pont-a-Mousson, he ult.) Buonaparté made his attack upon" might easily, by the end of the month, be "St. Dizier. Thus, the army of Schwart- "near the banks of the Marne, and close "zenberg was at that time, and indeed after Buonaparte, supposing him not to "since, nearer Paris than Buonaparté." have joined Schwartzenberg. If, there"Buonaparté operating upon the Marne to "fore, the latter was between Paris and "St. Dizier, turned short, when he reached" Buonaparte, Buonaparté might be be"that place, and making a lateral mové- "tween Schwartzenberg and Blucher, a "ment on Vassy, proceeded to the banks" position quite as perilous at least, if not "of the Aube to Brienne, where he had "more so, than the Austrian General's. "this smart action with the rear-guard," But we have as yet only the enemy's ac" which is mentioned in the Moniteur. He "count, and not a word is mentioned of "is now following Prince Schwartzenberg, "the movements and operations of Blu

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Buona

"rear.

"

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"cher." -From this extract it is put beyond all question, that the Emperor Napoleon has been able to bring into the field an army of sufficient magnitude to occasion serious alarm to the writer of the Courier, who is forced to confess that the Austrians may be exposed to great difficulties and dangers, that the Austrian General, Prince Schwartzenberg, may have his retreat cut off. But the statement of the Courier proves more: it proves that Buonaparté had actually commenced offensive operations against the Allies, had obtained an advantage over them, and was pushing on his advanced guard. It proves that Napoleon had succeeded in separating the armies of Blucher and Schwartzenberg, and that he had actually placed his own army in the rear of the latter. "He has thrown him"self (says the Courier) in the Prince's -In fine, it proves, that Buonaparté had forced the Austrian General to retreat, for in no other sense can the words be understood, that "he (Napoleon) is now "following Prince Schwartzenberg.". All this, and much more, may be learned from the Paris Papers; but it was scarcely to be expected that the Courier writer, who pronounces every thing a lie" that comes from France, would have admitted even the probability, far less the truth of statements so clearly subversive of all his previous assertions. Only a few days ago it was exultingly demanded by this sagacious politician, "Where is the army; where are the mighty means that Buonaparté "boasted of? They talk (said he, sneer"ingly) of immense armies, of levies rais"ed with great facility, and of the confi"dence and enthusiasin of the people; but we see no proofs of it."This writer, who is blind to every thing but the " "storation of the Bourbons,' a theme which he "croaks and cons over" to satiety, and the annoyance even of his most stupid admirers, could discover nothing in the "note of preparation" lately sounded in France, but the marshalling of a few "tall boys and old women.' -All at once he changes his tone. No sooner does he find that Buonaparté had in truth left Paris, than he begins to fear that he "may probably attempt to cut his way "through the line of the allied forces, and separate one army from the other." What! the timid, the cowardly Buonaparte, attempt to cut his way with only 30,000 tall boys and old women" through an army of 200,000 veterans? "The

"

re.

grand army (said the Courier of the 28th

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" ult.) under Prince Schwartzenberg, is "estimated at 100,000 men. We are "happy to know, that it is more than dou"ble that number." If the Courier man spoke truth as to the amount of the Austrian army, which I am not disposed to question, then he must be the most contemptible of all poltrons, to be afraid of Buonaparté succeeding in any attempt he can make against so formidable a foe with a handful of tall boys and old women." But supposing Mr. Courier to have known a little more than he was willing to admit, as to the actual strength of the French army, which it is clear he must have done, what a vile and infamous wretch must he now appear in the eyes of every man who has any regard for truth and honesty. He must either be held a coward for attempting to excite groundless fears as to the probable fate of the allied forces, or he must be held a notorious impostor for deceiving the public so long as to the chance at least of Buonaparté being again able to bring an army into the field. Whether the French Emperor will succeed or not, may yet be regarded by some as a matter of speculation. If a judgment is formed upon the admissions of the Courier, and if the "anxiety," the "fears," and the "doubts," which are every day expressed in the columns of that paper as to the success of the Allies, are to be taken as the criterion of opinion, there can be little doubt as to what will be the result of the contest. My own sentiments are, and I have frequently avowed them, that so long as the French people continue faithful in their adherence to Buonaparté, his throne cannot be overturned · though all the armies of Europe were combined against him. In this view of the subject I am completely borne out by the conduct of the Allies themselves, who, despairing of ever being able to overcoine Napoleon in battle, so long as he can bring any thing like an equal force into the field, endeavoured, by their Declaration at Frankfort, to detach the French people from his cause, and to persuade them to withdraw the means, with which, as was asserted, he had hitherto been able to gratify his ambition. It is from this dread also of the superior military skill of Napoleon that all our news-paper abuse has arisen, and which has led these hirelings, contrary to the experience of all history, to give a preference to the sway of the Bourbons, and to vociferate the necessity of assassinating Buonaparté, in order to make way for the restoration of that family. No matter what

to more credit for fidelity than its hopeful associate. It was admitted, without reservation by the former, that Buonaparté had obtained a certain success; that he had thrown his army into the rear of the Austrians, by which he had separated them from the Russians; and that he was now following Prince Schwartzenberg instead of that Prince following him. But the Times, no doubt, indignant at the "caitiff

favourite schemes as to the Bourbons, treats these positive advantages as fables, and asserts it to be but barely probable, that some of the soldiers of Buonaparté may, as if by accident, "have come in contact "with the enemy; that he may have suc"ceeded in cutting off some of the cannon;

principles are sacrificed; no matter what feelings are outraged, if they can get rid of the terror which Napoleon's name carries with it into the field of battle.-Let us now turn to the declamatory columns of the Times, and see whether they are more consistent than those of the Courier.—Contradictory as we have found the statements of the latter, those of the former are, if possible, more so. The Times is, indeed, the more dangerous of the two, inasmuch" Corsican" presuming to thwart all their as it appeals to public feeling, in a style of jesuitical jargon, which would do honour to the most consummate theologian, and which is always certain of finding admirers among the rabble, who, in all ages, and in every country, were celebrated for listening with the greatest attention to the man who tickled their fancy the most; who had the" and that it was only probable, accounts knack of making the multitude stare; who "had been received at Paris of some succould best "excite the wonderment of the " cesses. And this is what the Times "people.". Combining this view of the newspaper tells us, in the face of the talents of the Times writer with an insa- French official bulletin, and, I must say, tiable thirst for the blood of Napoleon: in this instance, in opposition to the appawith every quality of the mind requisite to rent candour of the Courier, which has no complete the character of a "finished as-pretensions to any superior sources of intel"sassin," we shall be at no loss to form a correct idea of the general sentiments which pervade that infamous paper.-As to the probable result of the present campaign, and the means possessed by Buonaparté, more caution is displayed here than in the Courier; but enough is admitted to satisfy every thinking and rational person, that the charge of notorious imposition is not the less applicable to the one than it is to the other. Adverting to Buonaparte's recent success at Brienne, the Times says "it is probable that accounts have been received 66 at Paris of some successes; it is not im"probable that he might have succeeded "in cutting off some of the cannon." In another paper, he says, "The truth we "take to be, that the advanced detach"ments of the Allies, which were spread "over a great extent of country, had been • necessarily called in as soon as Buona"parté advanced in force, and, in drawing "them together, it is very probable that "some of them may have come in contact "with the enemy."-Who does not discover in all this the shuffling, the shifting, and the chicanery of one who wishes to disguise the truth? who wishes, most ungenerously, to detract from another, merely because he is an enemy. Talk of " gentlemen and men "of honour," forsooth-Rather talk of a whipping-post and of a halter. Here I must do justice to the Courier, by acknowledging that, in this particular, it is entitled

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ligence. I leave it to those who give implicit credit to these oracles of wisdom, these faithful records of passing events, to divine the cause, if they can, of these palpable contradictions. But, in doing this, it is not my intention to let the Times writer slip from my fingers. His jesuitical jargon, may make partisans on the Stock Exchange; but it is not proper that it should have that effect every where, without an attempt, at least, to expose and counteract his tergiversation. Whether this writer admits or denies the late successes of the French arms, it is clear that he is not without his alarms any more than the Courier, and that he has been forced, though very reluctantly, to eat in his words, and to treat the eneiny with more respect than he did within these few weeks. Had full credit been given to his representations down to the departure of Napoleon from Paris, it would have been the height of absurdity in any man to suppose, even for a moment, that he would ever be able to recruit his armies. The universal opinion, said to prevail in France, was, that Buonaparté ought to be dethroned, and Louis called upon to fill his place. The terror which these sentiments had excited in the mind of the "despot,' was thus faithfully described in the Times: "The tyrant has "drawn his guards from the frontiers to "Paris! He has there hedged himself "round with a triple row of defenders: first

"