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COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER.

VOL. XXV. No. 10.] LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1814.

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SUMMARY OF POLITICS.

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"useful to the great Cause, and will conWAR OF EXTERMINATION.--The fac-" tribute to strengthen the Government in tion, in this country, who began, and who "their measure of negociating with the have so long been such strenuous advocates "Allies. It appears to us, that the peoof, under all circumstances, the war against ple of this kingdom, having made trial of France, have been, on many occasions, and "one Peace, which was used by the Ruler upon tolerably good grounds, accused of "of France only as an interval of breathing wishing for a war of extermination; but, I" and recruiting for levying fresh war upon do not know, that they have, until this "his neighbours, have, for years, made up time, ever openly and unequivocally avow"their mind to the necessity of carrying on ed such wishes. Heretofore, they have" war as long as the same monster is enusually disguised their real views under the dured by the French nation as their pretence of wanting to obtain security," Ruler. There is, accordingly, throughsafely, the independence, or the deliverance" out this prosperous nation, no call for of Europe. Now, however, they, without any disguise whatever, come forward, and express the ardent desire never to have peace with France, till the Sovereign of that country is deposed; nay, until he be put to Heath as a malefaclor.— These senti against the slavery imposed upon others, ments are expressed in an article, publish- "who did not so defend themselves. Haped in the Couricr news-paper of about a pily the Sovereigns and the People of the fortnight ago, under the title of a Meeting, "Continent have, at length, followed our held at the Thatched-House Tavern, in St." example; and the whole of Europe is James's-street, on the 12th of February. " now united against the common enemy,

"peace, as has been in all former wars. "Persons of all classes acquiesce, with "patience and with fortitude, in the bur"dens and misfortunes attendant on the "defensive struggle, which is to protect us

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-I shall insert this article at full length." who appears, at last, to be at their mercy, It is a great curiosity in its way. It will pursued, as he is, into his own territory,TM deserve attention hereafter; and, it will" where there is no sign of a disposition in certainly account, in some measure, for any "the people to stand by him, and save him bitterness of hostility which may be disco- "from military execution. -In this crivered by Napoleon against this country, "sis of Europe, it is our opinion, our earshould he chance to survive his dangers," nest prayer, and our firm hope, that there and to triumph over a combination, the" will be no contract, no treaty, no parley, greatest that ever was, I believe, known, or " with the Man whom the French still sufheard of, in the world.The article to "fer to be their representative among the which I allude, and on which I am about" Powers of Europe, He is a known liar, to comment, was published in the follow-" impostor, thief, and murderer; one who ing words: "At a meeting of Gentle-" would not be borne, as a private person, 66 men at the Thatched-House Tavern, St." in a low station of life from which he had "James's-street, Saturday, 12th of Febru-" been raised during the reign of wickedary, 1814, the following Public Address "ness in France. And how can Britons was agreed to:-Approaching, as we "consent that their King should enter into now seem, to the conclusion of a warfare," covenant with such a one, as his equal! "that has been sustained for the mainte- or that a British Nobleman or Gentleman nance of Government and the social sys- "should be degraded to the office of treattem, against the assaults of the Frenching, or holding converse, with such in"Revolution, during a period of more than "struments of assassination and villany as * 20 years, it appears to us, that a Decla-" are the Ministers and Servants of such a ❝ration from the people at large, of senti- "Monster! The like repugnance, we are "ments that are suited to the circumstances" sure, must be felt in the breasts of our "of the present moment, will be highly" Allies; because it must be wherever

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ought to continue the war, until we have killed Napoleon, or caused the French to kill him. Motives of safety for ourselves; safety for Europe; motives of conquest, of honour, are all laid aside; we are now to spend our money and shed our blood, in this holy war, for the destruction of one man, and for the forcing upon the French nation, that great, populous, gallant, polite, and ingenious nation, a government, or, at least, a ruler, whom they now have chosen to set up over them. This impudent faction say, that they have a great majority of the people of this country with them. I do not believe it; but, if it were so, that would not change the nature of the doctrine which they promulgate. It would only prove, that it is more extensively prevalent, and would, to every just mind, afford additional cause of regret.

"there is any thing royal, any thing noble, any thing honest. But we having been "the leaders in this war, it seems peculiarly our province to give the word, and "be the first to proclaim our opinion, with "whom it can, and with whom it cannot, "be terminated. While we declare "thus peremptorily against peace with the "hateful Ruler of France, we are conscious "that we speak only from a desire and a love of peace; being fully persuaded, "that such happy state is never to be en"joyed while that man has the power of "disturbing it, whenever it suits his pro"jects of rapine and desolation so to do; "and being convinced, as we are, that "such a sentence of disqualification, pro"nounced against him by the Allied "Powers, is the last step that need be "taken for terminating the war, and re66 storing the former state of things in Eu- The French people are appealed to by rope. It would be a signal to the French this impudent and bloody faction. This 66 people to do justice on their oppressor, faction, who only want the courage to make "whom they have long determined not to them murderers and assassins, tell us, that, 66 spare at home, when they once see him if the whole of this nation were to join them thoroughly beaten and discredited abroad. in an expression of their sentiments, it -The contempt, the hatred, the ab- would be "a signal to the French people "horrence of that man's character, have" to do justice on their oppressor, whom "long been general throughout this coun- "they have resolved not to spare at home, try; and, on the present occasion, we be- "when once they see him thoroughly "lieve it to be a general sentiment, that he "beaten and discredited abroad.". "ought not to be recognised as a Sovereign Now, how impudently false are these facts! "Prince, and treated with for peace; but Napoleon, owing to his having confided in "rather, that justice should be done upon his German allies, has been thoroughly "him as a malefactor. If this is really a beaten abroad: his enemies, consisting of "general sentiment, we trust it will be ge- all the old governments of Europe, and all nerally declared. It is a time for the their fleets and armies, have driven him people to raise their voice through the into France; they have invaded France on country. When the French first made both sides, and nearly all round; they have 66 war upon us with their revolutionary marched to within 40 miles of Paris. principles, and their revolutionary hosti- And, have we seen any one symptom of his lities, the people spoke for themselves, being hated by the French people? If "in support of the King and Constitution; they had been resolved not to spare him, "and it was their public declarations and why have they spared him? Does not an "associations that gave a tone to the exer- army rise up, as it were, by magic, at the "tions of Government, which has been sound of his voice? Is he not now exposed 66 our main support through this long war- to that vengeance, which we have so long "fare. The contest seems now to be re- been told the people of France have in store "duced to one single object, the overthrow for him? And yet, this blood-thirsty facof the odious Tyrant himself. Let the tion would persuade us, that the people of "people now shew themselves, to put a France are, above all things, desirous of his "finishing hand to their own war. Let destruction! "them declare against a peace with the "Tyrant of France. When the popular "opinion of this nation is once declared, we shall see what will be the conduct of "the King's government; and, very soon "after, we shall see what will happen in "France.-PRO REGE ET POPULO.".

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Here, then, it is openly avowed, that we

are to do justice upon him; that is to say, -But, we are told, that they assassinate him; or, at least, kill him somehow or other; whence we may fairly conclude, that the same faction have approved, if not been the instigators, of all those bungling attempts at assassination, which have been made by persons going from this country; and we can hardly help ad

miring the magnanimity of the people of and reasoning on the side of the man, whose France, who have never attempted any act blood they thirst for. They do, however, of retaliation. These men of blood do not know of them and feel their weight; but seem to reflect on the example that they are this only excites their rage, as it usually giving, which example, if the people of happens with those, who find themselves France were base and bloody enough to beaten in argument. They have read the follow it, might lead to the horrible deed answer to the Bourbon Proclamation; they of murdering our own sovereign. It must have read the articles upon the subject of have occurred to most people to observe, Moreau; they have read the several articles that while our public prints are filled with upon the subject of the state of France and such abominable sentiments as those above the disposition of the people towards Naexpressed; that, while our prints call the poleon. They know, they must know, Emperor of France all sorts of foul names; that these articles contain facts and arguthat, while they assert, in so many words, ments that entitle them to an answer; but, that the sovereign, to whom our great and unable to answer, they fall, like the lowest good Ally, the Emperor of Austria, gave of the vulgar, to vile and odious railing. his daughter in marriage, and by whom They are not ignorant, that men of sense she has a son, heir to her husband's throne, and candour are on our side, because sense is" a liar, an impostor, a thief, a tyrant, and candour yield to convincing proof in "a murderer, and a monster," the French spite of prejudice; but, they are aware, at prints never utter a syllable of personal the same time, that the mass of the people abuse of any of our Royal Family, but as are guided by their prejudices, cherished carefully abstain from it as if the authors by the mass of the public prints; and, were liable to even our own libel laws for though the men of blood know that the such abuse; and that while our prints are sense and candour of the country hold them incessantly inculcating the right and the and their doctrine in abhorrence, they care duty of the French people to assassinate little for that, provided they secure the mass their sovereign, the French prints express of the people, and thereby keep alive the regret at the unhappy state of our good old delusion that keeps alive the war.--But, king, and leave us in quiet to bestow our upon what ground, again, do these men of love and admiration upon him and all his blood presume, that a declaration of their family, contenting themselves with cen- sentiments, supposing it to become general suring, and that, too, in the most dignified in England, would influence the people of tone and manner, the views, the policy, France, and induce them to abandon, or to and the acts of our government; so that, murder, Napoleon? It is presumption in the Paris papers scarcely ever contain an the highest and most ridiculous degree to article, which our libel laws would not let suppose, that the French nation, consisting pass, and which even I myself might not of thirty millions of men, the most active, publish as my own production with impu- most intelligent, most brave, and most nity. This contrast is no less striking proud of national glory in the world, than it is humiliating to us as a nation; would kill their sovereign merely because and, if the two nations were to be judged the thirteen or fourteen millions of people of by it, how little, how low, how con- in these islands wished them to do it. If temptible must England appear by the side we could suppose it possible for such a deof France!- -And, upon what ground claration to have any influence at all upon do the men of blood accuse Napoleon their minds, we must suppose that it would of being an oppressor of the people of be to make them love him more than ever; France? It has been shown, that his code and I have, for my part, not the smallest of laws is admirable; it has been shown doubt, that, if they ever do hear of the that the Bourbons themselves, in order to publications of the blood-men, those pubpave their way to restoration, have been lications are very useful to Napoleon, as induced to promise the French people the they must say to the people of France: continuance of that code; it has been shown," this is the man whom you ought to chethat he has done a great deal for the hap-"rish, because, you see, that those who piness and even for the liberty of France. "wish your humiliation, and who boast of Why are not these statements answered? "being the leader of your invaders, so Why does not some one of the men of blood" anxiously desire his death." Besides," show, that these statements are false? They suppose the people of France to receive and never enter the field of argument with us. They read such a declaration, might they not, never appear to take any notice of the facts and would they not, answer in somewhat

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in re-establishing Bishops and Priests, Napoleon has not restored the monks and friars to their convents and their immense property, by the means of which they led 'such easy lives and wore such fat and rosy cheeks, while those who tilled their land were skin and bone. Their lands were divided amongst us by the republican assemblies, and Napoleon has confirmed their grants. Is it for this that you so hate him? Is it for this that you so becall him? Is it for this that you lay on him with fouler mouths than those which have heretofore been regarded as the exclusive possession of your own dames of Billingsgate? Is it for this that you would have us cut his throat while he is asleep?- -Or, are you offended, that he did not restore the lithes along with the parochial clergy? Is your zeal 'for the Church so very great, that you cannot abide the idea of her being robbed of any portion of her inheritance?Come, coune, do not shuffle at this point, at any rate, give us a direct answer. We have read with very erroneous eyes, if you yourselves do not regard tithes

this way: 'Why do you wish us to destroy
"Napoleon? At the beginning of the war,
you professed to fight against us, who
had then declared ourselves republicans,
in order to prevent the extension of our
'disorganizing principles to yourselves.
There were some amongst us who said,
· that your government feared the effect of
'the example of freedom that we were
'giving to mankind; but, at any rate, all
your public declarations professed your
object to be to prevent the overthrow of
regular government. Well! We have
given up those disorganizing principles.
'Our government is as regular as that of
England, or any of her numerous Allies,
and, it is Napoleon who has made it so;
why, therefore, would you have us as-
sassinate Napoleon? At a later period,
the war, on your part, assumed a garb
' of holiness. You were shocked at our
'irreligious principles, and you received,
with open arms, those priests, monks,
' and friars, whom you formerly denomi-
'nated cheats and impostors, and for list-
⚫ening to whom you abused us very
'grossly. You shed tears of pious pity
"over the fall of the Pope, whom you had
formerly called Anti-Christ and the Scar-numbers of your leading men have not
'let Whore of Babylon. Your war against

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us now became a war for regular govern'ment and holy religion; and you listened 'with the zeal of converts to those who' 'told you, that if you did not freely pay for the support of the war, we should deprive you of the blessed comforts of religion.' -Well! We are no longer of our, then, way of thinking, or, at 'least, we do not shock you with our De'istical notions. Religion, our old reli

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gion, is on foot again; masses are sung ' in all our churches; the good wives and their daughters go regular to confess their sins, and they count their beads, as former

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as a monstrous grievance; if great

been forming schemes for their abolition in England; if one of your principal noblemen has not stated, to a great meeting of farmers and wool-dealers, that you laboured under the disad vantage of tithes, which neighbouring 'countries were free from. Is it, therefore, possible, that this can be the cause of your calling Napoleon a tyrant, an op· pressor, and a man whom we ought to murder, and a man whom we must and shall murder, before you will let us have peace? Would you, indeed, have us butcher our ruler in cold blood, because he has not compelled us to pay the holy

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ly; and your religion, too, is fully tole-church her dues? If this be the cause, 'rated amongst us, and, indeed, enjoyed, or any part of the cause, of your bloodynot as an indulgence, but as a right.- 'minded purpose, let us, at any rate, never This change has been made by Napoleon. hear any more of your own grumbling "Why, therefore, do you call upon us to mur- about tithes; for, we are not aware of der him? Why do you so eagerly seek his any law of God, of Nature, or of Nations, ⚫life at our hands? Why would you have making that oppression in England which us assassinate him, who has relieved ' is not to be deemed oppression in France. you from all danger of being deprived by -So much for your war for "holy reus of those "blessed comforts of religion,' ""ligion," as it was called by Mr. John for which that worthy veteran George Bowles, the Dutch Commissioner.'Rose, called on you to pay and fight, and 'Your next object, or rather, objects, of who has restored those inestimable bless-war were, as expressed by that heavenings even to us? Why, you men of blood, would you urge us to stick our 'knives into his heart?- -It is true, indeed, that, in restoring religion to France;

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born minister, Mr. Pitt, "indemnity for 'the past and security for the future." Have you not got indemnity in the thirty millions of subjects which you have

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"and commerce to the enemy, and have acquired at Java? In all your immense conquests of territory and of people? In" silently withdrawn from both ourselves?” the Dutch and Danish fleets? Or, do'-(Times news-paper, March 1), Oh! That is it, is it? What, this same you pretend to say, that all these put but now, Napoleon, whose character, together are not worth a millionth part of 'the hundreds of millions that you have 'expended in the war? Be it so, then; 'but, would you have us murder Napoleon for that? Did he cause you to expend 'all these hundreds of millions? And, if 'he did, is that a reason why we should cut his throat while he is asleep, seeing that the money was expended in a war ' against us? And, as to "security for "the future," you cannot, surely, now be ' apprehensive upon that score, seeing that, as you say, all your nation hold Napoleon declare in contempt;" seeing that you ' him to be fallen; seeing, that from being

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a conqueror, you now regard him as a

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you said you held in contempt, is all of a sudden, become a chief, who well knows how to make use of a veteran army! 'Here you let your real motives peep out. You do not wish that our veterans, who are prisouers of war, should be restored to their country; and, therefore, you 'would keep on the war; which, by the by, seems not to square very well with all the pity, which you are eternally ex pressing for our conscripts, whom, one 'would suppose, you would wish to see return to those "weeping mothers,' 'whose "bleeding bosoms" your Mr. Can6 ning, in the true Green Room style, so

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'desperate wretch struggling for bare ex-pathetically described, in one of his

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istence. Why, then, not suffer him, so contemptible a thing, to exist, it being so obvious, that a poor contemptible ruler ' in France must tend more to your future 'security than any thing else could? Why, then, not let us remain unstained with 'his blood? And, if all this be, at bottom, affected, on your part; fear that

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he will not only deliver France, but again carry the French standards into the terri

tory of her numerous invaders, and, in 'the end put you in danger; if this be the case, if you think that he will retrieve his fortunes and our glory, and if you do 'not think us the greatest of fools, or the 'basest of mankind, can you expect, that, for this reason we should become his ' murderers ?—Your war, in its last stage, became a war for "the deliverance of 'Europe." And is not Europe now de'livered? Is not Napoleon now ready to 'make peace even upon the basis proposed 'by the Allies themselves? What more do you want of him? Would you have

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speeches to the wise men of Liverpool.

What of your • war-taxes ?" Do you love those taxes so much, then, that you wish the war to continue for the pleasure of paying those taxes? Or, do you mean, that they will be continued in peace, and that they will not be so easily paid as they are now, the sources whence they were derived, having been dried up? But, kind friends of ours, why should you keep up "the same arney and the same navy as at present?" You do not mean to say, surely, that your soldiers and sailors will not suffer themselves to 'be disbanded? Oh! we have it now! 'what you mean is, that, if Napoleon con'tinue to be our sovereign, you will not dare to disband, he being so formidable an enemy to you, he "understanding so 'well how to make use of a veteran ariny.' 'That is it, is it? and so, you would have us 'murder him, you would have us not only 'become assassins, but run the risk of a civil war and the loss of laws and pro

us murder him because he has consentedperty, you would wish to return to Lettres

to ratify your declared wishes? No, this is not the true reason why you want him assassinated, That reason we must look ⚫ for in another of your publications, where "Is this the time for us to puryou say: "chase peace for the satisfaction of re"storing a veteran army to the Chief who

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de Cachet, Gabelles, Corvées, Seigneu'rial Courts, Provincial Judges, Tithes, and Game-laws, and to kill Napoleon, to cut his throat or stick him while asleep, in order that some weak and unwarlike sovereign should render us too contempt'ible to put you to the expense of main'taining a large fleet and army in peace, and thereby expose yourselves to pecuniary ruin? No, thank you! It is your business to kill him (not by the hands of assassins) on this account; but, it is our 'business to stand by him; to support his authority; and to desire, most anxiously,

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