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"duke Charles, to prove that it was wholly without foundation, and "gloriously to give it the lie, by the renewal of a battle AS BLOODY, and "the gaining of a victory as splendid as that of Aspern; his character and. exploits inspire such hopes, and it were injustice to both to hesitate in "cherishing them!"

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How weak must be the head, how prejudiced the mind, and how callous the heart of the man who could vent such sentiments and feelings. The accounts of the battle of the 21st and 22d. óf May, seem to have appalled even the writers on both sides; the Austrian narrator repeatedly terms them "murderous conflicts;" but the conflagration of villages, the slaughter of 20 to 30,000 of our fellow creatures; the agonies of 40 or 50,000 wounded; the misery of thousands of widows and orphans, the numberless complicated horrors of these sanguinary scenes, make no impression on the heart of the Editor of the Morning Post. On the contrary, scenes which cannot be beheld even by the actors themselves without horror and dismay, excite in him such lively emotions of joy, that he longs for their repetition. Peace is the grand object of his aversion: he expresses his ardent hope," that "the Archduke will gloriously give the lie to all reports of nego"ciation by the renewal of a battle as BLOODY, and the gaining "a victory as splendid as that at Aspern." This cold blooded hireling seems never to have entertained an idea, that one more such victory would have completed the ruin of the Austrian army, which has since amply demonstated its utter inability to sustain a similar conflict.

It is not only the ministerial, but the anti-ministerial prints, which by the part they have takeò in the Austrian war, have tended to delude the public. The principal opposition print, (The Morning Chronicle) and which is generally understood to be the organ of that party to which it has been long attached, has, while habitually reproving other prints for their inconsistencies, by its perpetually vacillating politics been giving a sad proof of its own. At the commencement

of the Austrian war, the editor with that ability which not unfrequently marks his observations, demonstrated its impolicy, and that of our ministers in affording Austria either encouragement or assistance. As to the justice of the war it was not deemed worthy his inquiry; for as we have on former occasions had reason to remark, the justice or injustice of a war is seldom considered by any of our political parties. For the remarks in the Chronicle, the Editor was much abused by his fraternity: as soon however, as the accounts arrived of the battle of Aspern, he suddenly changed his tone, recanted the opinions he had so lately inculcated, and apologised for so doing, on account of the altered state of the Austrian affairs: such was his anxiety to make the amende honorable

to his brother editors, that when the reports of negociation were current, he expressed his ardent hope, that the Austrian Emperor would reject all overtures with the contempt they deserved. This general delusion of our public writers continued till the arrival of the 24th bulletin; but when they found how the French army which they had so insulted for its inactivity had been employed, and lieard of the grand preparations made by NAPOLEON for renewing bis attacks, their confidence was succeeded by alarm, and they prepared their readers for what so speedily followed, -the victories recorded in the 25th, and 26th bulletins: the arrival of the latter began to open the eyes even of the Editor of the Morning Post, and in the paper of Saturday the 24th. he commenced his account of the disasters of the Austrians, with these moralizing reflections,"How unstable is the ground of all human hopes! how impotent

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the grasp of all human expectation!"-The next day however, Sunday, the consoling "intelligence brought by a gentleman from "Holland," confirmed his political faith, dissipated his doubts and fears, and encouraged him the next day to assure his readers that' the Austrian armies were still unbroken. In his paper of the 26th. "after perusing and re-perusing the late bulletins, and examining "them impartially, and with all the coolness, and even indifference " of scepticism," he observes," so far from being able to discover "those disastrous consequences, or to account for that stupid or "affected panic, which have been apprehended and felt by so many public writers, that on the contrary, we are at a loss to find words "to express our admiration of the genius, imperturbable presence of "mind, rapidity of comprehension, inexhaustible resources, and in"tuitive discernment of the Archduke:" he adds, "it is impossible "to attend to the farrago of silly exclamations, inflated anxiety, "stupid, unwarranted despondency, or to the ridiculous howl of some of our journalists, and the nervous sensibility of others un"able to resist the weeping contagion, without mingled feelings of "indignation and contempt:" but alas! alas! in the very next Morning Post the editor himself sets up the same “ridiculous "howl," and is no longer able to resist the spreading 66 weep"ing contagion !" "It is with heart-felt grief" he begins, "nounce the termination of the campaign upon the Danube by an humiliating armistice, solicited by the Emperor Francis from the "insatiable tyrant!" This "heart-felt grief," however, somewhat subsides, and his reflections are changed into a philippic againts Francis, and the Archduke, who, "not understanding their own in"terest," so well as the editor of the Morning Post, have by their "blindness, their inability, their premature submission, blasted all hopes of the " deliverance of Europe”

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Even those prints which appear to be the most independent of party have not escaped the general delusion. One of the most respectable of this description, the editor of which, after the battle of Aspern had flattered his readers with hopes of the "deliverance of Europe," is now compelled to confess that "he all along suspected how matters were, but that such was the temper of the public, they could not bear the truth, and he therefore "declined telling it." The whole of this miserable system of delusion is now annihilated: and it is hoped that the people at large will open their eyes, and express their opinion on the subject of the WAR, as freely as a considerable part of them have already expressed their opinion on other important subjects.

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It is much to be lamented that such men as Mr. W. SMITH, and Mr. CURWEN, men of sense and independence, should have yielded to the too general infatuation. They also have expressed their approbation of the conduct of Austria, and have encouraged ministers in lavishing the resources of this country in support of her unjust and impolitic war. Mr. CURWEN in particular, so lost himself in the house of Commons, as to " dwell with peculiar pleasure on the accounts of the battles of the 21st and 22d of May hailing the success of Austria as a favourable omen, he wished the vote of "credit proposed by ministers for the purpose of assisting that power, to be for SIX MILLIONS instead of three." Mr Curwen is we trust by this time convinced of his mistake, and felicitates himself that ministers did not fall in with his rash suggestion.

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Thus has the Austrian campaign ended, as we have all along, from the moment of its commencement, predicted. Amidst the general delusion which we have exposed, we appeal to our readers for the correctness and uniformity of our opinions on this subject. It affords us no pleasure to descant on the blindness, and corruption of the public, and the indifference they have so long manifested; but while we continue to hold a pen, we are determined to enforce those truths the importance of which every public event tends to confirm; and after the additional experience of the Austrian contest, we repeat the observation, which we have so often urged on the consideration of our countrymen-and no longer ago than May last-" That all attempts on the part of the different sovereigns of Europe, to abridge by force of arms, the power of France, will to the con"fusion of the parties engaged, terminate in its increase!"

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The formidable and expensive expedition which has been so long in preparation, and is at length sent out under the command of the Earl of Chatham, destined as it is generally understood for an attack on the Island of Walcheren, and the forts on the Flemish coast, may probably for a while divert the attention of the public. Our naval and military forces, inay, more especially when aided by those

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new, ingenious instruments of wholesale murder, the Congreve rockets, and the Shrapnel shot, burn ships, arsenals, towns, and villages, and spread destruction and misery amongst the inhabitants; but we entreat our countrymen seriously to put the important question-Will such an expedition tend to accelerate the important work of peace? If not-if it only tends, as too many of our successful expeditions have tended, to prolong the war, our countrymen may rest assured that whatever may be the success of the present expedition, it will prove to the nation not a blessing,

but a curse!

The inactivity of our army in Spain under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, excites surprise, and it may not be improper for ministers to make some inquiries on the subject. The Spaniards have now had another opportunity of expelling the French; they have been a second time assisted with ample supplies, and a considerable British army; from the little that has been effected during the present year, while Napoleon has had his attention fixed on Austria, what reasonable ground is there to suppose more will be effected, when he will be able to turn his attention towards Spain? It is evident that to a great majority of the Spanish nation it is a matter of indifference, whether the executive authority is lodged in the hands of JOSEPH BONAPARTE, or FERDINAND; but we fear that a second British army will be sacrificed before the people of this country will be cured of the folly of assisting those who have no heart to assist themselves.

The PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS towards the close of the session demand our reflections; but our limits prevent us from proceeding. We must, however, request the attention of our readers to the late important debates in the senate; ministers no doubt wish them to be considered as mere, temporary subjects; they will however, we hope, engage the serious consideration of the people throughout the united kingdom, who with one voice, should urge them to the re-consideration of our senators. This is the only peaceable, and effectual mode by which we may rationally hope to bring about that REFORM, without which the RUIN of the British empire is INEVITABLE!

Harlow, July 29.

B. F.

On the 15th. Instant was published, price 1s. 6d. THE SUPPLEMENT TO VOL. V. of this work: Containing among other articles,—The Addresses, Resolutions, &c. voted in consequence of a late Inquiry in the House of Commons, with Remarks on the same. Also the Preface, Title, and Index to the Volume. Those of our Readers who have not received the same, are requested to order it of their respective booksellers.

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AFFAIRS OF SPAIN:-BATTLES OF TALAVERA.

Ar the commencement of the Spanish revolution, we expressed

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our doubts respecting the justice, and the policy of the British nation in interfering in the affairs of a people who had for ages been enslaved and vitiated by a corrupt civil, and a still more corrupt ecclesiastical government; at the same time we were firmly of opinion that the Spanish nation had a right at all times to change its dynasty; that no nation had a right to dictate to them, or interfere with them whilst either reforming or changing their ancient government, for constitution they had none, except in name; despotic authority having long since annihilated the Spanish representative body, which had not for many years assembled, and whose powers were entirely usurped by the crown. Whether this usurpation commenced by first abridging the right of the people in the frequent choice of a Cortez, or allowing them the exercise of their right once in seven years only, instead of every year, or every three years, we shall not now inquire. The people, however, tamely submitted to the yoke prepared for them, and under which they remained for ages. The "regular government" of Spain at length met the fate of many other of the "regular governments" of Europe, and the people at large, having no interest in its preservation, beheld its fall, if not with satisfaction, at least with indifference.

That there might be a few people scattered over the Spanish empire, sufficiently enlightened to aspire to that glorious titledeliverers of their country, we are not disposed to deny; and if the juntas of Spain had been formed of such characters; had they like the constituent assembly of France, published to their countrymen, A Declaration of the RIGHTS OF MAN; had they followed, if only in part, the steps of that enlightened body, and improved on their experience; had they broken the chains of political, civil, and

VOL. V,

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