one must remember, was the corner stone of the creed of Price, Paine, O'Connor, and all their disciples; nor, ought it ever to be forgotten, that it was for endeavouring to eradicate the pernicious effects of this rebellious king-killing creed, that you carried on, against Mr. Reeves, a persecution unparalleled in the annals of British jurisprudence. It is not strange that a member of the Constitutional Society" and the founder of the "Friends of the People;" that the humble imitator of Marat, and the sworn friend of O'Connor; it is by no means strange, that such a person should, for the sake of inculcating the doctrine of cashiering kings, sacrifice all dramatic propriety of character; but, it is strange, that the ambiguous applause of the galleries, and the corrupt praises of the newspapers, should ever have made pass for loyalty, those principles, which, if acted upon, would compel his Majesty's successors to ascend the throne, if they ascended it at all, from the hustings of Covent Garden, or of some other place, where "the choice of the people" might be made known: that this should pass for attachment to the king and his royal progeny is, indeed, a most shocking proof of the national cullibility.--As to the

application, too, of the fable of Pizarro, it must not be forgotten, that, in spite of your "murder of the Spaniard and history "at a blow," as Mr. Dutton very well expresses it, the Peruvians, whom, in this instance, you make the representatives of the English, were notoriously conquered by an "adventurer;" and, Mr. Roila will have the goodness to excuse me, if, as far as I am concerned, I beg leave to disclaim his comparison of the "vultures and the tambs." --Before I conclude, it is necessary to advert to the time, when the loyal Rolls first made his appearance before the British puble; for, in estimating your true English feeling, time is always a very important circumstance -- -You came forth with this wonderful burst of loyalty and patriotism, in the month of May, 1799; the real alarm of invasion had long before ceased with Buonaparte's sailing on his Egyptian expedition; Suwarrow was in the midst of his victorious campaign; we had just heard of Buonaparte's repulse before Acre by that truly English and Christian hero Sir Sidney Smith; it was the moment of severest trial to the French Republic, which appeared so fast mouldering to pieces; the spirit of the people ran high, and no other language was so likely to flatter them into a favourable reception of the piece. This was the time, this season of Buonaporté's adversity, that

you chose for applying to him the hatetul character, which Kotzebue drew of Pizarro, and for contrasting the "ADVENTURER, "whom his own army feared," with the be loved "MONARCH whom we served from affection" this was the time, that you chose for representing Buonaparté as fired with inordinate ambition, as a plunderer, a devastator, a hypocrite, a mercenary and bloody villain. Now mark, Sir, the description which you drew of him twelve months afterwards, when the aspect of things had changed; when our expedition. to Holland had failed, and our Russian auxiliaries had been left behind, prisoners of war; when Massena had totally routed the combined armies of Austrianis and Russians in Swisserland; and when Buonaparté himself, through a series of most fortunate and unexpected adventures, had arrived at the Consular dignity, and had confirmed his power by the signal and decisive victory of Marengo. At this moment, when he presented himself to the world in the new character of an usurper, covered with the blood of his prisoners of war and of his own sick soldiers, and, at the same time, crowned with laurels won from the allies of your country; at this mơment, when not only every faithful Briton, but every honest and honourable man upon earth, must have viewed him with hatred and with horror; at this very moment it was that your mind experienced a change in bis favour, and that your true English feeling" burst forth in a manner which, I trust, will never be forgotten, either by our Sovereign or his subjects.---"What," said you, has "been the species of abuse, with which his" (Buonaparte's] "character has been "attacked? Not merely that he is a hypo"crite, that he is a man devoid of principle, that he is not only divested of mo

rality but of religion also, professing "whatever mode of faith best answers his 66 purpose. But, we have seen religion "obtain a tolerant exemption in her fa"vour under the government of this "atheist; we have seen the faith of trea"ties observed under the government of

this perfidious adventurer; the arts and "sciences find protection under this plun

which once gave the tone to the martial spirit of this abused country. Unfortunately for us, the French General has fully proved his title to beroic bonours. "Never, since the days of Hannibal have "such splendid events opened on the world "with such decisive consequences. Cu6 6 jus adolescentia ad scientiam rei mili

taris, non alienis præceptis, sed suis "imperiis; non offensionibus belli, sed

victoriis; non stipendiis, sed triumphis, "'est traducta *.' Such is the portrait of "the man, with whom his Majesty's minis‹‹ ters have refused to treat! Sir, I may be "censured for applying such a term as taste to a subject of such importance; but it does appear to me, that the changes pro"duced in the feelings of men, with respect "to their admiration of exalted or distin"guished characters, in a great measure, 86 are to be attributed to the taste and

"

fashion that prevails. These are not times "when KINGS have any reason to be proud "of their wealth or superior power. The "admiration of mankind is not confined to "the character of Kings: the world has "had a lesson of the effects of their ambi"tion. Buonaparté has shown his country "that his object is to maintain bis power

by the moderation of his government; and "I must hope, that, when he has achieved "the liberty of France, he will impart to it all the blessings and happiness of civilized peace. It must be in the recollection of "the House, how much stress was laid on "the conduct of this man, with regard to "the success of any negotiations for terminating war; but, has he not sufficiently developed his character, and given proofs "of the security and permanence, with which

our government might conclude a treaty " with him?"- -There, Sir; I will quote not further. If I did not despise that rabble of volunteers, to whom you so assiduously pay your court, and who are proud of your flatteries, I should throw away a few guineas in causing this extract to be printed, and pasted up about the town, by the -side of Mr. Rolla's address. But, no; let these committee soldiers be still deceived:

Whose youth was led in military pursuits, not by the precepts of others, but by the dictates of his own mind; not by the accidents of war, but by victories; not by the prospect of pecuniary reward, but by the love of glory.

they are made for you, as the gudgeon is made for the pike. Take them, cram your play-house with them, amuse them with your tragic puppet-shows, frighten them with your baby-scaring pantomimes: put them any where, do any thing with them, so that you keep them from spoiling the arms, eating the provisions, loading the bag. gage waggons, and lumbering up the road of the army -From the time that the above speech was delivered, till the conclu sion of the preliminaries of peace, you con tinued to extol Buonaparté, and to abuse those, who refused to treat with him; particularly Lord Grenville, to whose "inso"lence," as you thought proper to call it, in rejecting the first overtures of the Consul, you constantly ascribed all the misfortunes of the country, not excepting the scarcity of corn, and the consequent high price of bread! After the conclusion of the peace, the manner in which you spoke of your hero, was very equivocal, till just before the last prorogation of Parliament. During, as I before observed, seven of the most momentous werks ever known to the British Parlia ment, you said not one word. When every measure of importance had been completed, when the people became loud against Buonaparté, then came you with your Vote of Thanks in the House, and your speech of Rolla out of doors. And, I must not be told, that you came forward in a time of danger; for, according to your own opinion, as delivered in the debate on the Vote of Thanks, the danger was over. You said, on that occasion, that Mr. Windham, by speaking contemptuously of the courage of the people and the means of the country (which, by the by, he never did), had “led

Buonaparté into a scrape;" that the Consul was now repenting of his rasbness, that he was himself afraid of us; and, like Sir Andrew Aguecheek in the play, was, at that moment, saying, with respect to John Bull : "An I had thought him valiant I would "have seen him dainned ere I would have

challenged him." This was the light in which you viewed the state of things: you thought Buonaparté "in a scrape;" you perceived, that the "taste and fashion" of the times were changed again; that they had taken a decided run against the Consul, and that, unless you pressed forward, you would be too late. Thus have you chopped back. ward and forward just as your popularity and interest dictated. When Buonaparté was in adversity, in 1799, and when the popular cry was against him, then you were against him when Buonaparté rose upon the ruins of the Austrian, the Russian, and

the British army, then you were in his favour, and joined your voice to the public clamour for peace with him: but, when events had again roused the people against him, and when you thought him 66 in a "scrape," then you returned to your hostility, and actually drew forth, and played off, in open day-light, the very same bombastical abuse which you had before poured down upon his devoted head. When he was "in a scrape," in 1799, he was Pizarro; when he was crowned with laurels, in 1800, he was Hannibal; when he was, as you thought, at least, in another « scrape" in 1903, then he became Pizarro again. I wish, Sir, he may continue Pizarro; but, if the present ministers remain in power, and if you and yours remain unprovided for, he will, I greatly fear, become Hannibal again, and you his fulsome panegyrist. In what form of words you may dress up your next eulogium on him, it is difficult to foretel; but, that you should pronounce such an eulogium, and that in a very short space of time too, would certainly be most surprising to those who are the least acquainted with the operation of your "true English feel"ing."-Yet, Sir, amidst the notoriety of facts like these it is, that you have the temerity to challenge a public examination of your conduct, while the hireling news-writers, whose praises are paid for by an admission to your theatre, have the audacity to assert, that," amongst all the aberrations of "parties and the vicissitudes of events, Mr. "Sheridan has been pro patria semper!" I have taken up the gauntlet; I have accepted the challenge; I have entered on the examination; and, Sir, in spite of all the falsehoods of your typographical adherents, you and I part not, till your pubiic character be safely placed beyond the reach of all those numerous accidents, to which the loose sheets of the diurnal prints are exposed.I am, Sir, &c. &c. WM. COBBETT.

Duke Street, 10th Sep. 1803.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,I have read with much surprise the following paragraph in the TREASURY PAMPHLET (which has been circulated with 60 much industry, and by such extraordinary means), entitled CURSORY REMARKS upon the State of Parties. "A great part "of the summer of 1802, was taken up "with the general election; in which the "ministers had taken the SINGULAR re"solution of using no influence or interference "whatsoever." As I presume the writer

meant to assert, although he certainly las not done so in direct terms, that they ADDHERED TO this resolution, I shall state to the Public a few plain facts from which a judgment may be formed, how far they deserve that character of practical reformers, with which he has endeavoured to invest them.I shall confine myself to transactions which took place in the county of Kent, where I was "a near observer," where government, as such, possess a more extensive influence than in any other county; where the present minister posses-es no influence but what he derives from his situation, and where that influence was openly and systematically exerted at every contested election, where it could be exerted with ef. fect. At the election for the county of Kent, the influence of government was at first exerted in favour of Sir Edward Knatchbull and Sir William Geary, the old menbers; when it became evident from the state of the poll that Mr. Honeywood's election was secure, it was then exerted against Sir William Geary, although that gentleman had given to ministers a liberal and honourable support from their first entrance into of fice. This interference was afterwards most unequivocally confessed and avowed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer himself.→→ The city of Rochester was canvassed, some months before the election, by Admiral Sir Richard King, who in the plainest terms described himself as the candidate sent down by government --It appears from the address of Mr. Fector, a gentleman of undoubted honour and veracity, to the elec tors of Dover, that Mr. Huskisson stood for that town on the interest of government, and I am credibly informed, and believe it will not be denied, that MR. HILEY AD. DINGTON Wrote a letter to SIR SIDNEY SMITH, expressive of the astonishment of government, that his brother, Mr. Spencer Smith, should offer himself in opposition to the candidate supported by ministers.—— At Queenborough, where the influence of government is greater than in any other borough in the kingdom, the powers of of fice were exerted to an unprecedented extent: not only were places and employments of all kinds offered to the electors by inferior partizans, but Mr. Sargent himself, who was one of the government candidates, and at that time a member of the Board of Ordnance *, promised, while he was on his canvass, Mr. Pellatt, one of the electors, to

Ile is now one of the Secretaries to the Treasury.

procure his vessel to be taken into the service of the ordnance.--That I may not be suspected of stating the transaction unfairly, I will state it in his own words by subjoining, in a note below, authentic copies of two of his own letters to Mr. Pellait and his son subsequent to his promise †.—After the election, all the labourers on the ordnance gun wharf at Sheerness, who had voted against the government candidates, together with a labourer in the store-house in the dock yard, were dismissed; the latter was informed by ommissioner Coffyn in direct terms, that he was dismissed because he had voted for Mr. Prinsep and Mr. Moore. illiam Poulter, a superannuated labourer in the dock-yard, and Thomas Mosley who had been formerly an ordnance labourer, and on account of BLINDNESS had been placed on the charity list at five shilings per week, by a board order in December 1799 were deprived of their respective allowances ver soon after the election.

- These circumstances of unexampled violence and severity, have since been re presented without effect to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, by a gentleman who is an elector of the borough--I shall make no comments on the facts which I have stated, and which I shall be ready, whenever called on, fully to substantiate.

Sept. 8, 1803.

+ (COPY.)

DETECTOR.

"Board of Ordnance, May 18, 1802. "SIR,We fiad, up on inquiry, that, if the "vessel, which you wish to have at Chatham, "was established immediately, that it would, per"haps, give offence to many of our other friends "at Queenborough; we think, therefore, it would "be better to defer it for three or four weeks, till

"after the election. I think you can have no objec"tion to this, as the time is so short, and cannot "make much difference. You may depend upon "it being done at that time; and put on the foot"ing which you desire,- -I am, Sir, your "obliged humble servant. J. SARGENT." Mr. F. Pellatt.

(COPY.)

PUBLIC PAPER.

Extract from the Register of the PROCEEDINGS of the COUNCIL OF STATE OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC, on the 16th of August 1803.

THE COUNCIL OF STATE, on the decree of the President of the Republic, for arming and defending the sea-coast; on the report of the Minister of War relative to the hostilities and insults committed against the territories, ships, and property of the Republic; on the official notes relative to the disposition of the British Government towa de the Republic; and on the report of the minister of exterior relations, concerning the recent proofs of friendship and consideration viven by the French Government to the Republic, as well as the measures taken in its favour, with the Regenev of Tunis, and in including it in the treaty with the Batavian Republic; considering that the sincerity, dignity, and interest of the Republic require the most prompt and energetic in easures, that policy, national faith, and the gratitude due to the First Consul, oblige the Republic to contribute by all the means in its power to the success of the just war now waged by France against Great Britain; acknowledging the necessity of the immediate execution of the said decree of the President, and of a vigorous co-operation in the support of the common cause,-DECREES,-1st. That the government will take the most effective measures to defend the territory, property, and inhabitants of the Republic from the hostility of the Englished. The government is authorised to concert measures with the French government, for building and arming in the ports of France, at the expense of the Italian Republic, 2 frigates and 12 gun-boats, to be at the disposal of the First Consul, during the war.

MELZI, Vice President. Paradizi, Fenaroli, Luzzi, Mascuti, Guiaccialdi. CANZOLI, Sec.

FOREIGN OFFICIAL PAPERS. Decree of the FRENCH GOVERNMENT prohibiting the entry of all VESSELS which have TOUCHED at ENGLISH PORTS. Dated Antwerp, I Thumidor,

..n. II.

The Government of the Republic decrces:-That from the date of the publication of the present decree, there shall not be received, in the ports of France, any vessel which has cleared out from an English port, nor any vessel which has touched at an English port.—he Minister of the interior, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Marine, are charged with the exccution of this decree. (signed) BUONAPARTE.

H. B. MARET, Sec.

Decree of the FRENCH GOVERNMENT, confining the reception of BRITISH FLAGS OF TRUCE 10 the BAY OF AUDIERNE. Dated Antwerp, 1 Thermidor, ♫♬ IT. The Government of the Republic decrees:-That from the date of the publication of the present decree, no English flag of truce, whether it be a packet, or any other, shall be received in any French port between Brest and the mouth of the Scheldt, inclusive. The flags of truce shall be received only in the Bay of Audierne, near Brest.The Minister of the interior, and the Minister of Marine, are charged with the execution of this decree. (Signed) EUONAPARTE.

11. B. MARET, DEC.

Decree of the FRENCH GOVERNMENT, regulating the· size of the BOAT, and the age and number of MEN, to be employed in the FISHERIES.-Dated Antwerp, I Thermidor, An. II.

The Government of the Republic decrces:That an embargo be laid on all fishing boats, above the burthen of seven tons; the boats under seven tons alone shall continue to fish. The crews of the boats that are permitted to fish shall consist only of seamen who have reached the age which is exempted from the maritime conscription, or of young persons under the age of 15. The boats that are permitted to fish shall not go more than a league from the coast. All the seamen who devote themselves to fishing, shall receive passes, describing the route by which they are to travel, and take them to the military posts of the Republic, where they shall be employed, and paid accor dis g to their rank in the service.-The Minister of the Marine is charged with the execution of this decree. BUONAPARTÉ.

(Signed)

DOMESTIC OFFICIAL PAPERS. CIRCULAR LETTER from the RT. HON. C. YORKE, to the LORDS LIEUTENANT of Counties, respecting the ARMS for the VOLUNTEERS.-Dated Whitehall, August 30, 1803.

I have the honour to inform your Grace, that directions have been given to the Board of Ordnance to issue, immediately on your Grace's application, such a proportion of arms in the first instance as, including those already delivered or retained in the county of , will amount

to one

of its quota of Volunteers, (calcu lating their establishment at six times the number of the original militia), should your Grace find, upon investigation, that so large a number is actually necessary for the effective strength of such Volunteers, after making allowance for the quantity of arms which the respective corps may have provided, or may be disposed to provide for themselves. I must request that your Grace will furnish me, without delay, with an accurate icturn of the number and description of the arms which have been so retained, delivered, provided, or intended to be provided, specifying in whose hands they now are; and that, in making your demand for arms, you will be careful to distinguish what proportion is necessary for the supply of cavalry and artillery; sabres and pistols being appropriated for the use of the former, and pikes for the latter.I am also to inform your Grace, that pikes, sufficient to arm the whole number of men serving in the different Volunteer Corps of Artillery, will be delivered on your Grace's application, and specification of the number required; and that a further supply of the same nature may be had to the full extent of the wants of any other corps which may have been or shall hereafter be formed, for whose use this weapon may be pre.

ferred.Your Grace will have the goodness to point out to the Board of Ordnance, with precision, to what places and into whose charge these arms shall be delivered; and it is particularly requested that your Grace will take such precautions as may be necessary in communicating with the general offices commanding in the district, to insure that proper care is taken of them till delivered to the respective corps; and that the commander of each eorps is duly made responsible for their safe custody, proper distribution, and accura e re-delivery when called upon for that purpose by regular authority.When I shall be favoured by your Grace with accurate returns of the amount and description of the whole Volunteer force in the county of -, I flatter

myself that I shall be enabled in due time to direct a turther issue for the use of such corps or companies as may remain unprovided. It is, however, considered to be highly desirable that the several bodies of Volunteers should, in the present moment, be encouraged, under proper precautions, to supply themselves.- -I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Grace's most obedient humble Servant, (Signed) C. YORKE. Lieutenant of the

The

County of

Circular Letter from the RT. HON. C. YORKE, to the LORDS LIEUTENANT of COUNTIES, respecting the ESTABLISHMENT of VOLUNTEER CORPS.-Dated Whitehall, August 30, 1803.

My Lord,-A great number of letters having been transterred to this office from the war department, and many having since been received by this office from the Lieutenants of Counties, respecting offers of Volunteer Corps, or Companies, which, from the extreme pressure of business, there has not been yet time thoroughly to examine and consider; and being at the same time solicitous to prevent any anxiety or dissatisfaction which might arise among the persons whose zeal and loyalty have induced them to come forward upon the present occasion; I have the honour to acquaint your Lordship, that his Majesty is graciously disposed to accept all the offers which have been recommended by your Lordship, provided the total number of rank and file to be raised under them, toge her with that of the corps and companies heretofore accepted and established, dies not in the whole exceed the propo tion of the County, as limited by Lord Hobart's Letter of the 18th instant, and that such offers do not militate against the regulations of the Defence Act, and the general rules which it has been, or may be found expedient to adopt.-As soon as I shall be enabled to examine, with more particularity, the offers which have been transmitted by your Lordship, I shall have the honour of communicating his Majesty's special directions on the subject. In the mean time, I cannot omit this opportunity of informing your Lordship, that it is clearly to be understood that, under the genuine construction and meaning of the late Acts of Parliament, all Volunteer Corps and Companies to be accepted subsequent to their passing, should be formed with reference to the general militia system. It follows, that no company ought to consist of less than sixty privates, and that no body of infantry can be considered as a corps which consists of less than three such companies; and that all smaller assemblages of Volunteers, under the above-mentioned Acts, within any county, parish, or district, shall be thrown into a spendent Companies of not less than