perpetual flavery, and the wretched inhabitants continued in a ftate of paffive fubjection-at once the sport and the tools of their merciless and unprincipled tyrants. Should the Jacobins fucceed, their triumph will be the fignal of renewed profcriptions, defola❤ tion, and flaughter; the prefent form of government will be annihilated; the fyftem of terror renewed; and a reign of more goading tyranny, more active oppreffion, eftablished. What a dreadful alternative! and what a terrible leffon to furrounding nations! Such will be the effect of the present struggle between the RIVAL REGICIDES in France itself. What will be its effect in respect of the belligerent powers it is not very eafy to conjecture. The fuccefs of the Jacobins may poffibly lead to greater exertions for recruiting their armies, fince, in that cale, even the murmur of oppofition, in a country where there no longer exifts any PUBLIC MIND, will die away; and the general confifcations that will enfue, may, perhaps, fupply fome temporary resources for the payment and equipment of the troops. But the change will not be in the nature of the efforts to be made, but fimply in their extent; for, at present, the foldiers of liberty, as they have been pompously called, the confcripts, we know, are dragged to the armies, like criminals, bound hand and foot, uttering maledictions on the government, and imprecating deftruction on the Republic; white every species of fifcal tyranny, fhort of general confifcation, is exercised without the fmallelt difplay of justice, or the smallest exertion of mercy! In a determination to conclude no general peace, in a refolute adherence to a war of extermination, in a fixed purpose to revolutionize all Europe, the Directory and their opponents are fully agreed. It is, therefore, of little importance to Europe, whether this party or that prevail. As to the probability of fuccefs on either fide, we are thoroughly convinced, that the decifion of the difpute depends. wholly and exclufively on the army-let the troops but speak, and the matter is fettled; their breath will fuffice to deftroy the Jacobins, or to annihilate the Directory. Hitherto they have invariably preferved their fidelity to those who have exercifed the fupreme powers of the ftate; but whether, irritated by recent disasters, which have torn from their enfanguined brows all their ill-earned laurels, they' will difplay the fame difpofition, it would be prefumption in us to decide. A very fhort time, however, will fuffice, to remove all doubts on this head, and to convert fufpence into certainty. One truth, however, amidst the obfcurity of this revolutionary chaos, we can easily diftinguish; that the refloration of monarchy can alone give permanent tranquillity to Europe, and permanent happiness to France; and it is equally clear to us, that fuch an event can only be atchieved by the interpofition of a foreign army. On the fuccefs, therefore, of the allies the falvation of the civilized world may justly be faid to depend.

ment.

On the conduct of the KING OF PRUSSIA, at this momentous erifis, we have no grounds for the formation of a decifive judgeStill influenced by an inveterate jealoufy of the House of Altria, which the apoftate Regicide Sieyes has laboured, fuccefsfully,

fully, we fear, to confirm and increase, he adheres to an ambiguous and crooked fyftem of policy, which, whatever may be its prefent effect, must inevitably difgrace him in the eyes of pofterity. The elevation of SIEYES to the Directory, combined with other circumftances, tend to strengthen our apprehensions, that nothing favour able to the common caufe is to be expected from this Prince. It is faid, indeed, that he has lately infifted on the evacuation of the right Bank of the Rhine, by the French, and stated a declaration of war to be the inevitable confequence of their refusal to comply with his demand. But it is poffible that this proceeding may be the effect of an amicable arrangement with the Directory, influenced by the prefent ftate of their affairs. Defeated in every quarter, dreading a speedy invafion of their country, and even trembling for their existence, it becomes an act of indifpenfible neceffity, on their part, to contract their line of defence, and to concentrate their forces, in order to oppose a more effectual resistance to the allies on their frontiers, and to keep a fufficient guard, for themfelves, near to the metropolis. Their prefent force is known to be greatly inadequate to thefe different purposes; and therefore it is natural to fuppofe, that, without the interference of the King of Pruffia, they would be difpofed (not to say obliged) to abandon the few posts which they ftill poffefs on the German fide of the Rhine. It is alfo poffible that the furrender of Holland may have been privately ftipulated, with his Pruffian Majefty, as the reward of his pacific or friendly conduct.-We mean not to state these as facts, but as poffible occurrences which have fuggested themselves to our minds, on an attentive contemplation of the present state of Europe, combined with a tolerably accurate knowledge of the character of a Sovereign, the death of whose predeceffor cannot be too deeply lamented. Different opinions, we know, are entertained on this subject, and hopes of a speedy and effective co-operation, on the part of Pruffia, have been conceived by many; we cau only express our wifh that our own fears may prove unfounded, and their hopes be realized.

We have, ourselves, received no intelligence from America in the course of the prefent month; but we have been favoured by a refpectable correfpondent, with a private letter, dated "Virginia, Norfolk, 15th March, 1799;" whence we have extracted the following paffage, which fully corroborates all our own information refpecting the present ftate of that country, as it was more fully explained in our laft Appendix. On this letter, the gentleman who has communicated it to us, makes the following juft and per tinent obfervation "The contents of it may, perhaps, have greater weight with fome of your prejudiced readers, as coming through a channel entirely unconnected with your work, and as never having been intended to meet the public eye.”—

"You remember your ftipulation for a retreat upon a corner of my eftate, when "glooms obfcured Britannia's fkies;"if the folly

and

and wickedness of our countrymen fhould drive us into a civil war in the United States, (a thing by no means improbable,) I shall expect to find an afylum in the college, at the gate of D

where, with my dear Jane, and our chicks, I may, at least, employ myself, unmolefted, in ruminating on the fcenes and changes I have paffed. Living as I do, in the very lap of vice and infidelity, where religion is fcoffed, and morality a jeft, can you wonder that I, who have been educated in faith and a patron of morals, fhould become fpirit-broken and forlorn at the depravity of the times? No, my friend, you cannot. There is no firmness of mind attributable to man but must be overcome, if furrounded by enemies fo deadly and fo desperate. The fituation of my country is, in my mind, deplorable. All the errors of the age feem to have taken ftrong root among us, without the power or poffibility of a corrective. Examples of virtue have not, in times like the present, their neceffary weight; and where we have not inftitutions accredited by time, and confirmed by experience, to point to, as beacons of prefervation, it is impoffible, by the mere engine of perfonal influence, to draw off the deluded followers of wicked and impious men. Such is the ftate of religion, and fuch the ftate of politics. in America-an executive government without energy, and a Creator without worshippers; and, although these confiderations are not generally noticed, a little penetration only is neceffary to fhew, that they will, ere long, lead us direct to wretchedness and deftruction. Foreseeing calamities, like these, I freely own I am much less interested in the occurrences that ordinarily appertain to myself than I should be in a different ftate of things; nevertheless, the duties I owe to my family, as they are, in my opinion, above those I owe to myself, will, durante vita, fecure my attention to their welfare.

"We are again amufed, by overtures from the French despots, with the prospect of conciliatory arrangements between the two countries; and, in conformity to the will of the people, (for here, right or wrong, they must be obeyed,) the Prefident has nominated a new embassy to France. The Pentarchy is already deeply incenfed at the resistance we have made; and, but for the deftruction of their navy, would have, before this, attempted our overthrow, Neceffity now may compel it to defift; but, at fome future occafion, we fhall be made to repent this cullibility-hæret lateri lethalis arundo."

On turning our eyes to the state of our Domestic Affairs, we find moft ample caufe for congratulation to our countrymen, moft potent motives of defpondency to our enemies. The terms on which the Minifter has concluded the loan, for the fervice of the present year, the fubfequent rife of the stocks, and the very large premium which the omnium has borne, all combine to place the financial fkill of the Premier, the general policy of the government, the

wisdom and energy of the mercantile world, and the commercial profperity of the country, in a point of view, that must excite the admiration of foreigners, and create in the bofom of Englishmen, fenfations of pleasure and gratitude, which the heart may feel, but which the pen cannot exprefs.

Opportunities, too, have recently occurred, for fignalizing the impartial adminiftration of juftice, in England, in an extraordinary manner; and for convincing the world, that Englishmen enjoy the only practical equality, equality of protection and pu nifhment, inflicted by thole equal laws, which form an integral part of the British Constitution.-Our readers will be aware that we allude to the particular cafe of Earl THANET; the admirable fpeech of Judge GROSE, which preceded the fentence pronounced on the noble offender; and the more recent fpeech of the CHIEF JUSTICE of the King's Bench, in which his Lordship lafhed, with just severity, the profligacy and the profligates of the day, and enforced the dutics of morality with his accuftomed energy.-The appearance of profeffed adulterers in open court, delivering an evidence, tending, by a confeffion of their own crimes, to relieve. a partner in fin from the legal effects of his, may be neceffary for the purposes of law; but it certainly exhibits an inftance of marked immorality, which is highly difgufting.

One question, of a different nature, has been fubmitted to dif cuffion in the fame court. We mean the motion for an information, for a libel on Mr. Horne Tooke, contained in the Report of the Secret Committee of the Houfe of Commons, against Mr. Wright, a bookfeller, who publifhed an edition of that Report. On this occafion we fhall only remark, that Mr. ERSKINE, when he made the motion, reprefented the Report in question as not being the Report of the House of Commons; and he bestowed on it every term of reprobation which his fertile imagination could suggeft. Now we conceive, that it was the bounden duty of Mr. ERSKINE, as a member of the House, to peruse their Report with attention; if he had not read it, he appears to us to have been guilty of culpable neglect; and if he had, he must have known. the Report, faid to have contained the libel, to have been correct, and, of course, the language which he employed, was fuch as we, from refpect to the laws, fhall not attempt to qualify. We may be allowed, however, to exprefs our aftonishment, that the House itfelf, who, on many occafions, has betrayed fuch a laudable jealoufy of its own dignity, and, the facredness of its character and proceedings, fhould have fuffered one of its members (because elothed in a wig and gown) to fpeak in fuch terms of a Report of their Committee, fanétioned by themfelves, without incurring shat punishment which would unquestionably have been inflicted on any one of their conftituents, who had committed a fimilar offence.

JUNE 26, 1799.

We

We are not in the habit of giving any detailed proceedings of our Courts of Law; but in the cafe of THE KING v. STUART, for the infertion of a libel in the Oracle, without the knowledge of the proprietor, the character of an innocent and loyal individual was fo implicated in the tranfaction, that it becomes an act of common juftice, and a duty incumbent on every member of the community, to contribute his efforts to refcue it from the effects of mifteprefentation. It is with this view, and for this purpose, that we give place to the following affidavits, in vindication of the public and private character of Mr. Stuart, which were read in Court

Thomas Cadell, the younger, and William Davies, both of the Strand, in the county of Middlesex, bookfellers, feverally make oath and fay, that they have known the above-named Defendant, Peter Stuart, for feveral years laft paft, during which time thefe deponents have had frequent intercourfe with the faid Peter Stuart, in the way of bufinefs; and in all their tranfactions with him have found him a man of liberal principles, and unimpeachable character; that these deponents have been in conftant habits of reading the newspaper called The Oracle and The Daily Advertiser, of which they understand the faid Peter Stuart is the conductor and proprietor; that they have ever confidered it as diftinguished for its zeal and fupport of the Conftitution in Church and State, and the peace and order of fociety; and that, from their knowledge of the faid Peter Stuart, they are convinced that, in the capacity of conductor of the faid newspaper, he is one of the laft perfons in the world who would act with rancour or hoftility against any man; and that, if there appeared inadvertently in the faid newspaper any thing offenfive or injurious to the feelings of any individual, he, the faid Peter Stuart, would be anxious to make reparation for the fame.

May 31, 1799.

THOMAS CADELL.
WILLIAM DAVIES.

Wm. Woodfall, of Queen Street, Westminster, gentleman, maketh oath and faith, that he has known the above-mentioned Defendant, Peter Stuart, for more than ten years laft paft, during which period the deponent has had frequent intercourfe with the faid Peter Stuart, and always confidered him to be a wellmeaning man, and a friend to fociety in general. That, fince the above-named Defendant, Peter Stuart, became purchafer and proprietor of the newfpaper, first entitled The Oracle and Public Advertiser, and afterwards The Oracle and The Daily Advertiser, the deponent hath been almost unremittingly in the daily habit of reading the faid newspaper; and from the fame, as well as from frequent converfations the deponent hath had with the faid Peter Stuart on public topics, the faid deponent doth verily, and in his confcience, believe, that the faid Peter Stuart is anxiously detirous to conduct his newspaper on principles of zealous attachment to the Conftitution, Laws, and Government, of his country. And this deponent farther faith, that he alfo believes that the faid Peter Stuart would not, wilfully or knowingly, infert any paragraph in his paper, tending to feandalize or calumniate any individual; but that where, in any cafe, owing to the hurry infeparable from the printing of a daily newspaper, an improper article has inadvertently etcaped the editor's caution-(a fact, the probability of which the deponent can, from long experience, teftify)-he, the faid Peter Stuart, would be ready and willing, immediately on notification of its poffible injurious effect, to make every reasonable atonement to the party conceiving himfelf to be injured by it. WILLIAM WOODFALL. May 31, 1799.

Charles