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the pretended dispositions that the letter of M. De Novosiltzoff attributes to him. It is simply this, that an irresolute cabinet, to give a colour to an absurd measure, endeavours to impute to France, contradictions in conduct and language, which do not belong to her. But here the recrimination is only a pretext, and a pretext without truth. Passports solicited and obtained, do not constitute a negotiation. France said nothing. Russia alone made a demonstration, and demanded that one of her agents should be admitted to be heard. If this demand had been coupled with offensive conditions, with clauses which it is astonishing to see in a note purporting to be official, it would have remained unanswered. The character of his Majesty the Emperor is too well established in Europe to have the impossible supposition for a moment believed, that he would have permitted propositions to be made to him, contrary to his dignity, or have listened to such propositions. Nevertheless, to take away all possibility of belief from any such allegation, or that even which the agents of Russia have judged proper to publish, the undersigned has received orders to deny it in the most positive and formal

manner.

Letter from Captain Baudin, Member of the Legion of Honour, to the Minister of Marine and Colonies, dated on board La Topaze, in the Tagus, August 20, 1805.

my little squadron kept together, consisting of the brig Le Faune, of 16 guns, six-pounders, commanded by Lieut. Brunet; the corvette La Torche, of eighteen 12-pounders, Lieut. Dehen; the Corvette Le Departement des Landes, of twenty 8-pounders, Lieut. Desmontils, and the frigate La Topaze, of twenty-eight 18-pounders, ten carronades, and six 8-pounders.At thirtysix minutes past eight the frigate was about two leagues distant, going before the wind. I had Le Departement des Landes on the starboard, Le Faune to the larboard, and La Torche to the larboard of Le Faune.-At forty-five minutes past nine I was on the starboard-quarter of the enemy, and the action continued till 55 minutes past 10, when the English flag was struck, and La Topaze resounded with cries of Vive L'Empereur.'

-At this moment Le Departement des Landes was within cannon-shot, La Torche a little to the starboard, Le Faune in observation. Towards the end of the action Le Departement des Landes fired eighteen guns, and La Torche three. The great inferiority of the corvettes prevented them from taking any other part in the business. They at least, however, served to hasten the surrender of the enemy.--[M. Baudin here praises, in high terms, a great number of the persons employed under him.] — Mr. Mudge was second in command to Captain Vancouver on his voyage on the North-west Coast of America. Far be it from me to say any thing unfavourable of him, but I owe it to truth, and to the glory of the brave men whom I have the honour to command, to assure your excellency that La Topaze singly captured the Blanche; she had 21 men killed in the action; I had only 12 killed. I was obliged to burn the frigate, after taking out the crew.I have the honour to be, with profound respect, Monseigneur, your very humble and obedient servant,- -F. BAUDIN.

MONSEIGNEUR, -I have the honour to inform you of my return from Martinique, having left that island with the corvettes Les Department des Landes, La Torche, and Le Faune, which Admiral Villaret Joyeuse, Captain-General, ordered to be placed under my command on the 13th of July last.I have also the honour to inform your excellency, that I have taken, after a very brisk action of about an hour and a quarter, the English frigate Blanche, carrying twenty-six 18-pounders, fourteen carronades, and four nine-pounders. She was commanded by Zachary Mudge, Esq. from Jamaica, bound to Barbadoes. I got un-being chaced by the Agamemnon, of 64 der way from Fort de France on the 16th of July. On the 19th, at eight in the morning, in lat. 20, 22. long. 65. 20. W. from the Meridian of Paris, I saw, at three leagues distance, N.X.W. a large vessel, which I judged to be a frigate, running to the S.S.E. on the larboard tack. Y tacked to the N.N.E. the wind at east blowing fresh, the sea rising, and the atmosphere cloudy, I then made no other change in my course;

Another letter from M. Baudin, gives an account of his escape into the Tagus, after

guas, and after losing two of his squadron. He states La Topaze to have had a partial action with the Agamemnon, in which the former had three men wounded. He says also, that he addressed his crew, asking them whether, if they were forced to continue the action, they would board the Agamemnon? And that they all answered in the affirmative. The chace he states to have continued 40 hours.

Punted by Cox and Baylis, No. 75, Great Queen Street, and published by R. Bagshaw, Bow-Street, Cmve.t Gardon, where former Numbers may be had; sold also by J. Budd, Crown and Mitre, Pall Mall

VOL. VIII. No. 14.] LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1805.

[PRICE 10D.

"He says, to Corruption, thou art my father, and to the Worm, thou art my mother and my-sister”—Jo B«,

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ment. It is the same thing with govern

ments, and the greatest part of our expenses as a nation, may be set down to "this very account. It is one of the disad vantages attendant on our excellent con"stitution, for our national debt begun at "the revolution, and we have in the most regular manner possible, spent five hun"dred millions, while other powers with "all their irregularities in finance have not

spent one quarter of the sum. How far

our new improvements may lead, it is "difficult to guess, but surely profit is the "object, whether it may be attained or "not. In less than six months we shall

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venture to say, that the nation will "lament the effects of these inquiries on "the ATTENTION OF MINISTERS; this is the "15th of June, and we say, the nation will "lament the effects of it before the 15th.

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SUMMARY OF POLITICS. LORD MELVILLE,In the preceding sheet, at page 487, I was proceeding to notice the contents of a periodical work, entitled, "A REVIEW OF THE REports made BY THE NAVAL COMMISSIONERS: BY A "SOCIETY OF GENTLEMEN." This work, as was then observed, must already have cost somebody, not less than SEVEN OR EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS; it having been. advertised, almost continually, in all the papers in the kingdom; having a stamp; and, being given away with a profusion hardly credible. It was observed, that the work, from that mixture of pertness and malignity, so predominant in every part of it, afforded. strong internal evidence of being under the immediate control of THE UPSTART; and,. that the SOCIETY OF GENTLEMEN" were,. to all appearance, a well-known knot of subaltern peculators.The object of this day of December." The unlimited. work is, to support Lord Melville, and, col- powers, here spoken of as having been aslaterally, to defend the conduct of Mr. Pitt. sumed by our sworn enemy, are, the powers The mode generally pursued is, not a denial assumed by Buonaparté over the purses and of the facts, which have been brought to the persons of the people of France; or, in light by the Naval Commissioners, nor an other words, the despotism exercised in that attempt to overset the arguments, whence country; and, the UPSTART regrets, that the conclusion of wilful corruption has been any thing should have taken place to dimi-. drawn; but, A DEFENCE OF CORRUPTION nish that sort of power here!" Enjoyed!" ITSELF, as a practice necessary to the preser-The " very limited powers that WE have vation of "our excellent constitution;" insomuch that THE UPSTART seems, with singular candour, to claim (as well he may !) and almost in a literal sense, the relation ship designated in my motto, "The nation," says he, ought to see the tendency of all "this" [the proceedings relative to Lerd Melville], "and that, while we are em"ployed on such inquiries, the French squa"drons may go out and in as they please, "for we have no time to look at them!!! "It is singular enough, that at the very "time that our sworn enemy has assumed "the most unlimited powers to be the bet"ter able to crush us, we are earnestly oc"cupied in diminishing those very limited "ones which we have hitherto enjoyed. "Those who will take the trouble to study "Adam Smith's wealth of nations, must "know that (great trading companies, who "are obliged to act by rule, are unable to "enter into competition with individuals "who have no rule but their own judg

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"hitherto enjoyed!" Who are "WE!"
The ministry of course; for, it is hardly.
possible, that even THE UPSTART can have
had the presumption to hope to persuade the
people, that they enjoyed the powers of dise.
posing of the public money.-
The argu
ment upon the principle of Adam Smith is
truly admirable! And, it will be curious
enough to compare the early professions of
Mr. Pitt with the doctrine here laid down;
to wit; that to insist upon a regular ac-.
counting for the disposal of the public mo-
ney is one of the disadvantages of our
"excellent constitution." This comparison
must, however, be deferred till my next;
but, it is impossible not to observe on the
flagrant injustice of ascribing to the revolu- .
tion and to the checks upon the public ex-
pend ture the enormous amount of the na-.
tional debt, which has not accrued in a

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regular manner," FOUR out of the SIX hundred millions having been contracted during the last 20 of the 120 years, since P

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POLITICAL REGISTER.-Lord Melville,

which the revolution took place; that is to say, during the 20 years that the affairs of the nation have been entrusted to the hands of Mr. Pitt and his worthy political brother,. Lord Melville.But, previously to entering upon an examination into the doctrine inculcated in the work before us, it is necessary to enable the reader to judge of the disposition and the character of the persons and the party, by whom it is conducted and supported.This "SOCIETY OF GEN "TLEMEN" began their operations on, or about, the 1st of June; and, imagining their opponents to be made of the same sort of stuff with themselves, intimidation was one of the means they resolved to resort to. Accordingly, upon the appearance of an article in the Register, notifying that ali attempts to mislead the public, with respect to the case of Lord Melville, and thereby to defeat the ends of justice, would be watched and exposed, they inserted, in their Number of the 22d of June, the following article, intended solely for me: "A WORD TO THE

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WISE. A writer, who generally expresses himself with great violence and energy, "has declared his intention of commenting **on every publication, whatever its title may be, that tends to what he calls, support Lord Melville. In reviewing the reports, if Lord Melville's cause is supported, we therefore are sensible that we "shall incur anger, and suffer the weight "of that great censor's chastisement; be"fore he begins we shall only repeat our "motto-strike, but listen-followed by a

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very short commentary. Mr. Cobbett 60 certainly does not suppose, that in this country we are absolutely reduced to the "situation of the French under the reign of

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terror, when those who were brought "" forward on a cause were instructed to be "silent, except when they had something "to advance against the accused person. If "Mr. Cobbett means what his language ex

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presses, it is tantamount to the same thing; and at one period of his life "he held that government, its maxims and "its practices, in great horror. If he has changed, we shall be proud of his censure; "if he has not, we shall not deserve it; "for though it does happen that the review "of the reports points out many things fa"yourable to Lord Melville's cause, we are "conscious of having spoke only truth, and "that with moderation, and therefore have

no sort of uneasiness on account of the "announced vengeance. The story of the "nad ox in the china shop should be re"membered on this occasion. "two or three elegant and noble vases of There are

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"fine materials and of classical form, which we should be sorry to see broken; but "they were neither manufactured at the "Admiralty, nor at Somerset-house, yet they

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may be brought into danger. We shall "not say more at present, but remark, that partisans who are too violent, oftentimes subject those whom they wish to serve to printed hint should not have the intended great danger."-Lest, however, this effect, the sheet containing it, and which accompanied with was sent to me, as to others, cost free, was script, addressed "to WILLIAM COBBETT, note, in manu"Esa.," and dated on the 22d of June, the words of which letter were as follow: "The Reviewers of the Reports present, "their compliments to Mr. Cobbett, and "believing that his energetic language is "the effect of zeal in the cause in which he "is embarked, are persuaded, that he will not take it amiss to be informed, privately, in a less ambiguous manner than it is yet necessary to do in print, “that, in "departments, held by some of his particu"lar friends, transactions occurred about ten years ago, that, if brought before the public, would make a far greater noise, "than the affair of Lord Melville." But, "to what purpose would that be? "wound gouvernment and the country more deeply. This, surely, Mr. Cobbett does "not wish; but, în fairness, he ought to "be moderate, if he expects moderation. "It must surprise the world to see the Edi

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they will stand the more in need of his "assistance; but, that would be a cruel "mode of treatment to them. Mr. Has"tings's best, but too busy friend, Major Scott, was one of the chief causes of his though he be "impeachment.' -If any Pittite, even a young friend," can prove himself to be the author of any contrivance more base than this, the reader will not, I am sure, deny that his name ought to be engraven upon the pedestal of THE STATUE, by those notable wiseacres, who, some few which is to be, or which was to be, erected years ago, met at the London Tavern, but whose intention, for some reason or other, ferring to the Register, Vol. VIL papes, 929 appears to have been laid aside. By re

vouring to obstruct the governacht; bat, [ think, it cannot be said, that I am, or have been, making this endeavour by a side wind.

and 961, and the present Volume, p. 1 and description of THE UPSTART always mean 49, it will be perceived, that this note from ministry; and, by obstructing government the "SOCIETY OF GENTLEMEN" produced | they mean the preventing or detecting of corno relaxation in my endeavours fully to ex-ruption. In this way I certainly am endea pose to my readers the conduct of Lord Melville and Mr. Pitt. "THE CASE" of the later gentleman, had, in the places, here referred to, been pretty amply discussed; and, as some persons thought, with no inconsiderable degree of effect. Something a little stronger appears, therefore to have been thought necessary by these worthy "GENTLEMEN," who, in their number of the 20th and 27th of July, published two articles, the first of which was addressed to Mr. Windham, and was as follows: 66 THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM "WINDHAM. Sir, As you have yourself "been in a ministerial capacity; as you

"To

have felt the necessity of sometimes act"ing irregularly upon personal responsibili

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ty; how does it happen that you are so inexorable to an ancient colleague, who "is only, at the worst, accused of doing "the same. You have frequently recom«mended sports that tend to render men "ferocious, by way of making them for"midable. Are you serious in approving "such ferocity? If you really are serious, "let us go it (to suit the style to the subject); you must have seen that the fiercest

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dogs are sometimes pinned down, and "sometimes tossed in the air. This is only "the fortune of war, and is always attend"ed with a SOUVENIR. Dated, Quiberon,

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July 20th, 1805."- -The second article was for me, and in the following words: "As Mr. Cobbett can hardly fail to read "this Review, I beg leave, through its

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medium, to ask that worthy patriot if he "knows who was the author, and in"dustrious circulator through the army, "of a pamphlet, entitled, The Soldier's "Friend, published about the same time,

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but fraught with ten times more mischief, "then Paine's Rights of Man. A pamphlet calculated to render soldiers discon"tented with their situation, and incite them to mutiny and rebellion; a pamphlet which, in short, I have no hesita"tion in saying, was a considerable source " of the naval mutiny at the Nore. I well "know, that an animal of the hedge-hog

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kind, in consequence of the above publi"cation, was obliged to skulk to America,

where, from its versatility of principle, "it became a most furious declaimer in favour of the British government, and is now by a side wind doing every thing in "its power to obstruct that government..... -By government, men of the

"HINT.

One would think, upon reading this article, that it was the production of an old friend of mine in America. Those who have been so indulgent to me as to read PORCUPINE'S WORKS, will recollect, that, when I began the business of a bookseller in the city of Philadelphia, I resolved to put the power and the courage of the democrats to the test, by opening shop with a grand exhibition of the portraits of kings, queens, princes, nobles, and bishops, and, ia short, with every portrait, picture, or book, that I could obtain, and that I thought likely to excite rage in the inveterate enemies of Great Britain, particularly a large, coarse sixpenny representation of Lord Howe's victory over the French. Never since the beginning of the American rebellion had any one before dared to exhibit at his window the portrait of George the Third. This measure excited the feelings that I expected; but, it was finally attended with complete success, notwithstanding much clamour and many threats, amongst which latter, one' was conveyed by letter to the owner of the house, stating, that, after having 65 grossly "abused the French in my writings, I had "now the astonishing efrontery to expost "those writings for sale at my window, as "well as certain prints indicative of the

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prowess of the British and the disgrace of "the French." The vile wretch, or wretches, who made the attempt at intimidation, put to it the signature of "HINT: so exactly similar are the workings of minds of the same stamp-In spite of the threat of Mr. Hint and of the fears which he excited in the heart of the very honest and kind, though timid, man, who was my landlord, I persevered in my exhibitions and ny publications; and, I lived to see, in that same city of Philadelphia, a public eclebration of the victories of the feats of England over those of France, and to hear George the Third a favourite fort; a change which rew friends, certainly too partial, ascribed av ing to my exertions, but to which those exer tions did assuredly greatly contribute. Before I recur to the " Sdier's Friend," I cannot refrain from relating an anecdote connected with the Philadelphia exhibition and the letter of Mr. Hint, and which anec dote, as being strongly illustrative of the effect of example and of the great value of

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military fame, ought to have been before related by me. At the time when I adopted my measure of defiance, I knew not one British subject in America besides myself, who was not afraid to own, and who, in fact, did not, in some way or other, deny his country and his king; who did not call himself an American citizen, and who had not formally, and by oath, transferred his allegiance to the United States. On the first morning of my exhibition, I had put up a representation of Lord Howe's victory in a leaf of the European Magazine; but, a bookseller, with whom I was acquainted, and who came to see how I stood it, whispered me, while the rabble were gazing and growling at my door, that he had two large representations of the same action. They were about four feet long and two wide: the things which are hawked about and sold at the farm-houses in England, and had been crammed, more, perhaps, by way of packing stuff than otherwise, into a parcel of goods that had been sent out from London. But the letters were large; the mob, ten or twenty deep, could read, and they did read aloud too, LORD HOWE'S DECISIVE VICTORY OVER THE FRENCH FLEET;" and, therefore, though the price was augmented from sixpence to two dollars each, I purchased them, and put one up at the window, and this print particularly it was that brought forth the threat of MR. HINT. The other I sold, and this is the part of the anecdote that I wish to record. It was sold to two Englishmen, who were amongst the numbers that went to America about the years 1794 and 1795, misled by the representations of Paine and others, and being, as they frankly acknowledged to me, enemies of their country when they left it. They had mixed amongst the crowd, had taken the part of their country, and had proposed to maintain their words with their fists. After the quarrel had, in some degree, subsided, they, partly, perhaps, by way of defiance, came into the shop to purchase each of them a picture of Lord Howe and his victory. Finding that I had but one for sale, they would have purchased that; but, as it amounted to more money than both of them were possessed of, they went, and, in their phrase, which I shall never forget," kicked their master," that is to say got money in advance upon their labour, which was then engaged in the digging of a cellar. Having thus obtained the two dołlars, each of them took an end of the print in his hand, displayed it, and thus carried it away through the mob, who, though they

admiration. It is not, therefore, as I once before observed, the soil, the dirt, the geographical boundaries; but, it is the fame of England, her renown, her character in the world, that endear her to her sons, and that alone can preserve the attachment of those amongst them who possess none of her lands or her wealth. To Lord Howe's victory, and to the naval victories that followed it, the change in the minds of the Americans was, in a great degree, to be attributed; to the sixpenny representation of it I owed no small part of my success at the outset; and from the admirable example of the two English labourers, above spoken of, the cause of England derived more advantage, in Philadelphia, than from the influence of all the hundreds of thousands of British wealth in that city. In recurring to the subject of the "Soldier's Friend," I may ask, what that pamphlet, or what any of my opinions, or any part of my conduct, can have to do with the case of Lord Melville; unless it can be shewn, that, in that pamphlet (supposing me to have been the author of it), or that, in my opinions or my conduct, I formerly countenanced practices like those, of being guilty of which Lord Melville has been detected, and for which he is to be tried? Here, without advancing another step, I might leave the reader to judge between me and the "Society of Gen"tlemen," and to form his opinion of the cause in support of which such means as they have employed have been resorted to. But, I owe to my cause, to the cause of every honest man, to the cause of the nation, something more. Having exerted my humble talents in that cause, having become one of those, however inferior in degree, whe have espoused that cause, it is my duty to take care, that the cause suffer not, in the mind of any man, from accusations preferred against myself. This consideration kept in mind, I trust the reader will bear with me, while I relate the history of the "Soldier's "Friend" more fully than, without such consideration, could possibly be thought reasonable. Those who have read the printed account of my life, will recollect, that I was bred up at what is commonly called the plough-tail; that, after some little time spent in and about London, I entered the army at about the age of sixteen, in the very year that Mr. Pitt made his fatal entry into the cabinet; that, in a few months afterwards, I joined my regiment in British North America; that, in less than a year, I attained to the rank of Serjeant-Major of an old regiment; that I continued in that capacity till I returned with the regiment to

still cursed, could not help giving signs of

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