Daily National Intelligencer

FROM COBBETT'S [BRITISH] REGISTER, OCT. 1.

Mr. Cobbett Since the close of the grand drama, entitled "a war against Bonaparte," we have had a little more leisure to attend to the lesser drama, entitled "the American war," which is now performed for the amusement and satisfaction of John Bull.— While the former, with all its accompaniments, was going on, in a manner close at our doors, the latter was deemed too distant and too insignificant for "the most thinking people in the world," to think any thing at all about it. Now, however, the case is different. As we have got Boney, like Prometheus, fairly chained to his rock; with, I suppose, the accompaniment of his vulture too, in the shape of remorse, or rather of regret, we have leisure to look about us, and to consider this nice little bit of a war in all its bearings. John Bull has bawled himself hoarse, hurraing for the peace. He has burnt oceans of oil, tons of tallow, besides abundance of royal rockets, and squibs, and crackers, in celebrating the glorious peace! And after all the noise and fuss is over, he stands with a stupid stare of amazement, wondering how the deuce this peace feels so very unlike what he expected. He feels almost as incredulous about it. as lord Peter's brothers did, when he wanted "to palm his damn'd crusts upon them as mutton!" He holds a dialogue with himself something like the following: "So, we have got peace, have we? Aye, so they tell me: but some how or other it does not feel of the right sort. But what say the funds? rising, eh? Sinking, sinking. What says omnium? Below par. Property tax taken off? Not a sous. Other taxes lowered? No, not one. Ships paid off; troops disbanded? No such thing. Humph! this may be peace; but, odso, it feels, somehow or other, devilish like war." Aye, honest John Bull; and devilish like war thou wilt find it, let me tell thee. The sapient and humane editor of "the Times," talks of "crushing the Americans at once," just as a giant would crush a blind puppy! But, good Mr. Times, that is easier said than done. As far as vulgar Billingsgate abuse can go, you, and your brother of the Courier, have done your best to irritate and inflame the Americans. But, we might as well expect pure water from a jakes, as decent language or liberal sentiments from two such corrupt sources.

In the minister's speeches, delivered through the regent, we have been repeatedly told of the unprovoked aggression on the part of the Americans! If he had condescended to mention the instances of aggression, it would have been more satisfactory; for I, for one, must be pardoned, for not believing even his royal word upon such an occasion. So far from having been the aggressor, they bore with our insolent orders in council, much longer than we should have borne any thing similar on their part; and all they now ask is, that we shall not stop their ships, and take what of their crews we think proper, without proving them to be British subjects! This is, on their part, the sole cause of the war! Give up this, and they will make peace to-morrow. But, softly: that would not suit our worthy ministers. War is their harvest, and taxes and loans are their crop. Now, no man likes to reap a scanty crop, when he may have a full one. They have of late been accustomed to the sweets of handling upwards of one hundred and twenty millions a year, with all the power and patronage consequent upon such an enormous sum; and, I am afraid, it would require even more virtue than they are possessed of, to conclude a peace which would deprive them of one half of their power. besides disobliging a vast number of worthy people, who, at present, are in the best humor possible, but who would grumble sadly if their sop was taken from them. The American war is an entertainment of that kind. that they can and will spin out just as long-as John Bull has any money to pay for it.-They may burn some sea-port towns, and do a deal of mischief to individuals, but as to making any serious impression on America, I question if even the learned secretary to the admiralty believes it to be possible. We tried it once before. when all our means were fresh and vigorous ; when the American population was one third of what it is now ; when their government was weak and without credit: and when we had many partisans in their country. How our attempts ended is well known: and how any similar attempt would now end, may be very easily conjectured.

Among all the other evils our infatuated ministry are bringing upon their devoted country, they are forcing America to become a great naval power; and although our present able and active admiralty may ridicule the idea, yet the oldest of them may live to see cause to think very differently upon the subject. Our merchants now begin to take the alarm ; these impudent dogs of Yankees are taking their ships at their very doors. The bulk of them have all along been zealous government men of the true Pitt breed : strenuous supporters of the war so long as they could make a farthing by it; and all most anxious for humbling the Yankees; but now, that they are getting some raps over the knuckles from these same Yankees, they make a most terrible song about it. Instead of petitioning the Regent to read a lecture to his friend Croker, about convoying their sugar and tobacco, they would have acted more justly and more wisely had they petitioned him at once to put an end to an unjust and unnecessary war, instead of singing out about their paltry individual losses, which, compared to the nation, are as a drop in the ocean.-

Talleyrand, in the expose of his budget, says that every individual in this country pays five times as much in taxes as every individual in France pays.-Their debt is trifling; while ours is creeping up almost beyond the power of figures to count. The prospect is sufficiently appalling; but, I repeat it, the fingering of the immense sums which the ministry have of late years been accustomed to, is too precious a privilege to be abandoned without compulsion. Let them then be compelled to abandon it; let the voice of the people be heard, in a way not to be misunderstood; let petitions and remonstrances from all quarters be poured in, demanding that an end may be put to an odious and unjust war; and let them not be misled by a cry about our maritime rights, but calmly ascertain whether these rights are not wrongs. In short, in judging of these, let them apply the universal golden rule of "doing as they would be done by."

I remain, sir, your's, &c.

Strathmore, Sept. 19.

G. K.