MARCH 7. But that which has afforded us most gratification, in the course of the .wee k , is the French Expose. This annual performance has commonly delighted its Parisian readers, by telling of triumphs past, present. and to come. The time for this is gone by, and, instead of boasting, of .having con qdered nations, and threatening to conquer more, it flatly declines " speaking of military or political events, as on these topics it can add nothing which is not already known." This is very true, it can only tell a tale of defeat, disgrace, and horror, which is already known. It cannot say the losses recently sustained, will be speedily retrieved. This were a falsehtosl, too barefaced even for BONAPARTE to venture on. He has ceased talking of the overthrow of England, or of the subjugation of Russia: The former of these subjects was formerly a favourite topic in the Expose, but it is now so no more, and the latter is no longer' suffered to• embarrass the calculations of the French Government. BONAPARTE has fiiled to beat the navy of England by " inscription," and he has been completely foiled in his efforts to subdue Russia by " conscription." To be sure, he might talk of his intemion t of raising 350,000 conscripts to be directed against the Emperor ALEXANDER, who is very liberally described to be the ene my of peace, because he had the presumption to defetni leis own dominions. He might, we say, talk of this, but It is unfortunately one of those things of which the folks of his good city of Paris know quite enough already. The wretched victims who arc said to be forthcoming from all parts of the empire can mike them comprehend this sufficiently well. It must be an interesting sight for those in mourning for their relations, who were immolated in NAP ART E'S late ridicu lous crusade, to see their I emaining kinsmen torn flout their homes, while an attempt is made to excite their ardour by holding out to them a prospect, that by possibility they may have the gratification of matching over the bleaching bones of those who " covered themselves with glory" in the last cam paign. An idea that they may have the felicity of doing this, and of sharing their fate, must give them fine spirits at starting, and render any thing on the subject in the Expose, quite un necessary. It was much better for BONAPARTE to confine Itimself /o the . annual repot ts of trade and agriculture in the present instance, than to venture on politics. People-are not fond of hearing much of melancholy subjects. He, in the way of politics, had not ingenuity enough to furnish any thing that would not come under that description, and under these cir cern:stances was it necessary, or even' desirable, that he should take upon himself to pronounce the funeral oration of the grand army ! CATHOLIC QUTSTION. it will be seen from our Parliamentary report, that the debate on the Claims of the Caitiolics, teiminated on Tues day, Mien it was determined that the House should go into the Committee. The Motion of Mr. Grattan was carried.by • majority of forty. On this subject we have, at present, but little to say. We certainly are not among those who anticipate much good from going into the Committee. Mr. Perceval always re-1 listed the motion of Mr. Grattan for doing so, on the ground that if it were acquiesced in, it would only have the effect of exciting false hopes, which must certainly be disappointed. This appeared to us a satisfactory reason, and we cannot but fear that what he apprehended, will now be experienced, — that this step mill be found but to irritate acid inflame, those whom its object is to soothe and console. We, however, cordially agree with Mr. Ponsonby, that the measure having been resolved upon by Parliament, in a spi ;it of conciliation, it-in:J.om the .Catholics to meat it ifl 4110 rIIE NATIONAL REGISTER. same way. If they do this, it may be hoped that something more satisfactory will result from it, than we have usually ventured to anticipate. Till we see what concessions the . Catholics are disposed to make, all we could offer on this subject must be mere conjecture; but we have no hesita tion in saying, that if their proceediogs arc not marked by less intemperance than has hitherto distinguished them, not half those who have voted for going into the Committee will continue to favour their wishes. Their cause is, at resent, much injured by the ridiculous conduct of some of their advocates. Were they to denounce some of the most ?misy of their pretended ft ien&, their prospects would be considerably improved. if General MATHEW, for stance, could be brought to oppose their prayer, what might they not hope from the credit of such hostility I FINANCE. The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER has brought for ward a new plan of Finance, the object of which is to ex empt the public from the imposition of new taxes for four years to come. This is to be effected by paying the interest of the new Loans out of the produce of the Sinking Fund. A full discussion of the merits of this plan will shortly take: place it► Parliament ; it is, therefore, unnecessary for us to go into the details at present. One curious fact wa stated by the Right lion. Gentleman in the course of hi s speech, namely, that the whole of the National Debt of 1786 s for the extinction of which the Sinking Fund was created• has been a►►tirely liquidated. Its amount was 20,000,000 t, A letter from Gibraltar of the 15th ult. says, that an ac count had arrived there of the Poictiers having taken an American frigate, and sunk another ; the Constitution is one: and that the Acasta has taken the American frigate Essex. We hope the account is true; but no such news has been received , by Government, and the Poictiers was at Ber muda on the .23d January. Lisbon papers to the 91st ult. anda Malta mail arrived. yestciday Morning.. There is a dispatch from Lord W LtN G TON, dated on the 10th ult. from Freynada, statingthat no tuovement of importance had occurred. Jost PM has notified at Mach id his intention to proceed to Paris, to confer with his brother. Paris papers to the 3d inst. art ived on Friday night. They do not contain a single-article of any importance. Letters from France, received on+iday, state, the regu lar Couriers, which, until lately, passed through Berlin, have altered their direction, and proceeded by the south road to Paris ; and from hence it is presumed, that the Prussian. capital with the adjacent country, is in the possession of the Russians. The Dutch letters assert, that the King of PRUSSIA had given his sanction to the neutrality arranged between the Russian Commanding Officer and General D'YoRK. We have received a letter from Frankfort, dated the Path ult. which, we believe, has come, with some others, by the way of Holland. It states, positively, that the 'farif of Me mel, regulated by the Continenal System, has heen abro gated, and new duties are imposed, according to the plan adopted in the-Russian ports. By an arrival from Holland, we learn, that in the early part of last month, there %vas a serious distuibance at Ibar lem, in consequence of the attempts made to carry into ef fect the conscription. The coa , cripts fired upon the Officers appointed to orgaiiii.e them, and t,everal were killed, amongst whom was a French General. It is said, that a Proclamation is in the press ; signed the XVlllth, addressed to the Frelich, invitiw; theul.t store the 13 , Jurbor.3, atcne.:ty. Louis 1:4 ie• 0 . c, ~.