Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-12-03
Fron be Losaos Courier, >. Sept. II.
An nti-minifelial paper.]
AMrR1cANs-Read and Profit.

1t is by federative aiiociations, lays
MoNrRsouIEu, I" that Holland, Germa-
ny and the SqoiG Leagues, are eonildered
in Earope as eternal Republics The
petition of MoNTEsQuIgu in each of the
three intances has been defroyed by the
tremendous experience OF the French Re.
yolution. Yet fnreIy Switzerland had the
leaa reafon to expect, fhe certainly the
leaf delerved, the hard fate that awaited
has her. What heart does not melt with
pity at the contemplation Of the unbroken
ferries Of wrongs and infults that have beer
accumulated upon the head Of that devoted
country ; What arm is not nesved by IN
dionation to break the letters OF the de-
Pendants of William Tell upon the heads
of thefe modern GriileTs The conduit OF
Switzerland had been irreproachable from
the commencement of the war! Openly
menaced by fome, infigated by others,
Che reGRed every attempt 10 plunge her IN
10 the fin Of war, and clung, with hllai
fondnefs, TO that rigid and exact neutrall-
ty which fhe had received as a iacred IN.
heritance from Ter forefaihers. From this
fyGen, equally wife and humane, we are
NOT wholly exempt fromthe charge of at
tempting to force her bot no act OF hoi-
sility f~ullies our national character, and
no murdered inhabi,ant of Switzerland
cries aloud for vengeance againfl US at the
bar of eternal @jufice. The guilt OF theie
tranfanaions belongs pTe-eminently and
indeed e~xcluisely to France.
In the affection which Switzerland bore
to the fyRem Of neutrality ihe almoa for
got the feelings Of a parent. Not an arm
was RATED 10 revenge her unfortunate ions
murdered at Paris in the faithful difcharge
of their duties ihe deplored their fate,
bur Gill perfevered in thofe principles
which the happy experience Of three cen
turtles had confecrated and confirmed
From this fyitem France had derived the
mott fold benefits. Formerly, even in
times of war with foreign powers, the
French frontier on the file of Switzerland
was left entirely unarmed, becauie the
mott confident reliance was placed upon
the neutrality Of the Cantons, and the
known integrity and fidelity of their Pc
litical principles. But in thofe new and
more gigantic plans Of warfare and con-
ouee thar di}insuiGhea the laf war ; plans
which were TO combine and connect the
operations in Germany with thofe in TIA
". 70 Join as it were the Rhine TO the
Pc, and the Mein 10 the Mediterranean /;
Switzerland was viewed as a military Po-
ftion, as a central point that would ena-
bic France to gTafp Germany with her
left, Whit he confronted Italy with her
right. Often have we thought that the
fyftem of revolu,ionizing Switzerland was
adopted, les with a view TO the mere pro-
pagstion Of the principles Of French h6er-
~. than from the knowledge that, as
long assSwitzefland retained her old form
of Government, fhe would not abandon
her neutrality, and that in the anarchy
~confequens upon the d~ifnlution of the Old
conHiiutiop, FRANCE might obtain an IN
haence and a itation that would enable her
to carry her great military views into Ct
fsa. In The early asas OF the revolution,
in the height of the fury and frenzy of the
revolutionary doctrines, the revolutioniz-
ing Switzerland never entered into The
heads, at leat it never was aVowed by
the ruling denagogucs Of France.
1t is not a little extraordinary, that the
Emperor, during the whole time the!e
plans againf Switzerland were carrying
into execution, remained fupine, inactive,
and apparently indifferent 10 them. He
knew that the peace Of Leoben, and the
treaty of Campo Forn;o, were no. likely
TO be OF long duration: and ne migat have
fufpeAed that the proceedings OF the Con-
grefs at Raaa3t were ~purpofely drawn out
TO fach a length, 10 order to afford time TO
the French to complete their aefsns upon
nC.E:. r. (.eD>a1 to he ton