Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1803-12-17

l4h pAOhlbed III London, IN VOLS ne ao-
thor's ALE1AsesR STEPHENs.
"The epoch of the French revolution,
and the wars to which that celebrated E.
vent gave rife, almoA initifp the adertion,
that the annals of mankind contain little
more than a-record Of their crimes and
calamieies.
&c At no period, either in ancient or in
modern times, have the revered names of
religion, liberty, and focal order, been
20 Frequently invoked or 70 audacioufy
profitused and it is to be feared, that
the civil rights of individuals, as well as
that lyltem Of public morals called the law
of nations, have received deep and in
durable wound.
But, on the other hand It is ferries
Of fingular, magnificent, and difaitrous
events, like that iuf alluded to, which
affords fuitable imagery of narrative, and
contributes at once the milerieS Of iociety
and the materials for hifory. He who is
defined to retail recent tranfa6fions, if
a6uated by the fpirit of truth and indepen-
dence, will have TO recapituiate fuch
multitude of enormities, that the reins of
Nero and Domitian mutt appear lefs intol-
cradle from compariion. The murder of
priioners in open day; the public deten-
ton and ahailination of ambaiiadors the
uncontrolled reign of that panic terrer
which appalled, the innocent, and not un-
frequently lpared the guilty the triumph
of men of blood over the public enemy as
we'll as the mott virtuous Of their fellow
citizens one faction fwallowing up ano-
Their, while the initrumenr of deltru6tion
was fretched forth, and the tomb yawned
for tie vi6tors a frantic populace divid-
ing the paipitating members Of their vic
tins, and a king coolly numbering thoie
Gubie6tS who had yielded to the faith of d
lolemn treaty the torture, at once the
mark of a barbarous> age, and the oppro-
bTium of a civilized one, publicly infi6-
ed while, as if to form climax and re-
alize the metaphor Of the ancient poets,
the dogs of war were literally unclaimed,
and the canine race employed tohunt down
the human fpecies /; fuch sthe galaxy of
crimes prelentedfduring the night of.won-
derS.
&c Yet, notwithstanding thefe hideous
pictures, Europe has diiplayed many IN
common inRances of heroiln1, and fome
fcenes have occurred in neighboring
country which furpafS all that is to be found
during the boalted' reigns of Marcus Au-
relius and the Antonine. Never did any
nation, exhibit fuch magnanimity, when
th.eatened with fubjugarion, havery, and
dilmemberment, Oh the part Of the COM
bined monarchs Of the continent : never
did 70 many orators, philosophers, men
Of letters, and fatelmen, evince fuch a
peraous and deadly enmity to anarchy,
iniuitce, and bloodheds; or prefer with
70 much readiness the uplifted axe Of the
executioner, 70 the icorn Of their cotem-
pories, and the reproaches of poferity.
Even the iofter Tex affirming a malculine
courage, maintained their principles on
tie fcafold, and perilhed without igh
before the itatute Of outraged liberty.
! "The art of.war, too, during this me-
morable period, has been carried TO a
greater degree Of perfection than in any
former age and the }oung ta6ticians Of
the new fchooI have overcome generals
grown hoary under arms. The machine
Try of battles has been calculated on more
Igigantic fcale ). fleets have not only fought
with greater hercenefs ). but exhibited ev-
Iolutions hitherto unknown or unparalleled;
Ia Jingle army fometimes extended lis
wings from the frontiers of France TO the
HEART Of Italy, while, at other periods, one
Eimmenfe line of folders has occupied the
intervening countries from The banks 81