Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-09-05
F,gm B<lls LonasaJ WftSl NfHmgs'
pr FsENT STATE OF THE NOR
THERN POWERS.

saInuse the country Wstn loic iopcS 49,
the Russian msdiation or TO encourage INC
prospect Of any other decision than that q
arms. But according to some Of our sPe-
culators, the plan is far advanced; We
hear talk ola Congress to be convoked Tor
the adjustment of grievances, and the dis
putes of France and England are to be SUD.
mitted 10 Diet of neutral Princes.
It is strange that this infatuatlon should
prevail and it is not very complimentary
to the spirit of England, to suppose that
she would run round to every Court IN
Europe, presenting trief Of her grey
ances, and begging them to hold It Tor
her. Such pusillanlnisy might, lndeea'
become little State, willing 80 avert the
hour of its evil destiny, and trnckie to
despotism for longer lease Of freedom;
but it would be useless IN great ana
powerful nation, who must be respeeteo
ard feared, in order to be secure, whose
safety must be purchased by those means
which compelit, and not those which So
l,cit It as a boon. The present quarrel
IS, unhappily, of magnitude which arbi-
tratlon cannot embrace. In cases where.
in the dispute turns Oh single point, arr
bit ration may determine the Gains OF both
parties; but where the complaint is Sc,
neral, and the litigation extensive, wbese
each til hiking himself right, refuses to re-
init particle of his claim, there seems no
prospect Of any decision, but that OF torce,
which with nations is the common alblter
ST right and wrong.
This appeal to mediation, moreover
can in no way become England IN the
present crisis; quarrel 50 fully autlo-
rzed by repeated insult there should Dc
no desire to compromise. Who calls in al
Umpire in cause, ct the Justice Of which
he is convinced, but from an abate'Deat
Of the proper spirit to support ite9lt will
generally be found. that an app al to me
diation, is smoothing more than a uesHe to
procrastinate suit frem a conv:ction OF It's
weakness. A spirit wrenged and oppres I.
sed, boils over in manly resentment It
desires no pitiful compromise, no hollow
patched up reconciliation, IN which the
fame Of animosity burrs, secretly tor
time and bursts out, on the first opportn
nifty. with more destructive rayage than
before. 1t may be imagined how much
respect would be paid to the decree of. a
Congress which had nothing but the bya--
I'm Iuimeu of mere dignity 70 s-rf91e ~ /,
We are mistaken if a as~-s1 9, ef'of "oulu
not irnmed.a I.I5~ne to arms.
Ia,rsfe IS no question if any thing coud
be effected by mediation that Ministers
would not avail themselves of it; and
Russia being the most likely to have her
arbitration respected, if offered, it would
certainly be accepted. But we are not
altogether certain that the disposition OF
Russia points this way. "A dexterity Of
intrigue has long obtained France pre-
dominance in this Court, and jealousy
of British commerce has left little room of
friendship or good will. The pacific ten
per Of the Emperor is, indeed, generally
acknowledged but with this moderation
ct ambition, is kind of sluggish and in
active policy which teaches him TO consi-
der things, with which he is not very in
tinately connected as unworthy of any
great exertions. One thing is certain
Russia will not be our ally, and all we
can expect Of her is, that she will not
become cur enerly.
The other Northern Powers havea dis
tint} intereR. Prrfia leems to care little
what becomes ofthe continent, provided ihe !
can weigh with advantage againit the en-
peror: with kind OF jealous franknefs,
the will Zee ruin fpread around her, and 70
long as her own wings remain urplueked,
thele Of the imperial Eagle may be left
without feather. The olhern Nothern
Powers are neither con hderabie by their
n e J. l.