Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1803-06-10

patience, ill can deliberate upon the
division of the spoil. BY the way, i is
totally incomprehensible to me, upon
what consistent principle was dispatch
ed to, bride you. The youngestof Us can
remember, when it was supposed, that
Ia bride had been asked BY the French GO
| vernment. 1t is likewise remembered
with what virllence Of resentment, the
innocence and sublimityof American virk
tue revoked against the alledged propo-
sal. Upon what account we have struck
our colours, really. cannot inform you.
was sent here upon the notion of pur.
chasing from the First Consul, rather of
brihing his ministers to persuade him
to give up Louisiana. How il came to
the head Of any human being, that he was
to be enticed out of such an acquisition,
/ am likewise unable to inform YOU. But
e4..iit.ss;;s, that have been Dispatched
Whetheritis really practicable to get the
French army sent back from Louisiana,
by distributing two millions of dollars
among the clerks, and aid-tle.camps Of
Bonaparte, time only can determine. /
say, clerks, and aid-de=eamps, because,
with such character, his ministers, and
his generals, can rarely be more than his
clerks, and his aid-de-eamps. I candid
ly think, that you must be smiling at me
that the object for which the money
was got, is absolutely and utterly nnat-
tainable--and that the ;wisest use I can
make Of it will be, to take my passage
home again, and return it to the president.
Congress have resolved, that he is never
to give them anaccount of it---and hence,
it is not worth my while to tire you with
the ultimate conclusion Of the story"
The public attention and expectation
has for a long time been suspended on the
important question Of war in Europe.
ThelLondon papers discover rs much ig-
noranee and uncertainty rs our own
According to the eonjeetures of every
political SPECTATOR, lei s one day War
and another day Peace ], each declared
with the voice Of positive knowledge. A
thousand various and contradictory re-
potts torment the public mind, and con-
sistent with the national character, either
excite the utmost alarm, or lull into a Sc
cprity as groundlsss. We cannot avoid
smiling at the very uiAing nature Of
some omens, which are regarded rs the
certain hafbiAgers Of fate yet should we
not too hastily censure eredulity that
has It's rise in the most important inter-
est Of the empire, and Of individuals.
From the nature of a government, in any
respect founded on the monarchieal prin-
ciples, secrecy in ITS councils 10 unavoid-
able. In the executive of the British
government the observance of secrecy Is
most important. Its vicinity to its enemy
would make the opposite conduct be at
tended with the most destructive eonse-
quences. Every circumstance which
transpires in London is Known in Paris
in two or three days at the utmost. To
keep their foe ignorant Of their designs,
il becomes, therefore, absolutely neces-
sary that they should keep all knowledge,
oft from thepeople. Ofeoursethe mind,
constantly on the watch for any thing
that may either cherish It's hopes or fears,
seizes with avidity on oil offers, and in
stantly converts what It receives into GER
tainty such is the nature of both these
Passions and it cannot be doubted that
both arc now strongly awakened IN the
breast Of every Briton, who wishes the
honor and safety of his country.
The United States eannotbe an unin-
terested spectator of these transactions.
The interests Of this country never were,
nor can they ever be thoroughly detached
from the politics Of Europe, so long IS
We. continue to live by commerce. Should
the neutrality-suspicious. erminate inhos-
tilities between Great britain and France,
it is next to acertainty that all the poten-
.ates of Europe viii be once more drawn
in array OF battle against each other, and
there is much more than conjectural rea-
sen to believe, that it viii be the object
Of one or other OF the leading parties, to
draw "a into the vortex. Our system Of
neutrality may be adopted with avirtuous
II