Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1803-06-03

eSs s"s
raefer Of The Fret ConsuI Of France,
not generally ino1pn. TIE faLc1riag
acconntef his extraordinary berson,
from the pen D an eminent uriter II
London, svho had frsguenfiy seen him,
and was weH GrgIainfsduifh kis frdzss-
octioAs, DiH serve 70 inform whike il
dmnses cur readers.
From the London General Advertiser.
CHARACTER IF BUONAPARTE.
|yNIHILE there is but one opinion
wv with regard 10 the title Of the
First Consul of France, to the sovereign.
sxE0hich he n present holds, il il FREE
Qi1fAdyd disputed whether he owes Il to
his own ability and address, or to that
unaccountable caprice with which acci-
dent has at times elevated the nndeserv-
ing TO the highest stations.
The instancesin which he has retriev-
ed his fortunes, even against probability,
and the ascendency which he has con-
stantly acquired overs all his rivals, seem
sufficiently to estahlishk his abilities, The
talents for enterprise, and those far per-
manent command, are however by no
means the same ; and many = person has
been well quali6edt TO atsain a throne who
was not capable to preserve himself.in
that elevated station for a single year,
To decide his capacity as a sovereign,
therefore, we must take a much nearer
view of his character
The feryor of mind which qualities a
manfor great enterprise acknowledgements
is almost universally attended with such,
violent and unraly passions as frequently
divert ambition from its course, and
makes the mind spend It's force on objects
which dom at all contribute to the ac-
quiremept Of Pre-eminence. In the First
Consuls mind, however, ambition seems
10 have gained such supreme dominion
over every faculty, to have so completely
absorbed every other passion, that in the
whole course Of his Conducs,s since he
FIRST came into public notice, there is not,
perhaps, Q single Instance that can be
produced, where either the baser or no.
blerpassions have made him turn aside
from the direct road of power. He has
none of those weaknesses Of humanity
which are called amiable, because they
spring from virtues.
His measures are never impeded by
the interference offriends and favorites.
A Lasties, a Roederer, a Fouche, by
turns serve the purposes of his ambition,
and by turns share. the sunshine ofhis fa-
vors, by turns also these tools become
blunted and loose their utility, and arc, in
consequence, by turns thrown aside
Bonaparte has no friends, he has no one
that unlocks his heart, and penetrates in
to his utmost recess. With q peculiar
reserve and secrecy that has hardlyever
been paralleled, he agitates and completes
his plans within his own bosom, and then.
producing them unexpectedly 10 the
world excites almost rs much surprise in
the immediate attendants ofhis o=n courts
as in the cabinets of St. James, and vi.
emma.
The effects of this state of mind are
pereepsible in every part of his conduct.
His ambition seems to have acquired the
additional energy of all other passions
whiehI has absorbed-and neither the
difficulty Of any attempt, the interfe.
renee of those motives which usually act
on the human mind have been able to d.
vert him from the object Of his pursuit.
There IS not one of his enterprises which
has been defeated by obstacles within the
power of human genius 70 remove. In
wal, whatever could be effected by nd.
dress, by stratagem, by intrsPidity, he has
effected. Where he could, he surprised
the enemy's camp-where he could, he
bribed the officers to desert their posts
where he could not effect his purposes by
neither of these methods, he marched
boldly up, and trusted his fortune to the
decision Of a battle. When his supposed
religion was likely to prove an obstacle,
he abiured ii, and when his purposes n
gain required il, he ~ solemnly became
anew an apostate. Knowing however,