Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-07-25

mead olIlIc SlSle, ms tns wt-N-
- OF the French people. The pens of
the eloquent are eelpioyed in celebr ting
his glory; and po*teriiy which is the judge
Of great men, villa only re-echo the Ian
guage Of the ageSin which he lived. 1
know the place which he occupies in their
'fr.arts; ] know if 1 can Judge by myself,
the devotion which he merits, and with
which he has inspired you. | know all
the right which his eminent services give
him TO The dignity of Emperor, and to have
It made hereditary in MS family. But let
ms examine abs,ractedly, from all perso-
nal feelings OF gratitude and love, if the
unity and hereditary succession of the
Chief Consul be consistent with the go
vernment Of France.
Different sta es have right to that form
81 government which they enjoy, accord
ing TO principles nvariable as that nature
from which they originate. In van, poll
teal maladies affect and suspend those
principles for moment-The crises cea-
SEES, and nature resumes her rights. tits
the nature OF things, that country orvast
extent, whose security is not guaranteed
by his physical position, and whose relati-
ons with It's neighbors necessarily menace
its tranquility, ought to be governed by
one head.
Rome, at lis birth, had kings, because
the states which surrounded were govern
ed by kings. Zone after conquering her
neighbOrs, expelled the kings and created
consUlS- When her power had gone be-
You'd the limits OF herterritories, when
she had To combat nations far removed
from the centre OF her dominions, even
the excessive love of liberty could not pre-
vent the ruin OF the republic, and empc-
rors were elevated to the throne. Happy
would have been that great nation if tie
FIRST OF their emperors had, as he had it in
his power, made the government hered-
tary in his family. The scenes which CO.
vcred the throne with blood-the civil
wars which dcsolatcd that vast empire,
and precpitated It's downfall would not
have sullied the page of the history OF these
masters OF the world. But one great err
ror led TO dreadful abuses, On the ruins
Of monarchy destroyed, AN attempt was
made to substitute monarchical govern
ment. France must have been DESTROYED
ii the genius of Eonaparte had not Great
ed the Consulship, to precede, for a few
years, the creation Of the imperial dignity.
lie is called 20 the elevated post by the
unanimous wish, and this wish is the first
sentiment which ought to give rise to mi
litary services, He had, as consul, the
power ot performing vast services, and
you have seen that he has used it with de-
gree al success of which no examples are
recorded in the history of The world.
THIS is enough for his own glory, but il
is not enough for the happiness of France.
1t is in the nature OF things, that if en-
pires prosper under great man, the mo
ment which dsprives them of his services
menaces them with some dreadful explo-
sion, if Ihe same moment does not substi.
tu'e in his place him who is to be his success
sor. tits then that ambition becomes en-
famed, and no, long before ambition pre-
pares III secret the means OF suppianting
rivals.
Loud disputes, succeeded by civil wars,
agltate the minds Of men, disturb for ages
the union Of citizens, and the people are
often so unfortunate as not to see who is
the most worthy among the rival candi-
dates TO receive the sceptre of which death
has bereaved the object OF their regret
What then can prevent these disasters /?
A constitutional law which fixes the line
of succession, and which gives to the IA
mily of the Chief the new dynasty. This
is the object Of the motion under discussi
on, and | assent TO it, persuaded that if the
empire is the price Of the virtues of the
great man who is called to the imperial
dignity, the succession TO it by the family,
guarantees to France ages of glory and of
repose.
PARIS, May /.
According to letters from Marseilles, a
French privateer has taken an English
brig with dispatches for Lord Nelson,
with two millions of Iivres we presume in
specie.
Colonel Joseph Bonaparte is said to
have leitParis for Boulogne; and accounts
from Brussels mention the great activity
employed in Belgium and the adjoining
departments, in completing gun boats
and forwarding them to their respective
Hothlas' The war minister and General
ooult are inspecting the troops near Bou-
iogne, and the preparations for invasion
are represented as hourly advancing.