Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1805-05-17
JAMES ELLIOT.
NORFOLK, April r9.

NONA ~ L. ~ "a pm -
Europe has not Tor many wears, amid
all its revolutions and convul>ions, pre-
scented itself in a more interesting or aw.
full point Of view than at this moment.
All the recent occurrences there seem to
indicate the near approach of some event
OF immense magnitude and Importance
to the world, which nothing can avert,
except a peace between its two great
contending powers, France and England i;
circumstance not to be expected.
1t must be no less unlocked for, and
morsifving to England, than it is novel
in itself, to find her possessions assaIed
BY the A-ets of France, which she has
been so long accustomed nor onl Y to con-
quer but to despise.& This change in the
nature Of the hostilities cannot fail of
producing the double eject, of augment
ing the insolrnce of the one and inham-
ing the resentment of the oth;r power
WraPt up in one object, THO protection
OF her European possessIonatrom inva.
sion, and believing itneAt to impossible
that the French navy, or am part of it,
would or burst venture to sea, Great
Britain has shamefullv neglected the de.
fence of her West India colonies, as,
NAV be seen BY the list Of her fore there,
which We published few DAYS ago: the
consequence has been such insult to her
dignity, in urv to her subjects, and dis.
grace to her coun> rs, as cannot fail to
exasperatc her to desire Of vengeance
even greater than what she has hitherto
experienced, and hvnce we M, place
the prospect Of peace at much greater
distance, than it has at any period since
tae commencement of the present war
appeared to have been removed from the
world.
The difference between the conduct of
the two governments is, in the present
instance, peculiarly striking. England,
participating her councils, and know
iedge OF htr designs among such mum.
oers, can never form, at least, we be-
lleve never has formed and executed an,
plan, wIthou. sntTrln5 i knowledge Of
II hrSt to transPtre : th-reDy placing the
enemy 50 compIctely on his lard, as to
enabl: him to discomfort a! her enter
Pnze' agAIns, htm.-Evcr since the
commencement Of the present war, the
English newspapers have. talked of secret
erPed H>ns being in ~ advanced state OF
preparation but in this talk all their
schemes haze vanished. France on TIN
other hand has been profoundly silent ~
to any design of secret warfare, until tn
moment of execution arrived when
with the CELEBRITY Of lightning, the bIaz>
is scarcely discovered before the blow is
felt ; blow too, whl h. 1T it be dis
guisrd as 1t may, drrpis aft cts the int
rest and the glory Of Eng md.
The secrecy with which Bonaparte
medltates his measures, ana the prom2-
tltude with which he. ex :cI:-s them, ale
the spongest proofs that tan be addu,
ced Of his high qualification for the emf,
neht and hazardou, dI,ic,,of minister Of
the resources of nation. Whatever OF
passion, whatever Of enter rmeat, VI 1t.
ever OF rashness, and whatever of VIC
Ience. ne may have displayed in mIn>
parts OF his diplomatic conduct, 1T differ
ent periods since his clevatIan TO p0wtr
we are more inclined 10 asctibe it to
naughty consciousness Of the extent Of