Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-06-10

stead of the o~pulence OF the crowded mart
| or busy workshop, the country was flled
Hike the camp Of Attila or Ianefilne,
| with spoi!s and trophies. The naval su.
periority Of the British, by destroying
| their trade, has contributed to decide and
Epro,ong this exclusively military character
of the French.
: We are then to view France as a polIti-
| cal phenomenon, not less tremendous by
her having renowned every trade but that
Of a conqueror, than by her colossal size.
Like the old Romans, and indeed like eve
| nv other nation intoxicated with a passion
| for conquest, the French are completely
| military, and their ardor is a kind OF tana-
ticism such as made the successors OF Ma
| homet the meaarchs of the East.
The Romans in like manner contended,
| for almost FIVE centuries, with the petty
nations of Italy, their equals in va!or, their
interiors only IN discipline. In this hardy
school, they were trained for cor quest
But after they had gained the dominion OF
Italy, they never again commended with
| their equals. The Car hagenians, though
| sustained for sixteen years by The transcan-
/! dant genius of Hannibal, were almost e.
qually enfeebled by their spirit OF commerce
and their spirit of faction. The Macedo-
| mans, like the modern Prussians, had a
6ne army, a full treasury, and a state Of
but moderate extent, heanled in by jea-
ious, hostile neighbors. In couquerlng
them and the rest of Greece, the Romans
found the Etolian. and some OF her states
rradyto accept chains. and to impose them
on their counlYymen. The light Of Greece,
the most refulgent The world ever saw, was
quenched with its liberty. Egypt was SO
sunk in vice, that it fell without a contest
Antiochus the great king of Syria, had an
infinite number OF men, few soldiers. The
glory and the spoils of his conquest were
greater than its difficulty. Gaul, the mo-
dern France, was filed with barbarians,
who had not The sense nor perhaps the
power to unite against Cesar, and they fell
in succession. Spain resisted longer and
more desperately, but not as a nation COM
bined to resist an invader, but by endless
partial insurrectlons to throw off its chains.
The power OF Mithridates was too re-
Gently formed, and composed of states too
near barbarism to contend with Rome; vet
for many years he proved her most dread
cd foe.
Thus it was that the chief difficulties in
conquering the old world, were really sur
mounted before Rome was known to have
formed the design, or perhaps was con-
! scious she had it to undertake.
France in like manner, has been for ma-
ny centuries exercised in arms. She has
had TO contend with all her neighbors her
equals IN %valor, her interiors in military In
| stituiions and spirit. Thus a nation has
been educated for the conquest of the
world. Spain, once her superior, is now
her ~vassal. Austria, her rival, is chained
to a prison -four by her hatred Of Prussia,
her dread of France, and perhaps her still
greater dread of Russia. Fear and policy
will both make her subservient 20 Bona
parte, unless ne should prefer the active
assistance of Prussia TO that of Austria
lie seems to have the best grounds TO ex-
pect that il Russia should be his enemy, he
l will have one Of the other two for an ally.
On this supposition, we can scarcely con-
ceive of an efficient alliance against France
on the continent of Europe. While its
numerous States were, independent, and
the safety of each was the care of all, the
ambition of France was more troublesome
than formidable. In this school Of policy
and arms, this gymnasium in which all
s%trenuouslv commended aud IN turns excel.
led. France like a prize fighter acquired
ths hardness, the dexterity and The force
that have made her the victor. The reyo.
luton has suddenly opened her eyes to con.
template her situation, aud all her. ardour
IS awakened by perceiving that already
more than half her ambitious work is done,
i \ .,.a G,Lts,n- la-- l----l 10y 4