Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-05-13
Faoa BELLS WEEKLY MESSEN-
GER.
Danrsr : RlrfingQl.

resources scarcely suffer thena to encou.
rage any other ambitiaa than that OF NAM
tanning their petty territories nvlolate, and
escaping injury from their more powerful
neighbours, alMost unifssrsly to- be drawn
into the vortex, at least into a participation
sof the hazar.Is OF hostil:ty. whenever the
greater powers, woo give tone to the po-
icy and preside over the fase of Europe,
engage ia war with each other.
This has tso frequently been the case OF
Holland, Switzerland, and the minor states
.ofItaly, ard is likely, in tho present con.
test, to be the fate Of Portugal The safe
~ of Pertagal, it is said, depends upon
the neutrality Of Spain. If Spain be con-
vsr,ed into an enomy Of Great Brisar', sue
will be equally Hostile to her allies, and Will
sthen nave comnaon interest with France
to effect tie subjugation Of Portugal. -
Spain, It is asserted, viii open herself 10
: the reception of French troops, aud the ar
snies of Bonaparac. crossing the Peninsula,
will cen pei Portugal to -renounce the ALL
ance of Great. Britain, aad connect .hcrsslt
with the common cause.
g'kat such will be the object and eater
prise Of France and Spain, there cas 90
but little doubt: as liste is there, likewise,
that the situation Of Portugsl is haZardans,
but itrcquires ne very sepesstfious fasth
&c believe thar she NAV survive the.shock,
novery greas stretch of consdcnceto pro-
nouncs tha, hsr alliance with Great, Eri-
tain, will maintain her iuyiclatc and un-
broken.
We are not without precedents of the de-
erecs of fear which Portugal need suffer
from the Court Of Madrid. The.events of
the campaign of 1862, when a smaE Bfi.
tish force repealed the invading armies 81
Sr.in, at a,imo, toe, when d Spanish-,r~
my possessed something Of its former dis
cipline and gallsntw, sufficiently eEincc,
what British army might row effect, in
the wane of Spanish tactics and military
glory.
From France is the principal danger
Let us sups csc that the Emperor Of the
French resolves to divert portion of his
troops from the positions which they at pre-
sent.occupy. This is hazardous, now that
q continental war is r,@naced; now that,
the armies on the right and Left banks ot
the Rhine must be eaectualiy4uengthened:
now that Holland. un which side an attack
is FIRST expected, must consume q greG.erf
force, no less to repel the enemies ef
France, than that she hcrsslf may be held
in subiection; now, too, when upon the.
.sauth { tearfi,: storm IS apprcsenica tram
Italy, end Austria, huciuatiug In an un-S
certain ueusra.ity, cannot BE- trusted WITH.
out an overawing army TO watch every
movement of ker policy.
Let us suppose, hew.ver, thai France
provides considerable tepot of troops At
Bayonue. Thss must march four hun.
.dred miles before they touch the frsntters
eff Portugal; their course exssnds through
country difficult for the progress Of an
army, and almos, destitute Of provisioas );
they can sassis, with eiiEicnity, end must
be sardy from an immense baggage. Time
would hegven 10 Portugal to provide for
a vigorous defence, . defence easy and
certain Of success, if conducted with CON-
mon spirit and galiantry. Here, too, the
aiiia2cc OF England WoEsd lRtefPose ana
spread shield before her.
But letus concsde thas Portugal, with
the other secondary powers of the CONT
| nent, is obliged to receive the yoke, Hap
PLY for mankiid, the safety II Eur p
dses not depend upon France being able
TO take temporary possession Of Portu.
gal. It is IN the = yer of England, at
any time, to block up the twn rivers by
which that country can alone receive sup.
( plies OF grain, and thereby cut off the
Subsistence OF a French army, and oblige
them to abandon their. conquest. or retain
itat IN expence beyond It's value.
Portugal, distracted from her colonies,
is OF no weight in Europe; without the
Beazils, she wouls be overlooked in ge-
| neral scheme of politics.