Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-05-15
{ Fran the BosTos REpERToRy-
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whether il was ever charged wista b lacker
tempest than that we have lately seen bars
! upon Europe. France has accomplished,
in twelve years, as much as Rome did, 10
Ave hundred. The Samn!tcs, who occupied
a little province that IS now a part OF the
Kingdom of Naples, resisted the Romao
arms for haifa century, and 1t was not till
after four and twensy Roman tr'umpns
and twice that number of pltsaed battles,
that they were subdued.
Klag Pyrraas Landed in Italy too late,
after the Samnites had lost their spirit no
less than theirforce. He proved an enemy
worthy of Romau discipline and courage,
yet he was unsuccessful.
The Romans after Eve hundred years OF
ineessaat war with the petty nations around
them, who were their equals 10 valour, in-
ferlor ouly in discipline, at length aspired
to extend their dominionbeyond the bounds
Of Italy. First Sicily aud then Spain were
: disputed, 10 arms, with the Carthaginlans.
Fifty years were passed 10 battles and a.
larms before this great controversy was de-
I cidsd in favor Of Rome.
When Carthage had fallen, Greece, the
mistress of Rome in arts, her rival IN arms
and renown, fell an almost unresls;ing prey
10 Roman ambition. She tsl! with all her
cenfederated republics. as ayszvlH certainly
fall, if France should continue TO WELD our
factions, aud our factions dispose OF our
government. For factions in a democracy
are sincere only in their hatred and tear OF
each other. Whether the Ieffersons and
Madisons stand, or the Randolphs and
Menroes should rise ia their stead, our
rulers can have no patriotism. Their G..
mutation is too fierce, and their objects of
ambition too fugitive aud too personal to
allow them TO take the views, still less to
cherish the sentiments of statesmen. Gid
Rome had patriots, but who would expect
10 fad them in the amPhis heatre among
the gladiaiors. Those who love power
will seek il Ia the contest OF party. The
lovers Of their country will be found, nurs.
ing their grefs and their despair, among
TIC discarded disciples of Washington.
To return from this seeming DEPRESSION,
Rome ava;led herself of the divisions of
she Greciant republics to subjogate them
( all. Affecting zeal for their liberty, she
offered her alliance, and the allies of Rome,
like those OF France, were her SLAVES
The Greeks 10Y fully aided Rene to con-
auer Macedoaia, and Philip, the Macedo-
nian king, was employed against Ansio.
chus called the Great, the Syrian monarch.
Egypt was reo base 90 make any resistance,
but submitted te tribute, as quietly as we
dc.
Thus every independent republic and
powerful prince fell prey TO Rome. Be-
yond thes Eephrates, the Par,hians al
length formed mighty empire, which the
distanse and the deserts rendered like the
modern Russia, inaccessible 10 the Roman
arms. 1t was remarkable that Rome sci.
dom had more than one enemy TO hghtat a
time. They fell In succession, aud their
servi,ude was concealed, though it was
er1bi,tered, by the title of allies.
France has achieved her purpose; the
struggles of lberty are over, and the con-
tiuental nations of Europe are now sleeping
In their chains.
If France possessed the British navy
those chants would he adaalans, which no
human force could break. French tyraR.
nv, hkethe grea, dragon, would have wings
and the remo.est regions of the civilized
world would be near enough to catch Pessi
lence from his breath.
Yet we are infatuated enough to think
America hiding place for liberty, where
her assassns will not seek her life, or ar
impregnable fortress that would protect it
On what reasonable foundation do thes,
presump,uoes expectations rest? Wher
France is master of both land and sea, vii
distance preserve Us? With eight hundres
ships in tho department OF the Thames
distance would be nothing TO Bonaparte