Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-08-23
LII ERPuoL, June %.
POLITICAL RETROSPECT

POLITICAL RETROSPECT.
.wi'',s;aodtng he secrecy observed
by ms maIes IS ministers in tlieIr dipln-
matte proceedings, secrecy which must
De a3p'auded even by Their most strenu.
Gus opponents, the sound of peace has
been mUre iautf snd grateful 10 the nub nc
ear during the last week, thin at any pc,
Rod i2r the two preceding years. That
neg0cia!ions OF some kind are CARRYING on
r,we hii.k undsniasie. The idea is war.
ran'ed ny III, interchange OF communica.
tons between the two governments, as
vel as by the rapid and almost uninter.
rup'ed rise at the funds, originating in the
pa chase OF considerable quantities by
houses OF The first res probability, and Oar
Icuiariy by the agent, AID brokers Of Der.
4onS gene ally understood to be in posses.
.ifn OF the best apd carries, intelligence.
when we coGsider the wise aud ri
-Sup ,irs d pea b. administration,
a q The arts aud he trickcry ei the div.
sc confess ourselves al loss 10 discover
my real and solid grounds for form ng an
"p''ion' not that negotiations ave carry
'ng on, but that they are likely 20 lead To-
Before we enter inlo any reasoning on
hiss suhJ=ct, j, may not he uonrce,ssfy t.
rrma;k la the rep r. Of Lord Yarmouth
having had share IN he communication.
which may have taken Liace bctweeo
Franc and Greal Blnaiu appeas altoge.
Their UNTOUCHED Neither b. his habits OF
l'ie, nor by his acquisitions and talzms IS
ne quail hed To be- he meium oil such IN
ieIcns"ges of sentiment. The Noble
Loids's abilities are not allowed % ,owey
beyond mediDcIaty, his character aud
Capacity must have been known TO Mr..
ial!eyrand, aud We cannoi bring ourselves
IN believe La, either that subtle mioisi.r
OF Nh. Fox would be graliflcd with the
SERVICES ct such an ageni. On the other
hand, we Can scarcely think his Lrrdship
would have coDdescended TO sink himself
20 the level OF common messenger, a
mere sta post boy or letter-carrIer
With re peel to Mr.. Adair's mission, we
are Confident it must be of the highest
Importance; but from the sborlness of
5hc lime si'ce his departure, and the
u QUE nece sity of Cooperating with
Russia IN he adjustment Of preliminaries,
uothlDg can have reached Government OF
the part It hat geoti. III n To Justify the
PreValen' opinion IN lavor fpeace.
l. 'okIng, however, at the reciprocal
state Of The two principal b=lhgerenl pow
ers, what we peculiarly contend for is that,
whether negotiations have, or have net
been hitherto carried on with favorable
appearance, they can hold ou, no satisfac
tory promise and earoest mipating in
a peace such as his Majesly's ministers
c9Dla make, or the county al large 7sould
be Srsufied with. For this sentiment we
have My 10 refer our readers 10 The actual
situation, tothe undisgnisedcondu6t, TO the
svowed opinions Of the Emperor OF the
French, OF Bonaparte's anxious wish To-
obtain peace, nobody can entertain doubt.
By that, and thai alone, he can have ships
colonies and commerce. But VINO is there
SO weak, so ignorant of human nature, and
above all, so little acquainted VII h the mind
& propensities OF this extraordinary man,
as obelieye that even the treaty Of Amiens,
explained and acted upon 10 his own sense
K meaning will satisfy him I The system
which he chalked out for himself, aud has |
'ince steadily pursued from his elevation |
o the Consuldle, is now too clearly under \
stood 10 be mistaken. lie is determined |
o extend his conquests, to enlarge his
'ower, TO IS ablisb his conlrouI over the
continent, as we increase our colonial pos
essioos and consolidate our Empire ON
he Ocean. What IS his new kingdom
y Naples but set off against our vIcloIy
ID trafalgar, add the Sovereignty Of Hol