Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-12-02
From the 8osToN REpERToRY.

an events, We should attend 70 their nature
with more care than we are generally will
ling to bsstow. A great battle makes a
good newspaper for that week, and there
we are ready TO think the consequences Of
the battle will end. There was time when
the narrative Of sieges and battles concern.
ed US little more than the fabulous exploits
of the seven Champions of Chfissendom.
That time has passed, aud the liberty Of
America is to be contended for in the fields
OF Saxouy and Hesse.
If France should completely subdue Eu.
rope, We shall be slaves or preserve our Ii
berry by fighting for it,
Prussia is DOW considered the ally OF
Russia agalns Bonaparte. II thas is real.
ly the case, we are not TO ascribe it TO the
confidence Prussia has In the competency
of her force, but to despair. She mustbe
driven TO extrenaities, aud seeing ruin be.
fore her, If she remains at peace, she is
wiling to take chance of escaping it by
the reso,, to aras. The new coalition
mus be ascribed less TO policy or intrigue
than to The desperation TO which Bonaparle
in the insolence OF victory has reduced
Prussia.
II appears that before the battle Of Aus
terli;z in December last. This state had
made arrangements with tie lare coaition,
to join their arms This is TO be inferred
from the reproaches OF the king of Eng
lard, eiector Of Hanover, in manifesto
published after the seizure Of Hanover by
Prussia. After that fatal battle, which
drove Austria OFT Ct the coalition, the ex-
ecstiop of,has arrangement, by Prussia was
no longer practicable. The casus sedcris
did not exist. The next best thing was TO
patch up tolerable understanding with
Bouapar!e, aud thus matters have rested,
til! Prussia sees the ambition Ct France al
vsncns more rapidly 10 peace tran war,
I'LL he sees half Germany devoured under
the name of confederation CT The Rhioe,
and ptrcelves that his own turn is next for
the slaughter.
The present foundation Of hope seems
therefore TO exist only in the extremity OF
the evil. The meaps Of France ere i'm
mense and she can command them prompt
iy. The aid Of Russia might be great if
1t could be speedy. But such is the dis
lance that there is reason to fear Prussia
will be overPowered, as Austria was, be.
tore the Russian armies can advance from
Poland.
Prussia is, however, not wholly TO be
despaired of. Har provinces lie farther eff
from France than those of Suabia and Ba-
varia; nor has Prussia such an immense
exteat of frontier to guard as Austria had,
from the Adige in Italy TO UIm on the
Danube. With a territory saore compact
than the Austrian, Prussia is reported to
have large efficient military force capable
Of taking the field. Perhaps too Saxony,
Hesse, and all the north of Germany, can
be induced OF compelled to cooperate with
the king of Prussia III resisting the French
Frederick the Great represents his cavalry
as of superior excelency in discipline,
and ascrbes his victories TO them. How
far they preserve this character we know
not. 1t is nevertheless point of great
Importance, especially to ssraiten the guar
tiers Of an invading enemy, aud to cut off
his foragiug parties, and 10 this great re-
requisite it is said the Austrians were the
las. year exceedingly inferior to the French.
Still, however, the capacity Of Prussia
to resist France is matter of reasonable
calculation only for few weeks, till the
troops Of Russia can advance to his relief.
Whether this cooperation has been secur.
ed. we cannot pretend to conjecture.
1t is evident, Europe, to be independent
and free, needs great powers to resist
France. The small ones may unite, but
eonfedcracies are ropes of sand. Hnher-
to Bonaparte has been Europe like pick.
erei among small ash in pond.