Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1807-12-21

INSTITUTIONS SnOuiu not Oe NlOlal6C3 Out
sacredly preserved. This promise IS
forgot, and the whole country, by an
imperial decree attached, forever, to
the kingdom Of Italy. Notice Of this
astonishing foresight Of the president,
was first published, the last summer
in the Boston Gazette, as contained in
letter from one Of his European com
panions-who very sensibly observes
that the philosopher COMPOUNDED causes
with effects--he mistook the ebuIiticns
of the passions, and the irregular move
ments Of the rabble, suddenly let loose
from the shackels Of despotism, for
liberty. He ought to have known that
institutions made for one community,
would be totally inadequate for another,
in proportion as each may have advan-
ced from savage, to refined and po-
lished state Of lie as well might you
expect that a savage could seize at once
the sublime moral beauties of Chris
tianity as to expect, that the subjects
of an ancient and corrupt monarchy,
could Of a sudden relish and embrace
the simple and pure doctrines Of re-
pubhcanism.
have thought it nece ssaiy to bring
into view, this strong case, to show
how delusory is the hope, for US to
expect any favour from France, when
we see her government act with hostil-
ity and hatred against every people,
who have even the semblance Of free
dom, as TO crush every appearance Of
it, in open violation of solemn assur-
ances. On what does our freedom
therefore depend, England once sub
dued, or Indifferent to our preservation
On the distance, some will say, and
our means Of defence The distance is
nothing, and our means but little to de-
fend orr rich cities and fine country
we will then retire, say. some, amongst
the .sayages, and enjoy freedom 1t
is much better to take measures TO de-
fend what we now enjoy. What are
the means of defence not ink, and pa
per, in newspapers, and procla1nations
but forts, ships, armies, sealnen, pow
der and balls, guns and swords. Our
militia men are as good as any such
ever were, Ipresume but in general
they do not like military life-and on
sudden occasion are ignc4ant OF military
dutv-we ought, therefore, to have
several thousand Of well disciplined sol
dicrs as uncleus for Immediately for
ming disciplined regular army, in
case ofwar. We ought also to have
at least, ten ships of the line DO not
be frightened Consider cooly-I will
tell you why because, that rs force
which would always deter any Euro
pean nation from insulting us on any
trIfling occasion, IN our ports, or on
our coast, and there is no object for
foreign power to be at the expence Of
keeping up force as great as this, in
| time Of peace and in time Of war, if
we, are not able to FIGHT them, We must
retire to our safe harbours, and unitedly
with our guns-boats, defy the enemy
that may venture to attack us. The
Feet / propose would be sufficient to
deter asy nation from insulting us--as
1t would require double the number to
be sent after us, for fear Of an accident,
and having on our coast no port, they
must retire frequenty,to repair little.
Our situation is different from Copen-
hagen, as that city stands on an Island,
and Of course all supplies may be cut
off by an invading power Of superior
force. Nations often insult, when
there Is no force, but are cautious when
they see some danger ofinjury to them
selves, in doing it.
The fact is that nations know no law
but that Of Power. The question al
ways is what are the means Of injury
and defence and not who has the right
or wrong of the question This is the
system universally established through
out the world, and five wish to be free
aDd respected we must have recourse
to it and if not, we shall occasionally
be insulted, always despised, and fire.
quently trampled under foot. Lay a
side, therefore, your wavering charac-
tiers, who never ask what is best to be
done-but what will please the popular
prejudices Of the people for-from such
ignominy will BE your reward
FRANC VERIThS.