Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-07-30


/ nav sometimes be overwhelmed by inevita-- 4
He accident. but the sources of destruction
are more frequently found IN their own mis- /
conduct. It is universally true, that the !.
same causes will under similar circunstanc-
&c produce the same effects and that con- I
SEQUENCES e will have greater or less similar
ity IN proportion as situations vary or ASST
milate. We ought therefore, seriously and
anx;;o,,s,v to consider whether the same
causes which have effected the ruin OF o.
theirs, may not have the same operation up
on ourselves, whether in the general wreck
Of all governments, monarchical or republic
can, our independence rests upon sure and
stable foundations.
These reflections were suggested by the
closing scenes Of that interesting tragedy
whieh for eighteen years has engaged the
attention Of mankind. Often has the scene
been shifted, and as often have the charac-
tiers been changed; but the plet has been one
UNMARRIED tale Of trsachery and cruelty, and
rapine, and murder on the one side, and OF
feebleness, lrresolution, timiditv, and ifa-
providence On the other. The states Of l.
taly and Germany, the republieks OF Hol-
land and of Switzerland, and the monar-
chies of Prussia and Portugal, have been
successfully subjected. The monarchy ct
Strain is on the verge o., dissolution, or per-
haps while now write, revolutionary
sanscuIotte is seated On the throne Of the
Visigoths. A nation, which but two CEN
turtles past was tbs terror Of Europe, whose
preponderating power first suggested to the
imagination of politicians the alarming spec
tacle OF new Roman empire, is now sub
jected to the CALLING yoke Of foreign ty-
rant.
At the commencement Of that portentous
revolution, which has given Few face to
the civilized world, Spain was one Of the
few monarchies, itch, rather from sy-n1pa-
thy than any regular and we'll conducted
system of policy, declared Ii favor Of the
old government of France. She eneersd
the field from light and transitory motives,
and as they subsidized, her zeal abated until
slight reverse OF fortune induced her to
abandon the cause OF the allies. From that
period she has adopted system OF cx-
pedents, has stroyc to avert the evil hour OF
sublugatlon, by mean concessions and hu-
initiating compliancea. A,last she. has re-
ceived the reward Of treachery and coward
ice. The Spanish monarch set the example
of treaty with jacobins and assassins, and
he is the first of the great potenta,es Of Ea-
repe that will be formally dethroned. The
king CT Prussia was the next deserter, and
although he is yet suffered to retain tie sha-
dow OF authority, it is but shadow, which
will soon disappear, and the house Of Bran-
denbulgh viii share thu fate of the Spanish
. Bou1bol1s.
II the powers Of Europe had adopted
the advice OF the immortal Burke, if they
had not at first too much despised and after
wards too much dreaded The powerof France,
they might yet enjoy the first of natures
bounties, freedoms and independence, and
an usurping tyrant would not at this moment
be the master of Europe and the scourse of
mankind. IL they Id well considered the
danger Of jacohiaical principles, which pro-
claim war as well against tempered rapubli-
canisn as against royalty, which bear the
most deadly hostility to every establishment
and every senrimentwhica time and opinion
had consecraSed, WIN scatter with pro-
fuse hand thssseds Of anarchy, aads BY cor
ruptirlg public opinion, undermine The very
foundation OF ali governments, they night
have kept alive that loyalty and patriotism,
which oppose the frm=st barrier against fe-
reign ASSISTANTS. If they had combine ar,:1
;.cted with vigor against nation, X ose
ambitious pretsnsions were limited neither
by moral nor national lazy, and whose 's::sssslls
OF annoyance were nearly commensurate
with her ambition, they might have n&in-
tanned that hue balance Of power, W'tioh
was bridie to the strong ard protection
to the weak. But instead Of joiains IN IN
effective alliance. and adnntiner q hk,lll ,an.i