Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-03-19
From she Norfolk Ledger.
POLITICAL REFLECTIONS.
Addrs0sd to the people Of the United
States.

T
in The month of November, IN the year
1777. Previous to that time, congress had
Instructed their ministers 10 propose TO
France a treaty of amity and commerce,
ard TO solicit sp alliance offensive aud de-
fensve with that uation. Blu, France las
we have seen) had deter miued not to depart
from her neutrality, nor to give Us any al.
rect succors; unless IN the last re sorf. ana
in order to prevent orr reconciliation 7vtsH
ENGLAND, which above sHthings was to De
guarded against. France had therefore
de- lined every overture aud advance made
for the above purposes on our part, 10 hopes
thar the colonies might be finally su6,ugaf-
ed BY Britain with the ruin of aHthetr re.
sources, or at least under such circumssanc.
es as might compel England to employ part
Of her forces to prevent them from revolving
anezv.
The even, at Saratoga convinced brl.
tain of the difficulty, if DOT of the imPrac'
sicabiliiy, of her undertaking: and this
conviction Immediately disposed her to
that reconciliation, which had bee before
sough, by US, and by her too haugat'iy
rejected. France, apprised OF the change
of disposition, which had taken place on
the part of Britain, and anxious, lest the
propositions which might be produced by
that change, should be accepted by Amerl-
ca, was then induced TO listen TO the over.
lures of the American ministers, which
she had before repeatedly declined. "A
treaty of amiiy and commerce, and an al
lance eventual and defensive (aud not OF
fersive aud defensive, as had been solicit
ed) were therefore concluded IN all base
on the OH of February. 1878. and trans
mitted to America. The apprehenslons
entertained by France seem TO have been
without ground since the propositions OF
Britain had in fac, been made known TO
congress, aud were rejected on The 22dda
Of April. 1878, whilst not the least intl
nation of the change of disposition 90 the
part of France, or Of the treaties entered
into with our commissioners In conse.
quence of the change, had been received
by thar body. This measure, being proved
by the event TO have been unnecessary TO
prevenr the sppreheuded reconciliation,
was doubtless regretted by France, as be.
ing departure from the course which she
had prescribed to herself; but being taken
it could not be retrsc,ed.
This transaction brough, on France the
hossilities of Britain but as these hostlll
ties were accompanied with the cersain
prospect of terminatiug in division OF the
British empire, and IN an essential diminu-
ton of her strength, the stipulations OF the
srea,ies were fulfilled with apparent ala2rity
and good humor--nay, with show OF 90.
common generosity, So tar as was exposed
TO public view. This show however was
but show; for all behind the curtain pre-
secuted to ,he eye OF the Discerning poltcl
au nothing but what was in.idious < mol
low.
They mutually engage not 70 lay down
their aims, until the independence OF The
u. S. shall have beer formally or sacitly
assured"
Such were the terms Of the treaty of al
.iauce. eventual and defensive, In case
France should be forced into the war
The independence OF the u. S. was the
os.eusible object, 10 which all the protes.
sians aud measures of FFsoce were to be
apparently directed wailss Qf we may
give any credit TO the memoir OF Mons
Tlfgot, or the letter of general du PortaiD
her secret and real views had been not less
nischievous nor less hostile TO America
than TO Brsain, from the first. When be
trayed By her miscalculations into the war,
France, we admit, conceived The design
indeed of ef.ctuslly separating America
from Greas Britain but she .. the same
time, we are equally persuaded, conceived
the further dssign of rendering our eouu.
try completely dependent on herself. The
xonre- we examine her duct IN eyerv part