Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-10-24

- would be the tyrant's friends. How near
: II verified is this seemingly extravagant no
ton The French republic IS become the
property OF an upstart emperor OF q man
who has every where, trampled upon liberty
who has swept republicanism from the
face of the European world who has every
where oppressed nations, and individuals;
who has extinguished public prosperity, de-
stroyed private happiness, and carried ter
ror, injustice, desolation wherever ne has
turned his course; yet, has this man fewer
friends among us, than republican France
had No he can count as many trends
among us as the bloody republic ever could.
They talk not quite so loud. Republicans
cannot with so good grace, launch forth in
the praise of republic destroying emperor;
but mind with what gentleness they treat
him how they hope that he is as good as
powerful what felicity they promise to the
world from the consolidation Of his power
how they pretend to believe that universal
and permanent peace is the object he pur-
sues how they rejoice at his victories, and
mourn at his defeat.
If indeed, this emperor had shewn him.
self to be our friend, our gratitude might
have hidden his crimes against other naSl-
ons, from our view; but this not ling the
case, whence the tenderness with which you
and others treat him? Why skim lightly
over his unfriendly conduct towards us -
why, when some regard to inpartiality tor
ces YOU to glance it, do YOU, IN imitation
of French hnesse, endeavor to trace the orr
Gin of his outrages TO a British source
alas sir, fear, that such conduct cannot
be traced to the purest motives +; cannot be
traced to those pure springs Of the humxa
heart, whence flow the linpld currents OF
mingled philanthropy, and patriotism.
But, seeing that, on the subject OF the
wrongs done us by France, your letter is
generally defective, let me endeavor, IN
some sort, to supply your omlsslons, by
taking rapid view of the conduct Of France
towards US: and let this be done, not to ex-
cuse the wrongs done to us by Great E1l-
tain, but solely that those who VIII, may
Judge against which Of those two nations,
our indignation, resentment, and wrath,
ought to kindle, and against which their et-
tects ought chiefly TO be directed.
No American, ain sure, can have for
gotten the conduct of the French ministers,
in this country, during their revolutionary
war. The pains they took to embroli Us
with all their enemies cannot have passed
into oblivion. They fitted Qua privateers
III our ports to cruize. against British COM
merce. They instituted clubs and socisies
to thwart, impede, and harrsss our govern
ment. This government, and our tribunals,
they charged with chicane, and injustice,
in their conduct, and adludications respect
ing certain Gallo-American privateers, and
their prizes and finally, as If we had been
as mad, and foolish as Partisan mob, ap-
pealed from the government to the people.
Such was the behaviour Of the French MI
nisters here, what was the conduct OF the
government to our ministers in France =
Ask Gen pnlckney, who for many months
was treated with every indignity which low
bred rascalS clothed with power could de-
wise. Ask General Marshal, who together
with his colleagues, labored long in vain TO
reconcile France to our neutrality !; but who
was obliged to depart the republic without
gaining any thing, save knowledge, that
France rendered justice only to two things,
force and bribes.
But this was the conduct of republican
France. Over these things republican SYM
pathy should throw veil We should ex-
euse cur offending sister, and blot out the
record of misdeeds. Well, be it so; yet
why not count up, if that were possible, the
wrongs done us by consular and imperial
France During the truce of Amiens, did
she not shut against us the ports OF her CO.
lonies !? Did she, in any respect, treat us
better than other nations did? Had she not
her navigation laws, as rigid, as exclusive,