Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-02-05

WhlCil the fap0ur eSWlSQ0n OF ages nave erect
ed should be broken down and destroyed, and
that Of the ancient laws OF Europe, ofthose
ancient ties and treaties which connected the
European powers together not one yestige'
should remain!
Entifit be proper to disclose all the. dis
cnlties of Our situation, to expose them IN
ffe.l size and magnitude. in order thatwe may
know howe and where to contend and era ple
with them, it Is equally necessary to know,
that tkey are not the consequence OF our mis-
conduct Nothins tends so much to ineapa-
ci;atc a people fora situation of difficulty as
the idea Il has been produced by their own
vices and errors, and that they might have a.
yoided them--Ou conGuct to Spain and our
conduct to Denmark, are alledged against Us
as having particularly provoked the moral m
digaation Of the, Russian goycrnment--To
be sure Russia has at all times proved the JUS
tice of her claim to the Office of moral censor.
ofnationsr-iler respect for the right of indie,
pendent states was wonderfully exemphhed In
the partition of Poland, and is again to be ex-
hibited In the same praise worthy manner In
the in ended partition OF Turkey--But if she
feels any yirtuous indignation at our conduct
against Spain, it has been rather lingering
end tarsly-for alter our capture of the Spa
nish frigates she eagerly sought an alliance
and connection with us, * was anxious to form
. aconfederacy against that pawer land the az.
lies of that power including CT course Spainl
which she is now ready to assist in forming a
confederacy against us--it would really be a
little too barefaced to make an action which
{ happDeed 5sf5re her alliance with US the
ground of taking up arms against Us,
C)ftse necessity of the expedition against
Denmark, the conduct adopted by Rnssia,has
furnished rs with additional evidence. IS
there a. man that can believe that had We not
undertaken that expedition, Russia would
have remained at peace with us fthere be
not, Will any man say that we werenot justin
ed in securing those means which Russia
France would have seized ank directed against
u.s.
Our seizure Of the Danish force, has IN
creased our relative force to that ofthe enemy
SO sail OF the line. That is, the enemy has
Is ships less than they would have had, and
we have Is sail more. But in weighing the
conduct of Russia let Us not forget her actions
in the Mediterranean, and her conveying
French troops TO Italy to take possession Of ths
Seven islands.
Had we then prevented the Danish feet
from falling into the hands of Ronaparte But
why il may be said, if ministers were So COM
yinced OF her hostile disposition did they not
declare war against Ter. Because such a
measure could not have putsus IN a.better Sd
tuation-b because We sustained no injury by
remaining at peace with her as long as posi-
blc--becauseSwe thereby procured larger
supply OF those articles which we wanted
and because by letting war proceed from her
we put her In the wrong.
Let us notforget too to ask, since the sensI-
bility of Russia with respect 10 the attack up
on Denmark 10 prevent her resources from
being seized and directedby France agains,
us. IS SO much relied upon, whether Russia
did not wish, under the influence of tifferen,
aentimenls and system relative to France, tc
compel Denmark to employ all her resources
against France. But France and Russia would
have behaved to us with less hostility, ant
With more moderation, had we not coElnittee