Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-01-24
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
WA NORFOLK
Expos1rIoN or THE SITUATION OF TIE
French EMPIRE.

sIegl;slatire Body, Nov. 8.
M.sCretet, minister of the interior. de-
Rvered the following exposition OF the situa-
ton of the empire. !,
(Thc following are the most material
parasitic whole of it would hll more than
newspaper.
After having spoken of what has been
done under the head of Justice, Worship,
! Science and Literature, public Institutions.
Observation-Disclosures, publicworks' Bridges
and Highways, Industry, Trade, .A9rlcu.-
ture,s Finance, and the Navy the EXPOSE
tion proceeds to speak OF the war.
OF THE PRESENT WAR.
g AT the period of your last slttings, gen
tlemen, every thing concurred to deliver
Europe from its agitations /: but England,
the enemy of the world, repeated again the
cry Of eternal war, and the war continues.
What then is the object-what will be the
issue? !.
The object of this war is the enslaving OF
the world by the exclusive possession OF the
seas. Undoubtedly by signing treaties OF
slavery disguised under the sacred name OF
neare nations would obtain repose; but
that shameful repose would be death. In
tn;s alternative, the choice between submis-
sion and resistance would not be doubt
full.
The war which England has provoked,
which she continues with SO much pride and
ohstinacv. is the conclusion OF the ambi-
lions system which she has cherished for
tao - ntnr;;es-Nrixed with the politics of
the continent, she has been able TO keep Eu-
rope in perpetual agitation, by feeding all
the Jealous and envious passions against
France-She wishes to humble or destroy
hss-ssn keeping the people OF the continent
constantly under arms, IN thus isolatinS the
maritime powers, she had the art to profit
By the divisions which she fomented among
her nei9hbors, in order to extend far her
conqussts.
II IS thus that she has extended her colo
MES and augmented her naval force, and
that by the aid of that force she thinks
henceforth TO be able to enjoy her usurpa-
ton, and arrogate to herself the exclusive
possession of the seas.
But until these latter times at least, she
paid some particular homage to the rights
of nations, she seemed to respect the rights
& of her allies, and evenly returning towards
peace to let her enemies breathe.
This kind of management has ceased to
accord with the development OF sys,em
which she neither can nor will dissemble
longer. Every thing that does not e.rve
her interests is her enemy-Ihe abandon
ment of her alliance is a cause OF war
\ Neutrality is arevolt, and all nations that
resist her yoke are given up to her p'tliess
ravages.
We could not have forescen what would
have been the effect of so much audacity,H
the fortune of our country had not raised.
up a superior man, whom she has destined
TO ward off the evils with which England
! menaces the world.
He had constantly to combat the allies OF
that power upon the continent and to con-
uuer the enemies whom she had excited
against us. Always attacked, always me-
naced, he was to regulate his policy on that
position, and he felt that IN order to meet
that contest, it was necessary to augment
our force, and weaken that of our enemy.
The emperor always pacific, but always
armed from necessity, was not ambitious OF
the ACCOMPLISHMENTS of the empire-pru-
dence alone directed his views-Hs was to
release our ancient frontiers from the too
near danger of sudden attacks, and to found
their security upon limits fortified by nature
finally he was by alliances so to separate
France from her rivals, that the sight even
of an enemy's standard should not alarm the
territory OF the empire.
England conquered in the struggle which
abe had SO often renewed, pro6ted never
theless by them to increase her wealth by
,he universal monopoly of trade.