Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-11-24

fssr # s}sss u si'ss-zs.
who IS the author Of her miseries and her
slavery, why all those proclamstions OF
mayors, projects, ministers and generals !
Why all these appeals which appear destin-
ed rather to give rise TO the sentiment that
produces resistance, than to direct the inn
pulse Of enthusiasm, and which exaggefatc
the danger in orderto operate BY fear what
could not be obtained by affection! Never
were there SO many reports, addresses and
proclanations, and we may we'll say that
the pen of Bonapar,e's writers has been
more employed than the sword Of his &c.
nerals. Yet some of his agents have felt
that by giving to their prociamations SO live
ly a coloring, SC animated q tone, they
would give the lie to the ardor which IS
said TO be excited in France by the appear
ance of an English army, and that itwould
be concluded from the warmth Of their ap-
peals, that there really is much apathy a
mong the people Hence, more adroit and
impudent than the other, they announce
that the DEGREES, by which they order in the
instant, the formation Of the national guards,
who are TO march in "a hours, were render
ed necessary to avoid the disorder and con-
fusion which might arise from the eager
ness with which the inhabitants have prof
tered their service, and flown to the de-
fence ofthe country. On this accountthey
announce that Napoleon wished to regulate
the zeal and ardor Of the French by de-
termining the number Of the national guards
who might give themselves up to their no.
bic enthusiasm. That is to say the tyrant
profted by this circumstance to enrol by
violence the parents of those conscripts
whom he had sent chained TO the banks Of
the Danube or the Tagus-and whilst the
latter leave their native land without arms
to defend or cu'tlvateie, and dye with their
blood or bleach with bones foreign soil,
he forces the parents to take up arms also,
and abandon their homes TO replace the re-
gular army, which is making distant con.
guests, whilst France Is open to the attempts
of the smallest army that might be landed
on their coasts. az
{ Bonaparte well knows that this is the first
idea that must strike the French, WHEN they
were informed of the landing Of the Eng
lish army; and to prevent the reflections or
discontents that might result from it, he
takes care to tell the Senate through Clarke
and Cambeceres, that "before he Quilted
France, bis paterna! solicitude for his sub
iects foresaw everything, and disposed OF
his reserve in such manner that the French
he -insnlfe4 a. Yet such
were the effects of ,his solicisudr, that An.
twerp and the whole surrounding county,
all the neighhoring coasts were defended,
as he has since avewed, only by few gar,
risons and national guards inexperienced in
war. 1t suited HIM at the beginning OF the
invasion of Zealand to prove that his fore
sight had rendered the attempt Of the Eng
lish useless and inpotrnt, bat now that the
expedition has not had Ike result he feared,
he wishes to skew that the English dared
not attack national guards without expert
ence. ~
Fouche was wanting in prudence ard dis
erection when he said to the city of Paris
:" Our enemies have too often accused us OF
having no energy, except in tumuIt." Il
is easyto perceive that this expression was
dictated by the dissatisfaction which the
apathy of the Parisians had ON this occasion
excited in the mind of the minister OF po-
lice, and that he attributed to the enemies
of France censure which sprang from his |
own heart, but the whole odium of which !
he was afraid to incur. IF the Parisians
were Jealous, why endeavor to wound their |
self love by reminding them Of the insult
ing language Of their enemies?
LONDON, October 2.
SWEDEN.
Thu al I'll Il l,eer |