Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-07-20

do not form the only point IN Wnicn Consists
the great inferiority of our institution com,
nared with that Of France ours IS attended
with imperfectKns that there IS no remedy
for since above an eighth part -four army
returns every year to their homes, as inc
terms for which they serve expire. Our ar
nv was flied in great part by men who
;;o;nsd + from the old German staSes OF the
!snon;re that source is cut off: and the evil
;s felt more sensibly in proportion as the new n.
institutions are adopted In the rest OF hu
rope. ,;a+ +ha +r,,,,;l
:sfps,ory relations Existing between
anu aussr,a and ali the powers # the continent,
,n;nted out to her the momqt when, alter
eg,sen vea,s of war and agitation, she might
at last put into execution, pe plans con-
,as;,sd and immediately adoted after the
| PS>s of presburg. She bega by a reform
the ins-,,essentlal for her inttnal welfare,
and the mos urgent because he did not
anticipate any re alts until, att lapse of
| several years, she could OPERA upon the
great mass of her subjects. Shwished to
be able to replace the troops leaS1g her ar
mics, by soldiers better prepare for SER
vice and more accustomed to d. use OK
arms and the woad of command, , incom-
prehenslble to the greater part othe re-
cruits raised amongst ten diferen, people.
She determined upon the Formation of re-
serves, according to the institutions orga-
nizing them according to the inferisity Of
our CONSUMPTION, which she did hot tlsh to
abandon entirely. The establishmentbf re-
serves was besides recommended ftom f.
nancial considerations, adding to the num-
bers of such corps, as had already a.tSued
their military complement, Withdrew the
people from agriculture and preyea UPON
the treasury OF the state.
But all the citizens of France and OF
its confederated states, are liable to be chi
led to arms, without any distinction or es-
ception. The inhabitants OF the cities or #
the country are bound 10 defend thei,
homes. We also wished to admit the pro
prietors of the soil and the privileged classes
of the nation, to exercise that respectable
duty and-we have established in the Ger
man provinces sort OF stationary national
guard. = he constitution of Hungary cal
led, at all times ali classes of society to tbs
defence OF the country.
6 This is what has been done, and the
ordinances published in the months of May
and June win explain the whole object o.
my court. No new corps have been raised
no extraordinary assemblage OF troops has
IN the frontiers OF Iur-
key, where the war betWcen t,ra r,..;.-ll---
ing powers caIl4-so' IL as a measure OF secu-
rity. There is no one IN the Austrian mo-
narcnv who mistakes either the spirit which
ac1uates The government taking those mca-
sures, or their object. They have the pub
lie appreciation. because the whole nation
regards them as necessary to insure 10 the
country respectable means OF defence and
they would accuse the court Of an unparlon
able neglect, if in the steps it had taken, it
had remained behind those neighbors, who
though today in q state OF peace might the
next day become its enemies. If some a.
mon8st them have been disposed 10 see, in
the reform of ancieRt institutions, & in mta-
sures purely organic, offensive indications,
they may be tranquil, for in those measures
themselves they will find the certainty of
the preservatiop of peace. No permanent
institutions can be considered to possess an
offensive character: that state must from its
very nature be confined to temporary ct
forts: 1t has no existence whatever with !s
The formation of reserve, to replace SOL
ClierS quitting the armv cannot be consider.
ed an offensive measure by YOU, any more
than the introduction of a military conscrip-
ton into the ducay ofWarsaw ,inro Bavaria,
and the confederation OF the Rhine, can be
SO regarded by us. The friendship and In
terest which attach Austria to France, the