Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-07-06

yaent 70 france; an attachment not easily
to Be reconciled with JUST respect Tor our
selves, or proper value for our independ-
ence, it is unnecessary 20 Insist. may
however be permitted 70 say. that our hlslo'
rv furnishes conclusive evidence. tkat this
has long been the opinion Of the French ca-
,binet. and that to this opinion May IN q
great measure be ascribed, many OF the IN
iuriss and i1salIs received from that ma
ton. \.
Tie whole conduct Of Mr.. Genet; the
appeal OF Mr.. Adet % the american people
during the first contest between Mr.. dams
and Mr.. Jefferson for the presidency OF the
! United States; the undisguised part taken
bv the French minister to influence that
election the openshostility which accomPa-
MED and CO. operated with the opposition to
Mr.. Jays treaty, an opposition continued
even after that treaty had been ratified the
insulting language offered to our govern:
ment ON the audience Of leave given to col.
Monroe the absolute refusal to receive his
successor, and the manner in which the ex-
traordinary mission, deputed by the y. $.
to supplicats forbearance, was rejected and
haughtily ordered GU, Of the country. 49,
These measures, connected with many
othersof direct hostility, manifest conclu-
sively that France believed herself TO pos
sess fast hold OF the affections OF an i'm
menss party in the u. S. They manifest
not less conclusively the effect, which that
opinion produced ouher conduct.
America was at length goaded into rec
sistance. AT the head of her government
was man, who, though rather partial to
France, ielt fol- the honor and dignity of
his country. Democracy was not then tri--
umphans, ard those who administered our
affairs could determine to assert and main
tain the rights of an independent nation.
A navy, as if by magic, was created and
those vulturss, which had preyed without
mercy on our defenceless commerce, were
encountered and driven from our seas.
The effect of this manly conduct on the
government of France was instantaneous.
Perceiving that j: had counted too much on
the strength Of its party, that nation readily
conceded to the courage of America, what
had been refused to her prayers. "A viii
lineness to negotiate was declared; and
those who had been deaf to the most hum
bic applications and had refused to allow
the messengers Of peace to tread upon their
soil, did not distain to MAKE indlrect adj
yances themselves, were content to meet
our ministers on equal terms. and to treat
us as an independent nation.
Is it not fair to presume, that the same
conduct which drew upon us such rank hos
tility and such degrading insults in the for.
mer wars of France, has produced the same
effect in this? Isit unjust to coEcluds that
the same manly assertion of the rights OF
an independent people, which, on a former
occasion, could alone obtain respect for
those rights, would now have.been equally
successful?
& The character of Bonaparte forb,ds a.
hope that he will retrace his steps. 1t IS
now perhaps too late to rely on operating
change IN his measures. He has taken his
course, and will pursue it. All that W.
can now do, is to save so much Of our na-
tional honor and independence, as yet re-
mains tous. But if ON the passage of the
Berlin decree we had, with THE temperate
6rmness of Washington, taken that manly
attitude which the occasion so erninensly
demanded, there is much reason to believe
that the disgraceial and ruinous scenes
which have followed, might have been a
yerted.
sARMINIUs.
-=s :ae: u.---
From the Freemaa's 7ouraal.