Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-02-09
[coNrINvEp.1

Such were the shackles by which Frsnes
was fesssred until the period Of her revolt
sion, and from, which she was released ny
that extraordinary event. t..
) BY the revolution her relative situation
was totally changed. The destruction OF
those interested by which the old govern.
nent in common with she rest of Europe
was influenced aad checked, was one of,he
krst events. While the other states Of
the continent continued to rsvolve in the
orbits, in which their maxims and habits
retained henA,-Franes was loosened, as it.
were from the political armament, & pre-
pared TO pursue any direction, or to re-
esive amy impulse which her new rulers
might choose to give-In the wreck mate
rails were found for constructing a new
systsm, retaining the invisoratlug elements
of ,he old, bat shaped from the models of
antiquity, and endured with dissempered
energy more formidable than any degree of
strength of which the constitution of the
latter ,was at any time susceptible. A wri-
ter who had studied the military establish
nents Of modern Europe predicted that
the continent would be speedily enslaved,
should nation, with the resources Of
France break ,hroush tbs forms and tram
risis of the constitutions Of the period
shake of fiscal solicitudus BY a general
Bankruptcy; turn her attention exclusively
10 military affairs ; and organize regular
plan Of universal empire. Such was the
posilion of France, when she had formed
an immense military force, and the course
Of events had lodged an onnipotsns sut!io-
risy in the hands Of body of enthusiastic
and ambitious theorists, whom experience
soon taught The truth ola maxim of Ivy
that in war there are but three essential re.
duisi,es, good soldiers, good o!hcsrs, aud
good fortune" >r, 3D.. ...,,
Whoever attends to the progress Of the
French power, must he satisfied that il 10
Aot the work Of chance but, in a great
degree, the result of a deliberate projse,
for the sabjusa.ion Of Europ-, framed and
acted ppoa even before the reigc Of the
Directory. The conclusions which m at.
tsnsiys consideration Of this subject had led
me to adopt, were sanctioned by the &C
Acknowledgement Of al the actors in the scene
Of ths revolution, with whom had osca-
sson 70 converse in Paris. They drew
from the history Of ibe eonmonwsalths OF
an6qisyyshose arts Of fraud and menace, OF
violence aud seduction, by which the latter
were enabled TO beguile tbs weakness, to
ensnare the eupidity, TO eonsound the
judgment, and to oxerpower the fortAuds
of mankind. The archives Of the Assyrian
and Macedonian, of the Greek and Roman
eonsues;s, were and still are diligently
searched, Cor precedenis ia the art OF com
biniaE cunning with force- The inveterats
habits of iurrigue-thx vanity and dictilty,
(which have always marked the national
eharacter--are ell eonfsdsratsd for one
sryand and suecsssful experiment. that OF
irving, whether the .masser-sPrings Of hu-
nam conduct are not at all times the same |:
whs6hsr, With d deep knowledge OF the
/. senpsr of the age, with congenepial
nv;riit and augmented means, the sasne prin-
assplee and measure, skiffully adapted to cir
cu.astanees, win NOT give che same re-
sulss." p =
To me il has always APPEARED that the