Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-02-15
LETTER
s ON fTHE -.
! GEHTUS u DISPOSITIONS
i - ssfr-t OF the
FRENCH GOVERNMENT; Sc.
IcosTrsUEp.l

Y. Il
S The fate of Spain MAS deferred, by the
unexpected resolution of Austria to RISK
; smother Contest in order to preserve her sx-
istencs. BY aaat sort of infatuatioH on the
spbiect of France, which in ala,ost' every
country has operated like the spells OF, sor-
Eeerys The people o. Germany, however,
were not sensible of the danger with which
they we're threatened. 1t may be collected
from the ,preclama,ions of the Austrian 60.
~ernmrns, that a deplorabls apathy prevail
cd among the people at the commence mens
of the late contest. "A conviesieR, result.
ing from the elearsss proof, of the ruin with
which they were nsenaesd, a. length drove
.fhe latter 20 the necessity OF tsboring ASST
.duously TO establish military sysssaa, 81.
9nilar to ,ha, which had contributed so ma
terialIy to che superiority Of their enemies.
: The activity Of their preparations alarmed
che jealousy Of the French ssvernment.-
: Il was essentially necessary for the French
= emperor to arrrs. the progress of a system,
which would have placed her power more
upon level with his own, and when ma.
tursd, might have opposed serious impede
J rnsnw to the execution Of his general plans.
, Spain was, therefore, abandoned for the
moment, and Austria reduced to the alter
na,ivs, either Of dspriving herself Of all
: u,sans Of defence, or Of engaging In an
immediate struggle for her existence.
Those who are ineliard to dispute the
= project Of universal conquest sserbsd to
france, and her ambitious views on Aus.
sria, argue from The seeming moderation Of
Bonaparte in HE last war with that power.
1t was the common roliey Of hi. prototypes
Of antiquity, when similarly eircumstaneei.
They often found it useful to weaken their
enemies. 50 as to have nothing to fear from
them, but carefully sbssained from inhict-
lag all the possible evil in their power. The
appearance Of moderation lessened the obi
UNI and the alarms which Bonaparts's i'm
mcnse accession Of strength by the treaty
efPrssburg was fitted to excite in the Rus
sian and Prassian cabinets.
have always been of opinion tlras the
destruction of Prussia was sure presage Of
the hostilitiss meditated against both Aus
tlia and Russia. Prussia stood in the CEN
tire of the North. No balances could be
preserved in that quarter without such an
intermediate. power. She was barrier On
all sides against violent usur2ation, and in
che meridian Of her strsagth, was the bull.
wark Of the West ef Europe. She pro.
tssted France from auy ambitious designs
(which Russia might have formed, and ssrv-
ed As constant check upsa Austria. 1t
svas the ,anform policy of The court sfVsr-
-seilles TO court her alliance and sustain her
iEause, 10 q sseurity against their formida-
bIe neighbor. Their successors were well
acquainted with this whole schsme Of ~.
1ssions, and would have adhered to ID, had
is been their iatsation to tolerate any equi-
peise OF independeaes IN the North. Other
wiews repaired an opposite esurss'of pre-
sse5iAx. While Russia" Remained entire,
Russia and Austria could NOT have been
easily hrsughs under the yoks; and On the
s.hsr haad, it may I think be easily seen,
ahss Prsssia vssld net been destroyed. il