Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-10-26

oc tho ADMINISTRATION themselves, and above
Al, no J, ,s considered the greGt ehGnnei Of
communicative between his Imher7dl cnd hoy-
al Majesty, and his aeVoted sue1eefs ~ tAe
limited Stctes. it becomes an object OF more
regard than it would be entitled to from lis
own intrinsic merits.
The 6rst remark that we would make, is
thur Duane obviously svi,hes to induce us 10
think tavorably ct Bomatarte as conqnero''
1--WE repeatagain." sayshe, {" that In state
of aggression or war, the law OF conquest SUI
nersedes the rights of states the conqueror
NAV appropriate them to himself, and u hey
Be me aggressors, he is justified IN so dong
When the conauercr surrenders them with
no other condition than such as shall prevent
their ageressions being renewed, ne must ue
held generous conqueror and II he fehoets
their condition better, he must be more than
generous. Ihey knosY Uery Hffe Of the hR-
man condition, in the states conquered 0y
France. zyfo are NOT acquainted with tie 6e7ie-
fits z2hich haze been dlfi1sed by the changes
that haze f5No7ued fhcr conquest Inc iati-
tude here given to the rights Of con2ueroTs,
is sufficiently extensive but without stopping
to psy am particular attention to that, We VIII
notice-that Mr.. Duane means to have 1t I'M
derstood, not onIy that the French are gene
rous conouerors, but that in their victories
over the nations of Europe, they have been
engaged in justiHaoe hostitles 1t Is true
this is not expressly said but 1t is fairly INFER
red, and the inference was intended to follow
That tie language here used, warrants this
remark, we think cannot be denied. me
conqueror is justified in ahtrQftTiating Inc
conquered states to himself fine van7nished
states be the aggressors. VIII 1t not be uil-
derstood that this sentence implies that the
French nation have been hitherto engaged In
wars of offence, * not Off ence Now, 10 shew.
how far this idea is-warranted by facts, we re-
Guest our readers to turn their eyes to the.
map OF Europe, and their thoughts to the BIS
tory oil the last twcntyEears. Were Holland
Switzerland, Venice, Prussi;, Austria, Po-
land, Italy, Naples, sc. sc. subdued LII a
lust and defensive war ? Of what character is
the attack which has been making Tor nearly
four years, upon Spain and Portugal? Has
any man in the United States. even if he has
fled here from the justice Of his native coun-
try, the audacity to assert, that these countries
have been oreriun, and ruined IN JustliaGie
and righteous war
Yes this foreigner, who, to the disgrace
of this country, is patronized in the very
heart of tie nation, and In one OF the most
flourishing aud enlightened OF ou' cities, II he
dare ute the sentiments OF lis heart would
say that in his opinion, 1t is perfectly Just for
that naughty, tyrarnica!, and unprlnclplcd
nation, TO subdue and enslave every country
that even hesitates to receive tie mandates OF
France as It's laws, and her will as its only rule
Of action. For proof Of this remark, let the
reader follow us to the next sentence" Ihey
knoqv very title Of the human condition, in the
states conquered by France, q2ho are not ac-
quainted WITH THE BENEFITS WHICH HAVE
BEEN pIFFusED BY THE CHANGES THAT
HAVE FOLLOWED THEIR CONQUEST" Here
the despotism of France, the most arrogant,
overlooking, unjust, and cruel nation In Eu-
rope, ard perhaps on the globe, is introduce
ed to us with {" a letter Of recommendation"
from Bonaparte's faithful agent, the editor of
the Aurora We might taAe the nations Of
Europe by house-rozv, and enquire alter the
beucfts,' that have been diffused among
them by French conquest, but the task would
be endless. Still, we are disposed TO single
out two or three of them.
Forward in the catalogue stands Holland.
A few years ago the Dutch were an lndust1-
Gus, prosperous, wealthy, and respectable
people. Their commerce, which extended
throughout the world, poured its treasures
into their laps, and their patient and laborious
pursuit of their own business and concerns,
at home and abroad, was proverbial. What |
is their situation now ? That freedom, for
which they had fought and bed, for the at
tainnent of which they had by the most asto-
nishing exertions, resisted, manfully resisted, |
the whole force Of French arts and arms, has |
been totally destroyed, their government sub
yerted, their trade annihilated, their industry |
and prosperity have vanished, poverty and
distress now mark their towns and cities,
their miserable young men are driven into the |
field of battle, like cattle to the slaughter |
house, and to crown their misery and dis |
grace, the name of their nation is blotted out
from under heaven, and they now form an
appendaSe to the enslaved territories of a re-
morseless tyrant. 1t is true, that this may
be, in the opinion of Col. Duane, betterment.
We have no doubt, that in his view, the glo- |