Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-04-02

tablished, prudent traders, Lately SOLID capit,-
lists; victims of Napoleon's inveteratc hatred
to merchants and mercantile TRANSACTIONS -,
under prctcace of inIuring England lie crush.
es TO atoms this devoted class of his umicr,u-
nate subjects.
= 10 i..e nourninss ofour fortunes, We rc.y
add the dread of assassination, or of win, i
worse, OF dlshohour. Four Of our most worthy
citizens, ard upwards of one hundred and
nifty honest and upright merchants of other
parts OF our oppressed continent. have lst,Iv
been branded in the front Ly the hands Of the
common executioner, upon mere sn.,;c;nn
OF being connected with s,aupIers Njcssrs
P. H. and B. with fourteen other tf our val.
thy merchants have been arrested and c.rr;ed
to France, upon denunciation Of their conf
dental clerks of having paid bills of exchanr.
drawn in England. Some letters from p. r;S
say that they have already been shot cthers
that they remain yet State prisoners, dis. viii
only recover their liberty by the sacrifice Of
the remnant of their property. Indeed, it is
Impossible torecord ali the cruelties we endure
and all the horrors we apprehend All cur
confidence is banished, and fear our moraH.
ty has persisted with our industry Napoeor
encourages and recemperces the breach Of
confidence and OF the most sacred duties, I,
most states, groaning undcr his despo,sn1, we
have therefore seen children dcnounce ard
ruin their parents and parents sacrifice the
welfare, and even the lives Of their ohsnr;r o.
before tie shrine ct Napoleon's terror, cupidj,y
and corruption. The pcrEdy Of friends b,.
been such, that all faith in friendship has ccss.
ea to exist We barely dare to trust chr zen
bosons. An upsuardcd look may provoke our
death warrant.
You are, perhaps surprised, that we do
Tot by emigration attempt to escape ,jaDoI..
on's tyranny, and it's attending cal, ,r,;es
Though we have sor:lc rcceGt cya1,;DIcs IS
such attempts being capitally punished in aoj-
land, many OF us WORLD br,vc md prefer pre-
sent DEATH to our uncertain and togncntirg
existence; but where find a ste refuge? we
all know that Mr.. Jefferson's embargo, vas orly
the hrst link of Napoleon's continental system
and that the American Executive as well as rs
agents IN Europe arc mere tools of Prank.
l hat OF course, Napoleon has tribcd or scd,.
ced the leaders of American democrats, We
cannot doubt; and as his sole object is gell-
eral overthrow and universal wretchedness,
we dread by an emigration to America, again
to witness repetition Of these cieyastations
ana masSacrcs which makes this continent
helo CT Carnage, scene of piliagc, den OF
pro'ilgacy and gaol of slavery
a French Comnlssary, who left Paris Let
week relates that Nspoleon, highly offended
by the discovery of The very uniforms or his
HOUSEHOLD troops, by the fraud Of contractors
being OF English manufacture, nc. ot,Iy issued
his burning decree, but in confidential letters
to ali soverciSrs, his allies proposed to outlay
the whole British nation, and to make il HIGH
treason to have any communication with the
British empire, &c.Sscr Absurd as the story
seems, 1t is not improbable, if the violent cha
rscter OF the Emperor is considered. Ofthe
PupAc spirit OF our continent, you NAV Judge
oy this anecdote When the vile passions
or one man can thus with impunity iniict all
Kind OF misery on millions, even the prospect
OF delivery must be Distant.