Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-12-31

the power of Napoleon Bonaparte. Even II
his language were ambiguous and uninteihg,-
Bile, the fate of Sweden, of Germany, OF Hell
land, of Switzerland, of Italy, and indeed the
monuments, {" the living records OF his am !
bition, to be found in every part or the cohil-
nent, seem to carry with them conyictioh
too powerful to be resisted. And yet there
are individuals, " horn-book politicians, both
here and elsewhere, who affect to believe that
the world has nothing to apprehend from his
success in the present war, and who ~ouid
hail the downfall of British power, as the era
from which to date the liberty OF the seas,
and the happiness of mankind Fatal creed!
unhappy delusion ! France is constitutionaiiy
and unalterably ambitious. The spirit OF 10
reign conquest was born at her birth, mas
grown with her growth and strengthened with
her strength" 1t was the mantle which hung
around her Clovis, her Charlemagne, and her
Louis, and has been transmitted regular ana
unimpaired inheritance to the present times.
Even in the midst OF confusion, anarchy and
revolution, her love of domination was not tor
gotten. No matter in whose hands the
executive power was lodged, whether with
Brissot orwith Robespierre, the Glronds or the
Jacobins, the spirit of the nation was unaitera-
bly the same, and her greatest sufferlngs at
home we're not unfrcquently accompanied by
the most powerful exertions abroad. But as
was to be expected, in this stage of her GO
vernnent, no general system OF conquest
could be matured or acted on. The head that
formed the plan Of one day, was, the next,
bleeding beneath the guillotine, or suspended
on pole Like the warrior OF other times,
painting and writing under the violence OF
his wounds, she fought at random Her passes,
though frequent, were seldom calculated to
be eiFectual in the end. They were the expir-
ing efforts of despair Nature must soon have
been exhausted; and had not new spirit
been infused into her body, new soul been
given to animate her perishable parts, she
must have sunk, never perhaps to rise again.
But the days of discord and imbecility are
at an end Out of this " huge and uniformed
mass of political and moral corruption has
arisen mammoth Upas that seems destined
to destroy every thing around it. France
powerful in sickness, has become irresistible in
health There is" says distinguished es-
sayist of the last year,. " an inherent power
in the French nation, which, under the .vo'st
management of its affairs, has always rendered
it formidable to the liberties fthe world. A
few years have suficed to recruit her strength,
after the most disastrous wars. Such is the
fertility of the soil, the exuherance OF the pc
pulation, the genius Of the people, whether
for policy or war, In short, such are the ma
tural resources of the country, that whoever
directs them at svHt, must always be consider
ed the most dangerous enemy 20 the other
nations of the earth" SUCH then is her pre-
sent situation, and without reference To that
extraordinary character by whom herresources
are directed, the mere circumstance OF their
being directed at zrU'' by single individual,
Justly renders her an object of suspicion and
ieaIousy to her less powerful neignbo's. But
this is not all !; her destinies are now in the
hands of an usurping tyrant, endowed with
F" kind of preternatural strength THAT is truly
formidabIe," and who for ambition and talents,
for courage and decision, for political intrigue
and moral deprayity, stands lar exalted above
all comparison. When to such character,
are committed such resources, and when these
resources, improved to their utmost extent,
have already been directed 10 the destruction
Of mankind, there is no time for delay; the
liberties of the world are in danger (; " the
approach of tyranny may be snuEed in every
tainted breeze. al SUCH d luuCtuiC W rely
solely Oh idle suspicious and unavaliing jea-
lousies, becomes crime. Not only would
the laws of nations justify, but the more i'm
portant and unvarying laws of nature, honor
and philanthropy require an opposition, firm,
vigorous, united and unceasing.
A transient reference .Aehe history of the
last ten wears, by furnishing us with practi-
cal exhibition of the views, the principles, the
power and the resources of the French en-
peror, will perhaps supercede the necessity
of an endless enquiry. 1t may satisfy us
thar, while he is aiming at universal do
niin;on, there are no means however igno-
BILE, inhuman, or un Just, to which he is
unwilling or ashamed to resort. In the whole
catalogue of diplomatic enornities, there will
be found scarcely one, which has not in some
shape or other, been made subservient to his
infamous designs. Whether in peace or war,
a; home or abroad, his system has been inva-
rably the samoa combination of sneaking
article and barefaced cruelty. His conduct