Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-16
gRIEF historical NOTICE.

s. ,other. papers4 of general knoWleoSS,thal ei''
Erl;sb ministerial talk, of the necessity OF pre-
serving the balance ofpower IN Europe was al
ways mere bug-bear, kept in view to alarm
the British nation, & to serve as pretext 'oi
snuaeino IN ruinous and expensive wars on
she continent. That it may have been coca
.ionally so used by corrupt minister, we 90
not nretend to deny but it is certain, that
nndissembled fears of the overwhelming pow
er Of France have always been entertained by
the British government: late experience has
shewn how well grounded those fears were
In Speech of the Hon. Edward Coke IN
the British House of Commons, ammo l74S' the
orator expresses approximations on this suojece
which have in our time been SO completely re-
alised. that one might almost suppose they
were dictated by the spirit of prophecy. his
prediction was then treated as an Idle dream,
g glitteriag phantom" but we now know
ssl.,;, :. e ) tremendous and Overwhelming re-
.lity, thatIike vast incubus overlayst the con-
,incnt Of Europe, and benumbs its letharg'c
energies
Rrsrac. rom Mr. Coke's Sheech-l74s
81 think there is no maxim in politics more
certain than this: that it is inconsistent with
the liberties Of. Europe to allow FRANCE to
increase her own power, or to divide the pow
or Of Europe into so many branches as TO
make it impossible for any one prince or state
10 think of opposing her in any of her ambl-
tious schemes; for it is very certain, that as
soon as the thoughts of opposition end, those
of dependence begin and consequently, II
France could once effect this purpose, all me
b,iaesa and states of Eurate voula become
5eAsndcnt ut0n her, and most OF them would
at all times think of preserving their ''lsisn5f-
edns shadow Of sovereignty only by being e6e-.
diens to her commend, and assisting her against
those z0ko shoa!d 5rGUely dare 10 rebei. We
should then be in the same circumstances Eu-
rope, or may say the world, was, when the
grandeur of the Romans was at It's greatest
height. Some Of the Princes and states OF
Europe MIGHT be digni6ed with the deceit
full title of Socii Gallic; Interii ) but II ever
any of them SHOULD dare to behave other
wise than as the most abject slaves, even that
empty title they WOULD be stripped OF, and
their territory would be converted into pro-
vince of the French empire"
Such was the eonsummats foresight OF
British statesman nearly seventy years ago.
A more accurate description Of the present
state Of Europe could not possibly be drawn
up. II is so striking, in fact, as to possess
more the appearance of History, than OF anti
cipation. The last. sentence has been literal
" verified Some OF the princes and states
Of Europe hove been digni6ed with the de-
cUitful title of Members Of the Confederation q
tAe Rh;ue, of which France is the head; and
III fated Holland, because she did not go all
lengths in enforcing Bonaparte's continental
system, 6as been stripped of the empty title
of Sovereignty, and converted into province
Of the French Empire!
Whether the remaining part ofthis remark
able prediction will be fulfilled or not, time a.
lone can determine. Our readers may be gra-
tiGed to peruse the sentiments of this nice
calculator as to the result of the state of things
mentioned above. Mr.. Coke proceeded
Soar royal family, like that of Macedon'
might, for some fine, be left in possession OF
their throne but if any one of our future prin-
cesshouldendesyorto shakeoG his dependence
a powerful invasion would be the certain con-
sequence; and if France we're sole mistress