Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-07-08


ity, that OF placing members of reigning
amiiies upon neighboring thrones. Il Il to the
iolence committed upon the Spanish branch
It the house OF Bourbon. This act, so IN
remedy atrocious, can only be justified oy
POLITICAL necessity and the morals of kings.
should the attempt be successful, as in all
probability 1t eventually will, the Bonaparte
dynasty Will be well supported bv AN AUS
trlan consort and royal brother in Spains
In proportion, however, as the continental
system is beneficial to France and the Eu-
ropean states generally, it is destructive of
the commercial prosperity of Great Britain /;
and the nearer that system is to perfection
or completion, the more will she struggle to
suppress it, or break it into pieces l. com
bines, in effect, ali the principles of the Gel
ebrated drmed Neutrality, and little more !;
and 1t Is by no means certain, that if France
is curtailcd OF her immense power that the
plan will be totally abandoned by other states.
As long asthc design is persevered in, so long
England will MAINTAIN the conflict; for Brit
ish interests, considered as relative to Brit
ish greatness, consist in maintaining a war
with France, OF with such other power or
powers as may sustain the continental sysy
TEN. Hence we conclude that the fears of
those who apprehend sudden peace iii
Europe, to the exclusion of the u. States,
are very idle and altogether groundless,-
But, although The greatness of England may
be prolonged by the European war, the
continuance of that war, or the cessation OF
1t, will equally produce a decline of British
power. Peace or hostility, under probable
circumstances, will press her back so much
upon her own peculiar resources, that he
nerves OF the body polite will be parayzed
by exhaustion. This effect, which we hold
TO be inevitable, will be the CONSEQUENCE of
the disproportion Of the base to the super
structure OF the political and commercial
fabric of the British empire.
From these considerations it is meant to
infer, as the Bonapartean throne is pretty
well establishedi as Napoleon has Concilia-
ted the heads of the religious and political
factions of his empire, recruited his armies,
inspired his subjects with new ardor, and
has great cause Of confidence in his allies,
that tits reasonably to be expected that he,
will drive the Russians out of Germany, if
ne does nothing more; and that this will
have the effect again to close he principal
ports OF the Baltic to the British, who will
be forthwith compelled to look to the Anne
rican markets, and will consequently be
more disposed to harmonize with the United
States. Our ministers will reach ST. Peters
ourgh atthe crisis of the European campaign
OF this year, and be prepared to seize the
occasion with great advantage. In this view
Of things, successful termination of the
Russian mediation is highly f,ro6abie.-lf
Napoleon is seccessful, a speedy peace will
ensue for America.
On the ether hand, should the French be
unsuccessful, the Russian Emperor, who is
inclined to peace, will not, it is presumable,
continue the war for any great length of
time; and he assuredly will not continue il
for the sole benefit Of Great Britain. He will
recollect the policy of his great predecessor
Catharine; he will bear in mind that that
wise princess was the head and heart of the
Armed .NeutraLiiy, and that she nobly cCn-
tended for that system, conceived by the
genius OF Count Panin, and approved by ala
most every cabinet of Europe except that
of St. james. This armed neutrality is moss
consenial to the prosperity OF Russia; and
1t would not be at all surprizins if, circum-
scribing the influence of France, the empe-
rnr Alexander should compromise with Ma
poleon. stipulate for the armed neutrali-
ty freed from the obnoxious provisions of
the continental system, thus become the
guarantee of general peace, and com
pei Great Britain to relinquish her ma
rhine usurpations This case would suit
the United States most admirably and they
might come in, with much advantage, as
partakers in such a pacihcation.
Thus, whatever view we take OF the me-
dlation of Russia, the probabilities are in fa-
vor OF its beneficial termination If France
is reduced, q peace for America will not be
less certain, but it will be more tardy.
An I4Tmed .NeittraHty is, in an especial
manner, the wisest policy for all the king
doms of Europe.---It is also sound
system for the United States.----It is
much better for us than the continental
system, of which, as Americans, we have
never been the worshippers. The latter is
salutaIy for the European continent; but
we believe it to be more for the benefit of
this country that there should exist there a
league for the assurance of neutral rights,
between independent States, than that there
should prevail a confederation of States, APP
parently for the same purpose, under the
control of one chief. This chief, after his
plan was consolidated, might impose restric-
tons on commerce, equally detrimental to
the trade of the United States as those which
Great Britain attempts to impose, and that,
too, by municipal laws in time of peace
if the league exists between indie
pendent States, the security ofneutral rights
may be fully accomplished, and those states
be lett at liberty to hold out seperate allure
ments to commerce much more profitable
to American agriculture and navigation.
On the whole, we must express our unva<
ried opinion, that the war declared by the
United States against Great Britain, so just
in itself, was most opportunity undertaken
that the objects Of it. honorable as they are
90 human nature, will be attained, and that
he republicans will eventually acquire re-
putation for wisdom and spirit equal to that
obtained by the wings Of our revolution
Let them only continue to steer the bark of