Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-07-08
THURSDAY, July 8, 1915.

/ Europe, and indeed of every quarter of the
| aorld where commerce finds port and hu-
man societies a permanent establishment
| The case of the Russian mediation affords a
very suitable opportunity to demonstrate
the truth OF this assertion !; for it is very ccr-
tain that the good intentions Of the emperor
| Alexander will have Il rapid or a tardy eff
| feet i'll proportion to the tarn of events in
the North of Germany, during the campaign
which, before this time, in all probability,
has opened with carnage and dcsolation.
| In the month of December 1912, the dis
| asters of the French armies in Russia were
| well known in England. The ministry inn
mediately set itself to work top profit of them.
Means were taken to sound Austria ard
Denmark, as to coalition with Great Bri-
tain and Russia ; and cogcspondencies were
! attempted to be opened with agents for a re-
volution in Holland, Hanover, and the City
of Hamburger. The English newspapers
were filled with accounts of Russian victories
and French defeats. Here fell duke OF the
Bonaparte breed, and there marshal. Re-
giments and whole divisions or the French
grand army we're represented to have fallen
beneath the Cossacks and the Tartars. 4
ven Napoleon himself was stated to have
bled beneath the dagger of an assassin.
The people of England, deluded by these
exaggerations, were impressed with the be
lief that the dynasty of the Bonapartes was
at an end; tina, Germany was already freed
from the Gallo Yoke and that the ports of
the Baltic were once more opening for the
reception and sale of British manufac-
lures. The English ministry seized this
suspicious moment, and with Great dex-
terity published, OH the 9th of Janua
ny 1913, that celebrated declaration, from
the pen of Sir William Scott, justihcatory
OF the wrongs and outrages inflicted on the
property and persons of the citizens of the
United States. The attention OF the British
public was drawn off from contemplating
the gloomy prospect of the American war,
which closed the market for their merchan-
dize in that quarter, to bright Appearances
in the North of Europe. The laboring
Classes were put to work, and were induced
to believe that the evils of the American
contest were light in comparison to the ad
vantages about to be gained'from the over
throw of the French power in Germany
This opinioTbecame contagious. 1t was in
dustriously inculcated that the rulers Of the
United States were nothing more than sa
tellites of Bonaparte.; that they must fall
with him and that it was only necessary to
persevere for short time and the .Amari-
can government would be found suing for
peace at the foot of the British throne.--
Some hope, also, was derived from Tie well
known Efforts of the tories in Amc RIGA. Par
Iiament itself did not escape the infection OF
these notions and the minister, encourag-
ing the deiusion, put the question in the
House of commons, and obtained an unani-
nous vote in favor of the war with the Uni
ted States. Thus, it is obvious that the e.
vents OF the French campaign in Russia
had very considerable influence i'll Eng
land on the question of hostilties with this
country; and that influence, it is discernibe,
had continued down TO late day in April
last.
The French never pretended to disguise
their losses in Russia. The twenty-ninth
bulletin was frank and philosophical "a
vowai OF the ruin ofthe Chief portion Of their
grand army. At The same time they always
commended that the disasters they expert
enced were attributable 70 the severity of
the season,--a winter in Russia being al
ways extremely cold, and the Writer OF 1912,
in particular, exceedingly frgid. There was
nothing incredible in the tale they told
Those who have perused the Memoirs OF the
Baron dc lott, may remember there to
have read similar losses in men and horses
by the Khan IF the Crimea, in AN invation OF
the Russian PROVINCES The French d
no doubt originally intended TO winter in
Moscow. But the conlagration of that city
by the Governor Rostopschin, reducing it to
asheap of ruins, and rendering it little bet
ter than desart, compelled them to fall
back upon their magazines. In the midst of
their retreat the winter overlook them
There are but two seasons in Russia; and
there succession is by no means gradual. In
"a hours intense cold will succeed gent
al warmth and from that momeEt, till the
n,...ixsa I Cf en- thpra ic un ~ala
The French divisions in retiring were enyi-
roDed by SHOWS and ice.--" The roads
(says the 29th bulletin) were covered with
ice the horses of the cavalry, artillery and
baggage persisted every night mot by hun
" dreds, but by thous2nds--more than thir-
" ty thousand horses persisted in few days.
Men, whom nature had not gifted with
"that fortitude which places them above
- the frowns of fortune, appeared alarmed,
lost their gaiety, their good humor, and
" saw nothing before them but misfortunes
sand catastrophes Those whom she had
created superior to every thing, pre-
served their gaiety and ordinary manners,
"and saw new glory in the various diff
culties they had to surmount." 1t was
thus that the French spoke of the destructi
on Of their military equipments. The frank
ness of their language is astonishing. They
| attempt to conceal nothing. In truth they
lost no honor. Compelled to retreat, the
Cossacks apd ;he Tartars harrassed them !;
but whenever the French Generals stopped
| to fight, the Russians were beaten. Stragglers
| from the retiring army, cannon aud ammu
milton abandoned by it from the want of hor-
| ses, were the prizes OF the pursuers. 4" they
filed up (says the 20th bulletin) all their
columns with Cossacks, who carried off,
like the ARABS In the desarts. the CARR,
" ages and train that were LOST" These