The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-09


our liberty will continue through endless
ages.
But at this even,ful moment when our
country is engaged in war; when the enc
my has planted his standard upon our
shores; when he has lcvellcd our towns in
ashes, and the fires he lately lighted at
Hampton have scarcely ceased to smoke
when he, every day, commits acts OF hos
tili,y within sight Of our dwellings; some
thing more is required OF the citizen than
the establishment of systems Of education
which may promote our national happi.
ness and welfare. The clouds which ho.
vcr over the horizon portend storms which
may cndangcr our national bark unless
some immediate remedy is applied to ar,
rest their progress; unless every effort
is made 10 carry into effect those pru
! dent and salutary measures, which have
been adopted Tor her defence sunless
by punCtual obedience 20 the laws
ample scope and power are given to go
| government to set every constitutions
engine at wcrk which may be necessary q
make her weather the tempest. III such
remedy is not applied to meet the emer
gency, 1t is vain for US TO pursue plans To-
the promotion OF our internal prosperity
for IN short time may end our liberty ant
even our national existence. But l trus
there is not one SO blind to his interest ans
so indifferent to the welfare of his counlr,
as TO hesitate In pursuing the steps which
| the importance Of the crisis imberiuusI,
calls for.
! 1t we reflect for a moment, fellow citi
Gems, upon the policy which has been pur
! sued by the European bclligerents ii W.
consider the injuries and insults Offered
by them to us, our bosoms will be free
with indignation and our hearts will swell
with patriotic feeling
Z The history of France and G. Britain fol
several years past will exhibit to our view
most astonishing struggle between two
mighty powers for universal sovereignty
which, being conducted from the first with
out auy regard for the obligations Of Jus
tice or national law, has continued TO en-.
large It's sphere, until it has lighted the
hire OF war i'll every civilized nation Of the
globe.
The friend OF liberty expected that, as
the French revolution was produced by a
love Tor freedom and a hatred of tyranny
the policy OF France, after its termination
would be pacific, and Instead of manifest
ing any disposition to eneroacb upon the
liberties OF other nations, that she would
rather aid those people, who lived unde,
systems of political tyranny. in their strug-
gle TO throw of ;hc yoke. But in this eX.
pectation he has been sadly Disappointed
The people were kept in continual agita-
ton and disorder by the conflicting claims
to empire set up by the different republi
can generals, until they were obliged to
heI ,l =
their present emperor, who avaiIed himself
OF the popular ierment, and rose like bub.
F., bic on the pillows ofthc revolution. Wher
.irmiy seated In his imperial throne he was
not content with the government of his vas,
! empire but the conquest ofthe universe was
an idea not too great for his aspiring soul
To accomplish the immense schemes OF
his boundess ambition, he soon sought a
preteXt TO quarrel with every nation in Eu-
rope, and he SO far succeeded as to reduce
almost every one to ubjection-Poland
Prussia, Germany and Holland because his
ependencies-The invaded Italy and
trampled with Gothic foot on the ruins OF
Roman grandeur and greatness-He enter
ed Switzerland and drove liberty from the
icy bosom of the Alps, where she had
erected her temple ai,cr having been ban
ished from every nation in Europe-Thus
pursuing the career of his ambition and
having accomplished his favorite schemes,
he cast malignant scowl on our country
and would probably have annexed it to his
conquests, if the ocean had not opposed an
obstacle TO his progress-He was then OBJ
iIged TO content himself with iniuring our
commerce only, by devoting it to spolia-
ton and burning wherever he could meet
with it. This furnished US strong grounds
of complaint, and gave occasion to years OF