Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-07-05

ro,yed id this disgrate, thai 'hefe ve'ee
.om. .mong US true to the cause OF
s,,,.n nature, whose hearts sunk uD-
dsr the depression OF Europe and whose
hearts lesped for joy'when Europe was
free. ,.,o,,
10 most astonishing deliverance! How
,a,s,v did we see her sitting in sackclo!h
.nd ashe, and now she Is arrayea ID
.,hs garments of praise and salvation.
instead Of the deep and s,ifaed groans
Of oppression, one seuerai acelama''on
now bursts on as from all her troe' ana
tongues. Il a.cends from the Aips''he.
pvrenees, the Apprentices. 1t ISSUES
frsm from the forests OF ne norm. =
is waited to US on the mllder winds
Of the South In every languages tic
;oy inspiring acknowledgements our
-. uv oppRs.soR FALLEN, AND
THE WORLD IS FREE
WIN gu say, ths. this Joy is esces-
,ive? It cannot rise to the neign' o.
the deliyeranee By which il is Inspired
VIA, despotisn wa, ever SO degrading,
so appalling, so fatal to the best me-
rests Of mankind, as that wis Sc sho'ef
sion re this day celebrate. me 'af IS,
norton of the world was It's p,ty aho
the most flourishing r.si ms were 'a'a
waste by its fury. From Moscow TO 'h-
shores of the Mediterranean, yrn nsy
discern IN the ruins of cities, ana 10 ds
,olated and deserted plains the track OF
this relentless dcspo:ism II w's
despo,;sm founded in crime, cemented
in blood, and all its splendour was dc
rived from the spoils OF an oppressed
world. Its ambition knew no bound, q
submitted to no restraint. It had no Pl'
~ for the weak, no justice for the limo
cent, no regard to pllghted tai'h' no
settled end but universal empire: II
was sustained by armies disciplined TO
victory, hardened TO cruelty, exutlng
in success infiamed wrh the hope oil
rapise, & led by genera whose names
were host. Before it went menace,
terror, corruption, fraud, and every pro
aigate art to prepare its way; and oe'
lind it were desolati.n, famine, and sla'
very At its presence the old aDd re-
vered institutions Of Europe fell ; thrones
and governments, which had endured tor
ages, were overturned. II indeed the
former sovereign was permitted to hold
his power, he held it as het and de-
pcndcnce on the usurper, and was bound
to pay for thi. poor reflex OF departed
greatness, by contributing the treasures
and blood of his kingdom to adorn and
sustain the despotism by which he was
crushed Wherever this dreadful pow.
er wa. established, virtue, patriotism, &
honor were driven into obscurity, and
snies and traitors exalted. This vicious
i..no,ism linked with itself the vice OF
every country. 1t infused life energy,
and hope into the proAieatc, mercenary
and desperate, and rewarded
them with the plumber Of the country
they betrayed. Wherever this dcspo-
ti.m spread, the press was III chains, &
fear chained every tongue. The ordi-
nary pursuits of industry were Interrupt
ed. On the once busy and peopled
shore, host of guards watched every
sail, and the peasant with faintiny heart
titled the fields, which might be trodden
down by armies, or pillaged by lawlsss
rapac.ty. Every where commerce, the
golden chains Of nations the spring of
enlarged philanthropy, the dispenser OF
ait, science, and improvement, vas dis.
cau aged by bloody edicts. The old
of Europe were systemati
caiIy broken up, and hardly any con.
nexon seemed to remain but uniSn to
the ceatral despotism.
The mora! influence Of thi, despotism,
more than all things else. gave it cha
rscter Of peculiar horror, and should
excite our most fervent gratitude Tor its
destruction. 1t was de.po,ism Of low
and vulg minds 1t had nothing Of
greatness aud elevated sentiment. 1t
40, only destroyed like beast of prey;
bot it polluted, like harpy, whatever
It touched. 1t. breath was poison, faint.
ing the atmosphere, and changing its
yc,im into ioathsome mass of csrrup.
non. 1t LETT not merely wilder.
,,rs. in the the natural world--it desc.
atcd the mind, and robbed itof human at.
tributes. We could have forgiven it,
had it only robbed and impoverished,
but it degraded Europe. 1t systema.
,ically corrupted, that it might enslaye.
By its undlsguised and unblushing
crimes, and its open and successful
contempt OF the principles Of jua,ice
II shocked the moral sentiments of man.
kind, aud taught them to look with The
indifference Of familiarity on deeds,
which would once have struck them
with horror. Nothing can BE- imagined
more hostile to the authority Of con-
science and virtue, than the triunphs Of
-A;.k &C