Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-05-28
FRENCH LEGISLATIVE BODY.
From the German Observer, published at
Bremen.


Bremen.
PARIS, Feb S.
After the report which M. Lame, a
Lawyerfrom Bordeaux, member OF the
legislative body, made upon the papers
relative 10 the negotiations for peace,
which were laid before them or the 18th
Dec last, NJ. Beinouard and Dion made
very remarkable speech, ofwhich the
following is the substance. After pre-
ty long peroration,9 in which he highly
praises the emperor for calling the lc-
gis!ative body together, and commune
eating the account Of his proceeding, he
observes, that this high proof of conf
dence can be Justly returned only by tel
ling his majesty the plain truth. He
proceeds thus:
We are incapable, gentlemen, of
showing you one cheering spot in the
picture of distress which we unfold TO
you. Ar army blasted by the storms Of
the north was replaced by another, the
troops composing which were torn from
their pa,ernal soil, from the arts and
from trade army was des-
tined to dreneh with its blood Leipsic's
fatal plains.
We must confess, gentlemen, the VIC
torious enemy, having advanced to the
Rhine, offered to our August monarch
a peace, which hero, accustomed to
so many splendid trophies, could not
but find extraordinary. But if at this
time, when the unhappy stale of France
was not wholly decided, noble and &c.
nerous pride prescribed the rejection of
such peace, it would however no Ion.
ger be prudent to persist in this rejec.
ton, now that the enemy has invaded
the proper territory of France.
"Wcrc the question merely to deli
berate on degrading conditions his ma
iesty would have needed nothing more
than to lay before his people the projec,
of peace offered by the enemy, but they
do not seem to desire to degrade but to
repress US in our ancient frontiers and
to stop the ebullitions of that ambition.
activity, which for these 20 years has
been so highly detrimental to all the ma
,ions Of Europe. Such proposals did
not seem to offend the honor of the IA.
ton, as they prove that the eaemy fear
and respect Us. It is not they who de-
sire TO set limits to our power, but a
whole world in arms reclaims the com.
mon rights of nations.
The Pyrences, the Alps, and the
Rhine, inclose an immense territory,
which contains provinces that did not al
ways and originally belong to the domi-
of the three feurs.de lis, and yet the
former royal crown Of France shoue a.
bove ell other diadems in glorysand ma.
jes,y."
Herlte president interrupted the
speaker, with the words, "what you say
is contrary TO the constitution" Rel
nouard answered, here is nothing con.
trsry to tbs constitution but your pre-.
sence,' and continued
"The protectorsbip of the confedera-
ttOu VI lUC nuiUS udS CCdSCo 10 DC q II.
tie of honor, since the people of this
confederation declared the proteetorship
GishoDorable to them-No rights of con.
quest we're here exercised, but only the
tile Of an alliance advantageous to the
Germans. 1t becomes his maiesty's
dignity to leave these people to their
fate, who are fastening to put them.
selves under the yoke of Austria.-A,
for Brahant (probably Holland) which
the allies desire to retain according to
the basis of the peace Of Luneville, it
seem. to u that France may readily
give up those provinces hard to be main
tanned where tho English spirit almost
exeusively prevails, and to which the
trade With England is so absolutely ne.
cessary, thar these countries, since we
have governed them, are sunk into DO.
very and misery. Have We not seen
the neble families Of Holland fly from
their naive soil as il con,aeisus disea.