Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-05-25

ent situation % the country, compose very !
great majority Of the MACON, feel that war
is detrimental 10 the real sccvri,y of such
property. The loan jobbers a.id contrac-
tors, with few mistaken SPECTATORS, who
r'diculously imagine that markets are to be
opened by force of arms. are the promo
Srs Ut the vociterous war whoop, which is
40 necessarily resoun.ied from one end of
the Kingdom to the other. 1t il a libel on
the Bri,i>h nation at large. to assert, that it
IS SO blind to its own ini erests, or SO lost TO
every sense oshumanity, ia to rejoice i'm a
con'est WHICH Gcyonrs the treasure, and un
dermines the credit ,,f this county, while 1t
r,unda'es the continent with blood. The
depression of the stocks on the failure of the
negotiation, controveris all that the war
party have had the audacity to assert the
monicd interest Of the country are not with
them.
n Thousand expedients have been put into
practice to raise the price ot stocks, hat e
very expedient has hitherto failed. 1t is as
tonishing that the most cxtrayagan, reports
are not only received and promulgated
without consideration, but that the most
contradictory accounts are frequently nar-
rated by the same persons, and almost in
the same breath. No faith seems 80 perfect
and so universal as faith in news. Of this
weakness In the public. we will not venture
TO say that the government ever takes di-
rect advantage-hut instances might be
pointed out, where unwarranted authority
mas oeen giyento premature reports. The
nrst accounts of the re pulse Of Bonaparte
before Laon, will long remain in our recol-
,ection, to warn US against giving implicit
faith even to official bulletins
We now come to the Gazette reports of
the movements of the allied armies. Lord
burghersh writes. that prince Schwartzen.
burg had. on the 18th ult. fixed his head
quarters at Point>sur-Seine. pushing on his
advanced pos 8 to Provins and Bray. On.
the news OF the defeat of the Russian corps
under general St. Priest, and the re>ocu-
patton OF Reims by Bonaparte. he withdrew
to Arc .s>sdr-A ube, and collected the whole
main body of the allied forces around that
place. On the 18th, general Lelseroff.
commanding the outposts, sent advice to the
head quarters, that the enemy we're ap.
preaching, and actually in possession of Fere
representations of the French ARMY
we're aiso observed in the objection of Cha
Ions. A letter from Lord Castlereaeh con
tnues the above narrative, leaving an INFER.
val OF three DAYS, IN which we are left to
conclude that prince Schwartzenberg had
retired from Arcis. and that Bonaparte was
IN possession of that place II is much TO
be regretted tina, mere extract should
have thus been laid before the public, winch
from its very commencement, proves that
sorue detail of previous operations was si-
ven in the letter. The enemy had large
masses Of troops before Arcis On the 2Oth.
about O'Clock, the two armies then re
manning opposite TO each other, and gene.
raj battle being expected by the allies, The
,a,r,U cr,v Il -
rection of Witty, leaving rear guard in pos
session of Arcis: The prince royal Of Wir
tembe'g attacked this force, Sc was resisted
with great obstinacy. The enemy, after
sustaining immense loss, abandoned the no.
stion, and necessary dispositions were made
TO follow up the French army in its re.r
On the reported counter~revolution in the
south @. France we have very few observa-
tons to make. By the private letters givea
In the public prpts, and stated to be receive
ed from officers in the British army, it does
not appear that the people of those provinces
are inclined to any change IF government:
they wish for peace, and they would be
as contented with peace. under the sway
of Napoleon, as under that of Louis XVI III.
One letter describes the population of
Gutenne not only as numerous, but as pos~
sessiDg that happy medium of property
which is the best security of the existing
government, because it leaves no room for
the spirit ofturbulance. There are no ex-
orbitant wealthy ts be enyied, and no mis-
cradle poor to be urged to desperate actions.
Such 4 people require only to be undisturhed
They may, for a while, submit to force, but
they cannot be mad enough TO endanger the
quiet of such a situation in contentious for
one ruler or another In spite, therefore, of
the declarations of the Courier, we do not
believe that a revolutionary spirit has been;
really introduced among such people
while their very existence, as described in
the letter above alluded to, is a proof that
the code Napoleon is in some parts Of
France, at least, so admirable in its prac :.
tice as it is allowed to be in theory. The
proclamation of Louis XVIII. has, i~decd.
promised to preserve that code, but will
the practice OF the ancestors of Louis XVIII.
warrant the people of Guienne in risking
the loss of their present happy condition,
for the introduction of the agents ofhis go
vernment among them?
We extract from the Courier London paperl
the following statement. ofthe demands of Bona.
parte. Whether this statement is authentic or
not will soon appear from the comm ncations
which must be made to parliament.
l. He demanded Italy, insisting that Eugene
Beauharnois should be king, nomination that
would have made him as much master of that
country as he has been since Eugene has been
acting as bis eeroy In is demand OF Italy.
Venice was included so that lie was more exs
orbitant in his terms than lie was when his trea-
ty OF Lunevllle was concluded, by which Venice
was coded to Austria.