Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-06-19
Foreign Intelligence:
Council of Ministers,
APRIL g.


the Council of State, in consequence OF
the reference which has been made TO
them, have examined the declaration CT
the 18th of March. the report OF the MI
mister of General Police, and the pieces
thereto joined.
s.The Declaration is in form SO unusu-
| al, conceived in terms so singular, and
expresses ideas so anti-sociat, that the
Committee has been induced to regard
lit as one of those fabricated productions
10y which contemplate men seek to
mislead the mind, and to deceive public
|oninion.
g But the verihcation of the Ministers
made at Metz, and the interrogatories OF
the Couriers, has left no doubt as to the
transmission of this declaration, by the
members of the French Legation at Vi
emma, and it ought consequently to be
considered as adopted and signed by
them.
"Under this point Of view, the COM
Imittee have thought it their duty to exa-
mine this document, which has no model
in the annals of diplomacy, and by which
Frenchmen invested with most respec-
table public character, commence with a
species of outlawry, or to speak more
clearly with provocation to assassinate
the Emperor Napoleon.
We agree with the Minister of Po-
lice, that this Declaration is the work OF
the French Plenipotentiaries, because
those of Austria, England, and Russia,
could net sign an act which the Sove-
lreigns and the reopleto whom they be-
long would hasten to disavow.
:: And besides, these Pienipotentiarics,
who for the most part had joined in the
Treaty of Paris, know that Napoleon has
been recognised in it as preserving the
title of Emperor, and as Sovereign OF the
Isle of Elba; they should have designat-
ed him by these titles, and not depart
ed from the respectful form which they
impose.
g They should have perceived that by
the law Of nations, the Prince who in the
extent or populousness of his states is
least powerful, enjoys as to his civil and
political character the rights which be-
long to a Sovereign Prince equally with
the most powerful Monarch; and Napo-
leon, recognised under the title of Empe-
ror, and in quality of Sovereign Prince
by all the Powers, was not more than a.
ny other amenable to the bar of the Con-
gress at Vienna.
"The oversight of these principles,
which we cannot suppose in Plenipoten-
tiaries who weigh tire rights of nations
with reflection, is not at all surprising
when manifested by some French Minis
tiers, whose conscience reproach them
with more than one treason, whose fear
has produced angerin their bosoms, and
whose remorse deprives them of reason.
{" These persons mightrisk the tabrica-
ton, the publication OF piece such as the
pretended declaration of March l3, in
hopes of stopping the rrogreAs of Napo-
leon, and abusing the French people as
to the true sentiments Of foreign powers.
But they cannot judge as these powers do,
of the merit of nation which they have
mistaken, betrayed, and gwen w to the
arms of the foreigners.
8 This brave and generous nation re-
volts against every thing which bears the
name OF baseness and oppression; its al
fections rise when the object oi them is
menaced or attacked by glazing injus-
tice: and the assassination which the
first phrases of the declaration OF the 18th
of March excite, will find no arm to per-
form it among the twenty-five millions OF
French, Of whom the majority has follow
ed, guarded, protected Napoleon, from
the NJ Mediterranean to the Capital; nor
among the eiyteen millions of italians,
the SIX millions Of Belgese, or the lnha-
bitants of the banks of the Rhine, and
the numerous population of Germany,
who, at this solemn conjuncture, have
uttered his name with respectful recoliec-
tons, nor in the bosom OF the indignant
English nation, whose honorable feelings
disavow the language which has boldly
been attributed to the soverelgns.
The people of Europe are iightened;
they Judge of the rights OF Napoleon, the
rights OF the Allied Princes, anu those OF
the Bourbons.
g They know that the convention of
Fontainbleau is convention among So
Vereisns; its violation the entry OF Ma
poleon On the French territory could not
like every infractiop of a diplomatic act,
like every hostile invasion, brings Oh but
an ordinary war. of which tie result