Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-09-25

musf be acknowledged by. all Europe as
J benefit for which the French themselves,
If they do not obstinately overlook their
true interests, have sincerely to rejoice,
because the power Of Ronaparte, eter,
nally irracopciIeable with the liberty ana
welfare of nations has been at last entire
|ly destroyed. Nevertheless many per-
sons, while they acknowledge the prln-
eiple which brought foreign troops INTO
France cease not to feel inyeterate bit
terness against these troops, whose pre-
sence appears to them to wound the ma.
tionaI pride. Doubtless, the existing
state Of France inspires gloomy and
painful sentiments but there must be
very little cander in the minds OF those
who will not perceive that it is to the
causes of the calamities which they com
plain of, and not to the effects, that their
resentment is Justly applicable.
at is especially the English, and stub
more the Prussians, who seem particular
~ to be the objects ofthis hatred and en-
nifty, solely founded on old prejudices \
recent calumnies. Some articles from
French and foreign Gazettes, falsiiied u
dispersed by guilty agents, are the only
source fthis national animosity, which
Bonaparte rejoiced to see again establlsll-
ed between the French and the Prussians
because he considered the latter as his
most lmplacable enemies. Hence ORR
ginates that prejudice against the prus-
sian troops, that malevolence with which
the slightest misunderstanding, the most
transient disorder, has been laid hold OF
to decIaim against their hostile views, to
complain of their want OF discipline, and
to throw upon them all the discomfort ex-
cited among the people, by the inevitable
effects of war. 1t is thus we have seen
propagated reports Of horrible pillage in
places, where orderly officers despatched
to put an end to tie disorder, found no.
thing but tranquility and good under
standing between the soldiers and lnhabi-
tants.
"War has at all times beena scourge to
the peaceful inhabitants ; it has been still
more so since the enormous increase OF
the number of combatants which Bona-
parte carried to excess sand which other
powers were compelled to initiate. 1t IS
net merely On enemies, and Oh the van
quished, that the burthens of war can be
exclusively made to fall; friends and the
conquerors alike suffer, and extreme ne
cessity confounds all interests and all
considerations.
If tie question is with regard to that
sort of excess which is iGseparable from
the fury ofcombats and violent efforts of
a continued pursuit, it is manifest that
the ENGLISH and Prussians were alone in
a situation to commit such, because they
alone have fought great battles in this ex-
.raordinary campaign, which the Prus-
slams. exhausted by fatigue, hunger, and
thirst, never giving themselves reposc,
and fighting daily, so rapidly and so glo-
rious terminated by the combats which
produced the capitulation of Paris.
g The Prnssians have perhaps suffered
the most from the tyranny OF Bohaparte
and his armies aud the spirit of VEN
geance might have appeared Pardonable
10 nation outraged in its dearest ahec-
tons, but these brave warriors have been
far from wishing to exercise in their turn
the same IMPRESSIONS which they sojustly
held in horror. The Prussians, besides
are connected with the French By more
relations than one. The liberal ideas OF
which the French so justly beast as the
real fruit of SO many revolutionary ex'
periments, are no where perhaps, more
cultivated & Developed than 10 russia,
where the reaIIynational claims olFrench-
men will find in all enlightened 4 think
ing men nothing but friends and defen-
ders. n-Journat des De5ats.