Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-06-11

still has the FlOrd is dlScOl0reu VIII
muddy water to great extent, and will
probably continue SO for months. we
are wiling to think the danger is now O.
yer, though is is uncertain, until the
stream cuts itself a proper passage.
THE BARBARY POWERS.
In the French chamber of Peers on the
9th instant, viscount Chateabt1and made
the following proposition -
" GENTLEMEN--I shall do myself the;
honor of submit ting to you a project OF an,
address to the King. 1t is for the purpose
of asserting tie rights of humanity. and
eHacing, ! trust. the shame of Europe.
The Parliamentof England, in abolishingI
the Slave Trade in sblacks, appears toI
have suggested for our emulation tnorel
splendid triumph, Let US abolish the
slavery Of the whites. This sort of slavery
has too long existed upon the coasts of
Barbary; for BIZ the peculiar design of
Providence, which places the examples
of punishment where the fault has beenf
committed. Europe payed to Africa the
sorrows which the brought upon her, and
rendered to her slaves for slaves. haveI
seen. gentlemen, the ruins OF Carthage,I
l have met among these runs tn suc-i
cessors of unhappy christians, tor lhe de.
Everance of whom Saint Louis sacrificed
his life. Tie number OF these vlct'n'
increases daily. Before the revolution,
the corsairs Of Tripoli, of Tunis, If All
,giers, and of Morocco, were restrained byl
the violence of the Order OF Malta. ourI
vessels had the dominion of the Mediter-
rancan, and the flag of Phi'ippa-Apeusta
made the infdels still tremble. Taking
advantages of our discords, they have
dared to insult our shores. They baye
carried off the population of a whole is
land. Men. women, children,y Old men.
have been all plunged in the most fright
Iful slavery. It is not for Frenchmen,I
horn to glory and generous enterprises.
to accomplish at least the work begun by
their ancestors? 1t was in France tllel
first Crusade was preached. 1t is mi
France that we must raise the standard
of the latter, without departing from the|
character of the times, or employing!
means foreign from ourlnanneTs. | know
that we have little to fear for ourselves
from tire powers of the coast Of Africa i
but the safer we are, the more nobly wei
shall act in opposing their injustice
'Small commercial interests cannot pal
lance the great interesi of humanity. Ill
is time for civilized nations to free them
selves from the shameful tributes which
|tney pay to handful of bar barians.
{" Gentlemen, should You adopt anvil
proposition. that should be lost by al
my foreign circumstances, your voice
will at ali events have been heard. You'll
will have the honor OF having advanced
$50 good cause.
Such is the advantage of these reprssen
|tative governments. by thch The whole
truth may be said every thing useful
proposed. They change the virtues with
cut weakening Them; they conduct thcmI
to the same end, while they give them al
different direction. Thus we are knights
no more, but we can be iliustrious cfti-
zens; thus philosophy may share the gIo-
lry attached to the success. of my preposi
Ition, and boast to have obtained, in anil
enlightened age, what religion attempted
lin vain iu an age ofdarkness.
/" PIease then. gentlemen, to hear myI
proposition.
II move that there be presented an
address to the king by the chamber of
lpeers. In this address his majesty shall
be humbly requested to order his minis
ter for foreign affairs to write to ali the
courts Of Europe," &c: