Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-04-11
NAPOLEON TO THE FEEh
pEOpLE.

The accompanying paper IS TIE trans
|Iation Of an address to tn French PEG.
Die. which is generally circulated in
France, and which is believed to be an
au hentic document, written BY hin On
board the Bellerophcn =
8. PARIS, Get. 9.
The Vaccinations of treason have
obliged NE to separate aglin from YOU;
hut, victims OF the same treason, la.
;nent only your misfortsaes!
81 covered the sceptre but to sway il
|for Your glory and welfa.e! III. know.
liedse of my devotion to sour hoior and
prosperity excited TIE hatred Of the So,
ycreigns of Europe. Had sought only
to reign without regsrd TO the i.telests
of nay people, / should have established
lin their eyes the legitimacy OF NY s.te 10
the throne. Had agriculture Leen Hcg-
lected, had manutacto Ies lansuisied,
had debt accumulated, and public spir,
been degladed, then HAD assured lie
friendship of rival potentates had
| ci, cumscribed the prosperity Of the
empire to the establishment Of its "a.
laces, or sacrificed tie majesty
Of the throne to the preservation Of lie
roval authority, then my dynasty mish,'
have possessed the in3loriouS iuac..
lance.
:. The soyereigns of b rope conFeie.
rated against rne as | islator whose
establishments nu,tured and animated
the talents and industry Of the commu.
nity Of which I had been elected the
chief magistrate, and they prescribed
nv person as the shield of the pos er and
Independence Of the state. The enemi,s
of revolution which had trinmpled
over the abuses that occasloned it, and
mercenary traitors insensibie to The Gala
mites of az invaded country, associated
their efforts to paralize n2tiona exertOr,
and TO make you believe tat war vas
my policy, and peace the boon which the
governments of Europe solicited from
France. Unwilling to sacrifice the Illus.
trious remnant of your defenders, thu;
isolated from their country. | yielded
to the wishes Of your representatives;
and, TO consumate your security, | sur.
render myself into the hands of my enc.
mics.
" History offered no example where
repose and independence were tie re-
war OF submission but many OF lndv,
dual de otion to the hope OF nation!
ince the fatal moment when France an
nounced that she ceased to combat &c!
ler liberties and safeties, what mlstOF'
Irtnes, crimes, and foundations, have
devastated a d degraded the empire -
" ar with all It's deyastations, conquestjk
with al its ,iolencies, tyranny, with II Z
j abuses, and subsection, with ANS
5 ames. have overwhelmed you! Outrage
and ger6dy have outstripped-even mls
{ s2dHgs lie Il. 2aFtiq a Of tco AgSss
NY disasters in 4ussia-whieh bartereik
roland. violated the mil ary conventiOa
of d e-den. and negotiated But tobena7,
the perlidy Of Prussia, whose MONARCHY z
| pres rvef, when cowardlce and treason
mad e}de ed the kingdom detenceles;, b
and treason had undermined It's throne
Of Russia. whose civil, military. and poll.
teal MS ory, is series Of systematic
contempt of faith and equity; Of Bayari.
whose unparalleled turpi nde obliged me-
TO FIGHT at LEIPZIG. for Dye> ervati0n and
not ior conquest OF Switzerland, who
for paItry bribe, sold tie tranquility d
Ger citizens, the SAFE " of her country
and tn sanctity of her neutrality Il
England whose sopAisms have aaoihiIated
,ubiic !a1, and whose policy since tie s.
IRA of Pitt had unbIustiasly SUBSTITUTED
power for principle, and experience f.,
u.tice mot the recollection of II these
ecent perfdIes hid prepared ne e;
hose which have now been enuFousy
erpetrated by severeigns WHO cfessed
hat they bore their arms against France
My SO long as was seated on he:
lroue! The INST Iawless balbaiaGS
ave never manifested such contempt q
Diemn engagements. The darkest ayes
ave never presented such scenes Of
,eachery and Iicen6ouS direction 6!
rec in an unre istiny country. 81
The miserable king VINO was content
surrender France as their prey. has ~
ven his wrongs t plead. Tie mock o =
IS sway desecrates the divinity Of b'
GIT. and he tr mbi.s lest the ,e~ 9
: nee Of the nation should sweep iD
I'd tie dcspoiiers FROM tie soil be!ys
e work Of rum IS a. coupi<hed.
{" Flenchmen Yau are nov told. Tia:
1t only my am3 q, but your ccD'