Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-09-20

have furnished py some puoHc punishment
terrible example 10 all succeeding tyrants!
He disappoinis all those prophecies-he sur
wives his renown and glory--he prefers
| miserable existence to the death of soldier
on the field ofba,tle, with the brave men who
fought and fell for him. Like Anthony, at
the battle OF Actum, be does not wait for
| the termination of the conhict-and he dies
| in his bed.
Yet what is it that makes US feel some
| touch of pity-some feeling almost OF sor-
I row, at the death of surh a man?--Rea-
| son spurns such a sensbility--justice con-
demns n-but nature and humanity rejection
| the moment, he dictates both Off eascn and
Justice He has gone to his hual account!
his power of oppression and OF mischief is at
an end. "Ambition's debt is pad!"-He can
harm US no longer-he hears US no more
he cannot reply to our accusations-he can
not defend himself from our attack. He
sleeps with the dead bese feelings may be
reprehen.ible --bu they arp the feelings OF
generous minds-they hurst from US almost
in spite of ourselves-snd it is only when we
turn away from viewing The unconscious and
lieless corpse, that we can take cool and
Just survey NJ his character.
twas indeed tue character the almost un-
mligated character of tyrant, Never had
man so large and ample an opportunity of
being the benetactor of mankind No man
bad ever in greater degree the oppottunl-
ty OF deserving to he called the decus-'ihe
delic,e humnnt Generis' one could
have carved out to him so clear and broad
path to a real and blessed Immortality. And
he was not, as other tyrants have been, spoil
ed by Hattery-or diverted from the path of
virtue hy base and fawning courters His
faults, his vices, his errors, were all his own.
Itwas character 'sui gensris Sit stood "a
lone--it resembled nothing that went before
it. 1t was not the ambition of Cesar, or of
Cromwell. 1t had 10 traits OF resemblance
to the character OF Anthony or Augustus. 1t
had not been founded upon the model Of any
great conqueror, either in ancient or modem
times. 1t "was lk. my brolher-it had no
brother;" il had all the merit Git We may use
such phrase of originali'y-and let US hope
that the Historian of furure times may not
be able to furnish any parallel.
1t would be foreign TO onr purpose, nor
have we space. TO trace him from The rise TO
the fall of his fortune. The blood of his bad
deeds is not yet dry-tbe recollection and
horror of them are yet too fresh and green in
cur memory-we ale too near the scene Of
his exploits to decide upon him with cool
and impartial judgment-but,w were we call
ed upon to anticipate the opinion OF the his.
torian, we should say, that whilst he concen-
tred;some OF the brilli~nl qualities of the most
celebrated men Of antiquity, he combined
all their vices.
With all Alexander's eagerness for con-
quest, he had none of his magnanim.ty--
with all Charles the t2tb's mania Tor expedi-
tons. he had none Of his GOODNESS in difficult
ty and danger. He united the popularity OF
Marius to the prodgalily Of Syla, and of;en
combined the terocity OF both with the inces-
SAINT activity OF Cesar, wit out, however,
having Casar's simplicity. knowledge. gen.
crosby, or erea ness al mind. lr his foreign
politics he as alternately insolent and mean
and he never besitated 10 commit the most
atrocious crimes when they enabled him TO
accomplish his ends-ln lis internal admin
istratinn he was neither more generous nor
more just. He was prodigal TO his agents,
in proportion to their obedience TO his will
and his caprice. All the wealth Of the Con-
tinent passed successiyel y into their hands.
and hence their attachment and fanaticIsm
long survived his power. In his nominations
to places, he selected men, not because OF
their patriotism, their talents, or their ex-
ptrence, but because of their zeal and devo
ton TO his person. Such system, it may
we'll be supposed, produced bad selections,
bu, they contributed for long time to the
support and soidiy OF his Throne.
live may hazard an opinion, the cele bri-
ty of this extraordinary man, less extraordi-
nary by his talents than by the vicisstudes
that have marked his reign, is destined to de-
crease FROM age to age; aud when he shall be
despoied Of all foreign and external lustre, it
will be acknowledged hat he was more ia
nous by the audaclty of bis enterprises, the