Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-08-29
NAPOLEON BoNAPARTE.

death of this great Captain, subjoins the
following remarks:
Thus terminates in exile and in prison
the most extraordinary life yet known to
political history. The vicissltudes OF such
a life, indeed, are the most valuable les
sons which history can furnish. Connec-
ted with, and founded in, the principles
OF his character, the varieties OF fortune
which Bonaparte experienced are OF ma
ture to illustrate the most useful maxims.
of benevolence, patriotism or discretion.
I'sey embrace both extremes OF the con-
dition of man in society, and therefore ad-
dress themselves to all ranks OF human
beings. But Bonaparte was our enemy
---Our defeated enemy and as English
men we must lfet tarnish our triumphs
over the living warrior; by unmanly In
Justice towards the dead. The details of
his life are notorious, and we omit them.
The community OF which Bonaparte was
in his early days member, and the mill
tary edu-ation which he received, may,
independently of any original bias of char
acter, have laid the foundation OF the
greatness to which he attained, and OF that
Inischievous application of unbridled pow
er, through which he fell very nearly to
the level whence he first had started.
Nothing could be more corrupt than the
morals of military society among the
French before the Notwithstanding
more selfish OF contracted than the views
Cat all times) of a thorough bred military
adventurer Bonaparte came into active
Lille, with as much (but we have no reason
20 think larger share of lax morality
and pure selfishness as others OF his age
and calling. The public crisis into which
ne was thrown, gave to profound selfish
ness the form of Unsuitable ambition.
With talents and enterprise beyond all
comparison greater than any against
which he had 10 contend, he overthrow
whatever opposed his progress. Thus,
ambition in him was more conspicuous
than in others, only because 1t was more
successful He became Sovereign How,
then, was this pupil of military school
prepared to exercise the functions Of SOW
ereignty? An officer, as such, has no
idea of divided power,-His patriotism is
simply love of his troops and his profess
ion He will obey commands he will
issue tbem-but in both cases those COM
mands are absolute Talk to him of de-
liberation, of debate, Of freedom of action,
of speech, nay of opinion, his feeling is,
that the body to which any Of these priv
leges shall be accessible, must fall into
confusion and be speedily destroyed
Whatever pretexts may have been resort
ed to by BoDaparte-whateVer Jacobin
wells he may have Joined in to assist has
own advance towards power--every sub
sequent act of his life assures us that the
military prepossessions In which he was
educated, became those by wlch he was
influenced as statesman: and we are
we'll persuaded of his conviction, that 1t
was impossible for any country, above all
for France, to be governed otherwise than
by one sole autho and un
limited. 1t may We confess, be no salts
faction to the French, nor any great con-
ISOLATION to the rest of Europe, to know
through what means it was, OF by what
vicious training, that Bon parte was lifted,
nay. predestined almost, to be scourge
and destroyer of the rights of nations, in
s,ead of employing power irresistible
anC which III such cause none would
have felt disposed to resist, for the pro
motion Of knowledge, peace and liberty
throughout the world. La limiting at what
we conceive to be the fact, however, we
are bound by regard for truth; our bust
ness is not to apologize for Bonaparte;
but SO far as NAV be done within the brief
limits OF a newspaper, to analyze and
faithfully describe him. The factions al
90 which be was compelled to crush, and
whose ve.throw Obtained for him the
gratitude of his country, still threatened a
resurrection when the COMPRISING force
should be withdrawn Hence were pre-
texts furnished on behalf of despotism OF
which men more enlightened and better
constituted than Bonapar G might not
soon have discovered the fallacy Raised
to empire at home his ambition sought for
itself fresh aliment; and foreign conquest
was at once tempting and easy. Here The
natural reflection will Obtrcde itself; what
might not this extraordinary being have
effected for the happiness of mankind,
and for his own everlasting fame and
grandeur. had he used but mOiety OF the
force of perseverance in generous efforts
TO relieve the oppressed, which ne wasted
in rendering himself the monopolist and
patron of oppression! But he had left
himself no resource. He had extingulsh-
ed liberty in France, aid had no hold up
ON his sub jeets but their love OF military
yIery. Conquest therefore succeeded TO
10 CONQUEST, until nothing capable of sub
;nsation was left to be subdued, lnso-
ionce and rapacity in the victor produced