Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-11-04

bic rellc from bodily ailmen of serious and alarm
ing Character, which his policy carefully concealed
III ouer not 10 excite cruel expectations in his adverse
RES.
Such IS the inevitable and unhappy influence of the
most uWia' causes over the Destiny OF nations. Ii will
be shortly seen, when the po!eundest combinations
winch ought To have secured the of the botest
and perhaps the most useful entcrprse in n Europe,n
point oil view, come TO be dcveoped-how, al the de-
csWe moneut on the plains of the Moskwa nature
paraiyzed genius, and the wanting TO the hero
he numerous battaions OF Russia then nsuici-
e"t to defend herr stormy day. sudden attack Of r.,
yer, were lier salvation.
1t will be only Just and proper 10 revert TO this oh
servation. when, in examining the picture which I
sha! be forced TO trace OF the battle of the Moswa
s''a oe found repeating all the cumplanis and even
The reproachcs which unusual inactivity and Ian
gour cXored from the most devoted lrio:lds and CON
slant admirers Of this great man. Most of them nc
wen as those who have subsequently, given account
oil the battle, of the bodily suferings of
cici who III the midst of his Depression exertcd him
sell TO conceal their cause That ch was eminent
ly misfortune, these narrators have designated as
fault.
Besides at 800 leagues distance from ones Loue
alter So many faSues and sacrifices, the instant when
victory escaped from their grasp aud frghtful pros
Pect revealed itself! IT was natural to expect severity of
Judgment; and the Judges had suffered too much them
selves, TO allow theirs TO be imrartia
as Tor myself, shall not conceal what witnessed
IN lie persuasion that truth Of all tributes that which
IS alone worthy of great that ustrions can
from every occurrence excepting his revcrscs. nj
that man WHO raised himself to great an cnincnce
that poscry will scarcely be enabled to distinguish the
shadow attached IL & lory so brilliant.
The French army continued to advance and the Russian
army to cautiously SYSTEMATICALLY avoidinr
combat which tie French Emperor so arenty d,si,cd I
drawing him his fate.
The Emperor now decided; the course Of the Dina
and OF the BOristhenes marked out the French
INC army was TINS quarcred on the banks of these
two rivers, and III the interval between them: Ponia-
towSkI and hs Poles at Muhiei; Dayuust ard the first
corps at Orcha, Dubrovvna, and LuIbuw.iczl: Murat
Ney the army of itliy and the guard from Orcla and
Dubrowna TO Witepsk and Surai The advance posts
al 1yadI, Vmkowo, and Neli opposite TO those of Bar
clay and Bag5ation; FOR these two hostile armies the
one lying from Napoleon, the Dina by Drissa
ana w leEsk, TIC other, escaping DayOust the
6erIna and tie Borstienes, by way of Bubruisk
Bickol, and Smoieas succeeded in forming iunction
within the interval bounded 10y these two rivers.
as soon rs tile Emperor had made up his mind he
returned TO WeIsfI with his guard there on the 28tb
OF july IN entering the imperial headquarters he laid
down hls sword and abruptly dcposing il on his mans
with which his tables covered, he exclaimed
Here stop! here nusl look ronnd me; rallv refresh
my army and organize Poland. The campaign of 1912
Is lnished that of 1913 will do the rest
With The conquest OF Lihuana, the object of the
war was attained and, nevertheless, that appeared
scarcely To have coDmenced for places that were
vanquIshed and not The Russian army was I'm.
broken; ITS two wings, which Lad been separated bv the
hiSt oHStl> Hdu NOW united. W Z the finest
season of the year. 1t in this situation that Napo-
leon believed himself rreyocabiy decided to halt on The
banks OF the Borlsthenes and the Dina. At that time
he could much more easily deceive others as TO his in
tentions, as he actually deceived himself
We are told hat the line of defence already traced
upon Napolcons maps, and that
He was exploring Witepslz and its environs A.
10 reconnoitre places where he likely 10 make
long residence. Establishments Of all kinds were form
ca ihcre. thirty SIX ovens capable of providing at
once 29OGO loaves OF bread were constructed. Nci-
Their was tie useful alone attended TO; establishment
was also considered. Some stone houses spelled the
appearance OF tie square the palace; the Ernneror
ordered ms guard to pull them down and clear away
Inc rubbish Indeed, he ALREADY anticipatincr Ire
pleasures OF winter; Partisan actors must come TO
NlcpsE; and that city Abandoned fair suecia-
tors must be attracted from Warsaw and Wilma
ms star al that time enlightened lis path happy had
been for him, if lie had net afterwards mistaken tho
movements OF his npatience for tho inspirations of &c.
Mus But, whatever may be said, it was by himself
alone that he suffered himself he hurried on; for in
INN every thing proceeded from himself and il was
VAN attempt TO scducc his prudence. In vain did one
OF S tnafsai5 encourage his hopes of nurrecion of
iHe EussIans, consequence of tie pfoclarnniions
which lbs officers of The advanced guard had been in
sructed to disseminate. Some Poles had intoxi cated
'bat general with iGconsderate premises dictated BY
The decisive hoPc common TO all cxcs with winch
them.
But Nurat was Tie individual whose indictments
were most frequent and animated Tired of reposc
and insa!iabc OF glory that monarch who considered
me enemy TO be within his grasp, unable 10 rcpress
ms emotions. He quilted the advanced guard, went 10
W itepSk, and, in private interview with the Ernreror
gave way to ms impcnosity lie accused tic Russian
army OF cowardlcc; according TO him. it had failed in
the T. dczC3itS before Nitcpsk if it had been an az
Ialr OF duel Ii was panic struck ariny which his
light cavalry alone sufficient 10 put TO flight This
ebrIl'on exioricd smile from Naroieon but in order
10 moderate his cryOur lie said 10 him: 'MuraG the
st campaign in Russia 6nshe let us here lau our
eagles. Two great rivers narf out our positions let
rs raise block houses that line: let our fires cross
each other ALI sides. Let form in SQUARE battalion:
cannous at The angles and the exterior let lie interior
contain on quarters and our magazines 1913 will sec
US at Hloscow-lG14 at PcteJsburgh. The Russian
war is q war of three years."
Il was Illus that his genus conceived every thing in
masses, and his eye cxpaared army Of 100000
men rs if itwcre regiment.
That very day he loudly addressed administrator
IN the following words: Gas for You, sir, YOU must take
care 10 provide subsistence for these quarters
added he, IN higher tone, and addressing himself to
some Of lHs officers, shall not repeat the folly of