Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-02-19

lowing uuCTdl ODSerVdllOnS Ou tHC rC-
ception of Gen. Lafayette in this coun-
try.
"If contrast were wanted to the SER
vile spirit displayed by the French Roy
alists in the present day, We should look
to the interesting spectacle, now exbib-
tied by the American people, of no.
nest and enlightened affection for their
ancient benefactor and fellow soldier in
the cause of freedom. We will own,
that, to us, there is something peculi-
arly touching in the enthusiasm, which
that great nation has shown upon the
arrival of the truly venerable person
who seeks, in their affections, a tempo
rary refuge from the persecution OF his
own government. No man can be nam
ed who has, through long life, act
ed with more undertaking integrity,
and who, with more strict consistency,
has pursued his course of devotion to
the sacred cause of liberty, and opposed
all despotism, whether exercised by the
genius Of Napoleon, or by those sue
cessors to his throne, whose powers
form so mighty contrast with their
stations. Lafayette may have fallen in
to errors; in flying from one danger, he
did not perceive that liberty might have
double hazard to encounter, both
from oppression and from conquest !;
but faults he has never been charged
with by any whose good opinion de-
serves his regard and the honors
which he has received in America are
as entirely due to the inflexible virtue
of his ripper years, and his willing sa-
crifce of himself on all occasions to the
cause of liberty in his own country, as
they are peculiarly fit to hail his reap
pearance in country which the ge-
nerous devotion of his younger days had
helped to make powerful State OF a
few dependant colonies. No friend OF
liberal principles can feel any thing but
sympathy and pride, in the following
the progress of this great patriot thro'
the United States, even where its
details are recorded by the most ordl-
nary chronicles of the times"
How very different is this language
from that on the same subject, made
use of by the London Courier?
The following Extract of a Letter from an
English gentleman at the capital of Spain,
appears in the latest London papers:
"Madrid, Dec. 3.-Amongst the null
titude of evils inflicted on unfortunate
Spain by France, it is not the least that
the world can know nothing Of us, but
what first passes through the channel
of the French Press. Not satisfied
with having reduced us, by force OF
arms, to such a state of degradation
and wretchedness as was never before,
I believe, endured by people, the
French employ host of spies, inform
ers, and policemen, to misrepresent
and Willy every thing that is Spanish:
"When Ferdinand orders an act of
wanton cruelty, which nobody here can
discover any motive for beyond his
Royal caprice, the French Journals are
sure to be provided with some seeming
justification. the object Of which is to
screen the Bourbons from appearing
to the world in their true colors.
"What brings me to the subject is,
having read in the late Paris Journals
one of those gross impostures above
complained Of 1t is there said that
the King of Spain has at last shown a
disposition to moderation, and asserted,
in proof of this, that the Minister OF
the United States of America, Mr. Mel
son, had attended Conferences of Fo
reign Ambassadors at the Escurial for
several successive days. Was this
true, we should hope for some good
result, as the American Republic can
have no interest in meddling with the
politics Of Spain, except to give honest
counsel; but, unfortunately there is not
word of truth in it; the whole story
is piece of invention by the French
to blind foreign nations as to the real
state of the case. So far from Fer
dinand relaxing in his tyrannical pro-
ceedings since he was threatened with
the loss of his executioners, the French
soldiers, he has positively increased
the measure of cruelty and blood, which
the prisons, the acts of the Police, and
the daily executions by the military
tribunals, abundantly attest.
"The American minister did SO to
the Palace of the Escurial at the time.
mentioned by the French Journals, but
it was only to levee of Court etiquette,
and took care not to remain second
day, for he could not get bed, nor a
bit to eat at the Windsor Of Spain,
where, be it remembered, besides
magnificent Palace, there is pretty
large town. His excellency had to
sleep in his carriage, and refresh him
self on the keen mountain air from
Guadarama with glass of coo. water,
of which there was an abundant sup
ply. Mr.. Nelson gives it as his deci-
Il l.