Kentucky Gazette

Extract of a letter from a French officer of the first distinction and intelligence, in St. Petersburg, to his friend in New-York, dated in August last:

"I arrived at St. Petersburg in the month of October last, with all my family. The emperor saved my life in taking me out of prison in August, 1815. The infinite clemency of our great and good king [Louis] destined me to follow Ney and Labedoyere, but the generous and magnanimous Alexander saved me; and, the grandson of Louis the 15th, was forced to show mercy, and to have one victim the less.

Presuming it will give you pleasure to know all I can gather on the actual state of Europe, I judge proper to state to you, that the French government has fallen into the utmost contempt and derision, which is openly and publicly manifested here on all occasions. The ambassador, count de Norevilles, receives continually such intimations as sufficiently proves to him these facts. If the allies could agree on the new sovereign to be given to France, our affairs would soon be terminated; but the difference of opinion on this head arrests every thing.—Russia, Prussia, and the Low countries appear in favour of putting the Prince of Orange on the throne; but Austria and England persist in holding up to view Napoleon the 2d. What is certain, is, that on the death of the king, this question will be decided, unless, before that desired event, a difference should rise between the allies, and bring to light their projects, rendered necessary and indispensable by the sanguinary anarchy which the Bourbons have established in our unhappy country.

"Germany and England have reduced their military establishments, but Russia has a million of men under arms. All the regiments are complete and perfectly organized at this moment; 16 new regiments of Lancers and the imperial guard, which I see exercising every day, are magnificent—The latter counts 50,000 men in its ranks, all soldiers, perfectly well disciplined. You see, my dear friend, that the moderation of the emperor Alexander is the only bound of his power, and I dare to hope from him a relief from the miseries which hang over and weigh upon our afflicted country. His soul is too great and too generous not to fix a term to the sufferings of a nation like ours oppressed by a stupid fanaticism, and by a family whose system of government is composed of weakness, vengeance and barbarous atrocities."—Columbian