The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

Hear a Patriot of the Revolution.

FROM THE EVENING POST.

The relative situations of Great-Britain, France, and the United States, presents to the world as extraordinary a political phenomenon as is perhaps recorded in the pages of history, ancient or modern. In our contest for independence, the king of France entered into our views, and gave us aid. To this he was not actuated, in the least, by a respect for the rights of man. It was not our interest, or happiness, but his own, which brought him to the field; he was governed by no other motive under heaven, but the hope of lopping off an arm of the British empire. And in forming the treaty of peace, that very king treacherously endeavoured to induce the British to deprive the United States of all the western country, and all participation in the fisheries. This would have succeeded but for the sagacity and firmness of Mr. Jay. However, the French did help us in our struggle for independence against Great-Britain, and were amply remunerated in the full accomplishment of the object originally contemplated. What a wonderful metamorphose in the scene is now presented. Behold Great-Britain, opposed alone, against the mighty power of Bonaparte. and all Europe, fighting not only for their independence and her own, but for the independence of these very United States! And what is still more extraordinary, to behold our government, for years, aiding by every species of fraud and deceit, the tyrant of Europe, and destroyer of all its republicks, to subvert that power, which is standing thus alone, between us and universal subjugation! Strange, indeed, passing strange, to see a republican empire, committing its own political suicide, to promote the destructive views of the most insatiate Hyena that ever infested the earth. Ambitious as Alexander, more wicked and cruel than Nero or Caligula—A monster in human shape! greater than whom has never existed since the creation of man How unfortunate that a person in some respects perhaps the greatest in the world, instead of being the best, should be the worst man living! What crime is there in the black catalogue of human depravity which he has not perpetrated! Falsehoods, deceit, perjury, treachery, assassinations, incest, adultery, incestuous adultery, robbery, piracy, arson, and murders with the foul sin of ingratitude, form the prominent features in the escutcheon of the great Emperor's character. If the blood-stained ravages of La Vendee, who was so very fitly placed by his master, near our most obsequious administration, or, if any of my honest, deluded fellow-democrats can inform me which of the traits in the above armorial picture is not truly applied, the error shall be confessed, and erased from the escutcheon, Such is the man before whom republican magistrates, and people have for years bent the knee, crouching like Spaniels licking a master's feet, and finally by taciturnity, confessing themselves to be cowards and villains! For such is the plain English of Cadore's note, when after most impudently dictating to our rulers, what part they should take in the concerns of Bonaparte, says, they are "without just political views, without honour and without energy." God knows the man spoke the truth this time, if he never did before.

I consider it an axiom, clear as any one in Euclid, that the day on which Bonaparte should subdue Old England, or what would perhaps amount to the same thing, should overpower her fleets, the sun of American freedom would probably be set forever. I am satisfied, could the truth be known, that the President of the United States. and those of his administration, nay, that every intelligent man, (divested of the shackles of party,) would subscribe to the above opinion. Has he not long since offered to invade Louisiana with a powerful army for the British? Has he not proposed to them, to invade and divide with them the United States? but more of this hereafter.

In all Europe there is not one independent government or nation—not even one man, of any political consequence, that is truly independent. The people of France are the most degraded and enslaved of any on the face of the earth. On a whole continent, not one free press, nor a soul. that dares to speak or write in any publick manner, his feelings and opinions respecting this usurper of kingdoms. Where this is the Case, surely freedom is no more. When the truth may not be spoken and written then despotism must prevail. In any Country where foreign influence, and party exists, liberty there is half extinguished. I take it, there is not in Montesquieu sounder doctrines than those ; (But for the British fleet, freedom of speech or of the press, would not long survive even in these United States.) All things are perfectly understood in the Cabinet of St. Cloud. Nothing but a knowledge of the influence he had at the seat of government. and the prevalence of parties, could have emboldened the Emperour to demand with insolent threats of war, millions for undefined territory from our nerveless administration. To burn and sink our fleets upon the ocean—to imprison and half starve hundreds of our brave seamen, driving them with ignominy and insult through the interior of France to loathsome gaols—To decoy, seize and condemn many millions worth of property upon deceitful or unfounded pretexts. After all this, surely nothing but a perfect understanding of his men and state of things, could have led him to the acme of such mortifying insolence as to say, "Bonaparte loves the Americans"!! Show me an avowed enemy; but hide me from the embrace of Judas—His love, like Bonaparte's, was death.

Educated at Princeton College, (that nursery of good principles,) I early in life became an enthusiastick admirer of the doctrines of liberty, and the just rights of man. This patriotick ardour has, undeviatingly, remained the same to the present moment. It is well known that for a time, I was a perfect maniac in the revolution-phrensy of the French. For the independence of this country I have often faced the musket and the cannon's mouth, whilst now almost the whole of those who enjoy the honour and the loaves, and are bellowing about liberty and democracy, were either unborn or dandling on a mother's knee, and some of them in the tents of the enemy. These egotisms will, probably, in the view of many, partake of vanity—Be it so—who would not be proud of having been at the side of Washington, Hamilton, Greene, &c. fighting in their country's cause. They fought for principles—Most of the great ones of the present day, are fighting only for the loaves. Poor democrats, how I pity and regret your infatuated blindness

My chief object in the preceding bit of biography, is, that those who read, however they shall decide upon my head, they may have some charity for the patriotick purity and motives of my heart. For be assured, it is with me, as it ought to be with every American revolutionist, a most mortifying reflection, that the national glory and independence which the good and true spirits of seventy-six had acquired and maintained in such great lustre, should in so short a period, be almost wrested from us by the artifices and insolence, and I have no doubt by the bribery and corruption of a foreign tyrant, and the folly and wickedness of an American philosopher. If Thomas Jefferson had a Thousand lives, he deserves to be hung a thousand different times as high as Haman.

As to the main body of those called republicans, it is due to myself, and to them. in this introductory essay, to premise, that in all my strictures now, or hereafter, I do not indulge the minutest degree of personal ill will. I have for them, all possible charity; and only pray, "father forgive them, for they know not what they do."—I am persuaded they love their country, and would freely risk their lives in its defence But there is a set of men of higher order. who direct their minds and actions, of whom I entertain the greatest fear and detestation, being fully convinced that their career must terminate in the most fatal consequences, unless the moderate men of intelligence and property of that party, shall unite in some reasonable dé marche with those who hold fast to the wise precepts of Washington. Thank God, that change has already begun; and nothing but its progress can save the ship of State from foundering We have found that there are republican members of Congress who can soar above party prejudices, when they discover that the great interests of the nation are about to be sacrificed to the selfishness, ambition and indiscreet partialities of the file leaders of democracy.

Every departure from the tenets of our political bible, has been a departure from right to wrong. from publick and individual happiness and glory. to national and individual disgrace and calamity; and which if persisted in much longer, must end in the total destruction of the beautiful fabrick of American freedom.

As to French subjects, whether here or elsewhere, they are not to imagine, that however my observations may savour of asperity, with regard to their Emperour, I harbour the least animosity or disrespect towards them, either as a people, or as individuals. France is truly a great nation; behind no other in bravery ; nor in the great constellation of the arts and sciences has she been deficient of a fair portion of resplendent stars.

WM. WILLCOCKS