Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

From the United States Gazette.

The following handsome essay upon the state of affairs in Europe was written, by a gentleman from the European continent in the latter part of the year 1808, several weeks after we heard of an organized opposition in Spain to the fell tyranny of Bonaparte.

The concluding paragraph was then in some sort prophetic of what has since become fact.

REFLECTIONS UPON THE AFFAIRS OF SPAIN.

A ray of light has at length penetrated the gloom in which the continent of Europe has so long been shrouded. Hope seems to whisper, that the long wished for moment is fast approaching in which mankind is to be delivered from the most dreadful of tyrannies.

Storms cannot be perpetual. The tempests which disturb the atmosphere, and the convulsions which rend the earth, are permitted for a while to exert their violence, in order to bring the elements to a just equilibrium. The storms of war and revolution which agitate the affairs of nations, serve to keep alive the energies of man and to correct the ever-growing abuses of government. And as, the fiercest tempests which agitate the material world quickly subside, when once their rage is at its height, permitting the efforts of man and the genial influence of nature to repair the havock they have occasioned; so, may we hope that this raging and destructive tempest which has so long spread desolation through the political world and which now appears to have arrived at its utmost pitch of fury and violence, shall, ere long, be quelled by an overruling Providence, and succeeded by the calm of peace and prosperity.

At a period of confusion which appeared remediless, of tyranny which fancied itself beyond the reach of danger, of lawless robbery which set at defiance all restraint; at this dreadful period, a spark from the surrounding ruin has suddenly kindled into a flame a courage which had long lain dormant, but which now unites with virtue and honor to nerve the arm that is stretched forth against triumphant wickedness, and that threatens to lay prostrate in the dust a merciless and insulting despotism. A nation has at length arisen with one consent to hurl defiance at the oppressor of mankind. She rushes undaunted upon the veteran legions which have long been accustomed to conquer almost without resistance, the plunder of those whom they subdued. Day, and by a single movement, the enemy Napoleon cannot expect to destroy in one which now opposes him. We have heretofore foreseen him without striking a blow, bring and, as by enchantment, annihilate their armies; him surround the armies of his enemies, commanded against him; we have beheld to his own terms the generals who com- cess are to be attributed principally to the power. But these almost unexampled success- manoeuvres, and the immense superiority of rapidity of his marches, the celerity of his so extensively and effectually had his allied conquered by the terror of his name. And has hitherto contended were already half his forces. The troops against whom he partisans propagated the opinion that his power was irresistible. that he would, in short time, have had no other use for his armies than to remain inactive spectator, ence to his mandates, peaceably deposited the sovereigns Europe his imperial foot-tool him, he will not be able to compel his enemies, before quitting the field of battle, to subscribe to a hasty and ruinous peace succeeded place of the fallen, and they with a courage inspired by fury and revenge. will advance venge.

In a regular war of sovereign against so calmly replaced by others whose movements are those of mere machines.
But when a nation rises to oppose an invading power * General Mack, &c. + Marengo and Austerlitz. The Prussian army.
which comes to destroy its laws, its liberties, altars, its all that it holds dear, every individual of the community feels himself interested in the cause, and is roused by any national misfortune to ten-fold zeal and activity. It was not to be expected that among nations, who by their manners and customs have long been connected with France, enchained her neighbors, fettered by the narrow policy or cajoled by the corruption which she spreads around, abased by the dread of their own rulers.* of their own government and to be expected that a spirit of frenzy and of this description it was nations of to the destruction of this monstrous enthusiasm should ever be exhibited equal to the destruction of this monstrous enthusiasm should ever be exhibited to trample under foot all law and order. A movement cused by atrocious insults and injuries to a proud nation such as that of the Spaniards could never have cen produced in any but a proud nation isi indignation of its wrongs, and to a pro- er sense of its own power and importance ; reasures of its own government, had long hation too, that disgusted by the weak repared to act with unanimity and energy er.dasecret fermentation, and was thus henever a great occasion should call forth s esertions. on the continent, have been more solicitqus The sovereigns of Europe in their war heir subjects; they have evinced greater to preserve their crowns than to protect pendence. While their whole thoughts bread cf sacrificing a part of their territory than of endangering their national inde- ons. they have, in fact, been undermining have been bent upon preserving the iptegri- ty or extending the limits of their domini- the foundations of their power; fer they the reverence and affection of their sub- have, by their conduct, greatly diminishetl ldive tamcly the yoke of servitude, by a guil- rcts; and they have prepared them to re- ty pamnticipation in the schemes or a blind rbmission to the will of the commgn ene- my.t Bonaparte has, until lately, been carcful to color ev:ry attack upon the continental powers with sone specious pretext. Hel has not marched into their territorics with. out a formal declaration of war, nor with- out setting forth against the sovereigns or theircabinets some grievances (real or pre- trnded) as the cause of his aggressions. His conduct, therefore, though unjust, has not been of such an atrocious nature as to a- rouse the indignant spirit which, like the electric spark, is sometimes found to per- rade in an instant every member of a com- munity. But in his measures towards Spain he has pursued a very different course. While preparing her subjugation and ruin, he affected to disclaim every thought of do- ing her injury; while meditating the most infamous treachery, he was prodigal of ex- pressions of friendship and regard. If he entered her territories, it was, he declared, in order to aid her in subduing Portugal, and in regaining a free intercourse with her colonies by expeditions that were to coupel Englandi toa peace.So sincere did his respect for her national independence appear, that, amidst the internal divisions by which she was agitated, he commanded his generals to observe a strict neutrality. He pretended to be an unconcerned spectator of the abdi- cation of Charles. of the fall of the prince Mf peace, and of the accession of Ferdinand Vii. to the throne. But he has, of a sud- den, torn off the mask ; he has exposed his infernal machinations to the view of the world. The nation of which he styled him- delf the friend and ally suddenly sees her government oyerthronn ; and upon express- ing her regret rather than in digaation, hears aruthless master announced, the fist act of whose unfeeling mnyrmidons is to shed the blood of her citize ns.$ The whole couduct of Bonaparte towards the Spaniards has been calculated to excite in their bosoins horror and disgust, and to engage on the side of vengeance every feel- * The recent risings of several of the German states do not militatelaguinst the sen- tinents here expressed. Since the writing of this article a spirit of patriotism has burst forth in variqus parts of the German empire, whe at that rime, nothing but infatuation and the most abject submission prevailed. t Written in October last under the Jeffer sonian administration $ On the 2d of Miay, when the gneen of Etruria and her brather zcre forced by the French to leave Madrid, the latter was ob- terved to express great reluctance, and_ even toweep bitterly, at which the people were much affected and irrilated. At this moment an aid-de-camp to the savage murderer of the duke d Eng hein ( Miurat) rushing on at the head ofa gang of French inperial blood- hounds, commenced a scene of slarghter in which several thousand inhabitants of Ma- grid were destroyed. ing of the heart. They have seen their eld monarch in bondage, the young prince whom they had called to the throne detained a pri- soner , their queen obliged by a pretended confession to cast a stain upon the birth of herown offspring: in a word, they have seen the whole royal family, by force and treacherv, brought under the power of the usurper of their rights. In all these dark transactions, the Spanish people have been accounted as nothing ; it seems to have been expected that they would endure, without murmuring or resistance, any outrage or op- pression that might be brought upon them. Thev have been treated like a herd of unre- siting animals ready to submit themselves to the first creature ot Napoleon who should be placed orer them. Neither their man- ners, their habits, their opixions, nor their projudices have beep at all taken into con- sideration ; they have been looked upon as a degenerate race which had lost every vestige of its origin, and all remembrance of its ancient glorv. All these circumstan- ces have conspired to give the Spanish in- surrection a character which renders its success probable, and which interests in its ba aif the whole world. The proclamations by which it was announced, and the c fforts by which it is supported, display none of that caution end reserve which indicate un- certaiuty or fea.r The undissembled feel- ing of the nation here discovers itself ; it is this which dictates the reproaches and threats directed against Napoleon, which palliutes nothing, which softens no expres- sion of hatred or indiguation. Here are no declarations of cabinet to cabinet. but the manifestoes of a whole people against an in- dividual ; here is heard a formidable and imposing voice, a voice which is exerted in the maintenance of rights which are natural and unaiienable, a voice to which the dar- ing usurper of these rights cannot be insen- sible. Nepoleon has never, until lately, been openly accused in the ace of the world ; he has never before beard a lan- guage so haughty and contemptuous ;* he has alwars becn treated as a lawfui sove- reign, though in reality but a lawless and upstart tyrant, a robber, a perjurer, the arch foe of all that is legal and just. Whatever be the issue of the present con- test in Spain, it must lead to important con. s: quences. When a whole body politic is set in motion, its movements will be com- mupicated to surrounding bodies. The nation that bravely rises in defence of its liberries, must inspire other oppressed na- tions with a disposilion to support it in the struggle, or to avenge it if it fall. A. B. * See the Spanish proclamations.