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From the CONNECTICUT COURANT, 1812
THE ULTERIOR POLICY OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES
At this time of day it is impossible to mistake the ulterior policy of the French government towards us, and every nation else which it can reach by its arts and by its arms. After drinking the blood of near two millions of its own citizens, it has constantly under its several different forms for fifteen years at least, been manifesting a furious lust for universal domination, it is never satisfied; like the grave, it says, "it is not enough." The hellish machinery it has used, from first to last, for crushing the nations and making them the sport of its fury, is a compound of fraud and force. It embraces them, and with the hug of a bear, stifles them in the embrace. It offers them liberty and loads them with chains. It makes them first its allies, and then its vassals.
This had been the steady course of the French government for even a considerable time before Napoleon Bonaparte became the sole master of France; and he himself has pursued the same course as steady as time, and without a single instance of deviation Let facts speak:
It was in the year 1795 that Holland yielded to an alliance with France. The gates of Amsterdam were thrown open to a French army. They were received as friends and brothers. The houses were illuminated. A general festival was kept throughout the whole city. The welkin, as it were, was rent with acclamations of joy. The Hollanders had been promised over and over again, that their rights should be respected. Oft and many a time Bonaparte himself expressed singular love for the Hollanders. We need not relate the rest.
Again, in the year 1798 (Bonaparte being then the prime manager of the affairs of France I Italy) the gates of Rome were opened to an army of Frenchmen, who wanted admission for no other reason (as was pretended) but to amuse the citizens with a funeral fete which they were about instituting in honour of General Duphot. "The fete was very splendid, and naturally attracted the curiosity of most persons at Rome. The solemn drama was acted in the piazza of St. Peters. It was received with universal applause. But the price of the exhibition was dearer than the spectators imagined, for while they were performing their theatrical politicks, at that moment, in every other part of the city, an ingenious under-plot was carrying on, which consisted in removing the plate out of all the churches without any distinction of the neutrality of alliance of any nation."
They proceeded to extort by force, silver, household furniture, jewels, and whatever they pleased. They robbed the Vatican and the Palaces of their treasures, and their exquisite works of art. And finally they "obliged the princes, and nobles, and the cardinals to serve as common soldiers." Yet the citizens of Rome were their dear allies!
Again, who knows not the fidelity, or rather servility, with which Spain cohered to France, in quality of an ally, for more than half a score years? The mines, the armies, the navies, the very life-blood, of the former, were devoted to the latter as a free-will offering. How often and how highly did Bonaparte extol his faithful brother the monarch of Spain, and his faithful allies the Spaniards. In the meanwhile a dirk was concealed in the skirt of his garment. He was plotting the utter subversion of their government and independence. By arts of falsehood he obtained permission to introduce swarms of French officers and soldiers into Spain, and get possession of the passes of the Pyrenees and the principal strongholds of the kingdom, under pretext of conquering Gibraltar for the Spaniards. Through means of the Godoys the traitors he had won over in Spain, a quarrel was brought about between the monarch and his eldest son. Bonaparte constitutes himself umpire, and offers to decide the dispute between them as a common friend to both. All things being ready, he, under the guise of friendship and deep concern for their interests, invites over the royal family to France and no sooner had them in his power, than he seized their persons, and forced them at the peril of their lives to abdicate the throne. The letter he wrote to Ferdinand the Seventh, to allure him into his clutches, concludes thus,
"Rely upon my wish to reconcile every thing, and to find opportunity to give you proof of affection and high regard. And so I pray God may keep you, brother, under his holy and worthy protection."
This may be termed, the magnificence of villainy. It is the wickedness of no ordinary mind. It is worthy of the man who at one time could worship at the altars of atheism; at another could embrace the religion of Mahomet in Egypt; and then become a devout papist and present his son at the baptismal fount! It is worthy of the man, in talents the greatest, and the worst in heart, among perhaps all human beings now living upon earth!
The instances we have adduced (a few of many) are fair specimens of the nature, genius and disposition of the government of France, and of the personal qualities of the "prodigy" who is now himself alone, that government; nor can it be short of madness for any nation to expect from it either justice or mercy.
And is our country drawing toward an alliance with France? Merciful Heaven forfend it! It would be a covenant with death; a league with perdition. An alliance with Napoleon Bonaparte! Then would be heard in it, as it were, the voice of an angel of destruction, saying, "Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the United States of America!"
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-Napoleon Bonaparte
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