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ebject. But, after all, it is not unlikely 
that he has been actuated folely by the de- 
fire of gratifying his vanity, and by no 
other motive. Men are often deceived in 
aferibing every motion of political per- 
fonages to fome public caufe: they forget 
that they are {till men, ** with like paf- 
fions as themfelves.” 
Whatever may have been the motive, it 
is, however, probable that the Chief Con- 
ful will derive fome ufeful information 
from this progrefs, Obfervation is never 
Jofi upon fuch a mind; and, from re- 
marking the flate of manufactures and 
commerce in the moft commercial parts of 
the Republic, it is probable that fome 
yveans may be fuggefted for their amelio- 
sation. The great feale on which his 
plans of public improvement are con- 
evived, in fact deterve admiration, The 
opening the grand canal of Languedoc— 
the union of the Mediterranean with the 
Atlantic—the vaft defign of interfecting 
France ‘by commoedious and extenfive 
roads and canals, are meafures characte- 
riftic of agreat mind. Unfortunately, the 
grand error of the Chief Conful is an er- 
ror in principle. He knows not, that it is 
the fpirit of Liberty alone that can give 
energy and profperity to a nation. He 
knows, not that the perfect fecurity of 
private property muit precede national 
weaith and grandeur. He who builds oa 
any other foundation, ere€ts a fabric on 
the fand. ‘The public works which adorn 
eur happy ifland, are not the works of the 
Goverament—they are the works of the 
People. Our cana!s, cur bridges, our 
docks, our magnificent piles of ware- 
houfes and manvufactories, our plans for 
the protection of fhipping and commerce, 
even the bulk of our charitable inftitu- 
tions, have refulted from the energy of 
the natioi, the abundance of property, 
and the fecurity of that property however 
nveited. iS 
Until France fhall poffefs civil and po- 
Etical Nberty, ard a code of jurifpru- 
cence in fome refpe&t analogous to that 
of Great Britain, neither will her manu- 
facturers rival ours in induitry, nor her 
capitalias emulate the fpirit of ours — 
The means muft be wanting to complete 
any one of the great undertakings which 
the Chief Confulis faid to have in contem- 
piation, and we might almoft apply to 
them the extempore epigram of Swift: 
Behold a proof of Irith fenfe— 
Here lrifh wit is feen—— 
" When all ts lof that’s worth defence, 
Shey? satis eae) j 
ihey build 4 magazine - 
State of Public Affairs in November, 1802. 
[Dec. 1, 
Bonaparte, in truth, appéars to be of 
that mixture of charaéter, which is lefs- 
uncemmon than 1s ufually fuppofed, of 
{plendid talents without the proper ba- 
lance of judgment. He has hitherto been 
one of the moft fortunate of mankind, and 
his unparalleled fuccefs has evidently in- 
toxicated him. When his good fortune 
ence forfakes him, we will, venture to 
predict his fall will be as precipitate as his 
rife was rapid.—'* There is a tide im the 
affairs of men’’—His has hitherto been an 
abundant flow—the ebb will be dreadful 
and overwhelming. 
The death of the Duke of Parma, 
whofe dominions, by the late treaty, fall 
to the difpofal of France, has given rife te 
fome fpeculations. It is yet uncertain 
whether this territory will be annexed to 
the French or Italian Republic, or other- 
wife difpofed of at the will of the Chief 
Conful, 
There is one anecdete, which, as re- 
fiehing honour-on the Chief, Conful, it 
would be moft uncandid in us to fupprefs, 
while we are engaged in a critical invefti- 
gation of his conduct. It is faid that 
Cambaceres, the Bifhop of Caen, lately 
made application to the Prefect of Rouen 
to fhut up forcibly the Proteftant Churches, 
which the Prefe& refufed, till he could re- 
ceive further orders from the Government 
upon fo delicate a fubje&t. It is added, 
that when the affair was made known to 
Bonaparte, he fent for the Second Conful, 
and told him, that, ‘* if the Bifop had 
not been Ais brother, he would have ftruck 
him off the litt.” 4 
SWITZERLAND. 
By the unjuf interference of France, 
this unfortunate country has had peace 
impofed upon it; but, if the Roman Orator 
may be trufted, ‘* the peace of flavery is 
worfe than the war of liberty.” We are, 
however, fincerely of opinion, that both 
the Helvetic Diet, and the Powers of Eu- 
rope, have aéted on this occafion upon the 
foundeft principles of wijdom and policy. 
The Diet, ‘on receiving the infolent pro- 
clamation of the French Conful, neither 
gave an aétual refuial nor entirely fubmit- 
ted, One of its firft meafures was fecret- 
ly to addrefs thé great European Powers, 
and it fufpended its proceedings till their 
anfwer could be received. 
medium of the Court.of Vienna, it is faid, 
that anfwer was tranfmitted. It intimat- 
ed that Aufria, without the afive con- 
currence of Great Britain» and Ruifia, 
was unable to take any effective part in 
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