ALL these, in their turns, separately became enemies to Rome; and in their turns, all the "lions, bears, leopards, rams and goats,"* bowed before her irresistable birds.† The Euxine, the Caspian, the Persian-gulf, and the Ocean, were made the boundaries of her dominions.

AGAINST France we have seen all at once combined, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Germany, the United Provinces, Belgium, Britain, Spain, Sardinia, and Italy.

How she has disposed of some of these adversaries, and how she has disabled others of them, we very well know. What further proof of her puissance she may exhibit, time will shew: but if we are to judge of the future from the past, which perhaps is a good way of judging in such cases, it will not be hereafter any more than it has been already, only what the lawyers call a semi plena probatio," a half proof. It will be full and decisive.

FABIUS.

* Daniel, chapters 7th and 8th.

+ The Romans took for their emblem an eagle, a homely, solitary, silent bird of prey, never celebrated for its temper or its battles. With a much happier fancy, the cock has been assigned to the French, a beautiful, social, sprightly, generous, good-natured bird, that crows and fights, and, if, over-matched, dies struggling for victory.

LETTER III.

Is France then to become as dominating as ancient Rome ?" I do not know. I hope she never will. But this I am much inclined to believe, that if she ever becomes so, it will be owing to the miserable policy, that forbidding her to return into the bosom of peace, and to enjoy the inestimable and tranquillising pleasures of civil and domestic life, adds irritation to irritation, and obliges her to be a MILITARY REPUBLIC, as Rome was. It is evident to me, that on the purest principles, she wishes for peace; but is convinced she cannot obtain it, unless it be by the sword.

"CAN France wish for peace, when she makes such exorbitant demands ?"

YES. Multitudes of her citizens have been slain; many severe calamities have been inflicted upon her; and she has been put to an expence hardly to be calculated. Why? Because she was resolved to be free, and to "institute such a government, as to her seemed most likely to effect her safety and

happiness." She had a right to be free; and to institute such a government. --What right then had the coalesced princes to interfere in the business? None. But they did interfere. She has therefore two other rights springing up from that injustice a right to indemnification, and a right to security against a repetition of such injuries.

"Supposing, she has those rights, still her demands are exorbitant, and if admitted, would destroy the balance of power, and endanger the welfare of Europe."

As to the first part of this observation, it may be sufficient to obsérve, that when we were treating of peace with Great-Britain, our demands were thought exorbitant; and they have been thought so since: but, we obtained them. The charge of exorbitancy is easily made, but not easi

+ "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

Declaration of INDEPENDENCE by the United States of America.

ly to be maintained. The fitness of the application to any particular case, must depend upon a number of peculiar circumstances, and several of these perhaps cannot be by foreigners, accurately investigated or properly estimated.

FRANCE is in possession by conquest, in a just war, a war of defence, for the machinations against her were prior to her declarations. She is the only republic attracting consideration in Europe. She is detested by most if not all the princes in that quarter of the world. There is not a government there, in whose good will towards her she can confide. She must take care of herself; she ought to do it; and she will do it: whatever exclamations are made about exorbitancy. Nor is there a great power in Europe, in whose hands the objects comprehended in her demands, would be more favourable to general welfare, than in her hands.

SHE has made peace with several of the belligerent powers, upon reasonable and moderate terms. This behaviour evinces her temper; and if nations had more command of their own tempers than they now have, they would render more justice than they do, to the character of France. They will be undeceived, and most heartly do I wish, that the explanation may not be delayed. 'Tis time the tra

gedy should end, and that men should look at one another for other purposes, than to aim weapons destruction.

of

I AM addressing men of sense and integrity, real Americans. They know, they feel, that the spirit of liberty is a benign spirit.-From them a sacred impartiality-sacred, because mingled with sensibilities allied to heaven-may be expected.

LET any one of these lay his hand on his breast, and upon the honour of a freeman, answer this question- -Whether, if conspiring empires, kingdoms and states, actuated by a hatred unappeasable, because arising from a conduct meriting esteem, had destroyed millions of our citizens, had rendered more millions of fathers, mothers, wives, children, sisters, brothers, and other relatives miserable, and had overwhelmed our country with a deluge of distresses, he would think such demands as France is said to make, a compensation for our sufferings or more than a reasonable security against a renewal of them?

LET us remember, how we thought and acted on a similar occasion. What the Missisippi and the Lakes, then were to us, the Rhine now is to France, with this difference, that our demands as to distant