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FOR THE EVENING LEDGER. MEDITATION TOR TIIE FOURTH OF JULY. Knowledge, a’a! not o: th a groat; Not worth a our frar: For l ed*, and Demi mu t ad to pot, 11 lovc be absent there. AS.tint biith-day of our independence, the glorious fount) ol July is at hand, it set.ms pc rmtaily proper that we should lie thinking a little how we may bent perpetuate the blessings of our political regeneration. To some,indeed, it may appear an easy matter to .elite that point. “ Knowledge, know.edge,” f.ay they, “ is every thing to a people so favored as the Americans. L<-.t them but know the blessings ol tlicit own (government, and tlicy will lie sure to defend them: let them Imt know the evils ol foreign gov ernfiients, and they’ll be airaid to incur them.” This is pretty talking, and no thing else. A fine compliment, indeed, to m in; that is. to man “ as he should hr,” but not to man Ur is” —a cieature most selfish and arrogant—the slave ol his passions—tc rible in bis hatred—and, when wrought to the i itch by a furious lust, ready to stab hisrtnolner; to sell his count'y; to ki> kat Heaven, and to hurl both soul and boclv into hell. And is a repub lic to be committed to such madmen? Art they like, in sale'y to hand down the precious cargo to latest posterity ? Look to history.— Long before our lime there were gieat repub lics in the hoi Id; vvliv did. not Ibis boasted kn'.nolfdt'r save them? They knew, as well as we. th and republics are belter than monarchies ; and that their own safety was bound up with that of the republic. Vet, we see, that did not do. Ambitious wretches among them strove for power; and, because they could not suc ceed. they furiously destroyed the governments which they umld not master. “ I nee the monT, and approve it too ; “ 1 hate the wkong, and yet the wrong pursue I ' is the experience of all men, until their know ledge of right is seconded by that good spirit v hit.li • alone gives power to no it. II you ask, what is that spirit? 1 answer—Tis Lovk, (ar dent J'U./iinlUri'/ni.) This, at once ilie sweetest and strongest of all the ull'ei lions, is appointed of God as the grand preservative of all soi ie tn s, but chieily of republics ; because the peo ple there being most free, can do most harm, unless restrained by some secret force. T his secret force, as 1 said, is love; which has the same benign influence on the moral world, that gravitation has on the natural It counteracts the centrifugal and destructive tendencies of self-love. and. by causing republicans to study the good of others as their own, it makes them ah feel th it “ each is lo rw U a dearer self s and thus hinds then) together by a centripetal im pulse, strong and indestructible as a rock ufgru niic. In short, all that Solomon says of that “ righteousness which exalteth a nation;” all tint Montesquieu piaisesin that “virtue which alone pillars up republics;” all that Washing ton lion's of that “religion, whose importance to society volumes could not truce”—is “sum med up in love ; the bond of perfection,” and (he end of all religion. I his is the true “ sal of the ear, h.” preserving all societies fiom the corruption of selfish passions. 1 his is “ the life of the w.ir/d,” diffusing, (as natural life decs through the hod’ ) that strong fellovv-leeling through the niemhcts, ih.it.■when “ one sijf-rs, ail ‘hr rrxt suffer with him” and arc ready to fly to take his part. For glorious proof, look at the little republic of Sparta. To nuke his dear country men invincible. Lyrtirgus knew that he must make tiicin love one another—to kindle this social love, he knew he must extinguish inordinate seti-lm e l'o this great end. he divided all the lands of the republic equally among the chi zons; a, ,1. by creating a commonness of pro perty. and sameness of dress and diet, (all ex- Cefoi.igly pi ,in) he did away pride, luxury and strife, and thus brought t ent, ii a wonderful degree, m leel the giowings of the brotherly .v rj> l'ljis spn it, descending into their hearts, rendered them terrible in the field as an army ot brothers, each lighting for lives dearer than his ovv i. On the brink of battle for their coun try, thev needed no speech from their general t, ettflmie their valour: one tender glance, thrown back on the land of heir brothers , and i istantjy every bosom glowed with that spirit which “ smiles on the drawn faulchion, and de fies its edge.” The trumpet’s clangor is mu sic in their ears, and they rush to the charge with eyes of lions, burning for slaughter.— 1 heir swords ri e high in the bloody strife; wade, with close-compacted squadrons, they hurst through the ranks of mercenary enemies, the bounding ships through y ielding waves. For five bundled years, even all the time that they possessed tins brotherly spirit, they rem fined invincible ; and stood, though hut a lit'ic people, in the midst of the great neigh bm fi g monarchies, like a rock in the midst of tin* ocean defying all its storms, and, from sides ul adamant, easily dashing its loud, thun do,i’vg Ifiiiows. No country affords a nobler proof of the guar dian power of love than our own. Turn, for ex ample. to N'evv-Englund. ’ l is well known, that New-i'.t od was settled by a colony who left their mi e Britain for conscience*sake. To the l.,nd ii ’.l'.-iv e vile they brought vvithlhein their red rion; which, partly perhaps for want of other consolations, they cultivated will great real. 1 heir week-day hours were spent in in- B'’cent and hi ppy labours, and on the sabbath they all went to church, where thev were taught that “God is love;” anal that lie who 1"’ eih most, shall be the most happy. Suitable to such subli ne doctrines were the morals of Ute hearers. I‘hose who owed any thing, paid with pleasure; those who promised, performed with punctuality. Superiors spoke with mild ness, and interiors obeyed with alacrity. The rich were like guardians to the poor, and the poor as children to the rich—and whenevei they met, they met like brethren, every man’s lace shining upo.i his neighbor. \\ hat was the result ? Why, the people of New-Lngland grew up togetliei as one great family ; the blow that struck one was felt by all, and excit ed a rage dangerous to the strongest assailail. \\ ltncss the 19th of April, 1775, when a thou sand iliitish regulars tired on a company of sixty-four militia-men, at the little town of Concord. Six of the militia men were siiot down. See there the effect of that love winch is e>’er ready “ to lay down its life for its friends.” At sight ot their beloved neighbors’ wclteiing in blood, the rage of the tanners rtse to a pitch that defied all consequences. 1 Ley returned the file upon the enemy. Thotgh hut sixty against a thousand, they returned the lire!—Eveiy voley fired by the British en raged the neighboring farmeis as though it hud been levelle ,at their own bte. sts. “ Ihe Bi - tisli are murdering our friends,” was the reite rated eiy. Instantly, all who heard the cry throw down the implements of husbandry, anti flew to .Ncir houses—not to hide their plalc, nor to stow away their pituurd, but to snatch the arms of vengeance. Pouiing m from every quurtcr were seen crowds of sturdy peasants, with flushed checks and fiery ctcs, eager for battle. Nay, age itself forgot its wonted infir mities; and hands long palsied with years threw aside the cushion’d-crutch, and grasp’d the deadly fire-lock. In brief, the farmeis at* ta< ken tiie British regulars wnh such fury, that they killed and took nearly one-fourth ot then whole mnnher !—A .H iking proof how close men will stick together, and how dcspeiately they will fight for one another, w hen they 10. k. But change the case,mid say what becomes of a republic, when love, its /infer life , is gone ? Why, ii ice the luimui body whose natural ale is extinct, it runs t dissolution—and then, “ hut ful, and hating ore another ,” its members all separate and tall u pieces, like a rope of sand. And suppose again Uat the above “ yankee doodlc,” so bravely pliyed at Concord, .had happened under some of tiie European despot isms, wheie women ant children have been known to starve, while the nobleman’) dogs were wallowing in fat!! and where pour me chanics, after all their latpurs, hardly durst tap at the rich man’s gate tor their pay!—l ask, would the poor men here, have rushed tc arms as they did ; t Cuncurtt, aixl have run the risk of fife and limb to defend such oppressors? 1 think not. 1 lather think, it likely they would have joined the invader, and assisted t> cut their tyrants’ throats, for the chance of a better older of tilings. From these reflections, tho’ few and simple, we may coliect some good fourth-of-July ttieas. \\ e may learn, at least, vvliat it is that conslt tutes the truly valuable in political character— not he who knows most but he who lovjs most, is the best republican. Such an one Wil abound most in moral duties, which, as tie Apostle s.iv s, are “ profitable unto men.” aid never Lil to win their i.ovk. Love gives umqv —union giv es sthknotm ; and strength give, securely and duration, liiclecd, love isasel sential to the republican as to the Christian ch racter ; and, tiiough 1 will not say, no mail oui be a republican wno is not a Christian, 1 vvil confidently assert, no mail can he a cluisiiu) without being a republican. Let him but “ lov his neighbour us /urns if ” and lie cannot fail u he as lender of his neighbour’s interest as of hi, own ; and will, as by anew instinct, becomt that industrious, frugal, honest and humane character we call a republican. Whoever fails of /tier manners and virtues, has not love, and whoever has not love, is not a Christian, nor a republican ; but an aristocratic usurper of the lights oi others—a thief and robber, de ny ing them that comforting respect to which, as honest equals, they have claim; or withhold ing from them the w ell-earned rewards of their labours. In short, love, with her graces and virtues, are the very ligaments of a republic ; which they alone brace up to healthiest tone, and en due with all its noblest elasticities and energies. Whoever, therefore, by fraud or vidence, sins against the law of love, is, so far forth, a traitor and murderer of his country. He cuts the sa cred bonds that unite her children ! and every such stroke ensures her downfall—every suen blow diives a mu. in her coffin ! F'ar, then, above the prcciousvvedge of Ophir let us prize that love which, by consolidating, preserves all worlds ; and equal to the tire of hell let us abhor that injustice , which makes “mint an enemy to man and, hv dividing,’ desti oys nations. As only a variety of the same infernal spirit, let us equally detest those bitter speeches which sometimes run like streams of gall through some of our newspapers. Thev are utterly incongruous with our national cha racter. The manners of a ever resemble their government ; and, as out’s is the mildest on earth, our language should be the soitest. Those abusive speeches, there fore, cannot he natives : they must certainly be exotics; the natural growth of foreign des potisms, where injured men are taught to curse, ami. coming over here, they curse by habit. 1 hey also disgrace our glorious cause. Let those, who wish for a nation of king and slaves vilify such as cannot think as they do. Their cause is had, their weapons can hardly he ex pected to he better. But we, who wish for a nation of equ tls, and therefore ot brothers • must know we possess a portion of the same spirit with superior beings, and should feel ourselves too nearly allied to Heaven to he agitated bv such low passions. For, to what serves con scious Inncccnce and truth, but *o inspire the soul with serenity and grandeur. Let us learn to measure men by that truest standard, the moral tendency of their wishes ; and to pity or praise accordingly. If there be thore who wish to exalt the few, on the degradation of the ma ny, shall we hate and revile them for it ? God forbid l Minds so void of the truth, hearts so destitute of love, you are no objects of hatred. Children of prejudice, you are wretched enough already 1 Convinced that you are in the wrong, heartily would we pity you ! and, persuaded that we are in the right, we will “ go on our way rejoicing.” M. L. WEEMS. Savannah, July 1, 1807. Continuntion of late F.uropenn News, Received via Philadelphia and JVt vj- York. Constantinople, March 11. Firmans have been sent to all the Barbary regencies, charging them to send out their cruisers against the English merchantmen. Another measure, which must press severely on trade, is the general decree, adopted both in the Ottoman and Persian states, not only against English merchandise, hut against the English factories. Every tiling that is Eng lish, is ordered to he confiscated in both em pires. Jlfppo, January I.— The Persians make a common cause with the Turks, and attack, at once, the Russians and English. Ail the Eng lish factories have been seized, and the corres pondence from England with the East-Indies, by the way of Persia, must at this moment be stopped. Mei.mo, April 7. Dispatches were yesterday received from the governor of Pomerania, announcing the re treat of the French from thence. The Swedish troops followed them closely, and annoyed them much. The French abandoned their batte ries, and entrenchments before Straisund. A combat took place at Lussow, at Slide: hagen and at Voiglehagen. The Swedes took pos session of Loitz and Griswald, on the 2d April, on the 2d, of Dominien and of Anclani. At the latter place. 1995 Fredericks d’or,'and 30U0 crowns, belonging to the French military chest, were taken ; in the other places a quantity of arms and stores were captured. One thou sand French soldiers and 20 officers were taken; among the latter a French colonel. Bamberg, April 10. The St. Petersburgh court gazette of the 6th March, under the head of Koningsbcrg, contains the following article : “ The French general Bertrand arrived here from the French head-quarters, and In s also set out for JMemel. AN e arc ignorant of the object of his mission, but whatever may he the nature of his propositions, his majesty is firmly determined to reject all negotiations which shall relate to the Prussian monarchy exclu sively, and not to take any steps without the consent of Russia and England, his allies.” The mouth of the Oder is to be declared in a state ol blockade. Banks of ihe Elbe, April 17. The news ol a British army coming into this river, lias excited t e most sanguine expecta tions among ail classes ol the inhabitants and an equal degree of dismay among the Dtiicti troops, among w hom, a spirit of discontent and mutiny has lately prevailed, partictilaily tne day before yesterday, when several eetacli ments were marched from Hamburgh, on the way to Lubeck, tor the defence of ih„i city, whose governor and garrison hourly fear ed to be attacked by a corps of victotious Swedes, of whom, scouring parties of hoi se weic seen near Bergedoiff, a few nights ago. On this account, most of the Dutch at Ham burgh, were ordered to march to that little town, sit * cl half way between the former town and Lubeck On this occasion, many ot the soldiers openly mutinied, swore they would throw away their arms, and go over to the Swedes or the Prussians. The mutiny grew so serious, that some actually threw down their arms, and waving their hats in the air, called aloud. “ long live the kings of .Sweden and Prus sia ! \Ve wont fight without pay! We wont fight against our fi tends 1” It was found necesary to employ martial law against some of the rioters, who were sent off, tied on waggons, and several of them huv e since been tried by a council of war and shot. In different parts of Pomerania and the duchy of Mecklenburg, the Dutch threw down their arms at the approach of the Swedes, and surrendered themselves prisoners. Besides Rostock, the Swedes had also taken Prentzlaw, at a small distance from Stettin, to which place 2000 Dutch troops had retreated from Mecklen burg. They were also masters of Uckennunde, Wolliti, Usedom, kc. All the news ofan armistice between the bel ligerent powers of the conduct, as well as the intelligence of negociations for peace having been opened between France, on the one part, and Russia and Prussia on the other, are idle talcs. London, April 23. House of Commons. —Mr. Lushington wished to put a question to ministers respecting a ve ry alarming report which had pervaded the ci ty during the day, of a dreadful disturbance having broken out in Madras. The rumor had been very prevalent, and he wished to leant whether ministers had heard of it. Lord Gas lereagh replied, that certainly hi majesty’s ministers had heard of some distur bances in the remote territories of Madras*; hut thev were not aware of any thing oi that description in or near the seal of government. April 24. There appears to be some foundation for a rumour which was circulated in the course of yesterday evening, and which this morning maintained its credit upon the exchange, namely, that Hamburgh and dependencies had been evacuated by the French, ‘i he evacua tion was unavoidable, from the .moment the blockade of Straisund vva6 i aised. April 25. Paris papers have arrived to the 17th, and Dutch to the 22d—they have brought us the 69th bulletin ; dated from Firkenstein the 4ih inst. It does not contain any intelligence of the least importance ; not a single shot, we are told, had been fired by the advanced posts for a fortnight. Bonaparte was going to in spect the line front Elbingto Maiienwerder. The vvhole line from Warsaw to Thorn and Marienberg is putting in a state of defence. Nothing is said of a general battle being about to take place ; but the preparations making on both sides prove that it is at hand. Firkenstein, whither the French head-quar tcis have been removed, is SO English miles further back than Osierode. No cause is as signed for the removal. Bonaparte, w hose attention seems to be as much directed to Turkey as to Poland, wolud have us believe that the Russians in the Turk ish territories have been beaten in every affair with the Turks. But all the rumours of these successes over the Russians are without foun dation. Extract from the 69th bulletin. “ The health of the emperor continues ex cellent : it is even remarked that it appeals belter than formerly. Some days his majesty makes excursions to the distance of forty miles on horseback. At Warsaw, it was last week believed, that the emperor had arrived there about ten o’clock at night. The whole town was immediately and voluntarily illuminated.” April 27. Sir A. Paget is appointed ambassador to Turkey. There is still, therefore, an expec tation of negocLting with that powrer. Dispatches to April 20. have been received from our squadron off Rochfort. The French fleet of six sail of the line has gone into the in ner harbor, and been entirely dismantled. The crews were landed. Great nicety and good sense will be requir ed to re-establish our relations with Russia on the friendly footing they were. The murder of the Pacha of Belgrade, with all the Janissaries, their wives and children, by the Servians, while leaving the province under a Servian escort, will, it is feared, he follow ed by that of the Turks in all Servia. ’ Embarkations are going on with activity, detachments of ships of the line and frigates, with .gun-brigs and bombs, are now daily leav ing the Downs for Yarmouth roads, to join tho grand naval armament. The Danish government have been secret ly and sedulously preparing their navy and ma rine for service. They have 21 s.fil of the line, and 13 h igales, not rigged, Lut with their stoi es on board. Two British commanders warned an Ame rican ship from entering Antwerp, as in a state ot blockade. The British government have offii ially expressed their disapprobation of ihe conduct of those commanders. ‘1 he following is a copy of a letter from ths Hague, dated the 17th inst. alludit g to this, among other interesting topics : “ Although it is prettv generally acknow ledged, that the Dutch troops have sustained considerable loss before Straisund, no official report ol that affair has as yet appeared. It is said, that only 12 men of one battalion remain ; and that the park of artillery fell into the ene my’s hands Ihe remains of the besieging army are now in the duchy of Mecklenburg h. Ring Louis is much indisposed ; it is said he is much affected at the reverses which our ar my has sustained.” April 28. Political Retrospect. —No intelligence of any importance lias been received from the conti nent. Paris papers to the 17th. and Dutch to the 22d inst. have come to hand, they contain the 69th bulletin of the French army, dated at Firkenstein on the 4th. It states that not a shot has been fired at the advanced posts during the fifteen preceding days, it is supposed that his suspension of active hostilities is connec ted in some degree with the negociations for peace, which are said to be carrying on at Me mel, as it were in the presence of the king of Prussia and the emperor ol Russia, who has been for some time at that place. Both ar mies have received considerable reinforce ments. The French are making the most ac tive preparations. They continue to drain the country behind them of every disposable man, in order to strengthen themselves for a conflict, which, should it take place, will be decisive of he fate of Europe. In the event of the result of this conflict being against them, they are putting ‘lie fortresses they possess on the Vis tula in -the most effectual state of defence, while they continue to push the sieges of Daul zick and Colberg with increased activity. The contending powers must now he able to esti mate their ability to do each other all the mis chief originally intended, and by this time must he heartily tired of a contest, calculated to pro duce ruin and destruction to all the parties en gaged in it. Hie real state of British affairs at Constan tinople is involved in the thickest veil of mys tery ; no official accounts have been received from admiral Duckworth, and the whole of the accounts ot the British fleet having passed out if the straits, must be mere rumor and conjee lure.