The National Register. — London, England, 1815-09-10 00:00:00

Tll 17, 'ATM Permle, all the discontented classes, and even a multitude of good Freneliiiien, nut less enlightened than attached to the King—bat who are convinced that every attempt of counter-revolution, and even a simple tendency to the old regime, would become the Eignal of an expluinni Riwilar to that of 170, and would have the same result. It k no longer a question of mere npinions—one of the two fac tions is iii commence—La Vendee is organised —troops are raising iu the South, with volinirs vihieh are not even royal, anJ already band 4 have appeared in Langnedoe and Provence. They seek ako to itifloenee opinions. Even in the capital, those who are desirous of a counter-revolution, say so openly, which is a manner of prepasing the minds. At a greater distance, the high- R o yalist spreads his doctrines, and dues not dissemble his projrcts. Tlw other faction, which looks on the execution of these pro jer t as IMllos•.ible, does not vet act. But will this inaction conti 'me t ots gi and what will happen if the combat commences? Under such grave dircumstances, it becomes my duty to express my undis guisett opinion to your Majesty. So long as France shall be occu pied by foreign troops, their presence may restrain to a certain point, the popular party; the royal anthorsties may also, by their vigilante. retard the danger; but the moment would come when all the obstacles wonld he borne down; a civil war, when the cause of t 1 a King it the pretext. may last a little longer, but at length the mass of the people would be triumphant. No person it more convinced than your Majesty that It is impos sible to retort' to the old docti hies of the Monarchy. All the ele ments of the old regime have disappeared. There was then no na tional estates recognised —power was modified by the manners—it was regulated, as it were, and restraiwfd by habits and usages. If there were no fixed laws, there were maxims of government— there was an inviolable code of moderation, of mildness, of equity, and urbanity--no passion was let loose —every person was formed for his situati tttt , or supported it without regret. A single remark may serve to shew the difference between that time and ours. An import, fume or less, then constituted the reputation of an Intend act, the glory of a Minister, the eclat of a reit*. Will it be said that France was only the snore happy? It will remain to be ex plained then how the revolution happened to be prepared in these happy times—but to what pin-pose these discussions? The old re gime cannot he re-established. The greatest fault which govern- Into Is can commit is not to distinguish between what is possible and whir k l e t t. To he at war during a whole reign, is not reigning. To colleen, nothing on this subject from your Majesty, I will still Add, that no particular conspiracy menaces you at the present moonlit Our dangers proceed only from our situation; but we splay conceive no thought a conspiracy, of which the success WOlll.l be infollible, and of which the de=igns could neither be prevented ro..r foreseen. It would be that of a Ministry or a party at Court, st I .0, front the gr vsuert error, or the most blind devotion to the ltn cahse, shonhl counsel or favour a plan of counter-revoln tiun. Emery plan of this nature would overturn the throne again a ash, and destroy, perhaps, even our last hope of the dy yof our Kings. A fake remark has often been made on the subject of the old re gime, name!y, that the French who have supported the tyranny of Bounaparie, would support much more easily the whole extent of the Royal power, They are here mistaken, in many respects, be cause the position of Butinaparte has never been known to foreign ers, his ty twiny was not our work, but that of Europe; it was the SoVerellisA who consolidated his power by their treaties, their alli ances, and even by their friendships; and even if we had resisted him. the tither nations would have ranged themselves muter his eagle., or humbled themselves betUre him. Always more afraid of the interim than foreign countries, he knew well that it lie had au mica against the Kings, by had no power against public opinion. It was by foreign obedience that be endeavoured to bend us under the yoke. He has marched to more than one victory, to have au additional means of re-acting on France. A conqueror without, he was unquiet within—every public assembly made him tremble. I..istly, there were always, in the mid s t o f his Court. and in his Counsels, men of courage, who, without disobeying the Monarch, at least braved the despot. Supposing even that his tyrants) , had twee Inure patiently supported than it was, can the same submission be now expected? He mints ived to make us forget liberty, by sub stituting glory in its stead. We had nothing to dread tinder Isis Is ign, neither from the Clergy, nor ti... Nobles, nor the Emigrants. lie sit Terded in depriving us of resetal of our rights, fur that very testqui the public opinion is more strongly bent on now de lei.umg them. Your Majesty may judge of this from what has t. 1,44 vlsto within Om last fifteen months. 'l'lwnsauds of men have • is, - 4 4 ' l 01,14 1, , - •_ 4 , 14 4i , • ‘ +lc I OP _ SSO L REG B'I'ER. perished to retard the fall of the old regime —it would cause still greater evils to re-establish it. Our state of invasion bi a new source of diverse dangers ; some in part concern the Sovereigns, others, at this moment, shake the • power of the King. The ravage re multiplying, the means of subsistence are ex. hunting: mid': this point of view public tranquillity has but a very uncertai' • duration. The word impossible applies to every thing. Thei re bounds to all evils which cannot be removed, the contritintioni ) jug dried up or suspended, the expences there can uo longer be i t. This will be a new source of disorder. Will they recur to Alike contributions? How and by whom can they exact them ? • 'he most of the persons subject to contribution have already lost 'i l beir habitations—it will require an armed force to complete thia! - Apoit of them ; the collection of every part of the im post can oniP take place by combats. The evil is still aggravated by the prolongation of the stay of the f reign armies, and yet the Sovereigns will not think of withdraw. ing them from France before having guarantees of our repose, be. cause their tranquillity is connected with ours. We must hereafter be together in peace or in war, in misfortune or in prosperity.• A thousand new obstacles will arise from the state in which they will leave France. Every thing will have beep annihilated, public and pt ivate fortunes all will have been carried off; we shall escape out of this war as from a sort of shipwreck, at whatever price we shall have obtained the enjoyment of the King's Government. Will this moment be that of obedience and love, or that of complaints, of reproaches and accusations ? The hearts will be embittered— the passions, already high, will be still more inflammable. War. oppression, the examples of inhumanity, have always the effect of rendering manners more violent, and of producing a new degree of immorality and perversity in the heart of man. lie who now kills an enemy, but who enriches not himself by the murder, will one day kill his fellow citizens in the same disposition of mind. The consequences have not been calculated which must arise front the assembling of so many people unknown to each other and mixed together, There is no longer either family or country, or laws in this new world; civilization is suspended; the inundation of these people will lead every where to a destructive ferment, an afflicting state of things, the pernicious effects of which we shall not fail to feel. In this afflicting situation of affairs, hitherto without example, what good can be attempted by your Majesty, afflicting yourself in common with the people, and in your goodness forgeting nothing that can console them. There must, however, be expected an °pp• sition, more pertinacious that in ordinary times, and authority will be so much the weaker because there is so much the more need of conciliation. If we were to speak of re-actions, the whole people would cry out, is there not thong!' of public misfortunes; if we were to threaten a restraint upon liberty, the people would defend it with new energy, as the only advantage, of which the enemy could not deprive them. It is a discontented people, it is an agis tated people that your Majesty will have to govern. It is true, Sire, that the personal qualities of your Majesty may cause to disappear, or be the means of softening down, a great number of the obstacles. The love, the respect, the confidence which they inspire are oar principal means of safety, but the des. tildes of France are not in your bands alone, fatal circumstances exist which excite fears in the minds of the people, and induce them to distrust the reigns which will follow that of riff Majesty. They ask, whether they shall always be governed with the same modera tion; whether an inviolable barrier will still be opposed to the per secutions of the Nobles, and to the return of the ancient regime; whether religious differences will always he mingled with the same toleration ; whether firmness will always be tempered by indulgence and goodness ? A natural instinct leads ail people to look forward to the evil and the good which await them, and in their happiness, as in their disquietude, they always compare the present reign with the reigns that are to follow. 1 have made this remark because this circumstance has an inevitable influence on the disposition of the mind, and is hilst under certain circumstances it renders Govern ment more easy, in other cases it creates obstacles and prevents a proper degree of firmness. Let us look forward to the state of France as it will be after the departure of the foreigners. Will it be at peace at home; will the combats of opinions have ceased; will tyranny be extinct? These will he a nation sensible and proud, but iniquiet, vain, and jealous; equality and liberty have made a deep impression upon the heart. The ancient Nobility and the Clergy in losing their property, have lost all aptitude to form again the body politic of the state. Every dispute relative to principles will excite dist ur Latices when it shall operate as a dispute for or against public opinion. In ordinary ff