The Sun.
London, England, 1818-05-02 00:00:00

PA R 1
,THE•MASK FALLEN OFF :—A ThAtettft.
(Concluded from YeVertlay.)
Exc elle nt," renliefi I ; " not darimrto attaeletlieTnineiples
or the Ministry, wh?ch agree with the interests of the Nation,
you asperse, you calumniate; the Ministers—Amt what I pray
you constitutes' the different -e between your principles and
thoseof-the Ministry ?"-7" TLe difference is great,"answered
"1::-;, Ministers pretend to found political order tipon the
,(iLlitr of ri.:hts, we upon the inequality they observe
ristncratic power nn krhere but in the Chamber of Peers, we
ish to make aristocratic power penetrate even to the smallest,
llage : they place in the centre all the force of action, we
itide and disseminate it orer the nhnle surface Of the King,

,soni• I leave.y.iu to judge whether, in our system,,,Ministe-
-rill authority will encroach on national liberty ! It is cer-
tainly the.way to limit, or, rather, to annihilate regal autho-
rity; for to understand every thing, it should be called by its
.nanie. The mischievous fellow who'qualified, your party to be
extraßosydistswas,doubtles,,in your con fidenCe. I observe that
you do not agree with the Ministers; it is sufficient With you

'to reconcile your plan ‘vi:h the Charter."—"Othing is easiec"
rejoined he-7" what is the basis of the Charter ? collection
6f abstract maxims which have no:application, i'nrOntrich as
they are explained by positive laWs.
.Te-render the-matter
more clear we may, without differing_ widely from the letter
of the Charter, found upon this basis'-any system of gOITTII-
- we pleaie despotic, aristocratic, denocratic,no matter
winch. Have you never observed that Orators, on all sitles,
lean towards the Charter, to make opinions rliametri-

:cally‘opposite prevail; and:that the same article often ad-
mit; of a very difTereut interpretation.' Ea h accuses
his Opponent of having violated the (324rter, - and
all, in language more or less artful, endeat:Our to give
weight to their respective opinioni. Ask a". Republ,i-
•can what he wishes, he will reply, the Charter. Pro-
pose the same question to the Ministerial Party; they also
will reply, the Charter. Ask 11S what we desire, we, who do

not support a olob7monardhy with more impatience than We
would support a Government wholly democratic, we should
exclaim, the Charter; nothink- hilt the Charter: We can
without agreeing with the Ministers, demand with their
friends the falfilment, of the Charter. The word itielr is
.nothing ; it is the idea we attach to it that deserves considera-
tion."—" I cannot concur with you," replied the Char-
ter explains itself sulliiiently; the intention of the'dignified
..Legislatpr is .nut cquiVocal. You have shewn ,how much
words may he misapplied ; but, as you observe, Words are..only
empty sounds; .which-des not alter the nature ofdhiags. What
do you wari,.for instance, in speaking of the Republicans ?7---
I know not of any Republicans in -France.. There is, it is
true, a, party of pseudo-independenth; but these people, if 1
'except some hlockLeads, who are the objects of universal
laughter, never tliotight of founding a Republic. The en-
lightened part of them haves more solidi's- of mind; they aim,
like you, at honours; emplo):ments,' and riches: Yiat derive
ycur right from t'he former Government-Ohey' derive theirs
from the Revolution. You wish all,.becance you possess ;
the'-, loticause 'they possess nothing: Their independence ten-
ders me an object of pity., I have see 1114 arrogant Repub7
Leaps, these sticklers for unbounded liberty, and unlimited
'equality, soliciting titles and dignities. I have seen these
base flatterers crouch at the feet of their Master; their ser-
Nile adulation wearied out his pride. I have seen them dis-
dainful andinsoli at to that very People of whom to-day, they
boasted themselves as the Protectors.' \% re they then such
.declared enemies to arbitrary power, they who coNsith.reti as

too-pt:ltle tbe most aloplic laws ever sown ? Thcse, how.

ever, are your:auxiliaries! DR ided in your views, but united
for destruction, you plan in concert new caltnifies for your
conntry."-.--" You are very unjust," said he, " there never
ep.n exist any alliance between the Independents and us; we
-bate them as much as they detest us. Our interests are not the
:same, .but the same obsta,ele ithil;dei us, and without uniting,
we check the dcshe of removing it. Did we vote, with the
Independents for the Law of Elections, and that'of Recruit-
ment? No; we summoned the lowest classes of the People
ink() the Electoral Colteges,becatrse we hoped that 'with theas-
sistance of the proletaires we should secure all the votes: We
wished the arinkes to be composed of the dregs of the nation, be-
Cause tliese men at least have a sense of, the baseness of their ori-
gin,and not aspiring at any military advancement, would have
,abandoned the honour of-command to that noble class which.
•aims at no other 'distinction than to fight and die in the fore-
most rank. This is an opinion proved long ago by the
courage awl devotedness of all who bore the name of French-

zo:n. , The Charter is only an expression of the wishes,
wants, and duties of all, and the Charter condemns you.
You have smik, and that ought to be the case. But pray
explain to use your ardent zeal for the liberty of the Press.'
You will not deny, that upon this question you have not
voted-with the Independents,"—;‘ I will deal openly with
,:.you; you shall know all. "We cannot realize our sys-
'tem if we do not overtutri the'Miuistry; we have there-
fore resolved to' reject ineliscriMinately' all that it
'shall propose. On this point we arc inflexible. It has
cost us enough to adopt this course ; fur the projects of the
Ministers are not alwayS so unreasonable as we pretend ; but
'in sound policy we yield our convictien to the interest of our
party. This interest waS_liever inure concerned than in the
question respeCting the Liberty of the Press, At a time when
every man's passions ferment, when every man's anger is
roused,"When neither men nor things are respected, judge
what an advantage it is for us to release the Press from every
shackle, and to secure imputky twthe ho4dest Pamphleteers !
Not a name which has not been compromised ! Not a reputal
.tiOn which has pot been sullied ! Do you think that the Mi-
nistry could sTistain that torrent of injuries and calumnies
which pressed upon it on .kll sides ?"—" I really do not know
. what Government could resist it. I did not believe that you
could entertain such a supposition."—" Where should we be
if we did not think.of every thiag ? It was' very necessary in
pleading this cause to assume the language of the indepen-
dents. Yeiu will observe, 'that like a General we endeavour
to give our baiangnes the colouring of that party. It is a
sacrifice to necessity. People distrust us; we endeavour to
gait) them to our side by flatteriug their passions."—" People
are not tO be duped by your discourse; they frustrate your
intention. Your concessions skew them the true extent of
your weakness And their own strength. Your power diminishes
daily ; you q, ,t soon be less esteemed by the Parties which
now divide IN, 1312 t your foolish resistance wounds and irri-
tates their st lf-5,„,; it gives an air of victory to those events
which you might retard, but cannot avert: and party spirit
triumphs in legitimate success as the -Nation lords it over
your. Thus you obtain the melancholy . and disgraceful
adeliatage of corrupting the good, :whilst even the wicked
kyPtv how to profitat your expence."7" jhis remark appears