Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-08-04

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altogether, in the whirlwind OF an abused au,ho.
fity! The secondly point is, that in all the leng hy
dsoa'es IN the IrlOunate, upon the subject. there
arc few. or none, VINO have ventured 10 coaibat
tAe sigan,ic evil OF the proposal; from which o.
mission of the legislative spirit we infer that the
virtrSns enthusiasm CT fgcemen, has ceased 20
nave existence III France or that the dread ofof-
tending the Gal'ic Caesar had made the passive o.
bedience of the many, and the discreet resistance
OF the few, supersede that duty. which they owed
TO their honor, ihe,r country, their children and
themselves
iiSinva'n that we retrace the pages of history
tor parallels to this measure. Bona6ayre has been
more vain and presumptuous than iGgustrs, WIKI
out having such apologies 10 a,tenuaye his local
anbiucn; he is, compared with Olive CyOniSreH,
adeeided nsurpei Of the exclusive power 10 rule,
and more desperate hypccrIte: he has pro-
to'vpe so congenial 70 his ma steTial por,rai Us
Ricbard roe T5iyd-we do nos mean by this com
parison TO assimiate him in cruelty. with that mo-
nareh-but in the means which he appears us
to nave exercised, with his minions. 10 grapple at
the diadem OF the empire Like Il COY mad he
ha, aiteSted 20 blush in habir. at what he solicited
IN spirit; he has had his Buckingham and his Dr..
S011r and may have his TiryeY; but lime alone
can furnish the due annexation upon his principle
OF atton The melancholy truth is thar he pos
sesses the power to be widely Inischievous to the
great cause. which he has hitherto been supposed
to promote, and what is infinitely worse. his ia
mily will possess he same power likewise Be-
ndba tc being endowed with superior faculties,
may exhibit like Catharine of Russia, certain
m7gnanimity in his ambition, that may feeby ex-
tenuate his drelitlion from the aims of common
virtue: bu, we have no solid reason to expe6, e
ven this minor felicity, in his successor They
have TIC charaaer to forfeit, and may not be very
soiiciiors TO create one that should be admired.
/: Is truc, that B0Haparte. has professed TO re
gard the liberty and equally Of the people Of
FRANCE, as sacrel Obligation u ION his Imperial
Office; but who is here to check their entire alb
rosation. when he may hnk /, is policy 70 f1rego
TINS profession II the legislature, municipal
olhcers, afraid 10 stipuaie for such rest,iai
ons, on the part of the people, previous to his as.
sumption of that excessive authority there can
be but a slender expectation, thatthey may prove
more determined, when the causes for such fears
will be increased.
The palpable reason that is urged for this in
vcsti IRE is, the dangers that the state, and the
80 ;,ions dependent upon the state are in, from
The unin errup,ed Vaccinations of the British 20
vcrnment; but we do not completely assent 10
this reason as i, is evident. from our examinati
on OF the testimonials or speeches OF the different
botIes, who have written or spoken on the subject
al F7rIs, that II was measure contemplated, If
NOT determined. at the period when he was pre-
surncd 10 accept the consuship for life, and that
the appointment of that consulship was merely
preparatory step to this deed Of greater and
more dreadful aspea.
Some, among them, have asserted that a r e.
public existed under C5arIenlapre. and under ia
JIM; but not under the Decenivirs, nor under the
Gtacc9i: Yet what is this but altering the nature
OF Things. TO sr.t the eXgencIes of the times! W.
are decided in mind that bt rendering the
supreme authority hereditary, the rights of civil
hoerty are retratted and the promi ed issue Of the
revolution disspated The -ators who have spo
ken, have not presumed to touch upon his essen.
tlal and incontrovertible fat; they have treated
The subje6l in an abstraaed and general manner.
and nave evilent, dissembled while they argued
the; have brought forward the circumstances #
me hePuo' c, TO destroy the principles # the Re
voutIon, and make an evil that is only visible 10
the minds eye, justify an evil ,hat is felt b. the
senses Their attempt TO qualify the i'll. ovation
is an insult 70 the people.
On the discussion in the T,bunate, SIMEON
said, we possess man TO whom we may apply
what Montesquieu says of Charlemagne-" ne
verdid 4 Prince better know how to brave danger :;
never diu Prince better know how to avoid il
lie despises ali pcrils and particularly those
that almost always fail to the lot of grea: con
qherors, mean con piracies. When Pepin saws
H1neS1uieu, was re crowned, it was only one
ceremony more, and one phantom less He &C.
qui ed by 1t nothing bur ornaments nothing
q
mics OF France, who have marched up TO the
lannon's mouth, with Interchangeable frmncss, in
defence of their natural immunities, can listen to
such inappcable and offending language, with
patience, what shall we say for human conss
tencr
thus has terminated this eventful revolution,
by the elevation of one man to the supreme pow
err, and by leaving the vast body of the people at
I his disposal for it does not appear 70 US that
there IS any sufficient check or provision intro
dnced' on the part of the people, to contraveue
the abuses of authority; and it j. not perhaps,
very unnatural to suppose. that the man who has
walked up TO local greatness b. striding over the
Liberties of his country, will not be delicately
conscientious in removing the lesser impedineots
to his ambition Wha a triumph IS this for the
enemiei Of civil rights, and how greatly might
wise and good men deplore the fallen condi ION
OF human nature, If Providence had not given
them sanctuary inthe Ne1g Worid, where 4 be.
neicent government. mid laws and imitiess
territory, invite them to repose in pleasant obed
ence and perfea security.
We thought 81nabarte was an exemplary and
truly noble person--but few can be answerable
Tor Their own constancy when touched by the
tall man OF power; men Of ordinary ineed,
can have equanimity in adversely, but it requires
a S2erGic understanding to have eqnanmity i'm
eXaltation AN that temains for America, IS,