Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-10-16
Dirginla Mrgus.
4. RICH NJ o N ID,
NJ SDAA OCTOBER Is, 1910.
II The Edito7g The Virginia Argas.
z &c ii N o N ID,

ludt pCfu6cQ III q recent Argus an
upon the conduct of Louis
Bonaparte, the late king of Holland.
Ii it is intended as irony, crave the
wfirer's pardon but, really, the patti
otto Nd amiable picture given by
I" Marcus" IF a MOST consummate hy-
potridA is ouch more taan I can bear
to had wiz any complacency Of mus
Gle. 1872
Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of the
French, king, &c.sis what the world
calls an Usnrper. His title TO imperi
al power is, doubtless, as legitimate as
that ofmost other sovereigns who have
reigued over nations or who DO now
reign but, nevertheless, he is an
Usurper. Louis, in virtue of thisusur.
patton, accepted the crown of Holland
from his brother; Snd, of course, he
aecspte4 it upon the principles which
an usuPetion bf power iyplies. I his
acceptanek way an asssK on the part.
ofLouis to thsPropriety Of Napoleon's
CONDUCT. !. HkNipg thus assented, he
became co-cperat6r in is'trother's
policy. Bin tssn {say the aSpnirers
OF the late behavior OF Louis lie zOould
not foilo5v Napoleon IN all his counseis
andhe abdicdted The throne p Let US:
examine the validity Of this argument.
We must recolleCt, thas however low
a nation may be sank, there is still
something to be feared from suddenly
driving il In a mass TO state of entire
desperation. The Hollanders unde,
former expressions, as history bears
testimony, had evinced fortituce and
a courage not to be triRed with. This
historical fact indicated to Napoleon
the mode to be adopted IN order GER
tainly to effect their entire subiugati,
on. Had he at once declared Holland
a pyoyince of the French empire, the
Dutehpen, shaking of the influence of
theirs constitutional phlegm, might
nave reSolted, taken up arms, and, in
state OF general insurgency, set an
example fatal to the newborn power of
the French emperor. They were, there
fore, to be treated In different manner.
Loais was made their king: He al
fected, all at once, to be smitten with
the Dutch His heart (poor soul! y WIS
deeply sensible of the wrongs they
suffered. He pretended to remon.
strate with his brother Napoleon a.
-eainst the total deprivation of, COM
Tmerce which was endured by the Hol-
landers. say pretended to remon-
strate |; for is il not certain that, not.
outstanding all the sham negotiations
which Louis carried On with his bro.
Their, that the DEGREES Of ST. Cloud
were as promptly and vigorously exc.
cptet IN Holland as in any part of the
if$th empires Relaxatioas, indeed,
wfre now and then permitted, when
the D1tch appeared uncommonly res.
tive, and when Napoleon was engaged
IN Rnore important concerns. The
minds of the Hollanders were thus, by
degrees, subdued into servile spirit /;
French troops were gradually intro
duced into the country, under one pre-
tence or anothSr; and the farce of
misunderstanding between Louis and
NaPoleoB was kept up, until it .abpa.
rentiy riPened into quarrel, and Lou
is (the precious lover of DutchmeD)
signed treaty by which French ar
my was admitted into the heart Of
Holland, the strong posts were occu.
pied, aud opposition on the part of the
onarmed inhabitants would have been
Phrenzy. When things had arrived
at this point resistance on the part OF
the Dutch in any formidable shape was
not to be apprehended. Accordingly,
as soon as the French troops were wen
Fixed, Louis sncaked out of his king
dom. Whatever protestations Louis
may have uttered in behalf OF the
Dutch, you may recollect that he all
ways Tepfe sented Napoleon's power
as irresistible, aud recommended the
Hoilanderss to submit In order TO a.
void greatef calamities.
If Louis were an honest man, he
would, 10 the first place never have ac-
cepted the crown of Holland ON the
terms which he did accept. And if in
truth, he had been truly devoted to the
liberties of his subjects, when he found
he could not ameliorate their conditi-
ON, why did he not at the commence.
ment abdicate the crown ard give the
pcnpIa ae. <r.Art,,o,t,. -.