Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-10-18


obstacle TO any measure, if it formed pat
of a general plan that should offer in its
whole scope some encouragement for obs
dience. Let the sovereigns deign then to
explain themselves. Why would they re-
fuse this act of justice Let them conde
sccnd to combine all their demands as so
many conditions of the quetness OK the
people, and let our accession to all their
views make part of a mutual treaty--there
will then be no more difficulty. The Sc
veregns perhaps do not fully observe in
what embarrassments and what cbstruc-
tions they place us and themselves. We
should have need OF good order 10 second
them, and of their eXplicatiors to estab-
lish this good order. Would they have sa-
CRITICS. who require peremptory obedi-
cnce? For that purpose the authority of
your majesty must be full and entire. No
thing is possible, nothing practicable, if
peace exist not in fact, at least provisional
ly and far from being at peace we expert
ence all the scourges of war.
Let the sovereigns at least bestow some
attention to their interests. When every
thing will be wasted around their armies,
how shall these armies find their subsi
rcnce Is there no hazard in scattering
the troops All the arms are not yet ta-
Ken away (trom the French people,) and
every man becomes murderous in the hands
of despair. With respect to contributions
OF war, what new sacrifices should they de-
mand, where the soldier shall have des-
troyed all /, AS it regards the force Of ar
mics, discipline once relaxed is hard to be
re-estabiished. Germany has no room to
expect but that after glorious campaign,
she VIII bring back her soldiers, corrupted
by spirit of RIGHTEOUSNESS, caprice and
pillage. Every thing ought to distinguish
TINS war IRON others, instead of initiating,
SURPRISING even in France the excuses a
gainst winch the sovereigns took up arms
nelr glory, will even that be satisfied
we have done whatever they have desired
and on their side, Of all that they announ-
ced to the world is it accomplished ON a
single point! What contr st between
their performance and their most solemn
promises. This is the age of reason and
justice, and never has public opinion had
greater influence. What can account for
Affections so excessive after promises of so
much moderation The present war hes
been commenced to maintain the cause of
legltlmacy-is this manner Of CONDUCTING
the war adapted to render your maiestv's
authority more sacred The allies Tesolv
ed to dethrone and punish him who made
sport or the calamites of nations nd they
exercise on submissive France the same
violence, the same inhumanity. All Eu
rope thought that the entry of the sove-
reigns into Paris should finish the war =
what will they think on learning that it was
only then the eXtravagancies of oppression
began, without battles and without rests
lance? The distress which they uDbraid
us for having brought on other countries
have never been SO erreot pa,or H..
they did not lake place when the employ
ment of armies had no longer any other
object and if it were true that we had
given such an example of the abuse of
force, ought they to initiate it, since they
lmpute 1t to us as a crime They well
know in the north, they know in Prussia
what energy and public spirit our want of
moderation produced in our enemies
There should be no end to the evils of hui
mainly II alternate vengeances became a
right of war for nations never de.
VIII your majesty permit me to insist on
a concluding consideration /? So lone as
France shall have any thingto preserve ::
whilst she shall cherish hopes of SUSTAINING
herself as a national body, no sacrifice will
be impossible to her, & all the schemes of
an equitable policy may yet be executed
but, the day when the inhabitants shall
have lost all, when their ruin shall be com
pleted, we shall see new order of things
commence, new series of events, because
there will be neither government nor ODE
dience. Blind fury shall succeed to resigna-
ton /; they viii take no council but from des-
pair they will desolate on both sides; pill
lage will make war upon pillage every
step of the foreign soldiery will be stained
with blood-France will have less shame
in destroying herself than in suffering 9TH
ers to destroy her. That moment apprsa-
chcs alreaAy is the national spirit taking
this frightful direction a fusion is forming
among parties the most opposite; Vendee
hselfin this excess of calamitics, brings her
colors nearer those of the army. What
part will be left your majesty but to retire
Public functionaries will of themselves a.
bandon their places, and the armies of the
sovereigns will then be within the hold of
individuals, freed from all social obligations.
A people of thirty millions may without
doubt disappear from the earth, but in this
war of man against man, more than one
tomb will enclose together both victors and
vanquished.