Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-09-27

| TOr.
! lTrdpSl1teffSr tue National .9,l,ocate.1
Citizen Iribunes-Among the sneak
ers who have preceded me, and who have
supported the motion to proceed to the or
der of the day, made by cur colleague,
| Curee, several have anticipated the obiec-
tIons that might be urged against it, and
have answered them with equal talent and
decorum they have given am example of
moderation which shall endcavor to i'm
| itate, whilst | offer some observations
which have escaped their attention. And
! as TO those who, because have opposed
their opinion, may attribute to me motives
at once selfish and unworthy of man de-
voted to ms country,I will answer them
onl y by asking a scrupuloas examination
OF nay public conduct since the commence
life. $500
lam Tar from diminishing the praises
| winch nave been bestowed on the First Con
sui II we were indebted to Bonaparte for
| nothing but the civil code. his name would
deserve to be handed down to posterity.-
| Hut whatever services a citizen may have
rendered ms country, there are bouRds to
the national gratitude, which honor and
| reason equally impose Tfthis citizen has
restored the public liberty--if he has effec-
ted the salvation OF the country, is it any
; reconlpense to offer him the sacrifice of
that liberty ? and would he not destroy his
own work by converting that country into
his private patrimony ?
! The moment 1t WIS proposed to the
French people 10 vote upon the question of
the consulship for life, every one might ca
silly Judge that there was something in re-
serve, and toresee the Interior object.
In fact, we have seen succeed each other
| a crowd of institutions equally m0narchi
cal; but, at the establishment of each. pains
were taken to relieve the anxiety OF those
who tre,nbled fol the fate of liberty. bv
protesting that these institutions were in
tended TO render that blessing secure.
This day, at last, clearly discloses the
end OF so many preliminary measures
We are now called upon TO express our
sentiments upon formal proposition to
Ie-estahish the mOnarchicaI system. and to
confer the imperial and hereditary dignity
upon The First Consul.
voted against the consuIship Tor life
snail also vote against the re-estabIish-
ment Otmonarchy, as l sincerely believe
my duty as a tribune Obliges me to do /: but
IN pursuing this course, ] shall be careful
not to revive the spirit OF party, nor to in
ddige IN personalities influenced only bv
a feeling for the public good, and ALWAYS
preserving my own consistency whilst
defend the public cause.
have always protested disposition to
submit myself to the existing laws. even
when | was most dissatisfied with those
laws. have more than once been tie VIC
tim OF my attachment to them. ard shall
not now begin contrary course. I de-
clare, then, whilst | oppose the proposi
ton that has been made. that the moment
a new order Of things is established. with
the assent OF the great mass of the citizens.
shall be the first to conform all nv ac
tons to II, and to give 10 the supreme au-
th9rlty, all those marks Of Difference which
tie constitutional hierarchy mey com
mand. May every memocr of society
pour forth a vow as sincere and disinteres-
ted as thy own
shall not mix in the discussion Of
whether this or that system of government
is to be preferred in general there exist
on this subject innumerabe volumes I
shall cOnfine myself to examining, in a few
words, and in the simplest manner, the
particular case in which circumstances
have placed us.
Every argument which we have vet
heard In favor of the re-establishment OIL
monarchy in France may be reduced to
these THAT there is no other means of in
surfing the stability of the government and
the public tranquility to avoid intestine
dlscord and to unite against foreign enc
mics that the experiment Of the republi-
can system has been tried in every posi-
bic manner that the result Of SO many ef-
! forts has been n0ught but anarchy, a revo-
luton prolonged and insessantly renewed.
the perpetual dream of new disorders, and
consequently universal and profound de-
sire to see re-estabIished the ancient here
dltary government, changing only the dy-
nasty. These arc the arguments to be an
swered.
! would, in tic FIRST place. remark. that
nothing IS less sure pledge of stability &
tranquility than TIE government of a single
man. The Roman empire did not last lon
ger than The Romon republic The iutcs-
| tine troubles were greater. and crimes
more multiplied,--Rcpublcan pride and
heroism, with all the manly virtues, were
| replaced by vanity the most ridiculous, aud
adulation the most vile. by cupidity the
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