Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-06-03
From the yr;..ional Intelligence.
FRANCE A YEAR AGO.


oil war, winch so greatly interrupted our literary
intercourse with France rs well as England du-
Ilng the last two years, that we should have been
so remarkably ignorant of the State of France UNI
der the rule of Louis XVIII. and of the progress
and probable fate Of the new government. Re
cent events have shed flood OF Light on the sub
icct and, with the information we now have, we
almost wonder how we could have looked for
ward to esen 90 long continuance of the new or
dcfof timgs France. There is,howeTer, chasn
yet TO be suppl Cd, by On impartial history of The
events ofthe year which ended on the Goth day of
March last. It's with much pleasure we have
1t N power to offer TO our readers some mate
1ials towards this History, from source as nearly
impartial on this head as any 20 which we could
refer. We mean the Edin5lsgh ReviezV.
The number for November conlains a Review of
Ctraaoes .l2em01ial, Of which our readers have al
ready seen IN Indstinct notice. A more particu-
lar account OF that Memorial IS given by the Re
viewers in the following words
cit IS memorial, add eSsed to the king of
France, with the design otayerting from his coun-
Try, & from Europe, the ncalculable evils which
must result from an apprehended breach Of faith
With the revolutionary or republican party, IN an
attack, contrary 10 express stipulations, upon
Their personal safety, on account Of Their past con-
duct OF OPINIONS. NJ. CarRot had, IL seems in the
month OF July last, Begin TO print it, for the pur-
pose OF securing the royal attention being am
pressed with the idea, that manuscript works are
eeldoin read by kings. One Of die ministers hav-
ing got notice OF THIS, sent tbe Director General OF
Inc Fciice, to expestuiate with the author on the
hazardous nature oftle intended publication
but he was informed, chat pubiicat on was pro-
Jected. He then promised, that the king should
read the manuscript, and should say whether he
had any obl cotton to its beng printed. Next
day M. Carnot was informed, that his Majesty
had re2d 1t but wished it might not be PRINTED
at present g IN that CASE sad NJ Garnet Is il
shall remain IN manuscript One or two copies
however, hsvDIf, been handed about among his
particular friends, an impression was printed
wholly without The authors knowledge, who, as
soon as he learnt what had happened, published
an advertisement, declaring that the publication
was without has knowledge. Mr.. Goldsmith
says, that he obtained one of the manuscript CO.
pes, and made his translation from it. Certainly.
however, the work was IN the shops at Paris be-
forethe translation appeared. we leave the rea-
Ger 70 form whatever' opinion he pleases upon
this part OF the story; and we shall now add
what The translator has left untold Of the matter,
that beng by Tar the most important part
" When the work appeared, much alarm was
excited N the government. They id not ven
tiire ~ once 10 attack the author, whose fame
and popularity rendered such an experiment dam
gegous but the publisher was sought out, and
MOI beng found, one The booksellers who sold
1t wa5 arrested. He underwent the usual exam
lslsstlOllS we should
say, 4 bn of indictment was preferred before the
C9M' a. Instruction CrimineRc, answering to o,li,
grand jury, though composed OF regular judges.
The plan of pitching upon the poor book
ser, the least guilty party, was pretty accurate
~ COPIED from SIN lar proceed ngs n some coun-
tries where LOUIS XVIII. res ided during his eX-
lie. The error of attempting too severe pun
ishment, was probably taken from the same GUAR
ter-more e5pec ally from period of about twen-
tvyelrs ago. Nothing would SATISFY these wise
repressors of the lcentiolsness Of the press
(whose only motive as we well know, is to pre-.
serve IT'S legitimate hberty) bat proceeding a.
ganst the bookseller as for publishing work ex-
citing to civil war, which by the French law is a
cap tai offence. This altempt was so monstrous
as 90 defeat itsele-even IN court where the
JUDGES are removable-They threw out the bill.
NJ. Carnot was called upon TO state who the orig
snail publisher was--He declared his entire icc-
norance and the Court, on the mere credit ofhIs
we'll known veracity, dismissed Inn without fur
1hcr mo- estation
But the work had in the mean time cot into
some peoples hands and the government were
resolved both 10 suppress and TO answer It. In
ahc one attempt, they pretty nearly succeeded
an the oher, they had but little to boast of The
newspapers were filled day after day with lonr
answers and longer nvectives, aga nst die author
--but All the while the book so answered and a.
buse1, was not allowed 10 be read and those "a.
pers took care 20 cite none of it IAN extraord
my absurd.ty--and. where the answers were bit
feeble, ending manfestly to the inference, thai
the work itselfmust contain very powerful mat
te-, snce the public were not TO be .r1isted with
? sht OF it--though SO much pa ms were taken
ard IN van, to reilte 4. The effect OF the book
could never have been SO great, as the effect oil
tbs cOnceaneHt, and Of he exapgeratiops 10
which &c irnmed ateiy led Again-M Carnot be.
ING column ated ior the publication, end for the
breach OF faith VII ch it impi Cd, was uaturallt
very onx ors to CONRAD CT such reports But the
newspapers, under the strict control Of the new
censorship, absou:eiy refused for some time 10
admit ms ustfcaiion nor was It without much
palns md management, that he could procure
tue insertion Of a few lines to this effect in one OF
tat 10 Enals--whle every column was filed fer
WeeSs WIll Tie most tmmeasurcd personal invcc-
tive asanst hIn, IS the person who had not ONLY
Vrilien, bui publ she'd t. last ofall comes Mr..
Goidsnilii the sworn friend Of The Dourbons, ever
5Uce ne ceased to receive paw from Bonaparte
f}r secre. sefy ces--the avowed enemy Of all re-
flblcsns from the date OF his LEAVING that en-
pOyuent-the strenuous adviser Of assassinaf,no.
BnaPartc, from the moment that he losths place
o. or under hlm--the mpacabe enemy OF
race, and advocate OF England--and as Jealous
N b1ii these capacities, as he was in the oppo-
sic Inc, wncn few years ago he conducted in
France the Journal most bitter agains Eariand.
Tbs clu8.stenJ gentleman comes 10 the aid of
TIC restored government, by publishing the tract,
winch thsy are endeworng 10 suppress and
wbie he publishes It, he lnvegis loudly against
sc PernicoUs tendency and against the danger
T. Ia