Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-07-16

totally unjustihable, and the assassin desc tyes
TO suffer death for his sanguinary crime. For
the sake of humanity we wish change in the
governments OF Europe, but we wish il 10 be
the result of reason and reflection, both on the
part Of the people and the privileged classes.
un, ontaminated by crime or outrage.
From, Bells London Messenger Of Aprii Is.
The foreign intelligence OF the week is Of
less Importance than might be expected from
the general state of the contiucnt. The exam
pie Of tie English and French yovetu-
ments has excited very general spirit
of reforming their ancient institutions tin ough.
out the continent but the people appear TO
be-more sincere and ardent than their rulers.
The generality OF the German princes al e not
men of even decent information ; they enier
he army at aperiod of life which preclndes
all possibility of a liberal education aud their
degree OF knowledge very seldom exceeds,
aud does not always equal what light be eN-
pscted from an English military or naval otfi-
Ger. who has entered the army or navy as an
ensign or midshipman at Twelve or fourteen
years OF age.--But such men as these are very
Ill calculated TO give liberty to their subjects,
or tosacriice any thing ct that personal power
and ancient discipline which characterizes the
German governments. Accordingly, these
princes do not correspond with the public o.
pin'on ~ the necessity of reform So far az
poets our own constitution we have often had
occasion TO express our opinions but so far
as respects these German governments i'm ce-
neral, ws wouid wish almost any change short
potism for the better. Their governments,
even including Hanover which is about 10 be
reformed are a perfect system Of ancient
rnbbish, hostile TO every principle of wise and
liberal esislation,, aud impeding the progress
ot civilization and equal intercourse between
the members of the cCmmu nity. The richest
and educated merchants. sven those whose
wealth and liberal course of life and learning
nave given them manners suited TO every 40
ciety, are not admitted TO the courts of their
princes m ur leay a
room, when count or baron, a chamberlain
or lady OF honor, shall choose to call dance,
or make card table for their privileged class.
Nothing, indeed. can equal the pride and
meanness Of some of these courts and their
household. The ladies of honor and lord high
chamheriainS, have from thirty To an hundred
pounds a year for their salaries, with wax
lights for their private apartments, which they
frequently burn in bottles for candle-sticss, i'm
garrets and thin 4 floors. But they submit 10
this, and to still more extreme poverty, in
preference 10 entering iuto professions or
trades. which might render their lives happy
TO themselves, or less burdensome to society.
For as all the sons of princes are princes, and
so on 10 thirty generations. aud of counts, ba-
rons. &c. the country has nearly as many prin-
ces as we have OsiieIs-apd as, from inteTmar.
riages, the minor princes are almost all rela-
ted 10 the superior princes. the whole body
however numerous must be maintained by
the court of the country, and accordingly
they have all salaries. or at least a seat at "A
dinner table, from f 30 to ECO and upwards
Who will maintain that small Municipalities.
thus burdened(for the community pays for ALL
have not both good cause and good right TO
demand reformI And who can wish that snch
governments can contipue1 Ii is amongst
these people and their governments, that we
nope the example OF the American govern
ment will, in lime, spread with due effect
and the common sense OF mankind will arise
againt the oppression of whole communities
TOT support those privileged classes, who at
once devour and despise them.
The recent affair of the assassination Of Kot.
Zebue appears TO have produced a very strong
aud general sensation, and il is expected that
some general aud violent law will be passed
upon the occasion against German universe
ties We should hope that this will not occur
as one act of murder ought not to be carried
To the discredit of the whole body. Many of
these German universities are indeed little
more than rietous free schools, in which there
is an odd mixture of politics, literature, and
military exercises, but totally without any thing
which deserve the name of learning, though
some OF our Reviewers, apparently forming
their judgments by the titles of the books
which have proceeded from them, have given
them this credit. We do not feel, therefore,
any particular respect for these universities
as sueh-but we do not approve of laws pass
ed upon the spur of the occasion, and where
The necessity of the occasion does not demand
it-Such laws are always in extreme. They
retaliate one excess by another, and take ra-
Their vengeance than punishment. The act
however, Ought not to he passed over. The bo-
dy of the murderer if dead, shonid he exposed
on gibbet-ifliving, he shonld he tried By a
special commission, and The benefit of example
not lost.
NEW YORK, July THE comet, Whose an
pearance IN a N. N. w. direction, we mention
ca asst week, is visible every evening M iii 10
O'Clock, when it sets below the horizon. The
approach eta comet, and we presume the same
that is now visible, was discovered by the PHI
losophers of Germany, by the aid Of a fele-
scope, in the month of April last.
In New Haven, II was first seen on Saturday
evening last. In noticing its appearance the
New Haven Journal thus remarks" The dix
was unusually bright, aud well defined equal
ling IN Iustre any fixed star of the first maCni-
tnde. In consequence of the presence of the
moon and its nearness TO the san aud the lo-
rizOn, The whole length of The train must have
been considerably greater than il appeared on
Saturday or Sunday evening. Ii was we'll de-
fined, however, to the distance OF degree aud
halt from The disk and, on close inspection,
some traces OF light were discernble at the
distance of % degrees. 1t is now in the breast
OF the Lynx but it has been visible too short
a time, to warrant any conjecture concerning
the rate or direction ofits future motions.
The following results concerning its pre-
sent position in the heavens, are dednCed from
observations made OH the evening of July iih.
R'gbt ascension at h IN , lo3 S. m.
Ans snS' 5.,a mo,.1 Iron. III, or 20 N.
Time 81 setting, 10 h Ia W SO 8 p. 81.
Time uf rising, h 81 m az A. NJ
Till the opposition of the moon, the most
favorable time for viewing the Gomez, will he
IL the morning, between the hours of 2anl
30. On this morning July 5th) its appear
ance, in consequence of the absence Of the
moon, was much more brilliant, and its train
much more extended than last evening"
Com. Adr.
BosTON, July 5.-A very remarkable comet
has been seen for the two last evenings at Cam
Bridge. II is visible about an hOnr after sun.
down, in the direction n. n. w inst within
the limits of the twilight, and CONTINUES visible
I'LL about II O'Clock. II NAV be seen again i'm
Tie morning from TO half past 3. Last even
lug its distance from Arctnrns, as determined
by seNtaut, was rs deg. IS win. and its dis
tauce from l,yVa % der. II min From thasa