Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-23

shoula eompromise his right and duties, either
- =, Er,,cb.ran or as an 9aerican citizen. -
The assertion is futile, that Lafayette desired
$40 reverse all that had had previous political
existence in France"
As 10 his "Philosophy" here sneered att
vasthe same love Of Freedom mental and pc
.,it;cal which had induced him, q youthful bflce-
Groom in the midst of all the seductive pleas
ores 10 which high rank and an ample fortune
introduced him in Paris, 10 decline all and mast.
en- 10 4 dlslan, land to prop the falling cause OF
liberty with his fortune and his life, and II was
the same PHILOSOPHY" which now induced him
"a second a motion sacrificing all distinctions
of rank and title at The shrine OF Political Equa-
lily We pass to the following, from the &c
count OF the events or the unfortunate 9Th oil
October. "Tbe presence OF this great force
seemed to restore "a portion Of tranquility as no
one seemed 10 know with certainty how il was
likely TO act. Lafayette had an audience WIN
Tie King, explained the means he had adopted
for the security Of the palace, recommended TO
the inhabitants 10 20 10 rest and unbapplly set
the example by retiring himself Before doing
so,however, he also visited the Assembly, piedg
ed himself for tho safety Of the Royal iamiiy,
and The tranquility OF the night, and with some
difficulty pre- allied on the President, Mounicr
to adjourn the sitting which had been voted
permanent He thus took upon himself the
responsibility for the quiet OF the night we
are loath to bring into question the worlh, hon-
our and fdeliiy OF Lafayette, and we Car there's
fore only lament that weariness should have so
far overcome him at an important crisis and
that he should have trusted 10 Others the exc
cuton Of those precautions which were most
grossly neglected"
Happily there is little need Of Sir Waiter
Scouts friendly uneasiness al questioning the
worth and honour and faith Of Lafayette. Nei-
Their is there any reason to lament that weari-
ness should have induced him 10 enirust 10 9TH
ers precautions wuith were most grossly ne
elected He proceeds 10 say, "A band oil r'o'-
ers found means TO penetrate into the palace
about o'clock in tie morning throuSha gate
which was left unloc ked and mnguardcd. -
Wha, conclusion could we form here, knowing
Lafayette's character as soldier oil which we
are free 10 confess that negligence formed no
part What! but with Sir Waller Scott, TO
question The worth and faith Of Lafayette. But
let US hear Madame De Srael who was an eye
witness Of these occurrences, anti whose name
is often IN the mouth OF this author. VI he
MARQUIS de Lalaye,te at last entered the Cha :
trau and passing through the apartment in
which we were, went TO the King. We all
u
wants, and ye, the popular party was already
more powerful than It's chief and principles
were yielding 10 factions, o" rather were begin
ming to serve only as heir.pretexi. Nj. dc La
faye,te's manner was perfectly calm; nobody
ever saw i, otherwise; hu, his delicacy suffered
from the importance Of the part he was called
to act lie asked for The inferior posts q The Cha
teau in order that he nigh, insure their safety.
Oniy The outer posts ,Oers granted 10 him" We
hear Of no distinction between inner and outer
posts from the author Of the "life Of Napoleon
Lafayette is to be considered Responsible FOR
the posts which were and for those which we're
not assigned him! If he indeed "pledged him
,clf for the security Of the Roya! family" and
stock upon himself the responsibility for The
quiet Of the night" as is repeatedly urged in
the extract before us, this very acl sufficiently
shew tina, i, was understood both BY him who
gave and those who received the pledge, that
the posts guarded by Lafayette were The only
avenues to the palace; as il would be perfectly
absurd 10 suppose him To pledge himself for
guards whom he did not command S could not
have known. The pledge mus, have been un-
derstood, too, as against open violence from
the crowd without. That body Of assassins
pilo,ed by the Duke Of Orleans, (who "knew
the sreret avenues') should have reached The
chamber Of the Queen by IAN obscure passage
and which was no, in the par, of The Chateau
guarded by Lafayeues"is as far from affecting
Laiaye,,e's pledge for the security Of The Royal
family, as if the Queens danger bad risen
from fire or any other casualty. He is not TO
be supposed 10 usTp the Office Of Guardian
Angel, 10 hover over their slumbers and ward
off all dangers seen and unseen; but 10 guard
against such danger as ;hey knew he could pre-,
vent.--Then why do we hear nothing of these
inner pos IS? Had the author never seen Mad
anne De Steals book. Was he ignorant of an
almos, immemorial Etiquette of the French
Court which restricts 10 the Swiss Guards
the immediate care Of the sovereigns person?
Did he not know tina, these inner guards them
selves were not increased; so little was appre-
hended for the personal safety OF the Royal
Family!
We shall be excused for making one or two
more extracts from the scenes Of the 9Th and
9th October. "Two of the Gordes de Corps were
already beheaded and the man with the Beard
was elamorous TO do his Office upon the Others
who had been taken when Lafayette reused
from his repose, arrived a, the head OF boGy