Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-27

aan,.,ed together under the authority OF one
,yho was in = great measure stranger TO them
all. r.r
Arrived at the possession of supreme power
a height that dazzles and conioundslso many,
Napoleon seemed only 10 occupy the s'a,on
for which he was born, 10 which MS Pe'u"',c
powers adapted him, and his brilliant career Vi
success gave him, under all circumstances, q"
irresistible claim. lie continued, !hefe'o'e'
with calm mind, and enlightened wlsdou' :"
consider the means OF rendering MS Po"e' ~"
BILE, of destroying the republican inps,se, anu
establishing monarchy, of which he des'ihea
| himself to be the monarch. To most men the
at,emn, 10 revive, in favor Of a military adYen-
tnrer form of government, which had been re-
! ;tc,ed nv what seemed the voice OF the nation
win universal acclaim, would have seemed an
act Of desperation. The parlizans oil the re-
-nublic were able statesmen, and men OF snpe'
rior talent. accustomed also 10 rule the hetce
democracy. and organize those inlrlgues, whleh
had over,hrown crown and altar. !, was bard
" to be supposed tina, such men would, were !,
bur for shame's sake, have seen theirien years
| labor at once swept away by the sword Of
Young the successful general
| But Napoleon knew himself and tnem, anu
felt the confidence that those who had oech as
sociates in the power acqairedb 10y FORMER reVo-
lulons, must be now content to sink INTO the
instruments Of his advancement, and The suoor'
dinate agents of his authority, conlented WIN
such share of spoil as that With which The hon
rewards the jackall.
To the kingdom at large, upon every new
stride towards power,h he showed the 'cortihca'e
Of superior efficacy guaranteed by the most sig
! ral success; and he assumed the empire Oh
France under the proud title GefW disn'sS'mo
Neither did his actions up To this point encour-
age any one 10 challenge the detects Or laws OF
his title. In practice, his government was Dfli'
liam, abroad, and with few exceptions, liberal x
moderate al home. The abominable murde:
of The Duke d'Enshien showed the vlndictive
Spirit Of savage Bntin general the puoi'c
actions of NAPOLEON, at the commencement o!
his career. were highly laudable. The battle OF
Alarepgo, with its consequences, the softenlng
of civil dscord, the reconciliation with the
Church Of Rome, the recall of the great body oil
tie cmigrants, the reyifealion Of National Ju-
rispr,Itlence were all events calculated 10 Hat
ter the imagination, and even gain The aHec-
tons of the nation.
But with dex,erity peculiar to himself, Ma
poleon proceeded, while abolishing the Repub-
lie, to pre- IS into his service those very demo
, cra.ical principles which had given rise TO the
revolution, and encouraged the attempt to
found commonwealth. His sagaciiy had not
failed t. observe that the popular obJec tons TO
the ancient government were founded less upon
$ any objection to the Royal authority in itself,
than 10 dislike, amounting 10 detesation, -of
. the priyileg which il allotted TO the mobiles
fee, the right to fill the superior rank, in every
profession, and barred the competition OF all
| others, however superior in merit. Wnen, there
fore, Napoleon constructed his new form Of
: | mi ka 81, 4
that he was not like hereditary monarchs, tied
down TO any particular rules, arising out of an
clent usage, but being himself creator Of the
power which he welded, Ire was at liberty 10
model II according 10 his own pleasure. He
had been raised also easily to the throne, by
the general acknowledgement Of his merits,
that he did not reed the assistance Of a party
OF his own; consequently, being unlimited by
previous engagements, and by the necessity Of
gratifying old Partizans or acquiring new ones
his choice was in very unusual degree free
and unlimited
Having therefore at,aincd.the summit Of IN.
man power,.h proceeded, adyisedly and deli
berately, 10 lay the foundation of his throne on
that democratic principle which had opened his
own career, and which was the throwing open
to merit, though without further lille, The road
to success in every department of the state
ms was The secret key OF Napoleon's policy,
and he was so well aided in the use of it, by a.
cute perception OF character, as well as bv good
nature and good feeling, (bolh Of which, in his
cooler moments, he possessedD that he never,
through all his ,icissi,udes, lost an oppor,u.
nifty OF conciiaing and pleasing the multitude
by e.lnclng well-timed attention to dislin.
gulsh and reward talent To this his discourse
perpeiually alluded; and for this he claims. and
Is entitled 10, the highes, praise We have lit
tie hesitation in naming the opening a full ca
reer to talent of every kind, as the Keystone of
his reputation, the main foundation ofbs pow
er-Onhapply, his love of merit, and DISPOSE.
non TO reward it, were not founded exclusively |
upon patriotic attention TO the public welfare
lar less on purely benevolent desire TO reward
what was praiseworthy, but upon principle
OF selfish policy, TO which must be ascribed
great part of Napoleon's success, no smoI! Dor.
!lon OF his mistor'uSes, and almort al his 10.
litical crimes.
we have quoted elsewhere the description