Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-09-04

ed in like manner, legacy TO villain who lad
attempted the assassination of the Duke OF
w wellington, according TO his strange Augment
having good right TO kill his rival and victor
as the English had 10 de,sin him pleoner az 5.
Helena. This clause ia the last will OF dying
man, is not striking from il. atuci,y merely, bu,
as from the inaccuracy OF The moral ressoniI g.
Napoleon has drawn parallel betwixt two cases,
which must be therefore both fish, or both wrong
II both were wrong. why reward the rueisn with
a legacy! but if both were right, why complain oil
the British government for OBTAINING him at ST.
Helena.
But, indeed, the whole character of Nspoleon's
autobiography marks his desire to divide tuauk ind
into two classes, his friends and his enemies
the former of whom are to be praised and vindica
ted the latter to be vlified, censued and condemn-
ed, without any relation 20 truth, Justice, or con
si-tehcy. 10 take gross example he souily al
hrued, that The treasure which were removed from
Paris. in pril 1874, and carried TO Otir,ns were
seized and divided by The ministers of the allied
Mettsrnich, Hsrdenbetg, s
Caslefessh; and that the money thus seIzsd ,nclu-
ded the marriage-roftion of the Empress Maria
Louisa" Had this story been true, 1t would hsye
presented Napoleon with a very simple means OF
avenging him elf upon Lord Castlereash, By put
ting the Brush public IN possession of the secret.
Ii Is no less remarkable, that n apoieon. tn ugh
himself soldier and distinguished one, can ne
yer allow one line oil praise TO the soldiers and ge
nerals by whom ne was successfully employed
In mentioning his victories, he frequently bestows
praise upon the value and conduc, o. The vabQush-
ed ths was an additional and more delicate
mode OF prsising himself and his own troop-. by
whom their enemies oiherthrown. But he
never allows any merit 10 iho-e by whom he was
defeated in turn. He processes neves 10 have seen
the Prussian 'rsops behave well, save a, Jena, or
The Russisirs but al AusteriIz. These armies OF
the same na'ions which he both saw aud feI, in The
NJ "A 1
made such disastrous retreats as that OF Moscow
ana Leipsic, were according to his expressions ,
mere csnaiiie.
In tue same manner. when he details an action
In which he trlumphed he il to boast like the
Old Gtecian, very justly perhaps, that in this fol-
tune had no share; while his defeats are entirely
and exclusively attributed to the rage OF the ele.
ments, the combination OF some mot extrso,dipa-
~ and unexpected circumstances, The failure ,i
some OF his Lieutenan;s or Msre.chals; or finally
the oos'iuacy OF the general opposed, who, by
mere dnt OF stupidity, blundeIed INTO success
through circumstances which should have insured
his rum.
From one end of Napoleon's works TO The o
ther, he has scarcely allowed him-elf 10 be guilty
OF single FAULT or single folly, excepting of tina,
kind, which arising from over confidence and
generosity, men secretly claim nisriis, while
they affect 10 give them up matters of censure
l! we credit his own word, we must believe hin,
10 have been faultless aud impeccabe being. or
else one that told his story with total dire
gard to Truth and candour, where his own reputa-
ton concerned.
Perhaps II was a consequence of the same indif
terence to TRUTH which induced Napoleon 10 receive
into his favour those French officers who b,ols
their parole by escape from England Thi.. he
alleged, he did by way OF retaliation, the British
government having, as he preisndej, followed a
similar line OF conduct. The DEFENCE is false in
point OF fact, but If it true forms no apoiosv
Tor sovereign and n general countenaucins a
breach OF honour IN geatleman and soldier -
The French officers who liberated themselves bv
such means were not the less dIshonoured men K
unfit TO bear command in The army of France.
though they could have pointed 10 similar exam
pies OF iaiany IN England.
But the most extraordinary instances of NaDo.
Icons deceptive system, and Of his determination
at all events, TO place himself under the most f.,
voraoe iSt 10 the behoders is his attempt TO re.
pfepre-ent himself as the friend and Protector q.
liberal and Tree principles. lie has destroyed every
Vesge oiberty IN ;he had prosecuted as iie
oiogists all who cherished lis memory; he had
boosted himself che Ieslorer of mouarchical GOV.
ernment; the war between the Consitltionalisis 6,
him covered, alter the return from Eba by boI.
low truce, had been renewed and the Liberali.,.
expelled from the cspi'al he lef in his Testament,
the appellaiion OF traitor with La Fayette one OF
their earliest most devoted and sincere Oh eff.
10 the party which PROCESSES most to be guiJed bv
them, he has ventuTed to represent himself a.
friend of lberrl deasl lie has done so. and ne I
been believed
There is bui one explanation of this The friends
OF iheTevolution are upon principle the enemies of
ancient and established governments Napoleon
became the opponent OF the established powers
tom circumstances, not because he disputed the
character OF their government, but because the,
would not admit him inis their circle-snd thou n
there was not and could not be any real connection
OetwIxt his system and that OF the LiberHIists yet
each loved in the other the enemy OF heir enen;e.
II was the business OF Napoleon in his latter da
20 procure, II professions could gain It, the syupa-
thy and good opinion OF any every class of poli
uclan-; While on the contrary, IL could not be In
different TO that to which he made advance. IN
number among their disciples, even ia The twelfth
hour the name oil Napoleon. Ii was, az sometimes
happens IN the Catholic church, 81 hen a wealthv
aud powerful sinner on his death-b ed receives the
ansoIu'lon OF the church on easy terms, and dies
alter lie spent in licentiou5 courses, wrapt up
In the mantle, and guided wi the cord Of some ar
der of unusual stTiciness. Napoleon thus living .
despot aud conqueror, has had his memory con
secTsieI aud held up TO admiration by men who
term themselves emphalcally the friends of free
dom.
The faults of BuonaParle, we conclude as we
conmencedi were rather those OF the toYeIejgu
o"N 'udu Oh the lnd tVl1uaI. WISELY Il
II written, that If say we have no gin we de-
ceYe ourselves, aud the truth is not in u.s. II
WAS The inordinats force OF AMBITION which made
him the scourge Of Europe; it was his efforts TO
Disguise that selfish principle that made hin COM
blne fraud with force, and establish regular sys-
TEN tor deceiving those whom he could not sublue
Had ne nuIursl disposition been coldly cruel like
that OF Octavus, or bad he given way TO the
warmth Of his temper, like other despots, his pri.
Vste history, as well as tbst Of biz campaigns,
must ha' c been written in letters OF blood. H. in
stead OF asserting, that lie never committed