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


of III. whole world we cannot be surprised at the |
immense height TO which he raised himself.
Bn, the egn,ism which governed his actions.
subject swaysto Ihe exercise of his excellent \
and cultivation of his interest in the public
opinion, If it in great measure favored the sue
OF his various enterprises, did him In the end
much more evil than good, as u siiesed his mott
desperate enterprises and was the source OF his
Nyost inc cussble actions.
Moderate poiticianswill agree, that after the
Tnpeiia! system substituted Tor the RepsblI-
tan, the Chief Magistrate ought to have assumed
ard exerted a considerable strength OF authority,
in or.ier to mantsin tina, establishment OF civil
Order, that protection Oi the existing Of things
which was necessary to terminate the wild and
changefu recurrence of perpetual revolutions
Had Napoleon stopped here. his conduct would
have been unbla,Deable, and unbalanced, unless by
the more devoted followers uI the House of Boul-
bon, against whom P evidence arpeorcd 10 most
men tn have closed the gate vi restoration. But
his principles oil cgoi-m would rot be Satisfied
until he had totally destroyed every vesige of those
Tree Institutions. which had been acquired by all
the perils, the blood, tho of the Revolution
and reduced France, save for the influence of pub
lie opinion, TO The condition of CoOstan inople
or OF AlgeIs. 1t was merit to raise up the
throne, II was natural that be who did 20 should
himself occupy u, since in cedlng il to the Bour.
bons, he must have betrayed those at whose hands
hs accepted power, but to plumber the nation Of
their privileges as free-born men, was the act OF
psTacide. The nation lost under his successive
ebcroachmen's, what liberty the ancient govern
ment had left them, and all those rights had been
acquired BY the Revolution. Political franchises,
individual interests the property of municipalities,
the progress of education OF science, of mind and
srntiment, all was usurped by the government
All France was one immense army, under the alb
soiute suthoriy OF military commander subject
10 no control responsibility. In that nation,
so lately agitaet by the nightly assembly of thoa-
sands of political clubs, class of citizens under
had he rio ht nC N
nuing In the expression of their opinions. Nei-
theT IN the manners nor in the laws, did there
main any Popular means OF resisting the errors or
sbuses of the administration. france re. embed
iie political carcase oil Constannop without the
characterization of the Pachas, the unlerhand resis-
lance of the Ulema, aud the frequent sgi clI.na-
Tous inutines Of the Janiz ,ries..
Whilst Napoleon destJ Dyed sucr essivey every
barrier of public liberty, while he built new state
Prisons, and established high police, which filled
france with spies and j-iloss, whilst be took the
charge of the press 80 exclusively into his own
hand his pulley al once, and bis egotism, led him
10 undertake these immense public works, of grea-
Ter or less utility Oh ornament, the chance NIGH
he, but sure 10 be set dow a monuments of the
Emperor's spendaur. The name given him by
the working classes, of the General Undertaken,
was by no means Ill bestowed, but in what an in
calculably greater degree do such works succeed,
when raised by the skill and Industry of those
who propose TO improve their capital by the adj
venture. than when double the expense is employ
ed at the arbitrary will of de.potic sovereign!
Yet il had been well if bridges, roads, harbours
and public v orks, had been the only compensa-
ton which Napoleon offered to the people OF
France Tor the liberties he took from them. But he
poured cut TO them, and shared with them, to
drown all painful and degrading recollections, the
fatal and Intoxicating drarshi OF military glory and
universal domination.
To lay the whole univ erse PROSTATE al the foot
of france, while France, the Nation of Camps
hers had mn hiulP 10 10 &C. 1f
own EEnpeIor's slaves, was the gigantic project
at " hich he abo:ed with such tenacious sssidui,y
u was the Sisyphan stone which he rolled so
high up the hill, that at length he crushed IN
der Ito precipi,a,e recoii. The msin branches of
that gigantic enterprise such as had been
undertaken while bir spirit of ambition was at its
height, and no one dared, even in his councils TO
interfere with the resolutions which be adopteJ
at this time Napoleon's constant and unin,er>
Tup,ed success under the most dsady analogous cir
cumstances toge her with his implied belief in his
Destiny, all conspred with the exrayagant sense
OF bis own importance, seemed to have impressed
him with ell idra that he not g n the roll oil
common men," and induced him TO venture ON
the mos desperate enterprises, as If animated less
by the result OF reason than by internal assu-
rance OF success. Alter great mscarriages he is
said sometimes to have shown conesponding
depression, and thence resigned four tiues the
charge OF his army when be found his situation
embarrassing, as limo longer feeling that confidence
serted for the moment by his guardian genius
There were similar alterations, too according TO
General GouTsauds's account, in his conversation.
Al times be would speak like deity at others, in
The style OF a very ordinary person.
10 the esoiism OF Napoleon, we may also trace
the general train Of deception which marked his
cubic policy, and when speaking upon subjects
10 which bis own character Was implicated his
private conversation.
In his public capacity, he had completely pros
,iiued the liberty OF the press, that France could
know nothing whatever but through Napoeon's
own bulletins. The battle of Trafalgar was NOT
limited till several months AFTER and then il was
toslly msrepresenied, and so deep end dark was
the mantle which covered the events in which The
people were most inter esIed that, on the very e.
tening when the bsile of Mon martre was fought
the Monicur the Chief organ OF public in, diligence
was occupied III commentary nOSographie
and cTiticisD a drama on the subject OF the
chaste SusannSh. TIE hiding the truth Is only one
step to tile iDyenioD OF fslseh0od, and az a peJio-
deal publisher oil news, Napoleon became so emf.
Heni Tor both, that, TO &c lie like bulIstin' bee
came an adopted expression, not likely to lose
ground soon in the French language, and The more
dsgraeeiul to MAJ oleOn, that he is well known 10
have written these official documents in most in
Stances himself Even This deceptive system, this
pan OF alternately keeping h nation In Ignorance
or abusing them by falsebood, minated sense OF
respect Tor public opinion. Men love darkness
because their deeds evil. Napoleon dared net
nave submitted 10 the public the fair state OF bis
peThdIous and ueacbeIous attacks upon Spain tina n
which more gross breach of general good faith
SuJ existing treaties could scarce have been con
ceived. Nor would he have chosen to MEAD Al
The public bar, the policy Of his continental sys.
tenn, adopted In total ignorance of the maxims of
political economy and the ronae,ue,c.s og