Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1829-01-27
CROMWELL & BoNAPARTE.

Ientltleds i1dH01n.S Constitutional IhSt0Ty w ne
Their the writer has done justice to Napoleon
than justice to Cromwell or not, the reader cannot
fail to admire the peculiar energy and eloquence of
the passage.
6 Mr. Hallam truly says, that though it is impos
sble to rank Cromwell with Napoleon as general,
yet his exploits were as much above the level OF
his contemporaries, and more the effect of an original
uneducated capacity" Bonaparte trained in
| the best military schools !; the army which he led
to Italy was one of the finest that ever existed.
Cromwell passed his youth and the prime ofhis man
hood in civil situation. He never looked on war,
till he was more than forty years old. He had first
to form HIMSELF and then his troops. Out of raw
leves he created army, the bravest and the best
disciplined, the most orderly in peace and terrible
in war, that Europe had seen. He called this body
into existence. lie led it to conquest He never
fought battle without gaining victory. He ne
yer gained victory without annihlating the force
opposed to Aim. Yet his triumphs were not the
| highest triumphs of his military system. The res
pect which his troops paid to property, their attach
ment to the laws and religion of their country, their
submission to the civil power, their temperance,
their intelligence, their industry, are without par
allel 1t was after the Restoration that the spirit
which their leader had infused into them was most
signally displayed. At the command of the estab
llshed government, which had no means of enforc-
| ing obedience, $4,000 soldiers, whose backs no ene-
my had ever seen, either in domestic or continental
war, laid down their arms, and retired into the mass
OF the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to be distinguished
only by superior diligence, sobriety, and regularity
in the pursuits of peace from the other members Of
the community which they had saved
In the general spirit and character of his admin
istration, we think Cromwell far superior to Napo-
! Ieon.--'l In civil government;' says Mr.. Haam,
| there can be no adequate parallel between one
who has sucked only the dregs OF besotted fanatl-
csm, and one to whom the stores OF reason and phil
osophy were open.' These expressions, itseems to
US, convey the highest eulogiun to great cuun-
tryman. Reason and philosophy did not teach the
conqueror Of Europe to command his passions, Or
to pursue, first object the happiness of his peo-
| Pile. They did not prevent hin from riskins MS
fame and his power in frantic contest against the
}prnciples of human nature, and the laws OF the
physical world, against the rage of the winter, and
the liberty of the sea They did not exempt him
from the influence of that most pernicious of super
stitions, and presumptuous fatalism. They did not
preserve him from the lnebratlon of prosperity, or
restrain him from indecent. guerulousness and vo
ence in adversely. On the other hand, the tanat-
cism Of Cromwell never urged him on lmprac-
ticabe undertakings, or confused his perception of
the public good. Inferior to Bonaparte in invention
he was far superior to him in wisdom. The French
Emperor is among conquerors what Voltalre is
among writer's, miraculous child. His splendid
genius was frequently clouded by fits of humor as
absurdy perverse those of the pet Of the nursery,
who quarrels with his food, and dashes his play
things to pieces. Cromwell was emphatically a
man. He possessed in an eminent degree, that
masculine and full robustness of mind that equally
difused intellectual health, which, if our national
|partiay does not misead us, has peculiarly char
lacterlsed the great men OF England
Never was any ruler so conspcuously born for
3sovereignty. The cup which has intoxicated al
most all others, sobered him. His spirit. restless
from its buoyancy in lower sphere, reposed in ma
ilestic pacidy as soon it had reached level con-
lgenial to it. He had nothing in common with that
large class of men who had distinguished themselves
in the lower posts, and whose incapacity becomes
Eobvious as the public voice summons then,
to take the lead Rapidly as his fortunes grew his
mind expanded more rapidly still. insignificant as
private citizen, he was great General he was
still greater Prince. The manner OF Napoleon
was theatrical compound, in which the coarseness
}of revolutionary guard room was blended with the
ceremony ofthe old Court ofVersaes Cromwell
by the confession even of his enemies, exhibited IN
his demeanor the simple and natural nobieness OF
man neither ashamed ohs origin, nor vain OF his ell
deviation of man who had found his proper place IN
society and who felt secure that he was competent
Ito fill it.--Easy, even to familiarity, where his own
dignity was concerned, he was punctiious only for
his country-is own character he left to take care
of itself; he left it to be defended by his victories
in war, and his reforms in peace. But he was a
Jealous and impacable guardian of the public hon
lor He suffered IA crazy Quaker to insult him in
the midst of Whitehall, and revenged himself only
lby liberating him and giving him dinner. But he
was prepared to risk the chances Of war to ayenge
the blood ola private Engshman.
No sovereign ever carried to throne so large
portion of the best feelings of the middng orders
so strong sympathy with the feeling and interests of
his people. He was sometimes driven to arbitrary
measures but he had high stout, honest English
lheart-Hence it was that he loved to surround his
Throne with such men as Hale and Blake. Hence
lit was that he allowed large share OF political
1.-The his suhects and that even when an Qppo-