Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-09-14

had been opened &Rccoiections of former, freedom
had been nwakcped-thc sense of present Ills, nor
words nor battery. promises, conid allay-norI
threats subdue Tie personal uuii1hlcness OF Lewis;
the unqusstioued probty and great popularity of
Nscket; the power OF the Crown, could present no
adequate cheek to the irresistible torrent Of public
cenluent-a location OF the Stntes General was
Determined on--and on tho 5th day OF May, 1889,
tho fl st important popular trino,ph accomplish
Ell IN France, by the memorable MEETING Of that bo-
.dy ut Versailles
Now was to take place that long deferred and
mighty struggle between the King and tho people, TO
which the cnrren, of events must sooner or later
have inevitably led A nation weighed down under
load of tuXes, With scarce the veslige of right
tbeir property-their libcrty-thar vcs held by the
wtli-the very sport othe caprice ofonc n,un-their
npa.eice stimulated by the thought Of ayes of ty-
rannical aggrcssion-called aloud for reform Never
owed nation larger debt of gratitude than France
owed to the patriotic and devoted band, on whose
rnness 81 patriotic spirit her dcstinies then hunr:
Never had liberty ruer votares-never had the rights
OF man, more jealous and intrepid advocates than
those noble representatives. Who Enclosed within tho
very precincts of the court under the trownin brow
OF the Iyrant, surrounded by thousands of armed
myrmldons-hired mercenarIcs painting for the price
ct hiood--tared reply 10 the Roya Messenger WHO,
III the King name, ordered them to dsperse The
Nation assembled, has no order 10 receive" From
that moment it.I.as struggle of force. Seventy
thousand men, chiefly mercenaries had been assem-
bled around the throne to enforce the royal wilto
intinldate und overawc the National Legislature
to sle the VOICE and crush the rising discontcnts
OF thr people. The people rose against despotsm
as ignohInious, as was oppressive. In the words
of great Irish orator. thcy broke their chains over
the heads OF their opprcssors. The life ofhim, who
from weakness guilt sportcd With the lives, the
Liberties. the feelings, of millions paid the forfeit of
his crimes for one, do not hesitate iranguagc
unfamiliar to the of FirginianS to cXciainl.
sem'per tyrdnnis!''
SIN admonisled by obvious considerations, not to
enter upon the events, nor 10 engage IN tie discus
sions of which the revolution of 1889 was so slngu-
ary fruitful. Events Of such astonishing On tuds
following one another with rapidty so uneXaniped,
end 10 parallel in the annals of the world. Time,
on this occasion, Is wanting Tor heir enumeration.
Sill less can stop TO expose the iaaces or nninasIi
the hvpncfitica and absurd Jeremlads that have been
whlrled tbrc time, by pretcndcrs to humanity over
q men, whose Patrcian sru.bilty is shocked evan
the mer'ted pains of royaty. but feel touch Of
pity for the suflerings Of whole people. 'In the
great affairs of men,, 1t has been we'll remarked
thc or humanity that claims respect is that manly
and cEpuHdcd humanity that fixes its steady aye on
fAle object OF general happiness" Gulded bv this
principle 10 ming orr Judgment of the fret French
Revoluiinn looking not merely rs Immediate evils
but weighing them agains its resulting benefits is
the French nation and 10 mankind thr enlightened
phlanthropst VIII find ample to join ths rejoi-
cings of he friends of freedom, at that BILE and
most interesting event.
II WAS at that that lain leading and fiInda
mental principles proclaimed n1nXlms in o7-
oernmer which, nnregarGed befnre. and lost sight
IF occasionally since, in the subsequent commissions
OF that nation have never ailcl most salu-
inry and heniiccnt Influence on the condition Of t,
French people = ronc those were the cuualiZation
Of g!posts, tho liability of the possuss;onc Of fl
clergy and nobility to taxation, (irom which to the
increased grievance of the commons they had til
then + Strangely exempt. Above ALL the equal.
" of citizens in thr eye of the law--iike the
equality, Mad Do stae, happily illustrates it, of
men before their Creator
With this brief reference TO the spirit which WINS
preserved thro aIlthr crsngss hat came in
the train of thu Revolution af SO. pass onward to
the downfall of Buonapnrte, and he n establishment
of the Bourbon dynasty Placed by band of conspl
ricrk,o Of,
OF people who despised his pusilinnmity, and de-
tested his vicrs, lrnIs II 9Th had yet concede to
the temper of the nation charter of fIuda nontal
laws. The FIRST portion 81 it continuing the Dyon
Public (or Bill Of Rights of the French cou,rneuces
with this favorlte principle of equality before he
laws Equality OF taaaton-equal admIeRei!ify TO
ce-peasoria security ami the security of proper
ty--treedem of religious opinion and of he liberty
Of the PRESS likewise reeogn,zed and guarant:e ed
By the charter. 1t provides also for Popular Repre-
sentaflon and 'nsiduusy perhaps (for under it, has
the claim of absolute powers, been constantly ASSERT
ed by the throne,j confers the King authority to
make all ordinances necessary for the execution of
the laws and the safety of the State Lewis vss not
long IN discovering that The SAFETY IF TIE State (which
IN the interpretation OF kings means only the impuni
y of royal abuses and the unchecked license of &
court) was endangered By The liberty OF the press,
and accordingly within few months after nc COM
nlencen}2nt of his reign the Censorship was revived
CRITIC principle OF The government, by essentially d
the narnbcr of the cectors--hs brok. down
anatheT q" she safe quarts nf popular right by aboi-
IshinG the ANIMAL election OF fifth of the DEM
iies, provided far by the charter--he still further
with The ala of the noted Vele to the INJURY of the
populace, converted the Chambers from &unqu.n-
NAL TO Septsnnia
Els successor Charles K signallzed the commence
men: of his reign by the abolition of the censorship
and further concatsS public favor by the expression
0f oerten vague but popular opinions, and chvalric
sentimsnts-A D,omsntary hsps was INDUCED tina,
he wond prove himself what. when Conspte d'Arters
he had bean pronsunced % scion worthy of Henry
the Great But this early promise quickly fasii-
cd The inhsrent treachery & hoowness ofthe Eour-
boas, bcgaa be displayed &. to confirm, the su
plclons OF Charsss ceritv, which hs retention in
the ministry Of the edisus Visle bad from the irat
caussd sons 10 entertain Tins pacty and avarce Of
that minister and the lavish prodgality of the gov
eminent, threw tho finances INTO disorder Com
plants OH the part of the people structures On the
conduct OF the govsrnmert-attacks on the minister
dNf h,in,x F,iI. IL