The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-01-19
From the London Herald
THE PROGRESS OF MORAL AND Pc
LITICAL REVOLUTIONS.
BY SIR JAMES MACINTOSH.

Sir Robert Peel distinguished himself by
specimen of Legislation called an alien bill,
which was TO arm the government of a free
country with arbitrary powers against the tu-
gitve subjects of continental tyrants who
sought an asylum fFom the vengeance OF TIE
" Holy Alliance" on our shores When we
think on the spirit of that alien bill, and the
object which it was intended to serve, we can
not but feel deep sense of the wonderful dis
peRsations of that eternal justice which gov
ems the universe, when soc the tyrants
themselves driven to solicit a shelter in the
same land of freedom, the gates of whose hos
pitaty that bill was intended to have closed
against their victims. The Duke of Brunswick
has rapidly followed the example of the ex
king of France, in provoking and flying from
the jus: Indignation of his subjects. The
wantonness with which he excited the popular
vengeance, can only be equalled by the celer-
ity with which he fed from it.
We were told by those who profess to know
the intentions of Kings, that Charles X would
die on horseback rather than submit TO the
constitutional demands Of his subjects; but
when this hardihood Of assertion was put TO
the test of action, he mounted his horse, not
to fight, but to fly! So much for the chivalry
of modern Princes, who, while they would
have their subjects worship them as Gods,
take pains to show how little they are entitled
TO the respect of reasonable men. For fifteen
years the continent of Europe has suffered un-
der the iron misrule of sovereigns, who, at the
downfall of the empire of Napoleon, called
themselves delverers Of the nations, but were
in fact themselves delivered from u mean vas
salage by the energies of their people whom
they afterward leagued together to enslave.
Those sovereigns, while they arrogated abso-
lutte dominion were themselves the slaves of
crafty and dishonest ministers, who practlsed
as Selanus did upon Tiberlus, by making them
fear the people in order thereby to confirm
their own corrupt influence over lhelr suspi-
cious and enervated minds
In almost all the Courts of Europe, the ad-
ministration of officers has been entrusted to
men, not recommended by superiority Of vlr-
! tue and intellect, but by the low articles OF
| cunning, and the base accomplishments OF IN
! trigue. Need we wonder, that with such ad-
/ vsers, the rulers of the continent have sow
! ed the wind and shall reap the whirlwind
! Let us take the ablest Of the class, Metternlch.
| Does shat veteran Jesuit in policy know now,
| like Themstoclcs, to make OF small commu'
nifty a great and fourishing State, or is he bet
ter qualified to make the authority OF great
empire politically base and morally despicable
| The whole course Of his political career has
shown that, though a;dextcrous politician, he
[ is no statesman. The former is person who
is destitute of the true capacity to govern, bul
is conversant with the little arts by ,chtch ptact
is preserved, with mind fertile in the resources
of cunning, but destitute of wisdom. Hi:
abolition turns on the pirot of self, and his for
tunes are exalted by the degradation OF the
country. Unsllackled by principle, obdurate II
heart, and adroit in assimilation. such min
lister regards honorable sentiment and political
integrity as the accomplishments Of fools Ht
banishes every virtue from the range OF his de
basing influence, and considers successful
treachcry and deception as the criterion OF pc
litical talent and the contamination OF able pol
icv Need any one who has read history Alright
and who has seen in the vicisstudes OF empires
the glorious ways Of an eternal Providence, b.
told that such Minister, while he imagines he
is giving stability to vicious power, is only sow
ing the seeds of revolution
Such are the politicians who are answcrab
for the present state of things in Europe. The,
have increasingly exerted themselves, TO maxi
it an article of political faith with Kings; tina
the weakness of the people is their strength
that the debasement of the people is their glory
They have opposed knowledge as an enemy
and denounced truth as treason. But the door
of this system of government went forth whe
the art of printing was invented. The progress
of moral revolution is slow, but when 1t ha
not met with corros pondlng changes in civ
institutions, it eventually and inevitably lead
to political revolution. While an intrlguln
politician only looks to the present momen
e and sees in the little circle of vision which
d minute sagacity commands, only the patr
d interests of selfish ambition-the statesma
t takes large and comprehensive view of tn
n relations of society, and the deStlnies of nj
L tons He looks to the history of the past f
: that instruction which projects its light upo
the future. He ascertains the capabilities ar
resources of the country which he rules, AZ
IL applies them to the promotion of its haPpine
If its social strength-its political grandeur
lie and its moral improvement. These are Il
l. objects of the ambition of the true statesma
q who only rises into fame by elevating Il
. character and improving the condition of b
~ country
: The great Lord Chatham was statesman
It. this stamp. AIoof from all petty intrigaes f
10 po1oer, he confided in the mastery OF his on
le genius Inspired with a generous ardor
p, serve his country, he let the shafts of mali
e. waste themselves against reputation that W
n sure to be avenged by history.
he He waged no paltry war upon the press
Sc yielded not The poaoer Of the State TO crash
~ freedom Of OpjniOn-he stopped not from
< attitude of bold Incorporating virtue to e
~ plore and track the loinGing erOoked paths
ia base c1pcdiency-he did not surround hims
III with corps of incdpabies foil to his sur
n riority-nor did he mistake for honorable far
he the sordid praise of mean sycophants and iaw
n ing parasites. His ambition had all the era
10 deur of his intellect. He called up gem,
ey knowledge, and public virtue, around him ;
vn the generous qualities of great men are son
re time as coutagi ous as vices in our exalted S
= ton From the splendid success of his forci
80 policy, and his commanding influence over
OF popular mind, he has left name among
I'm statesmen of England unrivalled in the lasti
ed ton Gifts glory. We wish we could see SOL
Fir thing of the spirit of his lofty AMI expons
of ambition, directing the councils of England
! a the present day, when the Continent tremb
I'd. with the shock of revolution, the natural
h. sequence Of mindless arts Of conceited, shall'
ho and immoral pretendcrs to political wisdom,
- We deprecate tho violence of democracy
- we'll as the oppressiveness Of tyranncal pow
but it is the profigate flattere.s of tyrants
on prepare the combustible materials which
gh- fierce defamation of the demagogue ignit
and in the flames of which it has too often )
pened that the valuable we'll as the worth
,ho parts of civil institution have been consun
Still whatever troubles aflict and harrass
,,,,. nations of the Continent, VIC have cause tt
peculiarly grateful to Providence not only
the possession of Constitution, whose