South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-02-21

uChotUiSiSttnut WIN thS perseverance,
Of my political opinions are united sin
cere good wishes personally TO you, ane
profound sentiment Of my obligation.
to YOU"
The writer of this letter, and be to
whom it was addressed, have each in
his appropriate sphere, been instru-
ments of transcendant power, in the
hands Of Providence, to shape the ends
Of its wisdom in the wonderful story oil
the French Revolution. In contem.
plating the part which each of them
had acted upon that great theatre Of
human destiny, before the date of the
letter, how strange was at that moment
the relative position of the two indi-
viduals to each other, and to the world
Lafayette was the founder Of the great
movement then in progress for the es-
Enlistment Of freedom 10 France, and
in the European world; but his agen~
cy had been all intellectual and moral.
He had asserted and proclaimed the
principles. He had never violated,
never betrayed them. Napoleon, a
military adventurer, had vapoured in
proclamations, and had the froth Of ia
cobinism upon his lips; but his soul
was at the point of his sword. The
Revelation was to Lafayette the cause
of human kind; to Napoleon it was q
mora ladder 0f m bttinn
Yet, at the time this letter was writ.
ten, Lafayette after series Of immense
sacrifices and unparalleled sufferings,
was private citizen, called to account
to the world for declining to vote for
placing Napoleon at the head Of the
French nation, with arbitrary and in.
definite power for life 4; and Napoleon,
amid professions Of unbounded devo.
ton to liberty, was, in the face Of
mankind, ascending the steps of an he.
reditary imperial and royal throne
Such was their relative position then /;
what is it new 7 Has history lesson
for mankind more instructive than the
contrast and the parallel Of their for.
tunes and their fatef Time and chance,
and the finger Of Providence, which,
in every deviation from the path Of
justice, reserves, or opens to itself an
avenue of return, has brought each Of
these mighty men to close of life,
congenial to the character with which
he travelled over its scenes. The Con-
sui for life, the hereditary Emperor &
King, expires a captive on barren
reck in the wilderness Of a distant o.
cean-separated from his imperial wife
separated from his son, who survives
him only TO pine away his existence,
and die at the moment of manhood, in
the condition Of an Austrian Prince.
The Apostle Of Liberty survives, again
to come forward, the ever consistent
cham ion Of her cause, and, finally, to
close his career in peace, a republican,
wilhou, reproach 10 death, as he had
been without fear throughout life.
But Napoleon was 10 be the artifcer
of his own fortunes, prosperous and ad.
verse. He was rising by the sword
by the sword he was destined TO fall
The counseIs Of wisdom and of virtue
fell forceless upon his ear, or sunk 10.
to his heart only to kindle resentment
and hatred. He sought no further per-
sonal intercourse with Lafayette, and
denied common justice to his son, who
had entered and distinguished himself
in the army Of Italy, and from whom
he withheld the promotion justly due
to his services.
The career Of glory, Of fame, and O
power, OF which the Consulate for life
was but the first step, was often years
continuance, till it had reached its re.
NTH till the astonished eyes of man
kind beheld the charity scholar o
Brienne, Emperor, King, and Protector
of the Confederation of the Rhine
banqueting at Dresden, surrounded by
circle of tributary crowned heads, a
mong whom was seen that very Fran
els OF Austria, the keeper, In his castle
Of Olmutz, Of the republican Lafayette
And upon that day Of the banquetiDl
at Dresden, the star Of Napoleon culmi
mated from the Equator. Thencefor
ward it was to descend with motion
far more rapid than when rising, till i
sank in endless night. Through tina
long period Lafayette remained in re
tirement at La Grange. Silent amids
the deafening shouts of victory from
Marengo, and Jena, and Austerlitz, an,
Friedland, and Wagram, and Borodin
silent at the confagration of Mos
COW /; at the passage Of the Bsresina
| at the irretrievable discontinue q
Leipzig; at the capitulation at tn
gates Of Paris, and al the first restors