New-York daily tribune., 1842-07-30
From the Foreign Quarterly for July
THE REIGN OF TERROR.

1t will often happen that the qualities OF indi-
vdusl.. in an attacked aud mpcrlled party wlH
stavc oif nay. perhaps countcract and deiea', te
dangers bv which thoy are surrounded But a.
the storm gradually gathered round the throne.
with which every sinister interest, whether ~
aristocracv or church, was connected. 1t became
obvious that these qualities Wcrc not to be found
in Louis XVI. His excellent heart ms sweet and
amiabc nature, were wholly lost and thrown
AWAY IN the turbulence of the time, as were the
virtues somewhat similar of our Hesry the Sixth
in the conyulsions OF a civil war. tls domestic
peculiaritics-ms innocent but mechanical tastes
his .l.hd heavy couutcRance smeared with the
smok,, of hi, foree-cSen his first irlgldity, M
sub.couenf rxoriousncss. TO his Qucen-wcrc all
matters that repeated through the infinite gossip
of Paris covered his very name with ndicuie--
His amiabty of disposition. too often welding IN
the wrong place. provoked inSolence ana dls
hearcncd loyalty. His aversion from bloc" had
on inlmincn, occasions, the worst effect OF cow
ardicc: and while the mar had all the mcekness
of n saint, the system he represented exposed him
To all the cdlum ot a tTIant By people con-
tented with Reforms, such a hin. would have been
adored; for Louis WI. was bN nature Reform
or and hopry had IT been for France had her pop
uation possessed hall the virtues ot her hing
But amongst \ people les dcsirous to reform than
c,gcr TO DESTROY. the safety Of the ruler depends
little ON the qualities that bcsei affection. unless
he has also those which inspire awe. Louis Was
never more insecure than IN those periods of hs
reign when he most popular. To aid 10 ms
dangers. his Queen. more brilliant and more prom
insnt. had contrivcd 10 bc the most dctcstcd per
son in the kingdom. Though possessing many
fine qualities. they were A. lltt.e suited 10 the
times as those Of her husband decorous gray
itv of life coupled with mild frmnc.s. might have
won for her a respect which would have gone far
70 rally the middle classes sround tie throne hul
her imprudent Levitt, daily and hourly exposed hei
10 the roarse,i ,uSpicion-, and her sarcastic hu-
NOR. coupled with passionate hauchtlnc>s. multi
piled the number o.. her persoHa. enemies smongs,
those who could best have defended acg from slam
der Ignorant ol the people and OF the tunes, she
was perpctualv grating against both; now bully
inc minister - with the power of Catherine.
NOW going iscognita iu a hackney 10 IA pub
lie masked bah as with the rcckle>>ne,s oi Mes.
.alina Granting her TO have been inyio.abiy
faithful 10 Loui,. she couu.ycd 10 hold him up 10
public scorn a. a cuckod. Granting hcr TO have
been throuetly attached Ia tie people Of heraiop-
nor. no belief Wa, more common that that OF hcr
hatred to 'hem a, an alien. ln stormy times. no
mailer VIA, the great are their ia,c depends On
wha, ,nev are believed 70 be.
Ne nppsar revolution, according TO Lord Ba-
con and L. universal experience Vas ever success
tul unless beaded hy The ari>tocracy the victim,
,ea1 the PROCESSION ihai conducts ihcm 90 the
knife. Royalty, sohiiity learning and the clergy.
anpe,rcd 81 the Opening of tie Preach Revolution
n. the leaders of the movement that hsd Tor IL
GOA rhe bloody grave OF all. Unluestionably tie
commencement of the prATH-MAKCH. th-i hrsi
assembly %; the hcrs-Sfaf, presented much To dal
80 .b. .isl, and awaken the hopes oi The world
N,s,,,s, e., MIGHTY nation seemed To havc best and
rol,..,. nil ,aitcd in the course of the national
,ef,r, each r,r,, wing with the other Ia The SUI
,cpAer of u,,.,., priIlcg, sad the study OF the
,,,hl,- GOOD And me mos, touching feature IN