Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-10-24

its manifold and ncurabe vices and particular under the
truly defective system Of sovereign authority,
The Feuda System the second great change the structure
Of European society," did take form Immediately after the
fall of Roman power nor, indeed, the fall Of Roman
power sudden revolution The last Emperor Of the western
Roman empire (Augustuus) dethroned in A. ID. 476,
about five hundred years after the of the reign
of Augustus
We cannot permit ourselves nor ought could to
use the comparative term barbarans applied by the Romans
to their northern conqueros In fact books and minds
the term is degrading than il was in the writings and
minds of the Greeks and Romans who rather by the term
meant strangers foreigners But by whatever term desg
mated, these northern broke the Roman empire tramped
tons, and traced new demarcaons of power The imme-
date rupture Of the Roman empire was however,
anachy-a umultuous chaos and perpetual uctuaon, and
confused admiration people and Of such systems of law and
permitted exist Thus passed another
period of three hundred years the reign Charemagne
whose extraordinary genius produced of prosperity
promising sautay adoption of law ustice and order he
founded great empire and when consider the difficulties
with which he must have had to contend, cannot avoid
sanconng the he has held in the lit of benefactor OF
mankind But Chaemagne rather repreed than destroyed
abuses 1t would have demanded many successive regns of
such to have given stability to law ard ORDER and habits
Of submission to useful administration with protection and
curiy of perpetuy industry, property, and life At the
death Of Chaemagne, (sl4 advanced having out
lived all his but one and that the weakest Louis lie De-
bonare, every element of stability wanting The reign OF
Louis of tumut and blood His children were his
most dangerous and refractory Subjects and at his death s4
the great Frank empire was again German and Frank
ed the treaty of Vedun be again reunited
In such ages of general ignorance and less in all
Of the very evils they formed prevent such in
most striking MANNER the with the empire of Char
lemagne which persisted from the very institutions founded
its conservation This monarch had created great Off
GERS dukes to command the armies administer
justice, and other minor officers all revocable will But
during civil wars the weakness necessities of the
supreme ruler and general confusion the dukes and counts be-
came hereditary soveegns, independent and in most
hostile to the monarch These dukes and counts,
the aid of their subodnaes, granted lands and privileges
der the tenure OF military services Thus Western Europe
covered with gandees, possessing sovereign authority in
their domains Finally, the euda system became the
of society The Of the people real
slaves liable to sale by their other property The
feuda system of all those systems under which mankind
has existed the best calculated to excite admiration
on side and unqualified condemnation the other. 1t
was system of splendid theory and practical abuse. The
issue of most ght anarchy and consecrang every dsor
der this thousandheaded hydra saked the land
before it and violence marking its boodsained footsteps
There during many ages but two conditions Of
mankindhe oppessor and the oppressed The barbarous
rudeness of both ranks, and their rocy put completion
the disorder of society Robbery and murder identified
with sovereignty Every hill rock crowned with
tie inhabited by licensed pundere The body of the peo
pe enslaved peasanty only abored for yrans also
from their number supplied armed ruan instruments
BILE the lords of castles sustain their awess power Law
understand the term, existed Justice
KNOWN female weakness unprotected Such the picture,
all its exaggeraon, of the tenth century, when the horrors
OF barbarsm had reached their height and when historians
such they were, conferred upon the title truly character
sic of ''THE AeE IRoS."
Yet with all its misrule, there must have remained on
many minds, sentiments of order and humanity in the
iron tenth century The rise Of chvary proves the
ghul Of oppression, and existence of manly
adherence of the oppessos Those who read without study
ing history decy chvay, whilst those who make themselves
acquainted with the then condition Of things will be almost
not altogether tempted regard chvaly of the great
est direct nerferences of presiding Providence Il was
when the dearest rights Of human amped down
by brute force, sublime effort of enthusiasm and virtue II
may now appear extravaganza, but was, in the ages Of
sangunay anarchy, the supplement of law and safeguard Of
the meridian day of civilization. II the first nstitu
ton earth which conferred due respect and dignity e
male character We ought therefore honor and de-
cry chyay 1t stands the poetic part of history, the
morning glory Of Western Euope as though France gave
birth, vast and obvious its benefits grand its
cepon and ennobng its exercise that Span Portugal Italy,
Germany in its widest extent, and Britain, adopted the
ORDER and shared in the meoraons Of its effects The best
principles Of human nature seemed regain action and with
chivaly the amiabe virtues receaed an extent
and exercise influence unknown to all antiquity Men be-
gan oreect that there moral limits power and that
mand and obedience the only ties between the
arch and the peasant Foundations then laid for those
securities and embellishments which adorn and give
strength to society, fidelity, galanty and mutual Difference
So deep rooted however, abuses Of every kind and
widely spread, that time demanded to produce even
show Of change In Italy the human mind had in no age so
far sunk in ignorance in the ransmonane countries and
therefore, in measure that fine peninsula remained
age ground for civilization In Italy, however, great
handing sovereignty the contrary the division into
petty prncpalites, dukedoms, and republics supenduced
many Of the evils Of feudality.
Taken under view however, Germany, Italy, France
and England under various notifications Of the feuda sys
tenn, ruled msred through five six hundred years
Viewed under its most favorable aspect this system appeared
to have the advantage of simplifying the sovereign authority
and relieving from embarrassing details II resembed GER
era who had only to command his officers But what result
could be hoped for when the army, divided in ITSELF belonged
to the officers separately II simple therefore, to be
effective. Public force in the hands of those who ought
TO obey, and the sovereign, nomnay the head pa
gcant and the people advertisements victims Of tyranny
Amid all these conflicting elements Christianity corrupted