The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-10

AN HISTORICAL PARALLEL.-It is really quite
entertaining to witness the sudden and ardent
zeal for good faith, honor, and political morality,
which is exhibited by the English journals, in
the lessons which they are daily reading to the
French upon these virtues. Abdel Kadir has
at last been taken captive. The great enemy of
the French in Algeria, who has defeated so many
armies, and been terror TO their colony 30 many
years, is now prisoner in the hands of the
French, and is safely housed at Toulon-per-
haps by this time is in Paris, exhibited as
spectacle of triumph to the spectacle-loving
Parisiens. When he delivered himself up to the
Due d'Aumale, he stipulated that he SHOULD be
permitedto retire in safety into Egypt, or to Acre,
in Syria. His captors, without any authority to
make stipulations, and without any necessity
too, for he was thoroughly hemmed in, and could
not escape, agreed to the terms he demanded.
Now, then, it is, under these circumstances, that
the English journals come out with their lessons
of good faith, and teachings of honor, to the
French. They hope most earnestly, for the
sake of the French character for good-faith and
honorable conduct, that Abdel Kadir will
be permitted to proceed in safety to the country
of his own selection, and not be detained
prisoner by the French, in contravention OF the
stipulations agreed upon," SC. &c.
What paltry hypocrisy what canting exhi-
bition of verbal virtue, by those who in action
trampled virtue under their feet in similar cir
cumstances, when it suited their objects and
policy. Have the English forgotten their treat
ment of Napoleon! These didactc strains,
these lessons of good faith and honorable action
towards an unfortunate and illustrious prisoner,
come with singular bad grace from the English.
Unlike Abdel Kadir, Napoleon was not a prisoner,
and needed not to have become one. France
was open to him, his army was concentrated
upon the Loire, Populations were daily waiting
upon him, requesting that he would again put
himself at their head. He was not hemmed up
by the English as Abdel Kadir was by the French;
he might have avoided coming into their power.
Abdel Kadir, on the other hand, had no means of
escape; no exit, no issue of any kind was left
open for him. When, therefore, Napoleon gave
himself up to the English, it was an act of his
own it was purely voluntary; he was In stu
alton to demand stipulations He nobly relied
upon the generosity and magnanimity of his
former enemies. The sequel is too well known.
The English, unmindful of the duties of hosp-
tality of the dictates of honor of the demands of
integrity, instantly made him close prisoner,
searched him like pickpocket, stripped him of
his property, drove away his friends from him,
and shipped him of, like transported criminal,
to burning hot, narrow, slckly little island on
the coast Of Africa. How different, now, they
preach to and exhort the French, in the affair of
Abdel Kadir!
Perhaps, however, we ought to take these
heightened lessons of political virtue as intend
ed to be evidence of sincere repentance for the
act of perfidy. cruelty, and baseness, which dis.
graced their own government in its conduct
towards Napoleon. II so, we accept il as good
omen of the return of our English brethren to
Just sentiments of honesty and honor, in national
political transactions.
At all events, the two cases afford a singular
and interesting historical parallel II will be
curious to observe what the French will do with
Abde Kadir. To our view, both officers who
took him, whether dukes or corporals, deserve
to be cashiered, for making unusual stipulations
with prisoner who Mad no power to enforce
any demand; a prisoner in spite of himself,
hemmed up on all sides, and having no means of
sortie or escape. Should M. Guizot keep him
as prisoner, il would not be violation of good
faith and hospitality at all comparable to that
which the English were guilty of towards Ma
poleon. And we are bold to say that if he is
kept prisoner, he will be better treated than
Napoleon was. He will not be separated violent
ly from his family and friends he will not be
transported to die slow, lingering, and tortured
death, In dreary, sickly, and inhospitabe cline!
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