Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-04-28


the peculiar institution
Lecture on the French Revolution.
Count Laporto whom our village readers
will recollect as a boarder at the llylropaihc
Establishment in the summer Of ls46-deliver-
cd lecture in the Masonic Temple, Boston, on
Friday evening, 9lst Ills subject was, "13e re-
cent French Reroluiion; bs causes and probable
results" While we do not by any means intend
to endorse his views, VIC yet presume they may
be interesting TO those who enjoyed his acquaint-
ance. We therefore copy from the Boston
Traveller the following ,kc,ch of the lecture;
The lecturer first took a rapid survey Of the
history of France for half century, noticing
the revolution Of 1889; the establishment of the
Republic, which continued fourteen years, law
les and bloody in is progress, and finally ex-
tinnuished by the strong hand Of Napoleon, and
followed hy the iron rule of a military dcspOt
which terminated after ten years on the field Of
Waterloo. Then followed the restoration Of the
Bourbons; Louis XVIII reigning ten year, and
his grandson, Charles X, six years; the reign Of
the latter being closed by the Revolution which
raised Louis Philippe to the throne in 1880.
A sketch Of Louis Philippes history was Civ
en-. lie was the son Of the infamous Duke Of
Orleans, the cousin Of Louis XVI, and yet n
cheerful consenter TO his execution. Lous Phil
ippe was. in the Counts estimation, destitute Of
ali that went to make up an honest and good
man. lie was a man Of talents, but selfish, cum
ming, heaftlcss ready to sioop TO any meanness
TO advance his own ends or TO aggrandse his fam
IL, rich and avaricious The lecturer broadly
limited that Louis Philippe WAS an important
gamer By the payment 10 this country Of the
French indemnity claims, and that this fact ac-
counted for the ease with which those long con
tested claims were finally allowed aud adjusted.
With respect to the recent revolution, the
Count expressed his full belief that II might
have been avoided by very triiling concessions
on the part Of Government The people were
eager for reform but il they had been asked
what reform they would have been scarcely
able to answer. The French were not like the
people Of the United States, who read ncwspa-
pcrs, and think and talk about politics continu-
ally. The Frcnchman's life IS devoted TO pleas-
uro be would 20 fifty miles 10 ball or a scene
of pleasurablc amusement, but would consider il
an insupportable tax to 60 three or four tines .
wear 10 the polls TO give his vote. lie had
known q company Of National Guards TO be six
mouihs without a commander, because 4 quorum
OF the company could not be got together. Had
Louis Philippe, then, conceded 20 the clamor for
an increase of the elective franchise, it would
not materially have affected the Government
The French were tickle, and easily excited and
wrought into passion, and are heads;rong when
thus excited; but they bad neither taste nor
time for much interference with politics
The law iorbidding the assembling Of more
than twenty persons, for political purposes, with
out the presence Of the police, by virtue Of
which the reform hanqueis were prohibited. did
bu, was an old law, designed 10 operate against
the koyalists, and proven, them from meeting
10 plot against the usurTing Governments which
displaced the old Bourbons
Count de Laporto avowcd himself hearty
Bourbonist. lie was public servant OF Charles
X, whom he regarded a. conscientious, good
man, Of moderate mental capacity, but who de-
served and enjoyed the affections of his friends,
and ono for whom those friends would willingly
have laid down their lives. The contrast be.
tween Charles departure from Paris, surround
cd by 10000 Of his devoted troops, who would
have spilled their blood rather than had hair
OF their masters head touched, and the igno-
minious flight Of Louis Philippe, in his red cap
and pea,jacket, without the attendance Of SIN
Gle friend, Was drawn in vivid eolors, as illustra.
tive Of the characters OF the two monarchs, and
the estimation in which they were held. Louis
Philippe, he said, WINS a man who never bad a
friend.
Lapor,e's views Of the probable continuance
OF the newly formed Republic were very similar
20 those entertained by many Others. lie doubt
cd IL the new Government would continue many
months For awhile the French people would
be intoxicated with the idea of liberty ard 4 &C.
public, and congratulations would flow in from
oil parts OF the kingdom, to encourage the Pro.
visional Government; but the nation was not
yet prepared nor qualified for a republican form
Of government. The idol Of to-day would prob
ably soon be torn down and trampled in the dust
By another revolutionary movement. And who
then would seize the reins of government p
There was much said about the Bonapartists /;
but that faction was essentially dead. Most of
the old leaders were gone, and the young men
who remained were Of no account. Louis Bo-
naparte, who had made two childish attempts to
stir up an instruction against the government
Of Louis Philippe, was, in the lecturers opinion,
the greatest fool that God had ever made, and
utterly incompetent to any acts of leadership
The Counts belief was, that the old Bourbon
race, in the person OF the young and popular
Duke of Bordeaux, would yet be called to the
throne of France, and the nation would finally
find rest under the reign of their legitimate
soyereigns