Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-04-01

ne second article OF the number Is entitled " Jour
nasm and epoves the press the general for its ndo-
lence and fear 1t eproaches with negecng the develop
ment OF republican principles and with occupying itself with
religious discussion st ought to questions of pn-
elpes' we want now more than changes of men. :.
IL ought 10 say all that connected with religious
worship is contrary 10 our progress while at the same
time whenever people religious they talk nonsense
But ono OF the most impous and disgusting of all these
appeals 70 vice ana ignorance was address published
in 1897 and signed by Barb9s the hero Of the
feu OF the 18th and 18th Of May and five other persons
In this production Saviour called SHE De0oeyc So
| Of M@y."
That such seed sown in such soil should bear its natural
u Instructions murders, and other crimes is only IN the
usual course OF human affairs. But, while am writing
striking fact has taken place. proving how deeply these de-
poabe doctrines have become nracnaed the country and
how feeble human institutions repess disorder when
cupabe fanatcism has reached pitch of exaaton which
renders the enthusiast reckless of his life as that Of
another young man, not eighteen years of age met
police officer upon the Bouevards and deliberately shot him
down he victim utterly unknown the murderer
but the latter had been accused of participation in the
eaee OF May, and committed this atrocous to CRAFTY
an ndscrimnate thirst for vengeance An Opposition Jour
nal, the Courier Franca makes the following reflections
upon the subject, which not devoid of interest
"a sergeant-de-yie has been shot in open day. in
requented street. and without provocaon 1t not
maleactor by profession who has committed this crime
motive OF vengeance, that regret TO call political has, il is
| said influenced the assassin.
Ihe fact is grave grayer than describe IL
prove that political passions are degraded in France
and that the of the southern penetrate
ed among people whose distinctive character has heretofore
been loyalty The days of the fifth and sixth of June were
The neute OF 1889 presented character arocious for
the insurgents fired upon the soldiers nearly darmed but
they far from these tactics of attempted
upon the isolated agents of authority But if things are at
this point the crime to be reproduced, shall have
fallen into barbarsm.
he parties not less interested than the
most moderate opinions in refusing all kind of sympathy Tor
such acts party which should encourage them by
silence would present itself postery with spot upon its
flag But adjure all good citizens think upon it What
prevents maleacors and organized they are
from putting society DANGER the that they are
hated and desped by all the world and that they can no.
where find support Let them reduce the isolation
the small number of men whom political passions may
made nsensbe despair, let them be- deprived the
appr baton their co-beleyers and they will not fail
turn to better sent ments''
This all very true, but the evil is far deeper than the
writer willing and his remedy is but the palliative
OF the empc who knows neither the constitution of the pa
tent the pathology of the disease He go deeper
into the organization of society in France who hopes
store this part Of the public body to sound state.
As to the consequence of such doctrines and their practical
incucaton these sufficiently obvious to strike the aen-
ton Of the careless Observer and sufficiently alarming
awaken all his socitude Where moral and religious prnc
pies have lost their force, and human punishment
ror what hold society upon its members And when to
the freedom from these necessary restraints is added the i'm
pulse which given crime by the excited passions that
many call into action is rather to be wondered that,
serious mstortunes have marked the progress Of
movement and opinion in France The assassin OF the age
of the Crusaders, and the Indian who muck in
modern times fanatics of different schools, but
dangerous the execution of the plans marked for them,
than the young who sacrificed the SERGEANT vile to his
vengeance.
must give you little inerude a vehicle for conveying
French notion Of revolution. Mr.. Guizo has translated
the work of Mr. Sparks containing the biography and writings
OF Washington and has prefxed to this translation me-
mo written with great force and beauty upon the character
OF usious countryman, and upon the spirit OF the times
in which he lived Many of the prominent features of the
and Of his age have been considered and happily exhibit
ed. The great error-and it is common in Europe
has been to assign to Washington too important part and
to the body OF the people too insignificant in great
political drama Our social condition is enigma to the
old world and obvious, in all their specuatons upon
true condition and upon the probable duration Of nsu
TONS that that element Of safety which depends upon
era knowledge and upon the moral force OF welregulated
public OPINION public opinion in which all partake, is either
wholly unknown or very imperecty comprehended Wash
lngton the great figure upon political and he
who knows revolutions which not regulated and
troed by master mind aud among apeope who require
visible representative with whom embody their opinions
and the critic says whom shall quote by and by,
bOody shirt material emblem Of their wrongs-may well
suppose that the leaders alone the moral force which
carried country through her struggle But the issue de-
pended and, though the peculiar character
scs Of Washington admirably suited TO his station and
duties, still the great work would have to its
summation II he had existed Nor there single
moment, from the firing of the first gun Lexington ill the
disappearance in the horizon Of the British fleet after the
evacuation Of New York. when the commander of the Ame-
could seized the
occurrence impossible all know And had the
detection of Arnold been followed by thousand examples,
this Of treason would have left the great struggle
scathed. Certainly any unoward attempts like these would
have shaken public confidence in the prominent of the
day, and would have added the difficulties Of the arduous
contest and another commander, by series of
less adapted the position Of the country and to the habits
of the troops might have encountered reveres, and
rendered sacrifices necessary. The elevation of Gates
Conway this position would certainly have gone far to
hazard the Of the cause 1T could be hazaded by
comparative presumption and imbecility.
you will not understand seeking TO deract,
the slightest degree, from the just claims and fame Of
veneated hero No. he stands in my estimate Of human
character above all men who have existed. His
principles and conduct the brightest spot of history But
justice TO his memory does demand any exavagant pane
gyrc which, while affecting exa his merit degrades the
character Of his counmen. II he yet earth he would
be the first to disavow such pretensions There glory
enough in the revolutionary struggle to allow just partition
among all who participated in it. am Mr. Guzot above
any such feeling but there evidently in these Euro
pean efforts appreciate and overappeae the Importance
Of Washington the successful result Of the revolutions an
penS the French say, deserving any thing but COM
menaon from American As the influence OF chosen one,
Of chosen few, asccnds in the estimate of general
on the value Of the services of the great mass OF society d.
mnishes. Our Revolution epoch dividing two great
periods the history of 1t shuts out the time OF blind
submission TO arbitrary power and opens that of examinations
OF discussion, and of resistance. II great landmark,
object Of terror and Of hope to Others their habits
Of thinking render them less susceptible TO the adva
ages OF political progress Mr. Guzot conservatives but
he If