Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-04-26
From the Charleston Mercury.
THE NEWS FROM EUROPE.


{" Never in our recollection has the mail
come to us freighted with news so grand,
SO startling, so suggestive of over"bel.
ming emotions Of mingled hope and
dread, as within those few weeks. And
the latest accounts, of which we present
an abstract to-day, ale Of increasing in
tercst and moment. 1t was much tha,
France had, with the suddenness Of a
thought, ihrus. forth monarchy as the
fundamental law of the frs, nation of
Europe. We were still gazing in fresh
wonder at this strange light, when anoth-
or and another bursts forth, and the
whole horiz,n is flashing and streaming
with the bontires of freedom. Scarce
corner Of Europe where the hearts Of
the people have no, bounded responsive
20 the tfrobing OF france. All is as yet
coafused-.he light tlueid-the hope dar-
kened with but too we'll founded dread OF
change. What will come Of it Heaven
only knows, but the voice of many ma.
tions, in unisioa, demanding liberty, and
with fierce earnestness debating terms
at the gates Of kings and emperors,. is
grand beyond all sounds that have ye,
reached the ear OF earthly listnrr.
II is almost descent from the SUBJ
lime TO the ridiculous, to turn from the
rulers; panic.stricken, SO without
counsel and without strength, appear the
hereditary princes Of Europe. II is e.
ven now difficult to attribute to anything
but faulty the miserable aud unresis,ing
fight Of the royal family from Paris, az
ter making such mighty preparations to
govern France by force. Not an arrow
found in the CULVER Of tho polite and
fas-seeing Louis Philippe, when the mob
bearded him on thron"! The old and
quie, despotism OF Austria is revolutions
lied in day BY a band Of students and
idlers. All Germany, seized with the
spirit Of hot.Eeaded and quick-moying
France, enacts scenes that seems gro,es-
que contrasted with the phlrgm and solid
gravity Which we are used to hear of as
the Interchangeable characteristics Of their
country. And what makes the move,
ment still more worthy Of fadnra,ion, as
well as more full of hope, is that with
common voice the Germans demand
not only liberty, but the union Of all
Germany; the barritre Of States, as we'll
as the .frowniog bastiements Of tyrany,
shake in the tempest .of popular excite~
ment. We would direct the readers
attention tothe Proclamation of the
King Of Prussia in. this connection. 1t
isa document of, commanding interest,
and certainlyaindica.es on the part Of
that sagacious sovereign determination
TO put himself atthe head ofthe people,
instead ofyainly. striving to stay. the Tor.
remit .:ss
lsss si4ai6 are are HE He STEPS
kenby tho Kings of Holland and Bel
GUM, who;haye voluntarily placed them-
selves LIN the hands gof,heir! subjects,
and lefti. for the representatives ofthe
people to fashion the governments as
they think best. Not only has the charm
ofToyalty faded from The popular heart,
but kings themselves seem all at once
to.have awakened TO the knowledge iha
have. merely been enac,ing the delusron
Of the theatre, aod that the audience,
tiredoflhe mock>heroic, do but reasona-
bly, demand that they pluck off their
tinsel crowns and drobes, and drcs for The
comedy Of real life.
England alone is unmoved, or near.
lyso; and in this case, as we'll as in our
own, We have an impressive proof Of the
stable and conservative character of free
institutions fully guaranteed. Were it
not fol Ireland -discontenled and re.
bellious, because no, allowed to share
in the freedom Of England, because out.
Iawed and held fo,eign-,he position
of the Unite Kingdom would be one
challenging almos, unmixcd admiration
so calm and self.roIying in the mids,
of The convulsion Of the world around
her. Ireland is 10 her what Hungary
and Lombardy are 10 Austria-and both
are striking instances of the danger ora
union of nations under one government,
without amalgamation Of races.