Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-05-03

be approaching its crisis; for, this year
~ Q time Of profound peace, the revenues
are insufficient 10 meet the expenditures.
Where is the true hearted American who
does not long for the termination Of such
state of things?' "
One Of the strangest events, in this day
of great events, is the origin Of these
movements in favor of liberty on the con-
,inent Of Europe. Whence came they?
From the Eternal Ci.y--from the head
Of the Catholic religion-.hc successor of
St. Peter. Immediately on his elevation
to the Pontifcate, the Pope ayowed his at
tachment Of free principles; and from the
Vatican went out the decree which is now
spreading through the earth. The Pom
tiff, who holds the keys Of S.. Peter, has
found key to unlock the recesses of the
human heart. His moral courage was
but the more tried by the difficulties of
his position. The abuses Of the govern
ment were the work of ages, and had en-
tered into all the habits Of life, and the
ramifcations Of society; and he was sur
Grounded by .despotic Governments, jeal
GUS Of the first aspirations Of liberty, and
maintaining their sway by powerful ar
mics. The Austrian, too, with his Pan
dours and his Creates from the banks Of
the Danube, had descended the ridges Of
the Alps, and spread himself over the
sunny plains of Italy. Almost in sight of
the dome of St. Peters, he watched with
interest and with many threatening
word, the progress Of the Pope. But the
work went on. Naples is in state Of
Revolution; Tuscany and Sardinia in a
state Of reform; and France Of apparent
ly peaceful progress in the new career
opened to her.
will not detain you by any rccapitula-
ton, however brief, Of the abuses and OPP
! pressions which have engralicd them
selves into those old governments. An
American ear might hear them, but an
American heart cannot comprehend Them,
The sovereign was the sole legislator,
with power to make and unmakc laws
at his pleasure, and to levy all the taxes
he desired. He could imprison any one
Of his subjects, when and where and as
: long as he pleased; and this horrible
power was often exercised at the request
Of an abandoned mistress or a worthless
courier. The nobility were environed
with great privileges; and among these
were exemption from taxation, an exclu-
sive right to serve the state, and an un-
limited power, even Of life and death, O.
YER their vassals as the people we're called
In France, the great revolution Of 1888
had swept away many Of these relics Of
: an age of barbarisn. That great event
F., did more for human liberty, for freedom
: Of thought and action, than everything
, which had occurred in the ten proceed
: ing centuries.
What | thought Of it, will appear from
the following ex,ac. Of the remarks te
which | shall more particularly refer by
4 and-by:
sit has accomplished vast berei, 70
France and for The world; though in look
Ing back upon its different phasese, it i
: evident that, with less exal.ation of mind
!; the same result might have been obtain
d ed, and years Of trial and suffering spar
: ed to the country. Almost all the exist
: ing institutions of France own their orr
! gin to the half century which has just pas
3 sed away-the annih!aton of leudalt,
and aristocracy-eqraiity the most rer
i feet before the law--thc abolition Of pri
e mogeniture in the descent Of property
: national representation, and its natura
J. consequence, the rendering the rcPrcscn
) tative chamber a central poin, ofinnuence
and authority 1.-The fall of the ecclesiastic
q al regime, with its secular riches and tenn
i Eporal power-the freedom Of the press
I (this was the laws Of repression as the,
: now exlst)-and more than all, and abov,
: all, a public opinion ever yigiIant to detec
/ any abuse Of authority, and ever read
r to demand ameliora,ions in the institu
t tion of the country 49,. ~.
y The downfall Of Napoleon, the rcstor
9 alton and expulsion of the Bourbons, an
9 the revolution Of 1880, still left much c
a public freedom to acquire, and much 70
q a rational government 10 do And, un
l. fortunately the government Of July be
y gan, after few years, to forget it's prom
n lses, and particularly with the advent O
J. M. Gulzot to power, marked its progress
- by public disaf1ection, and terminated il
r the most calamitous results for its au
y thors. One Of the most crying evils Q
/ France was the inequality of her repre-
e sentation-2OO,O 900 voters out Of 36,OOO
s 900 of people having alone the priyieg
y |of election Laws of repression, toe
] were passed controlling the press; and
a short time since an obsolete law Of l79
:. was revived, prohibiting public banquet
y and political assemblages. Against thi
Isl state of things, the French people hay
' risen in their might, audit has disappea,
+ ed before them almost without bloodshee
e The King and his family, and the men
a. bers Of his government, have fled. !.
e provisional administration has been o.
J gained; the army and the navy hay
s quietly submitted; the people have give
e their adhesion to the new order of thing
J and the powers Of Europe are hastenir,
! to acknowledge it. Every America
g will rejoice that this mighty change ha
p been effected with 50 little an expendi,ur