Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-18
LORD BRoUGHAM ON THE LATE REVOLUTION
in FRANCE.


We continue from our paper of the I,h instant hasty
review Of this singular work We may well to be
stow upon that appelaon, because with rapid pen th,
noble author in peculiar himself the en-
tangled and complicated subject of French politics. and those
especially which may be supposed have given rise
the sangunary struggle which has resulted aborve con
sulon and unsteady republic. The writer in the course
Of his narrative, gidcs smoothly from political philosophy
ana history, and from that again TO exegeca criticism
he here there and every where. One is carried along the
path with half willing, half distrustiul STEP but there
something seductive in his words and yield at length
their influence Like the troublesome fellow on the Via Sa
era, his Lordship may say
''- quis scIiberes pures,
| Aut citius, posst versus Quis membra movere
Moiiius ! lnvdeat quod ct Hermogenes, ego canto."
The noble Lord with somewhat more caution than candor
after INDUCING in rhapsody the constitution Of England,
thus expresses himself
Its here take my stand behalf of all free States all
popular constitutions OF the defects in the former Govern
men say nothing OF the offences charged upon IFS Minis
tiers not word the merits Of republic pass entirely over
may for be the perfect form OF poty that the wit
of man devise, and monarchy may have all the that
ever Democrat charged on royalty the change Of the old
Government may have become expedent necessary
and the act which replaced with one may deserve all
the praises that have been ayhd upon perpetrators; nay
the absolute power held for three months by men without the
OF autnorlty at ALL been
~ mildly ably exercised: of all this stop inquire.
My objection is to the in which the change was
brought abou-o the sudden unprecedented revolt and
sudden, unprecedented dspacpg system and establishing
another revolutions made with the magic wand of an en-
chanter monarches destroyed at bowrepubcs founded
in rice-consituons extempore- must
use oreign wordwe have none 10 express the hing-ou
sober English habits with difficulty allow to utter few
this unprecedented fashion we have neither the
wish the to make any thing but speech ohand
and hence without the Of describing fantastic
operation But the phenomenon of its being, and for
the first time exhibited to the ncredcous wonder OF mankind
well fitted to employ our most serious thoughts, and will
iearessy predict that sooner or later it will them
deeply ponder who have the deepest interest in its
conseqpences-he French people themselves.
The inevitable result of this experiment is the destruction
Of all confdence-a sense of security in any existing Gov
eminent. None be held safe for hour. No APP
pearance OF stability avail any thing No possession,
however quiet, the title no surrounding calm can
give the certainty that all is safe However Deep however
broad the foundations may be laid sudden blast OF the popu-
lar gale may level the structure in the dust Indeed the
security which has been proved the lot Of all is much
remarkable ia free than in absolute Governments In
these sudden rising may destroy the ruic but there is little
risk Of the system beng changed in those the safeguards
the people may al moments notice. be converted into the
instrument of destroying both the present rulers and the
scheme OF policy over which they preside"
Again. he observes further on
a constitution which is manfestly, in all mems eyes,
prccarous, engage their love- because it
inspire them with confidence 1t to be building upon
the slnd and only commanded by the
founded upon rock The moral taste a. once rejects mere
symmetry and ornament Soidy alone is beauty in such
works and where there is evervayng aspect the marks
sodIy vanish The contemplation Of fabric that appears
ut one view to have form and COLOR and when
eyes and think of has assumed different
shape aud hue peradvenure has been swept away by
puff Of wind and when awake, ii from
not the ruins left bur anohr building has been
raised TO bewilder imagination. Nay il is with
changing we form no
definite dea no distinct picture Of it to remember when it is
gone we can only mark the constant change that it under
going Ii becomes ideal abstraction and mems aflsc-
IONS never can be engaged by such things Patri0
egendreaby the lore and respect fen m real existence for
constitution fed and defined, not conditional and pro-
rlsi0na. Men feel devotion a real country,
changing abstraction What they know that they
loves what they distinctly apprehend in that they feel
eres What abdes long enough be understood,
hat ever fitting before them that they little about.
When Mr.. Burke unoded the real meaning Of what call
country, and love such when he described the desola
ton OF England ITS institutions destroyed It's society broken
up all its worhier Inhabitants Che and ornaments
OF the Sae dispersed in exile and the land left widowed and
ororn he justly asked il that the country which bis
affections could cling. But the picture he then drew
represented an object far capable OF inspiring patriotic
attachment than the epheme republic Of France dis
Plays TO her people; for pretend to tell what il
is apprehend its form and character,
hazard any conjecture of its fate. All that is certain is its
uncsrsn,y-al they know about II that they know
thing To prevent general anarchyuniyersa confusion and
boodsheda kind OF tac agreement has been that,
whatever any persons may do who by any chance happen
be at any time in the Of force of any description
shall be submitted TO long they preserve shadow
Of peacethe rather than the reality Of that blessing
That Government constituted should possess any real
strength OF have any firm hold the public mnd that
State thus administered, and existing, wee for the
ment and by suance should be regarded with The affection
ate devotion which we call PATRIOTISM is altogether out Of
the question.
an is equally impossible that should about The
form Which such Government may assume for all feel
convinced that can only be temporary. Their representa-
lives may 60 through the farce of celebrating upon
constitution. Who about the result Of their debate
Who gives himself the trouble reflect whether wise
foolish system has been formed whether knowledge drawn
from calm observation Of other peoples experience from learn
ed comparison Of various schemes actually tried, presump
ignorance vain futile visionary speculation guides
inspires those who profess be engaged by far the
most difficult work that mortss undertake. work, in
deed, hardly possible to be executed because
foreec things that afterwards to hsppen and few
exercise full and circumpecton Of those
things that actually exist around them"
The opinions here expressed undoubtedly sound, and
comfortable to the experience derive from examination
OF the relative merits Of the forms Of government
which, from ancient times to the present, have engaged the
attention Of thinking The people Of France says the
noble Lord, gaze the affairs Of State Just they do
stage play, and little for the result "The fact is in
conesabo that the debates the constitution excite in
among tho people for whom il framing France