Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-02-09

tlnuatlOu oil the RetUlutlOn-Cne oil It's l:iiaScS
Napoleon committed several mighty errors,-=
which We, teise after the erent, can easily see
and must condemn. 1t is just possible, howev
er, that the wisdom which comes after the event
is not the highest mani .estaton of human in
telligence. Napoleon's merit is to be found il
the fact that he consolidated the Revolution,an,
carried out its purposes In manner more or
derby, and consequently with more lasting eft
feet, than its earlier leaders and direcfors.-
We think it was Pitt who called him "the chile
and champion of Democracy" and Pitt was NJ
bad judge OF the matter. ''The true and brigh
of Napoieon's empire says Walter Savage
Lander, ''is, 10 consider ii a Democracy. Re
garded as the type of that Democratic system
which will 'overrun the world, his empire is
splendid, infinitely crowded rehearsal of the
coming drama of ages. He who would under
stand the whole nature, power, and philosophy
of Democracy, must study that empire. Many
thoughts belong to this subject" Napoleon
was compelled, from the sheer force of his posi-
ton, to combat the old system of government
and society, and the extent of his success was
always measured by the amount of the zeal and
earnestuess with which he fought against it.
His earlier wars were far more successful than
those of latter date, for the simple reason that
eral principles. When he attempted to COM
promise those principles, be failed to accom-
pish any thing of Importance. The result oil
the Austrian war of 1909, is a case in point
The Austrian empire has for centuries been the
great antagonist for freedom in Europe, and Its
destruction would have removed the weigh,iest
obstacle to human progress that the world has
ever seen. Napoleon conceived the project of
breaking it mp, and of placing the crowns oil
Austria, Bohemia and Hungary, on different
heads. The project was worthy his capacious
mind, and of the wants of the world; and had
he carried it ont, his family would now be reign
ing in Europe. But, delnded BY the paltry am
bition of allying himself with the imperial fam
perial family, he forgot the democratic organ oil
his power, and the yet more important fact that
he held that power only on the condition thai
he should Use it for the benefit of the democra-
cy, whose everlasting opponents were the dy-
nasties of the continent. He felt the effect OF
his weakness in sparng Austria, in 1913, wher
that power threw her two hundred thousand
men into the ranks of the Grand Alliance, ana
enabled it to win the golden palm of victory or
the plains of Leipslc. italy feels at this mo-
ment the effect of it, as it is the power of Aus.
tria alone which keeps down liberalism in that
beautiful land, .'the Niobe of nations."-
In not restoring her nationality TO Poland, pre-
vious to invading Russia, Napoleon was agair
untrue to the revolutionary party, and his fall
Nas rendered Inevitable. The people begun tc
distrust him: and as opinion, according TO hi:
own confession. was the great source Of his
power, that power rapidly declined when opin-
ion commenced setting against it.
We are aware that there was considerable ST
ffering experienced by the French people under
the various revolutionary governments; but il
is true, also, that it was light as compared with
the evils endured ny the same people under the
old regime. ''Violence and bloodshed," says
the Edinburgh Review, ''produce merely suf-
fering: but oppressive institutions produce deg
radiation also. A French peasant might retain
the pride and spirit OF free man, though nc
knew that the next day he might be dragged
before revolutionary tribunal, or hurried OF
to join the army in Russia or Spain. Eut a
French peasant who had been placed in the
stocks for want of due serviltv to his seigReur.
who had seen his son sent to the gaileys for
destroying partridge's eggs. who knew tia;
the honor Of his family had been outraged BY
some lIccnii0'Is noble, such man could not bit
feel himself debased ami unhappy slave. The
sufferinGs of the Revolution, in short, were to
the snherings of the ancient regime as the
nacue Of London 10 the al9idyid of IL tropical
climate. The one wae \ tcmD5rary Though
overw helmng pestienco-the other, r.ernet-
ual source of terror AMI misery to every success
sive generation existing within its influence"
Ii was our intention to have said something
on the immediate and personal influences that
entered into the conduct of the Revolution: but
we have admonished BY the length of our arti-
Gle to forbear. On the whole. we are inclined
to subscribe to the remark of NJ. de Lamartine,
that ''indigilual and distorted passions kndled
the mighty and virtuouS love of the people for
the triumph of Democracy. 1t is thus that in a
confagration the most tainted substances oft
light the fire: the combustibe matter is foul,
bnt the flames are pure: the fame of the Revo-
luton was liberty; the factions might dim, they
could not stain, its brightness"