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

Opposition fully one-half the land as hors la fol
and regular outlaws from all governmental tolera-
ton, app ying reenlessy the scourge TO any man
among themselves who dares, for some idea OF
public duty, to disobey the last varying dictation
of 1.-THE party" Therefore, in assailing us, for
such a cause and from such position, the sew
era editors of the Executive organ expose him and
themselves to terrible, because just retort: nay,
by their malignant efforts to call down odum upon
us and others who may think like us, they compel
US to the unwecome duty of that retort.
And, first OF all, we beg to know what audacity
is this which bnks, or what senseless servity which
cannot see the fact, that if KING must be pulled
down ant driven headlong fugitive abroad, for At
tempting 10 silence public discussion and for sfg-
natiSing members Of the National Legislature,
not as g 'raitors,' but merely enemies Of public
q,iet, PRESIDENT should not be permitted to en-
act still greater outrages, with not only mpunity but
applause! The offence Of Louis PHILIPPE which
has provoked this vengeance not solely on him but
his heirs, and not only on the Monarchy but the
Constitution of France, is precisely like in kind to
that which Mr.. Polk has been long committing,
and is only less in degree. The King and his Min
listers had like Mr. Polk, until of late) majority
for his measures in both Legislative branches: the
Opposition, to foil him, set on foot new species
Of Agitation, by getting up the cry Of /" Reform "
and celebrating public banquets in that name. This
mode of resistance promising to work change in
the public mind and bring the Opposition into pow
er, LOUIS PHILIPPE determined to put it down. He
therefore denounced it, in his opening speech from
the throne, at the late meeting of the French Cham
bers: just as President Polk did, by his Message
of December, 1916, and his editorials in the Union
ever since, all arguments against his war; even on
the floors OF Congress. As we have said, the only
difference lay in this-that the monarchs objurga-
ton was the mder, the less insulting King LOUIS
is, like Mr.. Polk, carrying on war of conquest
not, however, made without the previous assent and
act of his people. Against that warts original
policy, its management, and even the personal pur-
pose of Strengthening his own sway as inducing the
King to prolong members of the French Parlia-
ment have been speaking, the Press has been writ
ed them for it has newspapers have not vilifed
them; his creatures of commissions and contracts
have not cried treason !" They did not dare
their master not sufficiently backed by an Abb
solutism Of Party at his heels, ready to uphold
any power that would lend them its benefits, its
"spoils.' He was not arrogant enough, he was
not impoc enough, thus to set his crown at need
less hazard and tax far the patience of his peo-
pie. When, however, he saw that these Reform
Banquets were like to be used for regular pur-
pose of Revolution, he lost his prudence, attacked
the sacred liberty of Public Discussion itself, made
reflections those Including one hundred and Sc
ven members of the Chamber of Deputies) who had
taken part IN the banquets and was met with a
spirit more-we might say-than American: the
members thus stigmatzed withdrew, in body,
from a Legislature whose independence was thus
directly invaded. They instantly joined issue with
the King: monster-banquet was forthwith organ
lied, under his very nose-within the very Gordon
of his troops, beneath the very frown of fifty for
tresses and a thousand cannon. That Speech and
that Banquet were Revolution revolution to
be hailed, if revolutions thus provoked and formed
out of French elements could know when their
work was done, or where to stop!
Now, if, in all these indisputabe facts, French
and American, the Presidents partisans can find
cause for sympathy rather with those who resisted
and punished such arbitrary acts than with his less
fortunate and less guilty feowpoentate who has suf
fered for them, we can only say that they are much
more extreme friends of Freedom in France than
in America, and love Liberty excessively-provided
it stay long way off,
Yes none yocferous for Republics
every where's Freedom all the world over I" as these
very men, that very faction, who, among ourselves,
are fast building up for their own Monarch of the
Party" despotc power, already able, after seizng
upon the prerogatives of and taxation to init
midate, if it cannot altogether silence, public de.
bae-that right of discussion without which Lsgs-
latures are but mere ignomnious assemblages of
saves-tha last of Liberties, the liberty of speech
which not even the " Citizen King" with one hun
dred thousand troops at his beck, and holding Paris
in the letters of all his forts has been able TO touch
without running himself apparently, instantly and
utterly
To recur, however, to what we said, in our first
notice of this news. We have no intention to reract
one syllable OF it. We have no sympathy for con-
stitution-breakers in our own country. Why should
the sympathies of any man be greater for those
who in other countries overturn constitutions than
for those who defend them! We do not, of course,