Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-10-25
From Memoirs Of Chansaubriand By himself Il
NKag hi n nm. N,rnl~n-

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| Washington does not, like Bonapartc,
belong 10 that race who outstrtp the stand
| ard of human measurement. Nothing ANA
zing is attached TO his person; he is no,
placed on vast theatre of action; is not
engaged in terrible combat with the most
skiIiiul generals and the most powerful
monarchs Of. his time; does not haste full
speed from Memphis 10 Vienna, from Ca
diz to Moscow; he stands his ground with
handful Of citizens IN country adorned
with no peculiar celebrity, within the
narrow circle Of their domestic hearths-.
He fights no battles which revive the tri-
umphs of Arbela and Pharsalia :; he over
turns no thrones to build up others with
their ruins he does moi say to The kings
at his gate, "Qu'ils Sc font trop attendre,
ct qu' Attila s'ennuie."
An air of silence envelopes Washing
tons actions |, he acts slowly, as if feel
ing that the liberty Of the future is in his
hands, and fearful Of compromising it,
This hero Of new race manages and d.
reefs, not his own destinies, but those of
his country he does not allow himself to
toy with wha. is not his own; but from
this profound humility what brilliancy
now bursts forth! Traverse the woods
where Washngton's sword flashed to the
light: what will you find? Graves? No!
a world! Washington has left the United
States as trophy on his battlefield.
Bonaparte has no trait in common with
this grave, calm American; he combats
noisily on an old theatre Of action, in an
old country; he thinks only Of building up
his own fame, takes charge only of his
own destiny. He seems 10 know that his
mission will be short; that the torrent
which falls from such height will quick
ly be exhausted. he hastens to enjoy and
abuse his power, like a quickly feeting
youth. Like Honer's gods, he longs to
reach the extremity Of the world in four
steps. He appears on every shore: has
thy inscribes his name on the records OF
every nation, and throws crowns to his
family and his soldiers he is in haste in
everything. in his monuments, bis laws,
and his victories, Leaning over the world,
with one hand he ovestnrns kings, with
the other brushes the gian. revolution
but in overcoming anarchy lie stiles liber-
ty, and finally loses his own on his last
field OF battle.
Each is rewarded according to his deeds,
| Washington raises nation TO independ-
ence; a magistrate in the repose of do
nestle life, he falls asleep beneath his
own roof, amidst the regrets of his fellow
countrymen, and the venera,ion OF nations.
| Bonaparte robs nation of its iQdeDend-
ence; fallen emperor, he is cast forth
| into exile. where the terror Of nations still
looks uponhim as insuhseienty inprison-
ed, even under tie s,sasa-oi ocean. He
| expires; the news, Published at the gate
| of the palace before which the conqueror
caused SO many deaths TO be proclaimed,
neither arrests nor sstonishes the passer-
| by. What had the citizens to reerei2
Washlng,on's republic still exists b.
naparte's empire has fallen to the ground.
Washington and Bonapaite were both
nnrsed in the lap of democracy both born
OF liberty the one was faithful to her, the
other betrayed her.
Washington was the representative OF
the wants, ideas, intelligence, and opinions
Of his times; he seconded, instead of OPP
! posing, the movements oil the public mind;
he wilied what it was his duty to will, the
thing to which he was called hence the
| conference and perpetulty OF his work.
This man, not striking because in his Just
proportions, mingled his existence with
that of his country his fame is the patri-
mony Of civilization; his renown stands
like one of those public sanctuaries
whence flows fertillzing, inexhaustible
stream. @s,....s a.. az ss s....-.
Banaparte had equally in his power to
enrich the common domain he had as
materials in his hands the most intelligent
the bravest, and most brilliant nation on
earth. What would not now be his ran!,
in the estimation and reverence of men,
had he added magnauImity to the heroic
qualities he possessed; if, Washington
and Bonaparte in one, he had named lib
erty the universal legatee of bis fame!
But this giant did not link his destinies
with those Of his contemporaries his gen
Jus belonged to modern age, his ambition
to an ancient one; lie saw not that the
miracles of his life outshone the value Of
a diadem, and that this Gothic ornament
would i'll suit his head. Sometimes he
precipiiated himself on the future, at 9TH
ers fell back on the past; and whether
going against or with the stream Of the age
drew with him, or repulsed the waves by
his mighty strength. Men were, in his
eyes, but means to power; no sympathy
united their happiness and his :; he had
promised to deliver them, and he feuered
them; he isolated himself from them, and
they became estranged from him. The
kings of Egypt built their funeral pyra-
mds, not amidst verdant fields, but amidst
sterile plains Of sand these vast tombs
rise like eternity in solitude. Bonaparte
followed their example in erecting the
| monument of his renown.
fin hdian's Theological white man
and an Indian were both brought under
conviction of sin about the same time.