The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-10

Letters on Europe. q.

Fer Union
Letters n Europs.-No. O.
France
had known France from afar had known her by
her works. had known this literary poetic, liberal.
tellectual France-she who had spoken TO in Fence
lon, Rousseau, and Chateaubrand who felt in BeInar-
din de ST. Pierre, who acclaimed in Talma, who pro-
phesied in Lamennais France my dream, and my
desire to see her ardent that of the psamst for
the Holy City, have her at last have saluted
democratic France and when reached her capital said
myself See the result Of the might OF forty millions
of men, and life Of SO many ages" My thoughts re-
verted TO the pastto the times of Charlenlagne, and
through all the thrilling periods and incidents of the his
tory OF this chivaous people and wonderful city; and
wondered what would be the end Of SO much greatness
and gory-if some day the traveller would sit on the
ruins OF Paris as those Of Palmyra, and weep
the fate OF fallen grandeur; il future Layard
would excavae to recover the buried fragments of the
Madeline the enombed riches Of the Louvre or if
brighter future still awaited this brave people; if the go
rious words, hberff, egdlns, fraternuf, which |
everywhere emblazoned all the public buildings and
stamped on every document were anything more than
unmeaning words, conveying mpraccable IDEAS
full of prophetic imporance-iiterally the writing the
wall revealing the future For certainly these words did
not show the present. The actual of things was in
direct contradiction TO them asked where were equal
y and fraternity And without equality. where liberty
Everything saw puzzled me. few months ago this
people overturned monarchy, and proclaimed liberty to
Europe and, like earthquake, shook the foundations
OF society: and their city is enccled by an army
of hundred and fifty thousand troops; their press
is bridied; they deprived of the suffrage; they
cannot assemble together; they may not sing their
songs of Liberty. Strange contradiction between the
actual and the IDEAL Yet there remains the indestruc
BILE germ OF liberty II has taken root in the public mind
and neither coercion nor sophslIy eradicate it,
Where shall find the solution 10 this apparently mex
plicabe state of ahairs' What kind genius will answer
the question which is every lip, " What will become
OF France p and with the fate OF France, What will
become Of Europe'"
Let go back 10 the pas,-to that great practical
teacher hstory-tha may understand the present and
divine the future. Let trace the streams 10 their
sources, comprehend their properties and force We
would know what the remote and proxmae causes
Of that terrible and important political event of all
tmes-tbe FIRST French revolution; for those which have
followed but the echoes OF that !, is the epoch
the year one-of the regeneration of society
We will go baNk 10 the cradle of civilization,
trea, of its history and growth That belongs 10 the
philosopher and historian, and is beyond the limits OF my
purpose though altogether Irrelevant 10 the subject
will come TO the period of The eighteenth century-tha
glorious Augustan age of the world-,o find the causes
of all those moral. social and political revolutions which
ave succeeded No event in the whole range OF modern
or ancient history has been much discussed there
one on which much has been written. Men OF different
views and parties have attributed this wonderful effect
different but few understand or appreciate the
real or most efficient cause Prejudice has blinded most
men, or they want the phosophc capacity 10 penetrate
the operations of thought They Judge specifically of
events they look only TO that which is immediate and
material and lose sight Of moral and intellectual power
Hence many have attributed the OF the French
ouon to the financial embarrassment OF the government
brought on by runous and the most extravagant
luxury OF the court the ripe development Of liberal
l. hiatt nuII haya nd
hundred other circumstances have precipa,ed
luton which was inevitable So they have said OF the
revolution OF February, at accident" Revolu-
tons are never accidents The idea be in the mind
OF the people, or there be no revolution There may
be coup dtiat. or usurpaton bW never IN this age
permanent radical change but By popular opinion and
will gran, the extreme provocaon which that most
corrupt lcentious, and exravagant court offered was
sufficient TO call forth public reprobaton The mission
ay able who had been for years aborng in artay and
the remote countries OF ASIA the fame OF whose learning
and great eoquence had preceded him his return
France being called by the King 10 preach before this
xurous but intelligent court, fixed his pious look
the ban, and corrupt audience, and exclaimed in tears
s.Oh what have done What great error have com.
milted Twenty years have labored to convert the
simple. hearted pastoral tribes OF Asia to Christianity
and forgot tina, greater bealbenism here God for
give for installing my sphere OF action" The people
were dazzed and initiated the vices of their superors
France was in fairy dream, and awoke only at the
rible announcement of national bankruptcy But this
was merely the proximac cause which the revolution
ary principle made OF to accomplish its unalterabe
purpose The true ,use the phosophc literature of
the eighteenth century The mind OF France-every class
of socieiy-the upper well the middle cass-was
deeply imbued with it's speculaons and aspirations; its
spirit had reached both the throne and the cottage.
Few know 10 what an extent this spri, contributed
to our own independence. II the spirit OF the age
in that great struggle were enlightened and inspired by
l Here the source OF that sympathy and enthu-
SLASH which France felt for the liberties Of young
republic The absolute monarchy of thousand years,
and the proudes nobesc OF the word their wealth
and their blood establish republican equality. Ii was
the advanced philosophy OF France that fought with us
Among all the sapans, philosophers, and eocycope
dsls of that age of The age that preceded 1t, all OF
whom contributed prepare the mind of The world for
the advent OF liberty, there one man whose pro-
fosnj thoughts had reached every part OF society and
disturbed the whole social fabric. He pre-emnenty
the great mental lever of the age. You would know this
man, and learn what France--wbat Pars-thnks OF him.
Go TO The caacombs Of the Pantheon Are you religious
Are you supersious You shall a mracle-.nore per
peua truly miracle than the liqnifactlon OF the
blood of ST Januarius enter the gloomy abode OF
death under the magnificent temple that France has
raised to honor the great OF the country, and where
final resting place is given them. In the centre, d.
reclly under the DOME by the aid OF the little light which
admitted into this solemn place you discover two large
strikes you first. for it is decorated with embema,ic fig
Il .f,,,, ,L.,.k a.