New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-04
Democracy and IL. Dangers.

Stltuuon, lew have been more remark
able than that Of NJ Berger, the PEN
stoned adyocate-and dearly pensionei.
toO-of the Legitlmlsts tie Is an In
comparable master of elegant and insinu-
alive oratory, and rarely have his powers
been more brilliantly displayed. Art could
not well hope to disguise Sophis;Ty in forms
of more delusive seduction; nor could policy
suggest the trick of more skillfully main
tanning exploded doctrines, even while seem
ing to yield and abandon them.
The burden of NJ Berrvers discourse
was that France could not get on with re-
publican Institutions, but required the per
menence and social gradations belonging to
monarchy Ia making out his theme. he
alluded to the United States. asserting that
our success with 4 democratic constitution
of government is dependent very much
upon our federal system. but especially on
the sparSeness of our population. And as
France cannot have federative organiza-
ton, and has a comparatively dense popula-
ton, the conclusion is an easy one that the
United States furnish no example for
| French imitation and that it would be vast
" better to fall back upon the monarchy
which has given the nation so many centu-
rics of glory, and built up for it such monu-
ments of art and power This was the
! substance of the arpument
We wonder much that no French repub-
lcan has the sense to handle this lauded
monarchy as thoroughly, unsparngly, and at
the same time as wisely as 1t deserves: to
show that under II France was cursed with
weakness and poverty and vice internal
that It's glory and greatness are but the
achievements were to plumber and Cypress
the people that it ruled by despotism and
! brutality alone that the horrors of '93 were
but Its legitimate fruit. and that the dam
| gers which now threaten the land are either
its legacy or that of the empire, its equal in
disregard of right and of the well-being Of
men, its superior in the sublimity of slaugh
ter and of crime, and finally in the appro-
pirate catastrophe, of foreign invasion and
conquest, BY which 1t was brought to the
ground 1t is true there are men on the
republican side who treat these topics, but
not with adequate force and soberness, and
without the intoxicatlOn of glory. ltwould
seem as if a Frenchman could not sufll-
ciently divest himself of the fuddle which
arms and pIumes and gold lace and glory
produce upon the childish mind to see
what have been the deadly calamities of his
| country, and to do historical Justice upon
them. And yet it would not be much at
this time of day to expect that some think
ing man. with democratic ideas to guide HIM,
should rise in that Assembly and tell the
facts about the monarchy and the empire in
way to let down forever the imitation of
their panegyrists. We have read the leading
speeches in the debate, but none OF them
poured on ROYALTY or glory that cool and
passlonless scathing they deserve.
The shallowness of NJ. Berryer's political
insight may be Judged from she fact that
he attributes the success of the United
States to our system of federation, and not
to the universal liberty We enjoy. Had we
vast army, big public debt, an omni
present police, system OF passports, the
press shackled, public meetings not permit
ted, monopolies in abundance, and govern
ment putting its finger into every man 5
business. we might form as many fedora
tons as We chose, but all would be to no
purpose. What makes the success of this
country is the absence of all these things,
which hang upon France like an incubus,
and must work evil and danger is long as
they are allowed 10 exist
The blunder of French politicians Is, that
they confound governmental unity with adj
ministrative Capitalization. They do not
understand how local lf-government-the
first requisite in free country, and the ndls-
pensable condition of progress and power
can exist in a single State, or could exist in
France, without separating It into several
republics. They imagine that there must
be a number of States in order TO allow
each community to manage its own affairs
and as they cannot consent to divide the
country up in that way, they see no means OF
getting rid of the despotic system by which
the country is nov ridden, nor indeed do
| they desire it. The system agrees alike
with their interests and Prejudces.
But the second mistake of NJ. Berger
is much more serious, and needs 10 be