New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-29

dom OF hou1hI auu Vi 'FO0'i va
Of science ard of the triumPhs of humia
genius, she now abjectly tremoles aseTeTy
e. ooyement of the intellect, establishes
= censorship of the press worthy Of Rus
si,. and bauishes into exile literary aad
,h;rkine man whose talents and accom-
,lishmepts have illustrated her name. AMI
to crown all. with seven millions Of votes
She finally absolves ard justihes the incom-
parable traitor, perurer and murderer the
ridiculous advent17er Of BOulogne and
S,rasburg. the shallow and bankrupt Profl-
cate. who had destroyed her Constitution
and confscated her liberties Such is the
sDectacle now presented BY France; ant
,bouoh we nav and must believe that this
astonishing majority has been obtained oy
Intimidation and fraud, we cannot doubt that
by far the larger proportion OF the natlenre-
slly voted Yea at this election, and thereby
sbnegated all claim to the capacity of self
government, disclaimed ali aspiration for
freedom, and publicly affirmed their desire
for tyralt to rule over, take care of, and
protect them from harm. And if it be urged
that the French people have been intlmi-
dated or cheated into such thing, we say
that il may be a true, but cannot be glen
Gus eACusc.
Indeed. the spectator who attentively con
siders recent events in France is involun-
tsrily reminded of the latter days Of Rome
and Of the Temporary, We are lssured)
decay of all the nations of Latin origin.
He is almost ready to assent to the gloomy
verdict Of NJ. RAuDoT, French writer Of
emirent talent, who some twelye-mOnth
since published 4 remarkable book to prove
France itself to be in the full pangs of
decline aud dissolution, and that CentralIza-
ton and other causes of social GiscOrd and
weakness had already infused fatal poison
into her very vitals. We say that many I'M
partial spectators Involuntary incline to
this opinion, by natural movement
of the mind, they do lot seek to repress
sentiment of contempt for a people who not
merely partially endure, but joyfully ap-
prove such peculiar infections and expert
ences as Louis Napoleon has now bestowed
on bis country.
For our own part we are willing neither
to admit the previous boast Of France, nor
TO Join in the condemnation that would now
blacken her with shame. If we have ever
done more than record the former, it was an
error that We have long since renowned ;
and now to do more than record the latter
would be an outrage upon our Intimate con-
victicn We have too much reverence FOR
Humanity, as apart from and above disnnc-
tons of nationality, to do either ana now,
as heretofore, we protest against the sombre
judgment of that large number of weli-ln-
formed men--and there are sincere French
men among them-who regard that country
as struck with imbecllIty, and plunged
into nextricable misfortune.
IL Is time for those VINO 40
a position to influence opinion, and who
claim to possess more than a super
fetal insight int affairs, to revise the
current notion as to the essential superiority
of some nations or races over others with
out respect to the working of the insttu-
tons by which those nations are blessed or
cursed. 1t is time, especially for Amer
leans, whose country offers the grandest
proof Of the capacity of men, and of masses
of men, from every race aud nation in
ChristeRdom, TO govern themselves under
genuine free institutions, and TO m,intain
order while maintaining liberty-it is time,
We say, for Americans to eschew all such
feelings as contempt or condemnation Of
the moral or mental character of the
French people under their present calamity,
and to inquire if it be not due TO the inst-
tutions by which. they are and have been
cursed; for those institutions have not
only rendered possible the usurpauon of
Napoleon, but by making the majority of the
people poor, ignorant and weak, have pre-
pared for it and now make them approve
the vlllainy after /: is triumphant They
have never had freedom, never self-govern-
ment but under Empire, Monarchy and
Republic have been ruled alike by 4 sys-
tenn of desPotic and deadening Centraliza-
ton they have been weighed down by ex-
0bltant taxation, absurd restrictions on
the domestic trade, denial of the liberty Of
association, and Of all institutions of pub.
lie credit, have prevented the natural in
crease and diffusion Of wealth aud of per-
sonal independence, and have kept the
masses Of France feeble and ignorant,