New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-16
American Ideas.


lie Phare de New- York replies to our re-
cent observations entitled France In.
suited" in an elaborate article from which
We extract the following
'It would be unjust on part not to admit in the
writer of Tie Tribune quite exact study of our
country certain truth OF considerations more i'm
Partially than we are wont to meet with, and even
fund of kindness toward the French nation. With
all these elements of a sincere and complete judg-
meLt we still do not see that he has succeeded in
coming much nearer than others to the just and the
true
1.-THE reason is that he has fallen into error ifnot
Tito a common prejudice and while, with parst-
moD0us PEN he describes the special institutions OF
France. he obstinatey goes on by a strange anom-
ally to Judge them from the American point OF vie ".
The ason sthat along with instructive sentiment
of Justice, his judgment is formed In advance and
his conclusion drawn even before he has laid down
the premises. In vain the natural tendency Of his
reasoning and the logical force of the facts he sets
forth lead him to altogether different deductions his
course is marked out, between an unchange able
starting point and goal and to these he is nylncioy
''Will no person be found, then sufficiently free
from nation al political peJudices TO Judge France
ID herself and by herself without insisting on taking
as the standard of her acts, any institutions names
and social aid territorial conditions which are not
hers
I'VE will then ask The Tribune and the entire
Amencan press, In the name of what logic It is that
they persist IN Judging France on the same ground,
and by the same laws as one OF the States of the
Union For II fact, this is what happens. People
grow inden al her, strive which shall most con-
oemn her, If II stead Of having abdicated in
riness by force Of circumstances semblance Of
republic which caused her only wounds and anxiety,
ste had otnied i'revOcably, in day OF igno0le
alright, the eternal principles of liberty.
" BE fore plonouucng with such giruence, II would
have been small thing, 1t seems 10 us, TO inene-
gate France herself 10 ask her II the majority oil
her people were not ready, in reality of con-
science, 10 abandon the system which the End
OF December overthrow. II France replies ahrma-
lively TO this question II she declares plainly, that
for ore reason another she does not consider her
self as now suited for republic what right have we,
foreigners or FIeDchmen In foreign lanfs, to force
her to be republican and to cover her with oppro-
orium ano inveclives because she does not share
And when The Tribune proclaims that France
has fallen from the rank she had assumed, and de-
clorss the iutllty Of all pretended superiority OF ma
lion over nation, We Will ask In our turn, BY what
tight and its associates Sc. themselves up as
pfeme arblten OF the destinies OF another eoun-
Try
"As for our personal tendencies, our cote nporary
OF Inc Tribune Is mistaken in suppesing them anti
republican. They are French, nothing more, moth
ing less Only we follow France where she leads
u.s. and have not the sterile presumption TO direct
her fsIofr sentinel OF our couniTy we receive from
her our watch-word and countersign, and without
going so far asto say France can do no wrong
bear as. the sole motto upon our banner, the I'VE
words so often repeated by American patriotism
: Right or wrong our country France, rish. or
wrong"
The PhGre objects to our structures, that
they are uttered exclusively from Ameri-
can ideas, and that we seek to measure
France by mere American prejudice. We
deny the justice of this objection, and ap-
peal to the facts.
1t is notorious that France has lately un-
dergone a violent change in her form of
gov ernment-t this change has been &C.
eompanied by the suppression of every form
of public liberty, by the violation of the
most solemn pledges and oaths, binding
those who made it, and by the Punishment
of many of the most illustrious French
men and that, after all, it has been acoui-
esced in and recognized by nation that
had claimed to be the soul of chivalry and
manly courage, and the very pioneer of
modern civilization and intelligence. How
is this possible ! is the universal question:
Some reply, Because the French are a
weak, frivolous, tickle, Dragging people,
with no moral back. bone, fit only to be
slaves. We deny the truth of this severe,
or if the Ph0rs pleases, insulting judgment.
We say it is not the people who are bad and
contemplate, but that their institutions are
essentially despotic. They are in a great
irresistible machise. All that Louis Ma
poleOn has done is to seize the crank,
and as long IS he car hold il be has