New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-26
SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
France.
By GEORGE SUMNER


BY GEORGE SUMNER
The Eighth Lecture of the Course of the
New.York Historical Society was delivered on Thurs
day night on France by GEORGE SUMNER of Boston.
AIS O'Clock Mr. Sumner came forward and was warmly
received by the audience lie said he proposed 70
speak Of France country which had exercised great
influence on the political condition of Europe, and
which had produced great in every branch OF sci
ence and literature and which gave powerful assist
snce to this country in ts hour Of difficulty at the pc
Rod Of our struggle for independence He would en-
deavor TO explain the seeming contradictory acts In her
conduct-ai one time rushing 70 Repubhcanism and
then tamely submitting to the Despot He beyed that
France had true Repubcanism by every
change none OF which were brought about without q
cause and also that the Revolution of ~, however
unproductiye and fruess Il might seem, was not nor
would not be without its good efects In going into
consideration OF France what one had TO do first was
to the prejudice the drst Revolution which
were imbibed in early youth and were distributed BY
Enesh writers, Burke and others, who, fearing that
that event would have the effect of doing away with dos
potic Governments class privileges and lest their own
srstocracy might fall il succeeded took every occasion
TO acn and misrcpresent the people of thai country a.
they also did Americans. The English writers gave
in Texas between Judges and Generals settled By the
bowie knife quoting the leading articles from oppos
ton journals in which each proved 70 the satisfaction
OF themselves hst the opposing candidate was as great
a scoundre could exist but tever stated how COM
Portable the people lived under fostering Government
any of the other advantages our people enjoyed and
represe the French anarchists and assassins
Thus the English Press acted as double htre dis
uIing American news for France and French news
for America, but instead of purifying muddied whatever
passed through IT, The first Revolution, however, ought
70 be viewed from two sides The Royast one bad
been often presented, and all were horrhed Al the pic
ture drew Of the actors who succeeded the tall Of
the Monarchy. The other ought TO be presented and
could not be better done than was done by Arthur
Young who in that country shortly before that pc
rod Here the lecturer read long extract from that
writer's work stating that revolution necessary for
every existence OF France at the time that the peas
anuy were ground TO the earth and ovIraxed
and oppressed by the nobility hst he could not grind
his corn or crush his vines without sending them 70 the
mill the wine press OF the great lord in his neghbor
hood who took from each article whatever toll he wished
and kept the articles long he chose till they were
often nearly beyond use. The life OF peasant was not
held AZ any account by the nobility, and he told story
related by Richard Lowell Edgeworth the father of the
novelist Maria Edgeworh, who stated that being In
pany IN France with some Of the nobility Of that
try peasant nsulied him, and he knocked him down.
for which act he very losing caste with his
companions not, however, for having knocked down
unarined man. but for not having run him through with
sword as be had no right they said, 20 live after in
sulting noble.
The taxation, toe, was most oppressive The Court
in the reign before the Revolution the most debauch
ed and hcentous Of any in Chrisendon then or az any
other time and the most extraysgant sums spent
by Louis XIV. in supporting his deer park" as he
called his hsrem Louis XVI called Necker TO his
councils and he might have saved the monarchy by his
wise and prudent retrenchments but the courters Of
the day raised cry against him. and told how the age
OF chivslry was gone and that now the Government
ruled by Jews and hnanciers and trade aud Necker
was dismissed. For ten years before the Revolution
the taxes were increasing every day and SOL 600 900
francs were wrung from the people for the Queen and
Court, independendent Ut the thrtysix millions nom
iAsly taken. When no more taxes could be wrunz
from the people and the case hopeless, the King
called Parliament together. They began by abolish.
ngth exclusive privileges before enjoyed and also gave
to France sconstituton. This the King accepted not
because be desired H. but because he wanted money!
bis recessites forced him 70 it-and he atteuuted 10
abolish soon as he could and this attempt Of his TO
sbrogse by the aid OF foreign powers whom he invited
70 bis assistance was the which led 10 the Reyo-
luton. Ths treason Of his the Constitution and the
people, though proved on his trial has been denied
bu, Il wei authenticated fact that in 1890 ne wrote
10 the King Of Prussis beseeching MIN 10 come
10 his aid in the most ferven, manner and
begged hun 20 protect the countries OF Europe from the
evil he forced 10 submit to-that OF having Con.
stitufion II had been ssid that the coalition of the
powers Of Europe caused by the acts of the French
people bt this not the for before the peoule
hsd done anything, the Duke OF Brunswick had pub
hshed spToclAmsriOn that he would hold the usgsrn,a
and the leaders Of the people accountable win their
heads II any attack was made on the Tuileries The
proclamation sas published In August and before the
September following II the frontier towns had
fallen into the hands Of the sdng army Of the de.uoc
partirOners Of Polsnd. Then Danton said that w-rb
foes without and eneues within France shold carsfor
hersei and then commenced the cruelries OF the rim
ofterror In which the orignators, Robespere a well
. the victims Of hs cruelty, perished Thu REIN
lasted TWO years, and two thousand pershed but he
royal ssssssins did work bloody. snd trty thou
ssnd peri.hedby their swords within the same perod
and the former execrzfed, while the roya assassins
only -sld to have acted in de1se Of divine izht
ard tie enforcement Of Law and order He stated tat
France divided into Royslsts Moderatis,s and Re-
pubhears The second class the Bouryuise a. they are
called boldihe balance power In Their hands sndhsye
according they thought their commercial g.ins would
be increased sided with and gave victory % the one or
the otber He quoted General Napier 20 prove that the
army OF France wss necessary not voluntary and this
necessity brought Napoleon inso existence and might
who, though be Destroyed political equality preserved
il IN his army, and saved France from foreiyn despo.
and though the people ourned over their friends VET
suhuired N view Of hs having protected them from
foreign oppressi0n- A soon however =, he foryot
whsi elevsted him. and made war. Of ambiror ana Tor
seiisggrsndizement the people deserted him and De
fell Even Tsleyrand and Fouche whom he had rsiseA
left him. And 10 rhesetvo men, who were b, 10 be TIA
Ministers Of depot sndte associate with the mnis,ers