Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-06-28

the principles and possessed the confidence of
the one; had identified myself with the 9th
er. l belonged to them both; should have
acted conscientiously in favor of each. NY
glory would have consisted in my equity"
And, after having enumerated what he would
have proposed between sovereign and people, he
continued, " Powerful as we were, all that we
might have conceded would have appeared grand.
it would have gained US the gratitude of the
people. At present what they may extort will
will never seem enough for them, and they will
be uniformly distrustful and Disconnected"
He next took q review of what be would have
proposed for the prosperity, the interest, the
enjoyment, and well-being of the European con-
federacy. He wished to establish the same
system everywhere--a European code; Euro
pean court Of appeal. with full power TO redress
all wrong DECISIONS as oars rcdresses ut home
those of our tribunals; money Of the same val
ue, but in different coins; the same weights,
the same measures the same laws
Thus Europe" he said, "would soon have
formed in reality but one and the same people,
and every one who travelled, would have every
where found himself in one common country"
He would have required that all the rivers
should be navigable in common that the seas
should be thrown open; that the great stand
ing armies should in future be reduced to the
mere guards of the sovereign.
In short, multitude of ideas fell from him,
the greater part of which were new some of
the simplest nature, Others altogether sublime,
relative to the different political, civil and leg
isative branches to religion, to the arts, and
commerce they embraced every subject,
He concluded: "On my return to France,
into the bosom of my country, at once great,
powerfyl magnificent, at peace, and glorious,
| would have proclaimed the immutability of
boundaries all future wars as purely dssnsiOs;
all new aggrsndizement, as anti. national. l
would have associated my son with me in the
empire my dictatorship would have terminated
and his constitutional reign commenced.
"Paris would have been the capital of the
world, and the French the envy of nations
My leisure and my old age would have been de-
voted, in company with the Empress, and dur
ing the royal apprenticeship of my son, to Wis
iting, and slowly with our own horses, like
plain country couple, every corner of the en-
empire; to receiving complaints, redressing
wrongs, iouulirg monuments, and doing good
every where and by very means These
also, my dear Las Cases, were among my rever-
les ! -
The Emperor conycrscd a good deal about the
interior Of Russia, of the prosperity Of which,
l he aaid we bad no iae.s.
The Emperor next adverted to what he called
the admirable situation Of Russia against th'
rest Of Europe to the immense mass she posses
scd for invasion. He represented that power al
seated beneath the pole, and backed by ctcrna
bulwarks of ice, which, in case of need, woult
render her inaccessible Russia, he said, coul,
only be attacked during one-thiId Or so of th'
year while, on the contrary she had the who'll
year, the whole twelve months to act agains
US her assailaints would encounter the rigor
and privations Of a frigid climate and barrel
soil, while her troops, pouring down upon US
would enjoy the fertility and charms of ou
southern region.
10 these physical circumstances, continue
the Emperor, may be advantage of an immens
population, brave, hardy, devoted, and passive
inclucing the numerous uncivilized hordes,
whom privation and wandering are the nature
state of existence. "Who can help shuddel
ing" said he, g at the thought Of such val
mass, unassailablc either on the fanks Or in ii
rear, descending upon us with impunity; if tr
umphant, overwhelming everything in its cours
or, if defeated, retiring amidst the cold and de-
olation, that may be called it's reserve in case {
defeat and possessing every facility for issuin
forth again at future opportunity Is not tn
the head of the Hydra, the Ant@us of fabl
which can only be subdued by graphing it boz
lily and sitting it in onc's arms. But where
the Hercules to be found! France alone coul
UUIHk Vi SUCH uil hCuIcNcu6IG, dtfu IL uiuot
confessed we made an awkward attempt ut"
The Emperor was of opinion that, in the ne
political combinations of Europe, the fate {
tho world depended entirely on the capacity IN
disposition of single man. I" Should theI
arise, said he, " an Emperor Of Russia, valiant
impetuons, and intelligent; in word, q Csa
with beard on his chin, [this he pronounce
very ompbaticallyJ Europe is his own.
" He may commence his operations on tn
German territory, one hundred leagues from tn
two capitals, Berlin and Vienna, whose sovel
eigns are his only obstacles. He secures the a
lance of one by force, and with his aid secur,
; the other, at n single stroke He then finds hin
self in the heart Of Germany, amid the Primo
Of the second rank, most Of whom are either
relations or dependents. Meanwhile he ma,
:, should he think it necessary, throw few fir
brands across the Alps, on the soil of Italy, ri
for explosion, and he may then marched triuI
phantly to Paris to proclaim himself the nj
), Liberator. know IL were in such situati
| would undertake to reach Calais in a Civ
: time, and by regular marching stations, the
y to become the master and arbiter of Europe.
l. Then, after moment's silence, he added, p
haps, my dear Las Cases, you may be tempt
Y to say, as the minister Of Pyrrhus said to |
+ master, And after all, to what purpose''
~ answer is, to establish q new state Of socie
y and to avert great misfortunes. This is bl
~ sing Europe expects and solicits. The old 8
II tenn is ended and the new one is not consolidat
Ill and will not be so until after long and furit
commissions"
ne The Emperor was again silent, and after me
in uring. with his compasses, the distances on