The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-11-23

Mtfcial 1asafe,) transacted for TIE DtspATsu ~.
H. .. G.. sH' W
Napoleon III. has oftsn been compared r,,,, a,
.a.as Augus.us ana the similarity OF their sItua
ton as Well ~ their characterss indeed strik ~
one. The relation between the two I'm y
Napoleon even bears efnark abIs hia 49, -
the relation OF the Emperor Augustus 10 ths gras,
Sssar. Lake AUGUSTUS, the grand nephew OF cnsnr.
Napoleon Ill. 10 not direct descendant hut :
nephew OF Napoleon l., and like the former, ,ha
latter, has also, as II nephew, bscome the inher;.
tor OF world-historical General. Statesman and
Sovereign Neither OF the two was allowed to take
possession oi the immense inheritance easily and
quietly. Both had to undergo great daugeIs
and exertious before the seizng of it, Both had
TO gain the rich heirloom by personal distiuction
and labor. After the assassination of Cesar there
broke out anew the party ana civil war with all
its fury which the living Caesar had chained to his
triumphal car, and only after Augustus had gone
forth victor ont of the enewed al the vearied
out and exhausted nation took refuge ia his arms
longing for peace. The interruption after the
tragica overthrow of the fii at Napoleon M To the
elevation of Napoleon Ill., was OF longer duration
yet Only when the revolution which had been
restrained and ended by the former, had after a
long pause brt ken out again with volcanic violence
ana tue social suherings and dangers began 10
ssaut party quarreis aud disorder sided with the
party OF the Prince from whom they expected the
re'eatabishmento Of secure or der, an energetical
concentrated regiment and the restoration of the
cODsiEerahiy u
flng the new revolution. And So deeply was this
opinion impressed upon the minds of the masses
that the formidable violent act BY which the Pre-
sidebt broke the existing constitution and elevated
ms sovereign power, was looked upop as the sal
Vation or the state, aud after rwards was approved
OF by their consent Only the grieved political
leaders OF the third class retained the sting deep
in their hearts.
As Augustus was full Of Cssarean ideas, 20 i,
Napoleon Ill enthusiastic for the political IDEAS of
creative geniuses as the great founders of thsir
dynasties aud the authors of their empires But
yet the two Princes are equally endou ed by natnre
with extraordinary talents of q ruler aud eyn.
nentiy able, TO take hold of and to exercise the
government Of sreat realm. Both are prominent
by political penetration and farssig eduess both
nnde stand to contrive and TO prepare great plans:
ooth know now to estimate the circumsta noes and
10 calculate the means which ensure .uccess. both
are regardless in the application of those mear.
aad with tenacious perseverance pursue the ap-
pouted aim. The consciousness of the nersonat
vocation OF ruler, the feeling Of soveregnty Ia
selves to be the personication of the power the
people and Of the unity of the S,a,e Roth
want to have the SUPREME power uptjm.
tied, and not only in words and appearanee
WIN WIN "hicn some absoints Princes are satisfied
but in reality. Both therefore rot afraid Of
personal exerfon aud labor, without which this
Htn'd be impossible. Both rest their power prip-
s'paiIy upon the Will of the people,-as whose
aea and representatives they imagine them selves
-and on the applause ahd the wants of the pras,
masses more. than on those Of the higher classes
Both promise aud protect tho peace, but without
lear OF war, il Ii shond appear as ipevitable
Both have regard for future times in their
plans, and endeayor to secure the CONTINUATION OF
their COVER ament and of their institutions also
for their successors
Augustus hgd succeeded in maintaipiry his
sovereign authority until his death, and In erect
ing the Institution of the empire, in a firm f,rn
f,Aa
| as his Roman model Is his edifice iust az firm
in its foundation. and solid in it's exscution No.
BODY can answer the first question with any Ger.
aaiuis; the second one may sooneT be tried. How
peaeeable succession of his son. is evident by the
last statutes about the regentshp and the diyi-
sion OF France int eight msrshallates as also this
eventual authority given to the Marshals. These
exterior means to suppress the revolt Of the mob
and to resist the conspiracy of the clubs are chos
en with circumspection, and strongly provided
for. Against such military preparations eyery
rude insurrection seems to be impotent and hone,
less.
And yet 10 nlaE who thinks and talks about
those matters with sincerity, can deny, that the
belief in the continuation of the present order of
the state, in France as we'll as beyond her limits
10 but weak and t0tterlng, and that by the latest
events and measures 1t rather has teen weakened,
than strengthened. In these measures has also
become evident the passion which feels itself no
longer secure and pushed to anomalous means,
dissatisfaction. Alaw which threatens political
opinion like crime the comforting of the police
upon a General who Introduces the forms of blind
military obedience int civil offices, the oppres-
sive, vexlpgs immoral system OF spying, the in
supportabe molestsiions by passports, and the
| hinderauces of free intercourse of which the
peaceable citizens have to suffer the most the
impediments which are laid in the way of free
scientific uiterance. the sersitude of the press
the deportations and condemnatops without
Judgment. are certainly far from being qualified
TO impart confidence and to give satisfaction.
Whatever reasons one may give for this want Of
belief, the symptom itself 10 beyond any doubt
aud danger in itsef for belief helps to over.
come existing difficulties as it strengthens cour.
| age, so the want OF confidence ia the future du.
ring crisis induces now to half and ipsnffcsnt
DOW 60 extrayagant and uoxious measures which
make the evil worse. Belief, however NAV well be
implanted on youthful minds but cannot be forced
upon an old and mature nation.
II, moreover, we compare the Roman condition
| of the world at the time of Augustus, with the
French one OF cur present days, We lind at the
side of that similarity also very important differ.
| euces. Perhaps Napoleon Ill. himself has imlta.
ted the Ronlan-Caesarean model more eagerly
than is justified by the difference of the nations
and the times.
interior, are so great, that they cannot be over.
looked. Rome wss alone in the world; the CnIy
empire of the world consolidated in itself without
q rival. All around the borders of the Roman
higher politics. without unity. After the defeat
OF Varus, in the German forests, Augustus had
renourced further couquerings. The Roman
realm had found its bounds. But as far as ciyilf-
cation was TO be found, 60 far Rome was domiuat
ing. Civilization and Roman empire were the
same.
France, however, does not stand so alone In the
world Other powers stand at the side OF it, who're
political opinions and institutions ars not without
influence upon its liio. Although the Roman
~ of fha FRAY
higher degree TO an unconditional Capitalization
of the power OF the State in the person of the
Emperor, and though the Roman character OF the
Irench may submit more willingly to dictator ial
power, lhan The character of the herman nations
yet the contiguous comparison with the free
Euglish constitution is warning continus
ally operating against regardless aud pas
sIonste overwhelming of that eentrazing dicta.
torship Necann0t expect the French 10 renounce
their political freedom entirely not on in their
own history they have fought repeatedly for
liberty, but they are in daily intercourse with
free nations in their immediate neighborhood.--
Paris and London are at present brought nearer
each other than ever before, and the copiousl,ess
and manfNldness CT thoss relations is a power
which is not TO be passed over. Of less impor.
tRnce is the political influence of the German
states, whose constitution Is not parliamentary,
like the English one, but limited mona rchical: but
to stand back also behind these in political free.
dom, this must certainly arouse in the educated
Frenchman the sense Of humiliation. Even az
little is civilization confined TO France exclusively
it is not to be denied that the French are highly
deserving of the European civilization but other
nstions have also rendered great services. In this
respect an isolation Of France 10 impossible the
progress of the universal civilization In sciences
la art, in humane cultivation of the mind seiEnQ
aud ibilnencing also the French nation. The
public opinion of Europe, which cannot be indif
ferent to the French, is decidedly opposed TO con-
finnai Suppression of the public opinion ia France
1t we consfder the interior differences between
al cf RsvU bat 81
gustus and France at the present time We and
them in the natnIe of the opposition against tho
Emperor 40 we'll Is 10 the base on wh ch he has to
support himself. In Rome an earnest opposition
was to be feared only from the aristocracy, v no
renounced their powerful influence unwiliingiy.-
But the Roman aristGcracy had lost all belief in
their self-dependent power, the civil wars had
revealed to all the world their inability to