Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-03-20
For the Journal.
Lecture of BARKER on the French
Revolution

with truth and candor. He evinces much
research, generally uses good English talks
as though he knew all about the subject in
hand possesses an active, tireess brain:
and is on the whole great ways from being
fool. 1t may be well to observe that his lead
ing views are infdel, ard that he attempts
to sustain the position that infidelity was the
most prominent cause of the French revo-
luton, and excited great influence in pro.
ducing the American. He would attempt
to show that the writings of Voltaire, Rous-
seau and others of similar views were emil
nently wise and just, and advanced the cause
of truth and righteousness.
Many of his statements are too doubtful
to command respect from christian men, for
those who have had access to the best au-
thorities on both sides know that he magni-
ties the Importance of those skeptical princ-
pies he processes to hold to SUI, tain an argu-
ment against religion; principles which had
little influence compared with many other
causes in producing the events he describes,
and which so far as they had any influence
at all, were calculated to retard human pro-
gress, and to destroy reverence for christian
ity, law, morality and order.
Perhaps it is well to inquire what good
purpose will be subserved in MIR. Bankers at
tempt to exalt the radical democracy of the
| French revolutionis;s to the level of human
reverence and respect; to oppose liberty to
religion; and to represent such men as Ma
rat, Danton, Collot de Ierbois and Robes
pierre, as the apostles Of civilization and
knowledge; men who exhibited neither en-
lghtencd patriotism or morality, and whose
deeds of blood leave US doubtful whether
they possessed the commo on attributes of
humanity. 1t is difficult to know by what
process of reasoning he can honestly repre-
sent such men as demi-gods, worthy of being
honored as benefactors of the race, while
the universal judgment of mankind pronoun-
ces them worthy Of unmixed detestation.-
They showed no sense of the obligations OF
JUSTICE were almost unparalleled in cruelt y;
but am willing to grant that a kind of pa
qualities.
To consider the writings of Voltaire and
Rousseau, and their respective influence in
fitting the mind of the French people for all
the horrors and atrocities of the "reign of
terror" would expand this short review to
| the magnitude of volume. Voltaire con
trbuted more to the diffusion of infdelity
than any one of his compeers, and outrival
led them all in impious sarcasm and ridicule.
, lie drew to his aid the resources of learning
and exhaustless wit, yet the revolution was
an event that in the course of things must
unavoidably have occurred, for all the evils of
miSgov ernment combined to precipitate such
result. Admitting with Mr.. Barker that
great benefits accrued from the revolution
to the French nation, they cannot be at tri-
buted to the working out Of liberty through
skeptcsm. The wild passion for change
and subversion which seized the common
people, and which worked upon them its
cruel pleasure during the reign Of terror,
was the direct effect Of the atrocious vices
and desp )tism of Louis XVIII and his cor
rupt regency. The influence Voltaire pro-
duce1 is easily enough estimated. While he
attacked every thing religious with irrev-
erence, his views were founded upon princi-
pies essentially destructive OF morality and
a sense of responsibility to the divine being,
and even if his writings had occasioned the
| frightlul disorders attendant upon general
| revolution. there is lutte in them to redeem
| them from utter damnaton, for there is no
re-constructive principle in them to heal the
disturbance they might create.
Rousseau proclaimed unbounded popular
sovereignty in manner preposterous as it
was wicked but the intidel and immoral prin-
ciples he advocated were popular for short
time, more from the fascinating style in which
they were communicated than from any mcr-
it they possessed, and whatever political in
t1uence was exerted by him and other infdel
writers Of that time was confined to Guilt
vatel classes and happily of short duration.
Although the powers Of Voltaire, Rousseau.
Montesquieu and others dazzled Europe with
superficial sophistries for time, / defy Mr..
Barker to show that his labors have ever pro-
duced single superior man, or fired with
enthusiasm any great or honest mind in q
good cause.
In all probability not one in thousand
Of the French people were familiar with the
writings of either Of these men, and the rev.
olution was effected mostly by class of men
on whom their writings could have had no
influence, and who would not have UNDER
stood them, if they had read them.
Mr. Barker takes considerable pains to ar
ray the love of liberty and human rights
against the teachings of the Bible, and these
two lectures may most appropriately be call
ed special pleading for the principle that
1.-THE end jus,ifes the MEANS" mixed with
ridcule of christianity, God, the bible, and
the clergy, which is about as edifying to an
enlightened man as it is credtable TO his own
common sense. In his self-conceited ridicule
he consigns the patriots of the American
revolution to "Helrs everlasting frizzle;"
Washingt on, the deepest and bowling the
loudest Of them all, because Paul inculcated
submission to the ''powers that be.'' The
only, sensible construction of this command
is simply that mcn are in duty bound to be
good citizens, obedent to law and good Or
der. This Mr.. Barker assumes not to know,
and it is my duty to tell him of it. Such
ridcule is not only undignfed and contemp
tible, but hippant and silly. Last night he
waste have proved that "the Bible is not the
word of God"
PhosPEcTs OF LEcoMPToN.--Mr. Critten-
denis speech against the Lecompton swindle
has produced profound sensation in Con