New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-20
NApoLEoN1o REpum1cAn1sM.

One of the most salient points Of American gull
libity is to be found connected wish our devotion
to popular liberty. That is our hobby, and when
we mount it, woe to the windmill of stubborn
common sense or skeptical prudence that stands
in the way! The people must be Free" 1t is
our inevitable destiny to our brilliant example
everywhere followed and our glorious institutions
adopted by the whole world. We are constantly
on the look out for this strangely deferred consum
nation, and every little galvanie spasm of revou-
tion in Europe puts us the qui vive, and sets us
to rubbing our national hands in all the giee OF
anticipated triumph.
1t ia not to be wondered at then that we are
sometimes hurried into the error OF embracing as
fellow Republicans, a set of foreign scamps whom,
if they were here we should be obliged to Keep IN
the penentiary, and Of reverng as patriot heroes,
men whose figured devotion to the people is but q
mask to their own vile selishness, and a stepping
stone to despotic power.
The late European news prepares us FOR the de-
yelopment of new instance of this kind, and for
another blow to our over-eager credul1ty. Our
pet--Napoleon- undergoing another pressure.
Public events (Which are just into his handy and
untoward combinations of great Powers gotten
up for the occasion, perhaps,) constrain him, very
much against his Republican tendencies, to depart
to their fate for the present. Italy is not to be
4 free just yet.
| Where now are the high hopes that centered
around the name of Napoleon three or four months
since, and the popular demonstrations that almost
deiffed the great champion OF popular rights
| This gentleman was tierd of seeing noble, bleed
| ing Italy-the daughter of poetry and art-at the
feet Of the cold blooded Austrian the barbarc Ger
1 man. He arose in his Indignation. England
cheered him; America endorsed him. A hundred
| thousand men perish, a small region of country
changes masters the cloud Of war raises, and you
| behold wasted fields, blackened landscapes, but
where is the Liberty2 .5s
| And this is all that comes Of 80 much promise.
But we do not expect storm of indignation to be
raised around his head. We do not believe that
any one can be really disappointed in the result.
How could any rational man expect despot to be
| a genuine, bona tide apostle of Liberty! Charity
begins at home, and the who, by coup d'etdt,
subverts the constitution he has sworn to uphold
the man who courts the popular suffrage to attain
| supreme power, and then uses that supreme
power to crush forever the popular rights confded
to his honor, is not one whom we could confidently
expect to be an ardent friend of Liberty in for.
eign country. as
We do not undertake here to fathom the motives
of this strange man. to deeipher his plans. They
are wrapped around with mystery, even perhaps
to himself. If we Judge him by the past, we should
say that everything he has done was in furtherance
of some deep laid scheme of self aggrandlzement
He might be willing to see Sardinia annex few
Italian provinces, provided he could get Savoy
Switzerland and Belgium. AS to the public motive
to be assigned for his course, genteel, popula
one would be just as cheap as the forbiddini
truth and if he should ever be called to fulfil
his pledges, the ready excuse of unforeseen pres
sure could always shift the blame on some on
else.
What we do propose, however, is to object t
the tide Of credulity which rises SO rapidly in ou
country when contingencies Of this nature arise
We should look with distrust upon professions tina
are at war with deeds, and not anticipate result
!, where we do not see adequate causes. We dout
not that portions of Italy suffer grieyous wrong
u and expressions. We would gladly see that gle
rions land of history resume the strength and vigo
! of its proudest days, but we must not allow OF
- wishes to cloud our judgment and hide the seriou
Il difficulties that obstruct the way.
: :, If eternal vigilance is the price of liberty
y y when in our possession by what efforts must it b
y. purchased Italy is surrounded by foes to he
= liberty What great power except England ca
be safely counted as friendly to the cause
. And even Englands idea of freedom stops fl
: short of ours. It is proper, then, that we shou
: : not be too sanguine. The day may come whe
= the nations of Europe will work out their enfra
chisement, but it will only be by the gradual pr
: gress of intelligence, and especially morality-a
:, :, suredly not by the aid of despots or bande
y, assassins.