New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-08
LETTER FROM PARIS,

conclHate Oppostloh 10 his government and pollcy
are making the most of the freedom Of debate &C.
corded them to give expression to their ultramon-
Sanist and Bourbonst opinions. They espouse the
cause of the Pope with the zeal of new converts,
and seize upon every occasion that presents
itself to show how ungrateful they can be for the
privileges accorded them. They are, indeed, re-
piled to with both spirit and effect by the support
ers of the Government; but such is their strength
that, in an amendment to an answer to the address
from the throne, censuring the imperial action to-
ward Rome, they secured GO out of l39 votes. This
looks quite formidable to stranger but remark
no perturbation of the public mind After what
has been said by the bishops and their clerical and
lay friends, presume it would be quite difficult to
create alarm. Louis Napoleon doubtless knows
how far this freedom of dscussio-i if discussion it
may be called, and not direct assault-can go with
out danger to the State; but it strikes me that,
among q people SO il fianmable and mercurial,
these backward tendencies and appeals to the
memories of dynasty so Catholic and devout as
the Bourbons-and whose history is not without
romance and splendor-must be calculated to fos-
ter spirit of discomfort and desire for change.
doubt that it can he safely allowed to last for if
not checked, it will run into those excuses and
parlizan contests that so demorazed the chambers
Of the republic as to make moderate and intelligent
men rejoice in the coup d'etdt that closed their
doors. Such furious Legislative encounters mean
furious as much by their extreme opinions as by
their bitter spirit-generally precede breaking
gress at Washington that preceded the division of
the States, as an illustration.
Upon broad survey of the field of ancient and
modern history, l am often impeled to the conclu-
sion that representative governments, as hitherto
conducted, have failed through too great conces-
sions to the popular will and too large and regu-
lated representation. In this respect, should be
inclined reverse the saying that, Sin the multitude
of councillors there is wisdom" In every State
no matter what its form may be, the few able
minds do or should direct the many; and the fewer
those minds, if restricted to reasonable number,
the better. Universal suffrage, like mob law, it is
wrong to call government free Or otherwise, for it
is but anarchy. 1t is but admitting every man to
sit in Judgment upon questions about which he is
profoundly ignorant; and this can never produce
good government. None should be entrusted with
this function without certificate of capacity and
honesty.
On the other hand, place few able men in
your Chambers as the nearest expression of the
Intelligent classes, and you will be safe No
deliberatiye body should ever consist of over fifty
to sixty persons. The fact of their being thus
limited in number will make their constituencies
more particular in their selection. Whereas
where there are hundreds to be sent, every fac
ton will want its representative, and every
private and sectional interest its advocate. The
basis of representation in your country is alto
gether too large. So is it in England, where they
want to enlarge it still more No one country
ever did, or even can, produce so large a number
of men at one epoch, who are all equally capable,
prudent and incorruptible. You might as we'll
expect it to give birth to as many giants; and if
even you had them, they would be envied and
hated by your millions OF sovereigns, and set aside
for men nearer their own level. | would venture
to say, that any well-read man may count upon
the fingers of his two hands, about all the truly
wise and good men-men fit to be entrusted with
making laws for any people-to be found in any
one civilized nation upon earth. And yet people
act and talk as if all were governors, legislators
generals, judges, etc, etc. Is it any wonder
them that our republics so soon go to pieces?
n a will p,Io
suffrage and representation by some stringent
definition in regard both to numbers and quai6ca-
ton.
You must not infer from this, that am in
favor of the one-man power as permanent order
for any State. That France has for her Emperor
the abest statesman in Europe gives US no as
surance that his successor will be of the same
calibre. But, this is no argument against the
government of few selected from the many and
holding their offices for reasonable length of
time. However if you will look around, you
will see that in all really successful governments
let their form be what they may, they are in
effect if not in name, under the direction of one
superior mind. 1t was so in Russia, under Frede-
rick II; it is so in Italy, with Count Cavour for
Minister; in England, with Palmerston and in
your country, when Jackson was President. You
are not now without your able men but they are
not employed. They are neither understood nor
esteemed by that countless horde of fanatics and
radicals who crowd your election polls.
Let us have, by all means, free discussion But,
then, let it be the discussion of proposed mea-
sures, and not idle defamation and useless as
sertiOn for personal partisan ends The as
saults upon the present government in the
French Senate are in defense of what the civiiiza
ton and common sense of the age have decreed
to be distractions to the progress of liberty
religion and morality, and the cruelest abuses Of
power. Rome, at this very moment, is in most
deplorAble condition through the obstinacy and
stupid bigotry of its clerical rulers
The armed rutf!ans who assembled in the Abruz-
II under the leadership of the robber Chaibone,
1,p,-
have at length sought shelter in the Holy City.
And these, together with the police constitute a
most dangerous official rabble from whom every
respectable citizen receives the protection the
wolf GccOrds the lamb. Assassinati0ns are of daily
occasion, 30 mans house or person is safe from
espionage, pillage and arrest; and this seat of the
head of the Christian Church is dsfgured by more
crimes than any other city in the world. The
people long for the withdrawal of the French and
the entrance of the Piedmontese troops and until
this is done, there can be no security of life or
property.
There are always afnat, among the hangers on
OF diplomatic circles, rumors of royalist combina.
tons and pending Wars. Just now, it is surmsed
that the Syrian question may lead TO an outbreak
Certainly both Turkey and England are impatient
of the French occupation of Syria and yet SEN
sible men concede that to terminate that occupa-
tion at present, will be to renew the massacres
which it was established to prevent. The Sultan
is unable, and it is suspected unwilling to protect
the Christian populations. If not extermnated or
ulSell out, tHey Woulu hlWayS reludln Il cause OF
disturbance and an excuse for interference on the
part OF the European powers. 1t is, therefore
with him question of the deepest interest which
considering his religious notions and legitimate
rights, is of far more consequence than the lives of
so many intdels and dangerous subjects You
will see, therefore, that the question is not easy to
be disposed Of. Certain it does seem to be, that
the two religious bodies cannot live and thrive
together, without such an armed intervention as
must be burthen to an already exhausted treas
ury and an irritating subject of discussion between
Cabinets. As between the existence of the Turkish
Empire and the distinction of an inimcal race
there seems to be no alternative presented and
we must not be so unreasonable as to suppose that
the Sultan has not the right of sclf.prescrva
ton we are disposed to accord 10 others under cir
cumstances OF grave embarrassment. 1t is ter
rible alternative truly.
Now out of this question there naturally arises
awatchfu jealousy of France and Russia Englard
Prussia, Austria, may yet unite under the pressure
of this jealousy. 1t is whispered that Austria ill.,
stigated the recent disturbance at Warsaw on the
anniversary Of the battle Of Grochow for the pur-
pose of divertiug the attention of Russia from
Eastern affairs. But this is hardly supposable. At
any rate, great uneasiness is manifested by the
Tory members of the English Parliament, and they
are singulary bold in the uterance of their re-
dictionary sentiments. Meanwhile, it cannot be
denied, that it is in the interests of humanity and
religion, that the Turkish as well as the Papal
difficulty should be finally and forever settled by
some bold and decisive measures. We are all
anXiously awaiting the denouement.
Never was there seen more radical change
than has taken place in the utterances Of the
French press on the subject Of American politics.
The Morrill, tariff is the alleged cause of this
change but in fact, it has mainly been brought
01,fAIjF No, Tho,