The New York herald., 1862-11-30
rhe Lessona az His,ory.


When the first French Revolution broke out,
and the unfortunate Louis XVI. fell victim to
the evil counsels Of the nobility, and his weak
ness in being led by his queen and courtiers, the
fire Of republicanism was kindled in Europe,
and raised such conHagration as threatened to
communicate to all the neghboring States and
kingdoms. The people of Europe generally,
and Of England particularly, took part with
feelings Of ardent sympathy in the cause of the
French people, and were almost ready TO imi-
tate their actions and throw OF the fettsrs Of
royalty from their shoulders. A wild fever of
immature democracy seized upon the people of
Europe, and threatened the thrones of oil the
reigning princes The English court, the King
and the courtiers were specially alarmed, and
the only way ofgaining favor with the monarch,
and Of being well received at court, was to ex-
hibit decided hatred, contempt and disgust for
the French Revolution. In this condition Of
affairs, England, in solf-deience, began to think
of intervention At that period the royalists
of France, though driven from their country,
were up in arms against the republicans, and
were carrying on bitter warfare against the
men and principles Of rsgenerated France.
Ii was, in fact, war against democracy The
old principles of aristocracy and dcspotism
were pittea against the newborn principle Of
liberty and democracy. There was, however,
no hope for the ariSiocratic party of the mobiles
and those who adhered 10 them but in the in
tervention OF England and the other Powers of
Europe. That intervention they eagerly sought,
and, having sedulously intrigued for it in every
court Of Europe, finally succeeded in obtaining
it. England took the lead in those days, and
was the head and front OF the Intervention.
| Then followed that long war which lasted for
a quarter ola century which was finally closed
up by the battle Of Waterloo the restoration Of
| the Bourbons and general peace III Europe
| There exists, in some respects, striking
analogy at the present moment in the position Of
the United States and the monitory if not threat
cning, attitude assumed towards us by France
and England. A war is pending in our midst in
which late wealthy and still proud arislocra-
cy have raised the banner Of revolt against the
| principles of republicanism and democracy
enuuciated and consecrated in our national con-
| stitution. The authors Of this war may be
| compared with the aristocracy and old aoJlesse
of France, though they have thus FAR succeeded,
chiefly by violence and terrorism, in drawing
into their train larger mass of the people than
| perhaps the former were able 70 do.
! Essentially, however. the sane political ele-
menis are again placed in hostile array against
| each other 1t is the element Of aristocracy and
despotic government again in this our civil
war pitted against the principles of democracy
and popular ascendaney. There is the same
anxiety for foreign aid and Intervention on
| tho one side, and the same repugnance to
foreigners intcrmeddling with our domestic
affairs on the other Sde as reigned among the
supporters Of aristocracy on one side and the
people of France on the other at the time refer
red TO. The people of the North feel the same
Indignation as tho French people did then at the
mere idea of foreign rulers and potentatcs inter-
| fering TO put down the principles Of democracy
and lie republican government which they had
established. Let the cabinets of France and
England take lesson from the page Of history.
What was the result of the Intervention Of
England and the other Powers of Europe in the
domestic affairs Of France? They raised mp q
Napoleon, whose family still rules over France
BY tho profession Of attachment to democratic
principles and 10 the principles of the first Revo
lution They restored the Bourbon family for
brief interval only. and all their Ia
Dor OF intervention, all their wars and
conflicts Of a quarter Of century,
were so much labor, blood and treasure
wasted md thrown away. Let them profit, then.
by these indeliblc lessons OF the past. AL the
efforts and intervention Of all the Powers Of
Europe, were they even combined in one gigsn-
tic. unanimous league against us would beyond
doubt ultimately fail in vanquishing the cause
and destroying the principles Of democracy in
America The democracy OF the United States
dormant and crushed down TO the ground in the
South, src powerful and strong enough in the
North. not only to raise up their oppressed
brethren in the South. not only TO put down the
proud. fire-eating sristocrats of The same region
who are now in rebellion against our rights. our
laws, our constitution and our principles, but
they are mighty and powerful enough to resist
and finally TO oyerwhclm and destroy all the
Powers Of Europe, If they should mady COM
binc AGAINST ne to assist o Southern aristocracy
in destroying our Northern democracy. They
need not look even for the partial success which
they obtained in Europe when, after twenty-five
years OF war and bloodshed. they succeeded for
short time in restoring the Bourbons and the
old aoJesse Southern rebels OF France.
II they throw doyn the gauntlet against rs
they will meet with q people more powerful
in every attribute than when they rushed
against republican France. We possess wealth
and resources armies and fleets which we're
wholly lacking 10 France when, newborn
from centuries of despotism and oppression,
she first formed herself into republic. We
are already veteran repubic.-a powerful
people-- Injured 70 democratic principles fro.a