The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-12-06
SAYS another writer {:

french, Tor they eXpecoeu 10 gain their
liberty by their assistance. The 5our-
geois, or slaves who had been enfranchlsed,
and who inhabited the little towns, were
we'll disposed to head al instruction
against the noblesse. This was the reason
why the Russians resolved to fire all the
towns on the route of the army-au i'm
mense loss independent to that of Mos.
COW" History Of the Caphvity Of Napo-
leon, By Montholon, vol. iii, p. 202.
Abbot, an American author, in his Life
of Napoleon, speaking of the Russian
slaves, says:
There were here and there among
them leading minds, who reused and gui-
ded their ambition. They made repeated
offers to come to the assistance of Napole-
on in countless numbers, if he would guar
antee their emancipation and restoration
to the rights of manhood. Napoleon re-
piled coldly to these proffered services
lie argued that such course could only
lead to servile war, which must inevita-
bly, defer the prospect of peace with the
Russian Government, and aohtch aoould
delage the whole country IN blood. The
serfs, said he, ARE unfit to be trusted with
the liberty they desire. If I encourage
the subjects of the Gear to rise against
bin, cannot hope that he will ever again
become my friend"
Sir Robert Wilson, an English histori-
an, says:
There is no doubt that civil war
could have been fomented in Russia;
and it was Bonaparte who rejected the Of
ters OF instruction which were made to
him during the time he was in Moscow"
1t is the concurrent testimony of all the
historians of that appallingly disastrous
and fatal campaign, that Napoleon might
have saved his army and saved France
and himself by proclaiming the abolition
of Russian Slavery and heading revolt
against the government of Alexander and
the nobility. At St. Helena he said, 81
could have overthrown the Russian En-"
pire with its slaves But he not only
spared the Russian government and people
the fatal horrors of civil war, but, in re-
jecting the prayers Of the slaves, he made
enemies Of them, and, as writer observes,
thus "added to his perplexities and dan
gers by turning the knive of the brutal
thousands of slaves against himself and
his army" Were ever such self.denying
heroism and Christian grandeur exhibited
by any character
Napoleon, after his return, said to the
Senate of France:
"Ry proclaiming the cmanci patton of
the slaves, could have armed the greater
portion of the Russian population against
herself. In several villages the enfran-
chisement was demanded Of me. But the
war | made on Russia was political: and,
besides, the brutality of this numerous class
Of Russian peasantry is such that this mea-
sure would devote many families to the most
horrid barbarities. This last considera-
ton was sufficient to induce me to refuse
to employ the means offered against my
enemies"
Mr.. Abbot further says:
"He would not arm barbarian, and,
consequently, merciless peasautry against
their masters He chose rather to en-
dure the humiliation and disasters of the
retreat from Moscow"
The history of the 'Retreat from Mos
cow makes one of the darkest chapters
of human suffering aud woe that was ever
written. Of all that vast and magnificent
army of invasion, but few survived the
awful horrors of that retreat through the
boundless wastes of snow and ice The
great army persisted. Napoleon's power
was crushed. Henceforward the struggle
was vain aud hopeless one, on his part,
and at Waterloo his doom was finally
sealed Whilst tracing his career, and
recountiug his marvellous achievements,
the historian pauses in admiration of the
man, who, in such crisis Of his fate, lis
tened to the suggestions of humanity and
law, and rejected the only means of safe
ty or security for himself Russia was
foreign power. She had causelessly bro
ken solemn treaty of friendship with
France and had formed an alliance with
Great Britain for overthrowing Napoleon,
and forcing upon the French people
ruler whom they detested. France was
warning in self-defence. Her people were
fighting to preserve their government from
destruction The gigantic power of Rus
STA threatened not only France, but her
faithfuI allies in Germany. Russia was
colossal despotism, about to plant its
iron heel upon Republican France. Ma