Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-10-22

Note Book, i'll which he traces the origin of the
familiar verse:
''Eripuit colo fulmen. sceptrumque tyrannisn
which applied TO Benjamin Franklin by the
statesman rurgot in Paris, when he went thit err on
his eyentful mission. The subject suggests many
agreeable things touching the welcome France at
that time extended to the representatives of this
country, which stands in dark contrast with the
policy of the present emperor. We give the closing
pages:
POSTSCRIPT.
And now the country is amazed bv the re-
port that the original welcome of France aud
the inspired welcome of Turgot to Franklin
are forgotten by the France of this day, or,
rather let me say, forgotten by the emperor
whose memory for the time is the memory of
France. 1t is said that Louis Napoleun is
concerting an alliance with the rebel slave
mOngers of our country, founded on the rec
ognitlon of their independence, SO that they
may take their place as new power in
the family of nations. Indeed, we have been
told through the columns of the official or
gan, the "Moniteur," that he wishes to do
this thing. Perhaps he imagnes that he fol-
lows the great example of the last century.
What madness.
The two cases are in perfect contraSt-as
opposite as the poles, as unlike as liberty and
slavery.
The struggle for American Independence
was struggle for liberty, and vas elevated
throughout by this holy cause. But the
struggle for slavemonger independence is
necessarily and plainly struggle for slavery,
and is degraded throughout by the unuttera-
bic yileness of all its barefaced pretensions.
The earlier struggle, adopted by the en-
lightened genius of France, was solrmnly
placed under the benediction of God and
Liberty" The present struggle, happily
thus far discarded by that same enlightened
genius, can have NO other benedicton than
''satan and slavery"
The earlier struggle was to snatch the scep-
ire from kinglv tyrant. The present strug-
gle is to put whips into the hands of rebel
slavemongers with which to compel woyk with-
out aCagcS, and thus give wicked power to
vulgar tyrants without number
The earlier struggle was fifty pictured by
the welcome of rurgot to Franklin. But an
other spirit must be found, and other words
must be invented, to picture the struggle
which it is now proposed to place under the
protection of France.
The earlier struggle was grandly repre-
scented by Benjamin Franklin, Who was al
ready known by a sublime discovery in sci
ence. The present struggle is characteristic.
cally represented by John Slidell, whose great
fame Is from the electioneering frauds by
which he sought to control a presidential
election; 50 that his whole life is fifty pic
tured, when it is said that he thrust fraudu-
lent votes into the ballot-box, and whips into
the hands Of task masters.
The earlier struggle was predicted by Tur-
got, who said that, in the course of nature,
colonies must drop from the parent stem, like
ripe fruit. But where is the Turgot who has
predicted that, in the course of nature, the
great republic must be broken, in order to
found new power on the cornerstone of
slavery?
The earlier struggle gathered about it the
sympathy of the learned, the good, and the
wise, while the people of France rose up TO
call it blessed. The present struggle can ex-
pect nothing but detestation from all who are
not lost to duty and honor, while the people
of France must cover it with curses.
The earlier struggle enjoyed the favor of
France, whether in assemblies of learning or
of fashion, in spite of its king. 1t remains
to be seen if the present struggle must not
ignobly fail in France, still mindful of its
early VOWS, in spite of its emperor.
Where duty and honor are so plain, it is
painful to think that even for a moment there
can be any hesitation.
Alas for France!