New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-07
NOW LONG. o LORD!

fl is within d month Of i6 years since LOUIS
Napoleon struck Liberty an assassins blow
and laid her dead upon the soil Of France.
He stole upon her in the night, while she
watched with faithful eyes the land she had
redeemed, and her mortal blow came from the
hand OF him whom she had set TO guard the
gates against the foe. Never was there
worse treason since the world began; never
was there a treason 80 little looked for; but
never was there one so successful. From that
day to this one of the most cunning, cold
blooded. INSCRIPTIONS of tyrants has held his
throne, not only against all foreign foes, but
against murmurs, discontents, and warnings
from his own people, and there seems no reason
why no should not keep his grip upon the scep-
ter until death and Old age come hand in hand
and lead him softly to n peaceful grave. Such
lives as his, such deaths rs his may be, put to
shame all the accepted theories of Providence;
to a casual eye they show a God TO whom the
evil and the good are one and it is not posi-
bic to explain the existence of such unmixed
evils, working widespread ruin and misery UNI
checked and uncontrolled, by any dOgmas of
any sect. Before such mysteries We can only
stand in silence, happy if they do not
strengthen our doubts or drive us into dis
belief.
In one sense it may be allowed that, if the
French people like this sort of govern
ment, it is no ones business but their
own If they like TO have chain
about their necks, let them have it. If
they like to have their press gagged, their
freedom of speech taken away; If they relish
being perpetually watched in their houses,
logged in tho streets, questioned for every
act, called TO account for their comings and
goings, told what they may read, and what
they may not read what plays they may see
acted and what songs they may sng-if a nation
be sunk so low that it can love such things, for
Gods sake Let it hug this loathsome corpse of
life in peace; We can hold our noses and keep
to the windward. Meanwhile it is not little
absurd to hear such nation forever Dragging
of its high civilization, and claiming the right
to lead the world of ideas as well as the world
of national progress. But Dragging, though
offensive, hurts nobody, and France may be
permitted TO groyel and To brag unquestioned
I within her own domain.
1t is only when "this vice of kings, this pick
"purse of the empire and the rule" steps out of
his own kingdom and undertakes to set straight
the affairs of other nations as he has done
those of his own, that we have right to COM
plain; and Louis Napoleon has now reduced
his meddling to such system that there can
not be movement for liberty in any part Of
| the world that he does not send his armies to
crush it, if possible, at the very least to hinder
it. by every cruel, desperate, and insulting
| means.
| And so completely has his will domineered
over the rest of Europe, that until Prussia rose
and confronted him there was no power to say
him nay, OF that even dared hint displeasure
at his acts. England lies at his feet covering
like threatened hound her only coDquests
of late are over the wretched Fenians, whom
her own laws have made beggars and exilcs,
over Indian sayages whom she frightens by q
| bloodthrstiness moreawful than their own, over
| the merchant vessels of nation with whom
she is at peace. Austria, whose simple minded
heir has been inyeigled by his cunning arts
| into a shameful death, makes haste TO Paris to
kiss the hands that she'd his blood; Russia
sends her Empcrors to eat his salt who has
brought her to open shame, and for whole
Summer long kings, princes, and mobiles from
| every land tlat is owned by them have made