State Of Parties, And Sit...
The Times, 1824-11-12T00:00:00

Ftance presentan - this moment a phenomenonowbich must,ap. pear inexplicable to all those who possess not a perfect Ikowledge of the interestj and the politics of the parties who divide it. Two parties wlio z!etest each 50ther, and aspire only at mnutual destruc- tion,not only suspen.d iheir"hostilities, but declare openly ain union- a shuffling,and vindietive Ministry allows, itself to be publicly vili- fied by the writers of two oppositions, althougih the laws place at its disposal the means of vengeance-a Government, which mani- fests no design but thiat of living on from day to day, is attacked with a violunce which- it did not experience at a time wshen it exe- cuted the most fatal projects-a King, who makes himself the in- strunient of priests by a principle of conscience, receives every day the adulation of a multitude of individuals who detest the clergy- a prince, who h as plunged. Spain into all the horrors of anarchy a;nd despotism, is the object of hiomage with a crowd of men who call themselves the defenders of the independence and the liberties of nations-an army, which has had no other merit than that of entering a countrv whichi treason had laid open to it, and of lending frs support to a horde of fanatics and executioners, is presented to the eyes of the public as an army whicil had covered itself with glory; and those who so represent it declare themselves sincerely attached to the cause of liberty, detesting even for the nmost part the ex- cesses whic,h are committing in Spain- Such is the state of France ; and, judging by appearances, we should be ternpted to believe that there only exists one opinion, and that all the world is equally hos- tile to the Ai inistry, and devoted to the family of the BourbonsP. I imake no doubt thiat many persons, especially foreigners, form their judgment upon thecse appear=ces, an'l believe, in consequence, that all divisions have ceased among us. Such persons may ask thiemselves whiat are the causes of so sudden a chanige, and how the princi ples of the revolution hiave been all at once abandoned. But these wilo penetrate more deeply Into the matter, and who are not imposed upcrn by appearances, propose to themselves another ques- tion-tley aqk what could have produiced this universal hypocrisy, wihici makes every one hold a 4Xnguage eontrary to his real senti- ments-they ask, how long it will endure, and what will be its results. rI have mentianed to you in mnv formier letters, that the late King made use olttie passions of all parties to increase his own power, or that of his Mlinisters; but tl;at he had no attachimenlt to any indivi- dual, and still less to any party. The present Alipisters were per- fectly calculated to enable himL to attaiu this end, for it was inpos. sible to findn men more disposed tiran they to lavish favours on per- sonal devotedness, and to reject, or even to proscribe, all attachment to any opinion. This disposition attached to them a multitunle of men, grecly of moncy and power; but it was calculated at the same time to draw upon them the hatred of all those who held to any opinion vhatever. Such is one of the causes of that violent opposi- tion wlhicil is at present displayed against them, iti all the journals whicih they have not purchased. But at thc sanmc time that the two parties aim at the overthrow of the illinistry, eacih of thetr would wish that thir noewMinistersshoultl be chosen from among the men whom they believe most devoted to their interests; and as they well foresee that the new illonarch will otily consult his own safety and personal objects, each of the two parties eutleavours to cotivitice Itim that it is exclusively devoted to h;i causse. Thence pToceeds this emulation of praises, of flatteries, and ofbaseadulation, whicbi would appear exaggerate l if they were ad- dressed to a great monarch, but which seem ridiculous, when we consider whence they proceed, and to whom they are directed. Thence, likewise, the flatteries of which the Duke of Angouleme is the obiect. The writers of the opposition imagine that they can con- vert Ihim into a liberal Prince, by persuading him that they take him for a great man. Thence, in fine, the'adulations addressed to the ar.ny of Spain. Every one appreciates at its just value the meritn of this army ; but it is a force which the Liberals wish to draw into their party, by persuading it that they entertain for it an esteem which it knows well it does not deserve. This miserable policy, which thinks that it can serve the cause of liberty by adulation and lies, is singularly favoured by the state of slavery in which the press exists. There are ontly, you kioAv, two journals of the Liberal opposition, and a third cannot be establishied without the authority of the Government. When these two journals were attacked by tte Ministry, they saw that there was no safety for them but in their alliance with the Ultras. Then began their praises of Chateaubriand-of the august princes-of the glorious army- and even of the King's attorney, and the courts which had for ten years persecuted the fiiends of liberty. The editors of these journals have been the less reserved in their adulations, that they had not to fear the censures of an independent journal, and that several among them liad only to continue the habits they had acquired under the lmperial Government. I have toltd you wliat is the general cause of the violent hatred with which the Mlinistry inspires the two parties. To this cause is joined a mew one, whicl is peculiar to these writers, and whichl has a greater influence tharn the first upon tdeir minds. The jourtials ate net in France, as in England, immense collections 5t" facts, select- ed and reported with more or less of impartiality. -Our journals have inot to publish either the proceedings in the police-courts, or judicial acts anterior to judgment; discussions of popular societies or assemblies-or debates regarding colonial interests. Having few facts to disclose, thiey cait only be filled with discussions or disscr- tations, political or literary. It follows as a consequence, that those to whoin they belong, or by wlhom they mre written, compose a formidable coterie, whose interests are often connected with all men of letters orsavatns. If, then,, it happerts that the illinistry com- mits an injustice towards a man of learning or science, or towards an acadenic body, all the cOterice of the journals make common cause with the persecuted party, (if they have not a contrary interest), and it migltt be thoughit that the liberty of the world was at stake, while the question turned on notlhing else than tite withdrawing unjustly the pension from an acadermician. Of all the Alinisters, there is not one who lhas beet) attacked with greater severity, and against wliom the journads have bean unchaine(i with more violence, ttian MI. Corbiere; and I am far from saying that lie does not merit all the contempt which our journals daily pour upon him. But compare his conduct witlh that of Al. Cliateaubriand. The former has dismissed a great number of professors-he has in- fluenced by fear orcorruption academic elections-hc has cleprivad of his pension, a respectable tavan, because he refuised to vote accord- ing to the orders of the Alinistry-he hasi persecuted the writers wliom he could not corntpt. Tbe latter has preached, since the return of the Bourbons, re-actions and ventgeance. Beforethe esta- blishment of tile Constitution in Spain, he represented the con- dtuct of Ferdinand as an example to be followed by all Soveredgus- when that Constitution was established,he solicited its overthrow- having become, first an Ambassatlor, and afterwartls a Mlinister, he lent himself to be one of the most active agents of the Holy Alliance-he prepared, directed, and applauded, site horrible events whichi are now passing in Spain. Ile thus becante the in- stigator, and the accomplice in all the crimes whichl are commit- ig in hte l'eninsula, under tile protection of the allied Kings. At the same time the dismissal of All. Corbiere is loudly de- muanded, ard our liberal journals speak of him only with com. tempt and hiatred ; whilst at the time of Chateaubriand's dis- missal, most of tlienm undertook his defence, spoke of him with honour, and endeavoutied to interest public opinioti in his favour. Even Al. B. Constant showred an interest in his fate, and con,al dered him an illustrious victiml. This will explain to you how the public remains so caln, whilst our journals show themselves so violent. They know well, that neither their cause, nor that of other nations, must engage our liberal journas-thtey know that the view of our journalists is fixed on Government pensions and literary honours. Bitt low dses the 'ihinistry,whlch in former circumstances sliowed so mutcl vindictiveness and violence, evince now so much patience ? How does it suffer abuse wlichl would pr vokc to vengeance the lowest of mankind ? It is becausie the two parties haYe leagued to- gether to overthrow it, and that having ofended the Ultras, of whom the courts are composed, they know not to what authority they can apply. AU attacks being directed against them, and all the jour. nals agreeing to sing the praises of ihe King, the dllinisters cannot make use of the name of a,nother to avenge or protect themselves.and they have rendered themselves too contemptible to act in their own. Do not, however, think that the state of things ill which we live can last. Thedeath of LouisXVIII. has neitherextiRguislhedtlhe pretensions, nor the hatreds, nor the prejudices, nor the ignorance which existed during his life. The two parties which then diyided the country are atill in being-ihey will appear united as long only as they havea common object; but if theAinistry is overthrown, or if it marches according to the impulse given by one or other of the parties, their di.scosds will recomihence, and the popularity of tbe new King will vanish along with the mad hopes of the Libe t. It is, in fact, a madness to imagine that Charles X., in dismissing hia present ilMinisters, will select their successos from a party whose de- votion is conditional, evepi supposing it sincere. The meeting of the Chambers will dissipate many illusions, and then opinion will give every one his own situation. Since my la.tletter, the joy wvhtch tire first act of the new King had occasioned has very much diminished : such a fact has niothing in it that sliofld surprise you. That joy resembled very mueb the satisfaiction wliicil a mall, condemned, to be hung, experiences on ye.' eetiing his pardon at the foot of the galows: bIis happiness decreases in proportion as the danger is removed, and he soon feels thiat in er. der to be happy, it is not enough that he -has beer, exempted from punishment. , You must have seen that we hlts a greitit Itu on the occasion or the internent of a player. The question wes, whether the boay: ohould be admitted into the church, The prleets, aided by the gen- darmes, obtained the victory over the Parisian crowd, and the player was buried Without any religieus ceremonies. This fact, which is nothing in itself, posresses the greatest importance as it respects the Catholic clergy. Ii is of no consequence to them, wbether a come- dian be or be not admitted into their churches; but it is of great importance that an excommunicated person shouald not enjoy that privilege; and as the church distributes arbitrarily excommunica- tion, and as the purchasers of the property of the clergy have been partitularly excommunicated in former times, it is easy for you to gee the a4vantages wlilcl the priests will derive from what has just happened., In the villages especially, excommunication will be the means of restitution, at least as certaini as a judicial condern- nation. I mentioned to you sonme tihneago, that our police was conducted by a rsan sold to foreign powers.The arrest by the Prussian Governmrent, on a territory wlhich did not belong to it, of a French Professor, is another proof to be addedl to those which I have formerly detailed. This profes- sor (51. Cousin) wss only known at Psris by a course of philosoplhy whziclh he delirered in tite RceANorrgaale-bya Greek edition of all the works of Proclus, publishedt by order and at the expense of the present Goversment-and by the undertaking of a translation of the works of Plato. Never did he publish any political reflections on passing events. Onr police, whieh had delirered to him a passport to travel abroatl, denounced him at the same time to the Prussian Government. I1. Cousin had been acquainted in France with seve- ral German Professors wio had been proscribed from their own country, and particularly with Goerres, the celebrated editor of the Rhenisls Merc,rry. It is probable that to this his arrest may be in part ascribedl. It was on the territory of Saxony that Prussia caused lhim to be arrested. Our opposition journals have declared against this breach of the law of nations. The following is the answer of a Ministerial journal:-" Shall the soldiers of an absolute nmonarchy," exclaims the Coastitutioanel, " have the power, with impunity, of taking our fiiends prisoners upon a foreign and friendly territory? WVill the police of our neighbours wait for us beyond the limits of their own doninlons ?"-" Yes," replies the Ministerial journal, " these soldiers will arrest you wherever they can find you, if you have conspired against their King." Behol4.thetn, tlhe assassination of tite DLke d'Enghien jus- tified by the Ministers of the Bourbons ! Behold the protection which we are to expet from thlieI even on our own territory ! STATE OF- PARTIRS AND SITUATION OF THFE I ..l.: , -,fJISTAY, IN-.RAXCE. I . - PARIS,- ov. 8. -