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THE YANKEE
Boston, Friday, October 13, 1815FAITH IN KINGS
Never has a nation been more gulled and abased than that of France. Every art was employed to put them off their guard; to disarm their opposition; and to let the stranger into their gate. After these artifices had succeeded, every injury has been done, every insult offered, which could wound the feelings of a nation. "Large armies of foreign mercenaries" have "been quartered" among them; their towns have all been pillaged; their fine country overrun by despotic officers; tribute inflicted upon them under the name of requisitions; their king reduced to a shadow, and themselves sunk into the hands of foreigners. While they are thus stript of money, goods, their independence, and glory, these wretches have not even the privilege of complaining of their wrongs. What is worse, they do not even know when their misfortunes are to end.
The confederate kings made the fairest promise!! They pledged their Royal words, that Bonaparte was the only one whom they wished to remove; that they had no other end in view; they disclaimed the intention of dictating a ruler to France; they took care to distinguish the people from the army, avowed that it was the army only who had supported the Usurper; and pledged themselves to the people, that if they would not assist him, but only remain neutral in the contest, then fields, their houses, every thing which belonged to them, would be duly respected. The British ministers were so squeamish that they would not sign the treaty of Vienna until they had annexed an article, disclaiming all intention of dictating a ruler to France. Prince Metternich, on the part of Austria, gave it the same conditional ratification. All the papers, proclamations, orders, addresses of all the allied commanders, breathed the same spirit; ruin to Bonaparte, but security to the people.
Bonaparte, however, was put hors de combat; the army, it is true, helped him at Waterloo; but the people, whom they have always distinguished from the troops, have since done nothing, for him or against them. The "usurper" thus down, and the people thus inactive, what was to have been expected? That the confederate kings would have been "as good as their word"? That they would have left the French to choose their own ruler, without making any stir in favor of the Bourbons? At all events, if they were determined to put him around the necks of the Frenchmen, that they would have been content with this proof of subjugation, without adding to it any cantonments or requisitions of their own. The fact is, however, otherwise. And the French, after seeing themselves tricked out of their strong-holds, their cities, their arms, their privilege of choosing their own rulers; are now the victims of the promises of kings.
These kings, like the perfidious Robber, who makes use of the fairest remarks to get into your house; but the moment he enters, claps the pistol to your breast, and demands, "Your money, Sir!"
is there to be no conclusion to this scene? The last accounts, which reach us from that country, inform us that these oppressions are not to be for a season only, but for years, and that 100,000 mercenary troops are to be kept in France for five years. And, what is more galling, is that they are to be paid by the very people whom they humble to the dust.
If the allies say that the adherents of Bonaparte must be removed -- Why! Remove them. It is better to take off a hundred men in a summary way, than hold the scourge over the heads of the twenty-five millions of people for five years.
If the allies should say, these precautions must be taken, because there are factions in France; it may be asked, how they could expect it to be otherwise, from a people whom they have so deeply insulted?
If, finally, it be urged that without the presence of 100,000 troops, the people would rise and expel Louis, Why! Let it be so. Either he is the favourite of the people, or he is not. If he be really desired, he needs not 100,000 foreign bayonets to support his throne. But if he be not the choice of the people, by what right do the Confederate Kings pretend to force him down, when they have so sacredly disclaimed any intention whatever, to interfere in the matter? If, says henry the Great, good faith be everywhere driven from the haunts of men, let it at least take refuge in the bosoms of princes.
And from whom do the French put up with these indignities? Is it for a Titus or a Vespasian? Is it for any one, who is distinguished for his virtues and talents? No. It is for a king, who broke his word to his people in 1814. It is for a man, who used to cook and eat his two capons a day! He is fit for scarce any thing else.
The French will not, cannot make such sacrifices much longer. Three hundred thousand bayonets may have the virtue to awe them, one hundred thousand must be too few.
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