Page:The Royal Family of France (Henry).djvu/98

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The Royal Family of France.

shown every consideration to M. Thiers to strengthen him in fulfilling his arduous mission. They should have been patient the tempest was still and is still raging, and its towering waves fill minds with- fear, and cause confusion all around. But these storms have left unscathed the Royal tree, which, deeply rooted in the French soil, has survived and once again should overshadow that country with its leafy branches under whose shelter its weary children will find rest. God has stamped this long race of the Kings of France with His own seal. Let anarchy and intrigue work their will Yes; we can understand that certain men think twice before throwing aside the tool of Democracy; but the friends of liberty, we would even say true Republicans, dread the mob, that vile mob, the ruin of all Governments. … This wretched mob has betrayed to every tyrant the liberty of every Government. It was the mob who betrayed the liberty of Rome, for bread and games, into the power of Cæsar. This same mob, satiated with bread and games, later on slaughters its Emperors; now elevating Nero to the throne, and soon murdering him because he was too rigid; it wished to debauch Otho; it elected the ignoble Vitellius; and, when it had lost even its valour for fightings it handed Rome over to the Barbarians. This is the same mob which betrayed the liberty of Florence into the hands of the Medici; which in Holland—prudent Holland—murdered the Witts, those true friends of freedom. It was this vile mob which arraigned and murdered Bailly, and applauded the execution, or rather the abominable assassinate of the Girondists; which next applauded the execution, too well deserved, of Robespierre; which would applaud ours which accepted the despotism of the great man who understood it and mastered it; which later on rejoiced over his fall, and which in 1815, and but ten years ago threw a rope round his statue to drag it down into the mud. Such throughout History up to this moment are the achievements, is the career of this mob. But there is a Divine spirit guiding deserving nations, who do not wish to be Christian without Christ; and a Hand more mighty than the sword of her enemies is extended to guard the national Monarchy.