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"THE COLTON PAPERS." 



No. 1. THE REVOLUTION OF JULY. 



PREVIOUSLY to my entering upon a detail of those prodigies which 

 have anticipated the march of time, and effected in a week the work of 

 an age, determined the destiny of a nation, and subverted the dynasty 

 of a throne, it may be proper to advert to the calm that preceded this 

 political hurricane, and the causes that might have authorized our con- 

 fidence in its perpetuity. Up to the fatal moment of these ominous 

 Ordinances, entire France presented a gratifying scene of external 

 strength and internal prosperity. The conquest of Algiers, accom- 

 plished with but little loss, and achieved with so much courage, the 

 cordiality that existed between the fleet and the army, proved by their 

 cheerful co-operation, and cemented by their mutual danger, the 

 immensity of the treasure then on its way to the capital, the fruits of 

 a victory sufficiently flattering to a martial nation, even without the 

 splendid spoils that accompanied it, this was one of those brilliant 

 events that had contributed to increase the general harmony. Neither 

 was there any just ground to presume that the other cabinets of Europe 

 looked with an eye of jealousy, far less of hostility, on this chivalric 

 effort of France ; they rather hailed her triumph as their deliverance 

 from a common nuisance, which had so long existed, a dread to some, 

 a disgrace to all, but which France alone had the courage to destroy. 

 Besides, the result of the elections had been highly favourable to the 

 cause of the people ; and it is certain that, up to this moment, the 

 nation either did not fear any violation of their rights, or, if they 

 entertained such a fear, they consoled themselves by the consideration 

 that their liberties might be safely confided to the vigilance of those 

 constitutional guardians whom they had themselves returned. Any 

 redress from anticipated injury, further than such as the laws and 

 the charter were deemed strong enough to provide, had not entered 

 into the imagination, much less actuated the conduct of even the most 

 strenuous supporters of freedom. The liberty of the press had been 

 respected even by those who would rather that it had been restrained. 

 A freedom of discussion, and a boldness, perhaps even a temerity, in 

 the circulation of their opinions, evinced that the most timid of the 

 journalists saw no just cause for inquietude or alarm. In the enjoy- 

 ment of their genial climate, and the anticipation that the late 

 favourable changes in the atmosphere would ensure the success both 

 of the harvest and the vintage these things, aided by their national 

 buoyancy of spirits, that best of blessings, had put the people in a 

 situation wherein they had assuredly but little to deplore. France, at 

 this moment, had no reason to shrink from the comparison, if brought 

 to measure the sum and substance of her happiness with the most 

 powerful and prosperous amid the sister states of Europe. Who, 

 M.M. No. 8. O 



