4/9 

 MI*.- EUROPE AND HER DESPOTS. 



No. III. THE DUKE OP MODENA. 



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THERE are several distinct systems of depotism in full operation on 

 our European continent. First in the dominions of the imperial 

 autocrat Nicholas (the grog-drinker), we behold the despotism of the 

 sword. Beneath the sway of the " Miscreant" live fifty millions of human 

 beings, scattered over a territory embracing thirty-eight parallels of 

 latitude, and 120 meridians of longitude. But bad as it is, this is not 

 after all, the worst system in the list. If the Russian government 

 denies even the shadow of political liberty to its vassals, it freely tole- 

 rates, nay, openly protects every form of worship ; while, like ancient 

 Rome, it leaves to the conquered provinces, their language and customs, 

 dearer to semi-barbarous races than even political independence itself. 

 In fact, stern and uncompromising as it is, the Muscovite government 

 leaves no exertion untried, rapidly to develope the resources of the 

 empire and extend its political influence. By a profound writer this 

 government has been defined as an enlightened despotism. 



In England we have long ago thrown off the despotism of the sword, 

 but only to fall under that of another and a worse evil worse even 

 than the sword the law ! Since the creation of the world no system, 

 perhaps, ever produced so full a measure of social misery as this. In 

 every other country the laws have generally been framed for the wel- 

 fare and happiness of the community at large, but in England they 

 have been made for the exclusive advantage of the law itself. It has 

 been remarked that there is not an act of parliament through the flaws 

 of which a road waggon may not be driven; and by twisting and 

 turning some of our numerous statutes, there is not a man in his 

 majesty's dominions, who is riot exposed every hour of the day to use 

 the language of Napoleon, to be " dument et legalement pendu." And 

 yet we consider ourselves the freest people in the universe, and are 

 constantly recurring to the priest-ridden Spanish and Portuguese for 

 tropes and metaphors, to illustrate the combined effects of superstition 

 and despotism. We much doubt, however, if ever, in its best days, 

 under the reign of the second Philip, the church in Spain ever exercised 

 so baneful an influence on the social condition and happiness of the 

 Iberians, as does the law at this day on the people of England. In 

 . tin's sense we would ask, does a Spanish inquisitor cause more misery 

 than a Master in Chancery ? or are the judgments of a corregador 

 more despotic and unconstitutional, than many of those that emanate 

 from our bench of magistrates ? Is a Spanish alguazil a greater rogue 

 than an English sheriff's officer? Whatever may be the answer, to 

 these queries, we can carry our comparison no farther, for we defy 

 Spain or any country to produce any thing so elaborately vile, so basely 

 wicked as the common herd of English attornies. In the Austrian 

 dominions, the government pursues its end, neither by the despotism 

 of the law nor the sword, nor by the spiritual terrors of the church, 

 but by the slow and surer method of moral degradation, that secretly 

 sajps the foundation of every principal of independence, every generous 

 aspiration, and renders man the fit tool of despotism. Espionage and cor- 

 ruption are its arms ; but in spite of the machiavelism of the arch-Metter- 

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