ights of property. It was seen that, however hateful despotic
monarchy, and the ascendancy of a bigoted and superstitious church,
these oppressions were far preferable to the levelling and loathsome
tyranny of socialism, in any of the forms in which it presented itself
in England, France, or Germany. Whatever was abhorrent to the natural
sense of justice, and the dear claims of kindred, was propagated by
socialism; and which the socialists, whether called Owenites, St.
Simonians, or red republicans, were ready by force to establish.
Enlightened men were therefore in doubt, during the early part of 1849,
what part to take; their aspirations were for liberty; but the multitude
preferred license, and, without the multitude, nothing could be enforced
upon despotic governments and ecclesiastical systems. It was now hoped
that governments had been warned; that kings would never again venture
to violate political promises to their people; that constitutions would
never again be revoked by princes; and that, consequently, little was
to be apprehended from the governing powers: whereas, everything dear
to social order, happiness, and sacredness, was to be feared from the
social and political fanatics that to so great an extent guided the
peoples,--exciting false hopes, stimulating violent action, propounding
doctrines destructive of social order, and menacing a tyranny more
formidable than had ever before been witnessed in the world. With
these feelings, the good and true rallied round the centres of ordinary
government and order--but, alas! they were deceived; they did not take
the Scripture warning, "Put not your trust in princes." Pledges and
promises were made by the foreign despots and their ministers, more
profusely than even during the war of 1812; but all this was only
destined to exemplify the necessity for the warning given by Him who
best understood human nature--"Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his
nostrils." The friends of order, peace, and rational liberty believed
the protestations of potentates, and used their influence, and armed on
the side of governments in the conflicts of 1849. The result was, they
unconsciously abetted a reaction by which the old chains were riveted
upon the people, and new ones forged still further to fetter them.

The state of France most interested England, because all great changes
in that country influence the whole of Continental Europe, and, in fact,
affect more or less the whol