Richmond Enquirer

From the New York National Advocate, Nov. 23.

Extract of a letter from an intelligent American in Paris, to his friend in this city, dated July 26, 1821.

"It is astonishing how destitute of talents are most of the cabinets of Europe. The crowned heads are, without one single exception, weak personages, and it appears they prefer those of their own standard as ministers to more prominent men. We see no Pitts, Talleyrands or Fox's employed about them; and nothing terrifies these sovereigns so much as to hear of the extension of the human intellect, the lights of the age, &c. He who dares mention the frightful subject to them, is sure to get into disgrace. They are great sticklers for the church: and in France the Roman Catholic priests, under their auspices, are gaining, by rapid strides, somewhat of their former power. I was present, a few evenings ago, at a political conversation between half a dozen of the leading men of the day, and I was much surprised at their opinions of men and things: they were, to be sure, ultras; of course felt themselves privileged as a sort of political school masters of the day. In speaking of the present minister of the marine for instance, who is a most estimable, able man, "C'est un chien de Protestant," he is a Protestant dog, said a Peer. This is a term we frequently hear made use of, not only by the people, when speaking of Protestants, but by the higher classes. The Court, who are all very pious, even unto the Count d'Artois, (whose former sculptured and painted bed-chamber at Bagatelle, you no doubt, recollect) give the tone. Talleyrand is talked of as prime minister: but he is getting old, and is unpopular with all parties: I therefore do not think he will go down. Since the death of Napoleon, who all now style the Great, people talk freely of his unrivalled powers in the cabinet and the field, and the comparisons they make are extremely odious to the royalists. The Bonaparte family, in fact, are highly considered in France. Louis, Ex-King of Holland, lives retired: he is a man of solid acquirements, a strong mind, and virtuous habits. Lucien is a brilliant man, and perhaps the best belles-lettres scholar in Europe; of Jerome, we hear and know but little; but Joseph, whom you have with you, is held as a very superior man. Bred to the law, and not a stranger to commerce, he is said to add to his great knowledge of the world, profound views on government, and to possess, in an eminent degree, all the requisites of a distinguished statesman, with great urbanity, and the unassuming manners of a polished scholar and plain gentleman: he is much respected and beloved by all his old friends in Europe. "Prince Eugene has confirmed the opinion early entertained of him, by his uniform gratitude and attachment to Napoleon and the liberality to his friends, who are now, politically speaking, in the back ground. Of the females of the family, it is generally admitted, that to the great beauty most of them possess, they are all endowed with superior minds, and elegant acquirements and accomplishments. In short, they are regarded as a very extraordinary family, without one bad or weak member; and what adds to their superior worth, is their perfect union, and the warm attachment they show to each other. Contrast this enlightened family with the puny race who at present occupy the thrones of Europe, with their fanaticism, stupidity, and odious vices, and you must agree with all the wise and good on this side the water, that every day proves the fall of Napoleon to be a public calamity.

Of our country and government, the people here entertain strange notions: the liberal adore us; the vulgar consider us as an inferior race of beings, because we have no king, church or privileged orders; and the ruling party regard us pretty much as they do original sin, the cause of all the evils they have suffered in this world, for which we are finally to be punished here, and damned hereafter."