-DE.,POTTEE.
THE resignation of DB Pori,in will have reached you threngh the usual channels: This resignation is a curious event,- at. the .same time indicative: Of the character Of the individual and of the com- plexion of. future events. • He virtually resigned when :be :refiiped to join his colleagues in the -offer of resignation to the- Congress, "which was understood to be -a sham proceeding. His diffieulty . appears to have been a theoretical scruple : because the Provisional -Government was the creator of. the Ccingress, he held it incon- -sistent for that Government to offer to resign its powers to the body they had themselves constituted. The influence of this . opinion upon the practice was small, but DE Perrin. has' sacrificed to it -all the -effect. which he might conceive his patriotism, his, honesty, and his intellect, likely to confer upon his native country. Unluckily; :M. 'DE POTTER is a doctrinaire—his information is derived. from • books, his wisdom from speculation, and-his sphere. of action is his : Study. He is. A true specimen of the theoretical statesman—who stumbles over the first practical difficulty. His colleagues. are chiefly barristers, and are all practical men if they are any thing . and . know hew to smother a scruple rii.en expe- diency; But thing, alone never would have been permitted to fall fon/ of this shadow, if his colleagues. had beery with him : there is a .difference of opinion on more substantial-grounds.. The fact is, that • DE 'POTTER 'is a thorough-paced Republican—in theory ; that. his comrades are simply Liberals—they wish well to the country,- but he loves his-theory. . .
I know front personal experience, and the best of .eviderice; that three parts 'of Belgium are in favour of a constitutional monarchy, with the Prince. of Oas,110 .et its head, because theY:eonsider it the speediest. mode • of coming to a safe conclusion. . This is. no doubt the opinion of the members of the Executive (di-clevant the Provisional) . Government ; . and because they see that :Such. Must 'be their conclusion, have they disembarrassed themselves of their high-Minded 'Colleague. DE POTTER is far too good- a Man for the present state of Belgium, and • as such woule. only he pernicious to its interests. • • There is some misconception as to the character' and situation of DE POTTER. in England : have seen him called a bookseller, and represented.as. the editor 'Of the Courrier de Pays Ras, in the best-informed. EngliSh newspapers. DE POTTER is a Belgian no- bleman he is.0.:riative of BrogeS, and his 'Muse there Wonld be onsidered -a palace—it is certainly equal in all points to Devon- -shire House. . His fortune, for his country, is *trge--ample—and, for a singlentara. would e be thought considerable.' : By -habit he is a student : learning is.considerable, his application imtriense; • :Whetherby his stddy of the history of the Church,. or by having fallen upon the world of B esrruara; Which are well known in Flariders,:he become 'a thorough theoretical Republieen,• hating all overweening-authority:. he would gladly sacrifice himself and his fortunes—all but big old mother—to right the cause, not of his coniitry; 'but his. theory; He- hates all-thatis of Nassau, Nassauish.- They, have tampered 'with hint, they- have coaxed him, hid be has .treated. With them as sovereign to sovereign, and they, having the power, have beat him. He was beaten dead— when the French Revolution- broke in upon his chamber, beaming with light--his' little wretehed chamber at the Black Swan at Yee's, • Where the peasants, in -secret,. came to honour him. 'Had he been quiet eVenin Paris, it' is 'possible the Bruxellois "might have been cajoled or reduced to.order, orby whatever name itbe called. When' -he read the answer to the deputation on the part of the King of Holland, he cried old,'" Cheatery 1" He wrote a letter. to the Belgian people,Which Was-conveyed throughthemedium of the Journal do • Tribunaux, exp:ciaing the designs of the "King, ac; casing. hini.o0ineseerie, and,. in short, predicting precisely that which has happened;;doublefaced cruelty on the part of the
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