272. ALEXANDER OF RUSSIA, Vienna Congress and.—[continued].
His character is undoubtedly
good, and the world, I think, may expect
good effects from it. * * * I sincerely wish that the history of the secret proceedings
at Vienna may become known, and may reconcile
to our good opinion of him his participation
in the demolition of ancient and independent
States, transferring them and their
inhabitants as farms and stocks of cattle at a
market to other owners, and even taking a
part of the spoil himself. It is possible to suppose
a case excusing this, and my partiality for
his character encourages me to expect it, and to
impute to others, known to have no moral
scruples, the crimes, of that conclave, who
under pretence of punishing the atrocities of
Bonaparte, reached them themselves, and
proved that with equal power they were equally
flagitious.—
To Dr. Logan. Washington ed. vii, 20.
(M.
1816)
