Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-11-08
Miscellaneous.
From the European Correspondent Of the N. York
Daily Express,
PARIS Sent 8 1923

PARIS. Sept. 8, 1898.
THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND THE
Prince LOUIS NAPoLEoN.-Therei is some.
thing magical in the name of Napoleon!-
There was time when he was held up to
execration in Great Britain as an assassin,
tyrant, a despot, an enemy TO peace,
order, morals and religion, and the curse of
the world. These days have gone by
Such trash as this now, would no, he he
lievcd. Your Major Lee, who died II, Paris
whilst engaged in wri,ing the life of This
great man, once said 10 me, II know Of no
man either of ancient or modern history
worthy fbeing compared with Napoleon"
This was the opinion Of an enthusiast, | adj
nit, but yet no man had studied The whole
length and breadth Of Napoleon's character.
conduct, and principles Of action. as had
the Major. The whole life Of Napoleon
was vast drama: most exciting. Won
drous, astounding drama-and we follow
him as we read in the Monileur the records
Of his ucTs, with a .ssft af- brea,hless s~impa-.
tience, wondering what Is TO come next
There nre some deep, black. mortal stains
in his character, which we must acknowl-
edge and deplore-but his genius was trans
cendant and his successes unh0unded. Two
OF his great crimes were the assassination
of the Duke d'Enghrin, and his conduc, to
those Republics which surrounded France,
and which he afterwards converted into
Kingdoms, or annexed To his Empire, in
order TO crafty his personal ambition. aud
satiate his lus' for power But yet, in spite
of these crimes, he was the migh,iest NEGRO
mancor Of any times-and he who does not
feel The deepest interest IN his history, must
be wholly indifferent to the charms OF po-
etry. to the inspirations Of genius, ID con-
summate skill and knowledge, TO the indie
pendence Of France, to the history and
progress Of the French Revolution, and to
the progress and cnlightening Of the human
mind. Yet. am very far indeed, from he-
ing Napoleonisl!
have seen some ofyour American brcih-
rem stand amazed, ovcrpowercd, cmbar-
Yassed 10 know what to say, and what to
feel, as they have traversed The mighty gal
leres of Versailles. But when thew have
arrived al The Gallery of Napoleon-when
they have looked AT his mighty exploits US
pictured forth on the fairy walls of that in
comparable palace-ihey have forgotten all
the marble halls Of the old dynas,ies-all
the thrilling events Of the Revolution Of
153u-all the historical paintings Of past
ages-and have contemplated With ii won
der and rapture only 10 be felt, the rep
reservations Of the achievements Of that
mighty magician. have visited Versailles
some fifty times-hut each time with new
delight. and with increased astonishmcnt.
Well may Louis PHILIPPE exclaim to the
youth Of France. "lf you study in this pal
ace the history of France you will see how
great, how rich she has heen in Leeists.
Judges. Conquerors, Painters. Philosophers
ScuIptors. Statesmen, Moralists. and Pa
triots." 1t is quite true that all this may he
learnt al the Mali NAL Galleries of Versailles:
but one thing dominates over all, and thai
is, how great was Napoleon,