The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-24
NAPOLEON AS THE REPRESENTATIVE
OF DEMOCRACY

NAPOLEON AS HE REP TENTATIVE
OF DEMOCRACY.
II is be forgotten that Nopolean, in the height
of his absolute sway regarded himself, and wished to
be regarded as the chosen head of France-the elect
of the French people He dated his patent of nobi-
ly from the battle of Monlenotte, where lie led the
soldiers ofthe Republic to the first of that series of
brilliant victories which signalized his earliest cam
paign in italy; and all his claims TO consideration
were founded upon the services he had rendered Il
his country, Herein he joined issue with the up
holders of legitimacy. The combination of European
soyeregns against him based the part of the
Holy Alliance, upon the doctrine of the divine right
of Kings and this doctrine believed TO have been
triunlphanty established when the family of the
Bou bons was restored To the throne of France.
The abuse OF Napoeons Government when per-
sonal ambition and bis own arbitrary VIII caused hi
TO forget his representative character, cannot erase
from he minds of Frenchmen the recollection of the
great fact that he and regned the champion OF
popular rights and such, incurred the hostility OF
crown legitimacy throughout Europe. Weare led to
these remarks by some passages in the Life of Ma
poleon,' 10y NJ dc LArdeche-an edition of which,
with illustrations by Horace Vernet has been recent
y Published by the AGpletons, of New York.
brief notice of the work appeared in our editorial
columns some days ago.
If the writer evipces enthusiastic attachment to
the memory of Napoleon it is because he regards him
as the great exponent of the Democratic spirit Of his
age Thus, speaking OF the warm regard with which
the Emperors name is cherished in France, he says:
cit is not to the prodigles of this sword that he
owes his immense and lasting popularity. The wor-
ship of his name, more rellglousy observed in the
cottage than in the palace, sufficiently indicates that
far from having arrested the development of demo-
cratic principles and interests he might fairly be
called the first Democrat of Europe; for it is not
without reason that the people still look upon him as
the rcvouonlst who most powerfully shook the fan
ccd superiority Of birth and fortune by the enamel
patton Of merit which became the sole title to all
offices OF responsibility
The truth is, when Napoleon overthrow the Direc-
tory and expelled the Council of Five Hundred BY
the bayones of his grenaders, he saved the demo-
cratic government from falling 10 pieces by its own
Inherent weakness. The idea of popular sovereignty
which so intoxicated the French people, unused as
they TO the habits of setgovernment, became
indyidualzed to such an extent that every fan
cied himself a participant IN the ruling power all
wished to govern and none TO obey, Hence each
organ of the government sroye for the ascendancy
for each considered itself much the representa-
tive of the popular viii as any other and could not
brook subordinate place. The disgust inspired by
this anarchcal sort Of rule had wearried the nation
and many began to look to the restoration of the
Bourbons as the only means left for securing tran
quy and an efficient administration This how
ever, to the people al large fearful alternative.
The following extract from L'ARpEcnE is to the
point here;
The national opinion, consequently, only manifest
ed its tendency towards concentration of the public
power in vigorous hands At this crisis between the
invnclbc repugnonce of the people and of the army
to a reaction in favor of the Buurbons, and the not
less intense fear of an ochocrac decay, necessity
called 10 the head of affairs, who could shield
the social reform of 1850 from the dangers to which
the negligence of those in authority had exposed il,
and who should prevent those active minds,
sary to preserve the strength and unity of he adm-
nisiratve power, from being turned to advantage bv
the Royali-t party, To fulfil his high mission this
man found himself compelled to dcthrone the demo-
cracy and TO concentrate the power OF the Directory
in single individual. 1t was necessary that he
should be thorough Reyolutionst, unreservcdy de.
voted to the new interests prof undy mbued with
the spirit of his age elevated by glory acquired in
the service of France, and capable of trumphng by
the ascendancy Of his cnown and his genius, by the
fidelity and attachment which patriotic exaation
llourshcd in many Republican souls for the consu
ton of the ILL., II also necessary that his
arm should offer a safe guarantee against the
stranger and that his name should not have figured
among these pitloss statesmen, who had saved the
country and IN reward secured nothing but for
their memory, Ii was soldier Of the revolution
alone who could govern the popular lion, and over
turn the Republican system without giving death
blow TO those revolutionary creations which were still
so dear to France. This soldier had tora long time
focsccn the great task he would have to perform the
moment for commencing which his ambition had anx
iousy awaited because consciousness OF his ma
turc of his position, and of his strength, had con-
WINGED HIM that he united all the requisites Tor fulfil
ling il with success
We may remark mat TIE present intelligent and
able Monarch Of France understands we'll his position
and appreciate the tenure Ivy which he holds the re
gal power His title TO the crown is derived not so
much from his Bourbon blood from the will of the
people who called HIM to throne He is in fact the
man chosen by the popular voice to carry out the
luton which legitimacy checked and for while sup
pressed when it dclhroncd Napoleon and forced back
the elder branch of the Bourbons the French peo-
Pile Louis Philippe was therefore acting with per
feet consistency, when he summoned France to the
acceptable duty OF bringing home the ashes of Napo-
! Icon for lnterment, with solemn pomp and state
among the buried remains of the roy successors OF
| Charlemagnc.
| The present age is Witnessing important changes
even where they not marked by tumultuous revo.
lutons in the nature of monarchlcal Governments
The spirit of the age, the idea of human rights
other words the Democratic principle, is gradually
undermining the thrones of dcspo,isn even in the
most absolute nations of Europe. Kings are begin
ming to understand that the tenure Of then power con
sis,- not in the doc rine of divine right but IN the
adaptation OF their Government TO the interests, the
wants, and the feelings of thel people Where ne
| written constitutions exist to define the functions OF
royal prcrogative the influence of liberal principles Is
felt through the general sentiment Of the na'Ion and