New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-05-01
THE TRIBUNE.
HeadIey's Napoleon.
Ar Headley opens his book by saving:

English literature and Englsh criticism pub
lie opinion in the country than the views they have i'm
pressed upon 1t respecting BonapArte. With Words
worth, Southey and Byron In poetry and Scott and ALI
son. and the English Reviews 10 prose, all making him
monster in cruelty and sehshness even though ne might
be angel In genius have, without scrupe, adopt
cd the sentiments, and set him down as scourge
Of his race"
Is this any thing like the TRUTH Who are the
"we" who have adopted without thought the senti-
ment of British historians and set down Bonaparte
"as a scourge of his race7" The we here is OBJ
viously intended to imply the American People.
But do our People, or any overwhelming majority
Of them, cherish such sen,iments7 So far from it
is the fact that we confident two-ihirds OF all the
People of this country rather admire than execrate
Napoleon, and deplore his downfall. The spirit OF
popular oratory, our public press. inclines lar
more TO justify and laud than to backen and defame
Napoleon Ask the next ten men you meet what
they think of him, and see if half Of them do not
express more of sympathy than censure. Napoleon,
as Emerson has well said, is the hero of Democra-
cy-hat lie, Of that Democracy which exacts the su-
premacy of the numerical majority and the prepon-
deratng physical force regardless Of Intellectual or
moral power He was the Heir of the Revolution
the nhertor Of its virtues and its vices its unclaimed
ambition its vehement energies, its appalling feroci
w, ana lls RIg6nuC nut uc "uo NJ ica't
and in later life thorough despot does not mill
tate against this view of his character-a Jacobn is
powerless despot despot is a Jacobin invested
with power Bonaparte, bred civilian, would
have struggled for supremacy in the Convention and
the Jacobn Club with Danton and Robespierre, pos
sbly as rival, bat more probably for time as
confederate. That after he had vauted to the nights
Of power he manifested tho utmost adherence and
dread of The Jacobins is but part of the same char
acter-Danton, made Dictator or First Consul, with
the army at his back, would have crushed the Jaco-
bins in an instant Each wrought, with the weapon
he could best WELD and each with the same end
Self A goddess, reckless daring Ambton is to our
view the possible trait in the character OF one
appointed to play chief part on the world 8 great
stage, and the more trsnscendent his abilities the
more cupable is his perversion of them 10 the base
end of extending bis own sway or gratifying his
lusts To illustrate and enforce this truth We regard
as one of the chief ends Of History never to be lost
sighto
81 Mr. Headley seems to labor under this delusion;
He is perpetua'y fancying that the world is called
to decide whether Napoleon is or his principal anita
gonists are deserving of its praise. Blu; no-the
question is not whether the hereditary despots, with
Pitt, Metternich, Castereagh &c were better or
worse than Napoleon. but whether he Is deserving
Of our esteem and admiration. Prove them all de-
praved or worthless and you have done little yet 10
clear h;,n of the imputatons resting on his name.
Our author in behalf of his hero, crowds pages
with dazzling recitals of that heros great achieve
nents as if it were necessary TO prove him man
endowed with transcendent genius, capacity, cour
age, endurance, activity, &c. But can he believe II
Il. un brave
ge,ic and intellectually great If not TO what pur
pose is all this exhibition unless to confuse the MIND
and mislead the judgment on the main question
For our own part while we can make due allow
ance for the circumstances under which any man
has been reared, cannot allow any collateral
considerations 10 induce US present and commend
as right that which in intent and very truth was
wrong. If one should urge in behalf OF cannbal'
He was 30 trained from infancy, we admit Inc
validity of the plea in excuse OF his addiction o'he
revolving practice but not in laudaton OF the prac-
tce itself Tho greater. the wiser the more exalted
and capable the man, the more imperative, In our
view is the obligation resting upon him 10 OBEY
Gods laws and live for the good OF his telow'crea-
lures If he fail here, he ought not TO be applauded
and the greater his abilities the deeper must be his
condemnation.
That the earlier wars in which Napoleon was en-
gagged were commenced by the crowned despots
whom he struggled against is in good part true yet
not TO the extent insisted OF by MIR. Headley, who
is any thing but fair in quoting Napier as English
authority for his assertion. Napier is Liberal an
admirer of the Revolution and of Napoleon. If any
one had quoted De Vigny any partisan OF the
Bourbons as French authority against Napoleon,
Mr. a would doubtless have been indignant at the
uniairness he so deNterousiy perpetrates
We care not how deep and general is the execra-
ton Of Pitt and his coalitions, how much Great
Britain i. assailed for the great wrong OF breaking
the Peace of Amiens yet is not Just TO represent
that act as wholly unprovoked. Many acts OF Ma
poleon between the signing OF the Treaty and the
breaking of it by Great Britain indicated settled
disregard on his part of every thing Which Inter
fered with the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF France-that Is,
Of himself We will instance only the sub]usation
of Swi,zerland-as base and inexcusablc robbery
and eassvement ofthe weak by the strong as oiacA-
ems the page Of History. II the invasion ana
subjugaton OF Egypt, Switzerland and the Tyrol
wese essentially defensive operations why not
go the " hoe hog and call the expedition to Moscow
another
Even when he affects concession, Mr.. Il. never
fosgets the part of an spologist For instance here
The TWO greatest of Napoleon were tue CON
9nsst Of Span and the invasion OF Russia Inc former
wa. not only impoc act but OF CREST inlushoe
and cruelty IN ords stks ERS!tsa eoiaHercs be was
~hnng to Invade Independent kingdom ana nnNS
seize ia hroue End its plsns with the slain OF It's
own snole>ts The invasion OF Russa might have 'erri
nseo oiueienuy and been recorded BY hstoansas the
crownng monument Of his genius but for burning OF
MOSCOW oy me inhabitants certainly not 10 De
snacipateo aele,, The flower OF his army there, and
own"
If Turing a King from his Country by the most SOL
esnn pEoses,ations of friendship and generous de.
signs, drawing him on by renewed and vehemeu,
assurances from sep to step until completely in his
friends power, then treachesously, per6diously
thrustins him into prison and demanding OF him e
surrender OF his crown and kingdom, and thereupon
proceeding to subjcgaie that kingdom by force of