Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-05-10
France a Rcpublic-..A Prophecy
of NOp0lcOn.

The following will be read with thrill
ling interest at this time. It is from the
work Of Las Casas, s'Napoleon at St. He
lena" Truly sail great men are, to some
degree: inspired"
SIN less than twenty five years from the
present time" said the Emperor NApo-
LEON to me, as We stood viewing the sea
from rock which overhung the road
"the whole European system will be
changed. Revolution will succeed revo-
luton, until every nation becomes acquain-
ted with its individual rights. Depend
upon it, the people Of Europe will not sub
NIT to be governed by those bands Of pet
ty soyereigns-those aristocratic cabinets
] was wrong in re-establishing the order
Of mobiles in France, but l did it to give
splendor to the throne, and refinement to
the manners Of the people, who were fast
sinking into barbarism, since the revolu-
ton. The remains of the feudal system
will vanish before the sun Of kno,rledge.-
The people have only to know that all
power emanates from themselves, in or
der to assert their rights TO a share in their
respective governments.
After sketching the probable course OF
events in FRANCE, which, as he observed,
must terminate in Republic, the Empe-
ror paused few moments, and then, way
ing his hand, he exclaimed, in an animat-
ed tone, his dark eye beaming with the
enthusiasm Of inspiration:
"FRANcE once more Republic, other
countries will follow her example; Ger
mans, Prussians, Poles, Italians, Danes,
Swedes, and Russians, will all Join in the
crusade for liberty! They will arm against
their sovereigns, who will be glad to make
concessions Of some Of their rights, in or
der to preserve minor authority over
them as subjects; they will grant them
representative chambers, and style them
selves Constitutional Kings, possessing a
limited power. Thus the feudal system
will receive its death blow; like the thick
mist on the ocean, it will dissipate at the
FIRST appearance of the Sun of liberty
The wheel of revolution will not stand
still at this point; the impetus will he in
creased in ten-fold ratio, and the motion
will be accelerated in proportion. When
q people recover part Of their rights, as
men, they become elated with the victory
they have achieved; and having tasted the
sweets of freedom, they become clamor-
ous for large portion. Thus will the
states and principalities of Europe be in
continual state Of turmoil and ferment,
perhaps for some years-like the earth,
heaving in all directions, previous to the
occurrence of an earthquake"
cat length the combustible matter will
have vent; tremendous explosion will
take place; the lava Of England's bank
ruptcy will overspread the European
world, overwhelm Kings and Aristocra-
cies, but cementing the democratic inter-
ests as it flows. Trust me, Las Casas,
that, as from the vines planted in the soil
which encrusts the sides of Etna and We
suvius, the most delicious wine is obtain
ed, SO shall the lava, Of which speak,
prove to be the only soil in which the Tree,
Of Liberty will take firm and permanent
root. May it flourish for ages! You,
perhaps, consider these sentiments strange
and unusual; they are mine, however. I
was Republican; but fate, and the oppo-
sition of Europe, made me an Emperor !!
! am now spectator of the future"