Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-01-13
GtstorteaI.
From the New York Evangelist.
The Divorce of Josephine,
by REV. J. s. C. ABBOTT.

ny REV. J. s. C. ABBOTT.
The divorce of Josephine is an ineffaceable stain
on the character of Napoleon. And yet even
this act, so cruel, and so impolitic that even he
admits it to have been one of the causes of his
ruin, is invested with that peculiar grandeur
which surrounded every thing connected with
this extraordinary man. The marriage with
Maria Louisa, said Napoleon at st. Helena,
" was the cause of my destruction. In contract
ing it, l placed my foot ON an abyss covered over
with flowers"
That Napoleon loved Josephine as intensely
as so ambitious a spirit was capable of loving any
person, cannot be doubted. His connection with
her had been founded OIL the most romantic at.
tachment, and was associated with all the most
interesting events of his history. His desire
for a divorce did not originate in any waning Of
affection, but was urged by those consideration
of state policy for which, in his boundless ambi-
ton, he was ready to sacrifice every affection.
He deemed it essential to the perpetuity of his
throne, that he should add the grandeur of an
cestral renown to the glory of his unparalleled
exploits and his desire was intense to be bles,
sed with an heir, who should inherit his throne
and perpetuate his name.
Rumors had been for some time reaching 10.
sephine, of the doom which was impending over
her, Agitated by the most terrible fears and
again clinging to trembling hope, poor Josephine
passed several weeks in the agony of suspense.
Both were under great restraint, and neither
hardly ventured to look at the other. The con.
templ7ted divorce was noised abroad, and 10.
sephine read, in the ayerted looks of her former
friends, the indications Of her approaching dis.
grace. "In what selfconstraint, !" said she, die
| pass the period during which, though no long
er his wife, | was obliged to appear so to all eyes
All! what looks are those which c~ourtiers suffer
to fall upon a repudiated wife" They had beer
accustomed to live upon terms of the most afec
tionate intimacy, and in their private apartments
free from the restraint of a court, she would loi
ter in his private cabinet, and he would steal in
an ever welcome intruder upon the secrecy o
her boudoir. Now, reserve and restraint mark
ed every word and movement. The private &C
cess between their apartments was closed. Ma
poleon no longer entered her boudoir, but wheI
he wished to speak to her, respectfully knocking
at the door, would wait her approach. When
ever Josephine heard the sound of his approach
ing footsteps, the fear that he was coming witt
the terrible announcement of separation, immedi
ately caused such violent palpatation of her heart
that it was with the utmost difficulty she coult
totter across the floor, even when supporting her
self by leaning against the walls, and catching a
the articles of furniture. They had many pri
vate interviews, before Napoleon ventured to an
nounce directly his determination, in which h
limited at the necessity of the measure. From
all these interviews Josephine returned with he
eyes so swollen with weeping, as to give her at
PENDANTS the erroneous impression that persona
5 violence was used TO compel her to consent
"Hc accomplished hs resolution, " said JUsepf