The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-27

uc e0HSulHte OaQ Out fctcut-
~ merged in the empire, with the consent Of all
the orders OF the State. The senate by decree
had declared the first consul to be emperor of
the French and the people, to whom the ques-
ton Of succession had been deferred, had, by
majority of three millions to three thousand, de-
cided that the imperial dignity should be ae-
reditary In his family. History, rs Alison OBJ
serves when recording the fact, affords no In
stance OF nation having so unanimously taken
refuge from the ills Of agitation and anehary I'M
der the cold shade OF despotism.
A new order Of things having commenced, all,
as may easily be imagined, was ia state OF
transformation and change in the composition OF
the court, as well as in the arrangements Of the
imperial household Under the republican ,e-
CINE, great degree of simplicity had prevailed
in the appointments Of the yarions departments
Of the State, AS well us in the domestic economy
of family circles; it could not, however, be
called unpretending; there was a certain affec
tation in it, evidently assumed with n view to
contrast, even in minute particulars, the system
of the republic with that of the old monarchy
the painness of the one with the profusion of
tho other. But this was not fated to last long;
it had already been giving way under the con-
sulate, and was now disappearing altogether in
accordance with the views of the new monarch.
Titles and dignities were to be restored court
formalites and ceremonies were being revived
and new ones instituted. The old nobility
sprung from the fcudal system, and dating, as
some of them did, from the crusades, having
been swept away by the revolutionary storm,
their places were to be supplied, as supporters
of the throne, by u new race OF men. During
this period of transition and change, the move
| meDt of the chateau was unceasing. Arrivals
and DEPARTURES were taking place almost every
hour to which very different degrees of import
ance were attached. One arrival, however, was
spoken of as having more than ordinary inter
est it was that of the dignitary who, MS it was
then understood, was to place the imperial
crown on the brow of the new sovereign. $40
recall" observes Alison, as Napoleon was
anxious to do on every occasion, the memory OF
Charlemagne, the first French emperor of the
west" the Pope had been invited, with an ur-
gency which it would not have been prudent to
resist, to be present at the conservation, and had
accordingly crossed the Alps for the purpose.
Whatever may have been the views which
originally prompted the nveuton--whether il
was to play mere secondary part in a court
pageant, or leading one, as the public at first
supposed-or whether all such notions were
swept away by some new deluge of idea, as
Chateaubriand somewhere says-"lt is now
pretty clear that the presence of the pontif at
the ceremony was a minor consideration, and
that the real motive was that which came out in
their interview, as will appear in the sequel
Be this as il may, it was evident to all that the
emperor awaited his coming with impatiencc ;anl
| when his approach was announced-thou9Fr
preparations had been carefully made for II "a,
first meeting-the arrangements were such as
to give it an air Of an impreru. 1t was on the
road at some distance from Fontainebeau that
the emperor met the Pope: the potentate
alighted from his horse, the pontiH from his
travelling chase, and coach being at hand, rs
If accidentally, they assembled its steps at the
same moment from opposite sides, 80 that pre-
cedencc was neither taken nor given How lta-
| ian that nrtiice
They had not ridden long together when b.
naparte quitting the coach, got on horseback,
and returned to the chateau at a galop, with
scarcely an attendant. The drum beat to arms,
the guard turned out, but before they had time
to fall in and salute, he had alighted, and was
mounting the steps of the vestibule.
1t was always so with him; he gave such vi
vacity TO all his movements, such energy to all
| his actionx that speed seemed a necessary con-
diton % Sis existence. Still 80 natural was it
| to him, that il did not wear the semblance of
| hurry. Scarcely had the beat Of the drum been
heard at the gate, before the catter of his heels
resounded in the hall, as the flash Of q cannon
proceeds the report.
This time, however, he seemed artful and agi-
| tatcd. On entering the saloon, he paced it like
| one who waited with Impotence. Having taken
| few turns from one end to the other, he moved
to window, and began beating march with
| his fingers on the window frame The rolling
of a carriage was heard in the court, he ceased
! TO beat and after short pause, stamped on the
floor, "a if impatient at seeing something done
too slowly; then stepping hastily TO the door,
opened tit was for the Pope.
Plus VII entered alonc Bonaparte closed the
door after him. The Pope was tall, but stopped
somewhat his countcn9nce, elongated and ssl-
low, wore an expression of suffering, wNsch
seemed 10 have been induced upon habiiual
tone Of elevation and courtesy. His eyes were
black and large, and on his lips, which were
slightly opened, played smile indicative at
once Of urbaniiy and benevolence. He wore
on his head a white calotte or headpiece, par
TALLY covering his hair, which was naturally
black, but now blended with some silver locks ;
on his shoulders he had canal or cape of red
velvet, and his long robe reached 10 his feet
Those who have seen his portrait lV Laurence,
though taken Ten or eleven years lacr, will re-
eognze Mt once the correctness Of this descrip-
ton. AS he entered the room he moved slowly,
with n calm and measured STEP like that of an
aged female; and having taken his seat in an
armchair, he turned his eyes towards the floor,
and seemed 10 wait for what the other Italian
was going TO say.
/ Bonapar,e, rs all know, was short In stature,
being below the middle height; but in all other
respects he was, al the period here referred 10,
very different in personal appearance from what
he became subsequently. Far from having that
fulness which approached TO corpulence--.hat
salow puilincss Of cheek which vcrged on the
uuhealthy--or that heayiness Of limb, or general
obesity, which threatened infrmity--he was
slender In frame. but firm and well proporiioned
yet there was something which Indicated prema-
turc wear by hardship IN the field and toll in the
cabinet, he was quick and nervous in every
movement, rapid and almost con,ul-ive in hi.
gestures when excited. Still be could be at any
time graceful In attitude and elegant in manner
Even III he stopped little, so that his Shout.
Gers inclined forwards. which gave something of
/ n "A. Al A