Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-21
The Empire.

a.--fsE.-.l The Umpire. TO
The result Of the late popular election in France
makes it certain that the decision Of the French
;eople IS in favor, by al overwhelming majority OF
the new dynasty, and Louis Napoleon sscends the
Imperial Throne of France, the second Emperor
in fact but the third in name, under the title of
Napoleon the Third. Napoleon Bonaparte was
the first Of this dynasty, having assumed the I'm
periaI purple in 1904, aud was crowned by Pope
Plus 18th, in Notre-D Dame, on Sunday, the I'd OF
December, 1904. The SON Of the mistateG ALI
ance between Napoleon and the house OF Austria
never aseended the throne of France, having been
taken into the custody of his maternal relations
after the downfall of his father. What was his
fsIe aud WI atthe exact period of his death, Is in
voived in obscurity. Many vague and strange re-
Dor,s have been circulated with respect to his
vers and cruel confinement the confines OF
Austria. and it is even asserted by some that he
came to his death by uoienee, his enemies fearing
that in the revolutions Of time, France might, if
she could not 'tcall on the chief of her choice"
It1east call upon his to lead her on the bnght
and fiery patti, of his fathers glory. He is gone'
aud though the breath of suspicion sometimes
whispers that the lineal descendant of Napoleon
still fills his place and the throne of France all we
know IS that The grandson Of Josephine, OF her
whom IT has been said, 'she was the star of NaPo-
leon,s destiny,'' now, by the acclamatons OF eight
millions of voteEs' 1--WE cannot say treemen) as
sumes the purple of that throne made illustIious
blythe prodigy of the 18th century. ,sDts.s-si
This is the end we have foTeseen for France.
since the incipiency of her revolution in lS4S.f
We have never believed her citizens capable Of
apprecating, far less of putting in effective opera
ton the great principles of free Republican gov
eminent The habits, the mannerS' and the ma
tional pecuiarties of her citizens, their volatile
and tickle disposition, anil above all their want OF
training iu the great principles of sefgovenmenti
hav. long since convinced us, that her aSSump-
tons of Republican Government were but as
sz1Inptions and that it only wanted some master
spirit .'to ride in the whirlwind and direct the
storm,'' to guide her devious course back into the
Utmost recesses Of the harbOr of deSpotism,
whence she had embarked. Such spirit has
been found for the present at least in the person
of the nephew fher magic-idol, how long he will
prove himself adequate 10 the task which he has
assumed, isia problem which time alone can solve
though we frankly confess that he has, thus far
manifested more decided marks of "enduring abil-
itv'' than we hadlsrpposed him capable of exhibit
what's to be the ultimate destiny OF the French
people is,a mole difficult problem still. They are
most clearly not prepared Eos SelfgOV eminent now,
will theyaever become so, and If they do, what is
tobe their tFaining1 l.; rf5ssAJ s.a.f
While a cardinal principle of our free institu-
lions declares all men by nature free and equal,
vet It must be admitted by ALL that we never find
men in a STATE Of HatGre. They arc fall more or.
less tue creatures and the slaves Of society, and
hence before a great principle like this can be ex-
peeted to act practically, it becomes necessary to
purifv as il were, society, and to re-teach as it
were, its members. How is this to be done in
Paucel Our freedom came as the natural result
Of principles which had been openly acting for
centuries. The same principles which worked our
Independence, had manifested themselves in the
camps of the SAxons long ere they entered Eng
land, had acted al RunnYnede, had dePOsed kings
when they had proved unworthy the trust TePosed
in them, had decapitated Charles and banished
James, had crossed the main with our Pilgrim
fathers and taken deep root ON the rocks OF Ply
mouth and the sands of jamestown, had fourshed
and dwelt among US. had gathered hrmnesS from
continued oppression; and when in 17T6 our faith
ers raised the flag of freedom, it was not to pro-
claim but re-AAirm the principles OF our fatheElanu'
and ia the language of the Steele, "a Paris paPeF>
they e'0lSpl6C60 iOulg au1ilOAihy1 @"-SNf
them, the enfrauchsement of domination" France
can point to no such principle in her past history
'Au is dark and gloomy; history Of bondage and
tyronny. She needs schooling, she needs enlight-
enment, Har masses must be taught what free
dom Is ere they proclaim il, and as we had occa-
sion long since to say, cher revolutions have pro
cesdsd rather from the perception of wrong than
the appreciation of right" and until some means
shall be devised for educating her masses in the
practical workings of the principles of freedom,
we much fear that she will continue to present to
the world but the melancholy example of the com
st,s,oOu1se, splendid but eHatic STILL sod al
--TElTszSFs7f- - ! ~ H,.H1 l.r Ell
LMrTbs, Legislature of Illinois will meet on the
arTsNouday in January. It WILDE an interesting
,erion. A United States Senator will have to be
dieesed--JudgsD Douglass term viii expire on the
4,b of, March next. There will be also many i'm
uOrtaut 10 relation to State printing and