The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-03-10
What a miserable people to make repub-

What miserable people to make a repub
lie Of!
We suppose that Louis Napoleon has
been aciuated by several motives in this
measure Of on6scation-revenge fear, and
cupi1ity. He has, like Cassius, an "tching
palm" He needs great deal Of money
and must have il and it will not be diff
calt 10 give some of the many millions, the
product of the conGscaled property, a di-
rection best conforming to his own interests
At The same time, he revenges himself on
the Orleans family for the act of their faith
er, who sent i'm TO prison only, when he
might have put him to death. The Prince
lie Joinvic, too. rather unwisely, became a
candidate for the Presidency, thus throwing
himself across 'be usurpers path and then.
with all this vast amount of wealth, the
family would have an influence in France,
though exiled, and facilities for intrigue,
which, without the property, they cannot
have. They have not much of our sympa.
Thy, for they have enough left without their
fathers doialion-ahout one hundred mil
lions. which they inherited mostly from the
/ Prince de Conde and their aunt, the Prin-
cess Adelaide. This property they are OBJ
liged, by another autocratc decree, to sell
within one year; and with the proceed;
they will have enough, as Louis Napoleon
saws, 10 live abroad in the style suited to
their rank. We look al the question a:
one of naked right and wrong, and il seem:
TO us to be clear, that the right is Oh the
side of the Orleans family, admitting the
dotalion 10 have been illegal even and
clear, for this reason: Louis Philippe wa
called to the throne by what seemed to h'
the voice of the nation. He was expelled
from ii by the same voice. Now, If the ma
lion that called him to the throne, expelled
him from it, he ought, with regard 10 hi
private rights, 10 be placed precisely where
he was before his accession and then hi'
property,would belong TO his children.
The case of Napoleon is cited as a case
in point by those who are disposed TO justif,
or 10 excuse his nephew for this measure o
confiscaion. It's not at all analogous, ir
our opinion. When Napoleon became Sow
creicn Of France Consul for life Ohougl
he was in fact so when only First ConsuD =
il is well known ,ha, he could not have hat
much private fortune honestly acquired
When the command Of the army Of Ital'
was given 10 him, he was very poor. 1t i
true tha. he helped himself pretty frcel'
whilst in tha, country, but he must have IA
ken with most Grasping hand, if Jose
phine did not spend as fast as he could get
for she was very exiravagant ana proluse
Upon the restoration of Louis XVIII, HI
regarded, and so treated, as public domair
or Crown property, all, or nearly all, with
in his reach that was claimed by Napoleon
as his private fortune. But still the EN-
peror disposed of large property by hi
last will and testament and the disposition
was carried into effect. So that, beside
the ia ct that he had not or should not have
had much private fortune wher he ascend
ed the throne, he finally bequeathed at leas
as much as he can be supposed TO have
owned at that time. And besides this, HI
made all his famv-hs mother, four broth
ers, and three sisters immensely wealthy
or he gave Them, at least, at one time an'
anoih her, what would have made them so,
taken care Of.
To this it might be added, that Napoleon
abdicaled in 1915, but MS he did so unde
circumstances very near akin to compulsion
tho act though valid, perhaps, in lego
point Of view, could not be fairly used n
gainst him in question concerning bis pri
yate righis-rght TO property.