The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-20
AFFAIRS OF FRANCE.

Louis Napoleon seems TO be progressing
towards the imperial crown, even more rapid
ly than we had supposed he would have done.
The change in the French flag, from the SIM
plicity OF the Republican era, to the more gor-
geous, and more striking ornaments of the en-
pire, is too significant to escape the eye oil the
least discerning. Ii is an appeal, an open and
direct appeal to the fayorite passion Of the
army, the reverence amounting almost to ado
ration, which every French soldier feels for the
memory of the Emperor. 1t is an appeal, not
less forciblc because less direct, to the whole
French nation, the most martial Of all races,
since the days Of the Romans, the most prone
of oil others to admire military men and mill
tary achievements, whose natural element
seems TO be war, and Of whom Napoleon said
he wouid believe that they could exist without
glory, when it should be proved to him that
man could live without eating
There could indeed, have been nothing so
gratifying 10 the army and to the people, no.
thing SO we'll adapted to smooth the path Of the
aspirant to empire, nothing SO admirably cal
culaied TO extinguish the last spark of oppo
sition, as the restoration OF the eagles, to the
standard over which they SO long lowered in
some exhlarating, some melancholy, but oil
dear to the hearts of Frenchmen, is con-
necied with that image of Jove's imperial bird.
The young Frenchman beholds it, and his
mind is Instantly carried back to the day when
it first took its fight from Boulogne, to traverse
Germany, to. hover over the fields of Cunts
burg, of Echiingen, Of Ulm, to perch upon the
Hottest towers Of Vienna. From this height,
he follows its flight to Austerli,z, and sees two
emperors flying before it. But few months
elapsc, and he finds the imperial bird, again
pointing the way to victory on the field OF jena,
and be follows it to Warsaw, to Eylau, and
to Friedland. One year more, and it is again
seen upon The sunny fields of Spain, scattering
before it the raw cohorts of Romano and
Cuesta, and Lighting upon the lofty towers Of
Escuriel. AT this point it gathers in its wings
for longer and holder fight, and is next
seen in tie heart of Bavaria, upon the fields of
Landshut, Eckmuhl, Ratisbon, Abensburg,
Essli0g, and Wagram. He next beholds it
at Dresden, numberless kings seeking shelter
beneath its wings, and striving to propitiate
the earthly Jove, for whose use its thunder
bolts are iorged, and who. alone, can control
and direc, its flight. He follows it through
the campaign of Russia, sees it still triumph
ant upon the terrible field of Bnrodino hears
its scream over the burning ruins of Moscow,
and when fortune has left it, beholds it
with dropping crest, and dimmed eye, still
leading the way in that fatal retreat
He sees il again, exulting on the fields of
LutZen, Bautzen and Dresden, and going
down, overwhelmed, but not subdued, at
Leipzig. He witnesses its furious struggles
in France, its triumphant return from Elba,
its transient success at Ligny, and its final
overthrow at Waterloo! What emblem ever
before recalled such history? What nation
is there that would not be proud of such an
emblem? No! let us blame the French as
much as we may for their incapacity TO es-
tablish Republican Government, but lot us
not find fault with the enthusiasm which they
ali feel for The Eagle! When can France tor
get Napoleon? When can sha forget Ney,
and " urai, and Soult, and Davout, and Mas.
sene, and Lannes, and Duroc, and hundred
others, whose names are indissolubly connect
cd with il? When can she forget the days
OF the Revolution, and of the mighty Empire
that sprang from its ashes? When can she
forget that she once held the fate Of Nations
in the hollow of her hand, and that her foot
pressed the necks of Kings and kaisers? When
she can forget oil this, then can she behold,
without concern, the ensign of her prowess,
the emblem of her departed power!
The conduct of the arch-usurper has been
artfui 10 the extreme. He perfec,l y we'll un-
dcrsiunds the character of the French Ma
ton. He knows their love OF glory, and
of martial glory above every other kind.
He knows the enthusiasm with which they
recur to the days of the empire. He knows
that one name is regarded by them with SUI.
pers,itous yeneration. He knows that that
name is the same with his own, anu he con-
trives to unite il with oil that is great and
glorious in the history of the Empire-with
Auslerlitz, with jena, with Friedland, with
Borod;no. The very sufferings of the French
are sane tiled in their eyes, and Russia, Leip-
zig, and Waterloo have as much effect in
strengthening their attachment to the memory
OF the Emperor, as Marengo or Wagraa.