The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-02-05
,,s,tRpAT,oN OF NAPOLEON.

Some oil our contemporaries upEoot - ~
slightly disturbed ia their longlngs Tor the
spread of liberal principles upon the Euro
pean continent, from tho fact that the re.
cent election 10 France has resulted ~
favor Of Louis Napoleon. We regard the
whole afiairsas perfect farce, and no crl'
terion whalever Of tho real sentiments Of
The French people. No one at all Ia
fniliar with the condition aud people OF
France could have doubted tho result,
while every one must admire the perfect
ness Of tho "coup dc o,at" that has elevated
Napoleon tho Little" as kossuth terms
him, 10 be ruler Of that unhappy country
In this stroke Of policy Napoleon has prov
|eu himself more truly the "nephew OF bis
uncle" than most people had imagined
him.
A casual glance at the manner in
which Louis Napoleon effected his election
must convince any one that he is not SUI
oreme ruler OF France with the free consent
81 majority q its people, and that conse-
quon,ly liberal principles are still as wide
spread and deeply cherished in France as
prior TO this successful stroke Of State.
Napoleon's frs. aim was to secure the
army. He appealed to them through the
magic influence Of bis patronymic. "Sol-
diers," said he, 81 do not speak to you q
the recolleclions attached to my name.
They are engraved on your hearts. We
are united by indissolubIe ties. Your bis
tory is mine. There is between US in the
past community Of glory and mistortunes. =
lie commanded as the chief magistrate,
To-day, at this solemn moment, | wish the
voice Of the army TO he heard. Vote then
freely as citizens; but do not forget that
passivc obedience to the orders of the
Chief oftas Government is the rigorous
duty Of the Grmy, from the General dowa
to the soldier" The appeal was not in
vain and relying upon the military, he
knew that success was certain.
III ! do no, obtain the majority Of the
sotes." he says to tho citizens, IL shall
summon new Assembly, and lay down
hefre il The mission hive received from
YOU" He felt assured of the vote Of the
ARMY and with them he could defy the PEG
pie.
The press WIS muzzled. The printing
offices were closed and seal placed upon
their doors, except two or three in the EN-.
ploy Of government.
There was no opposing candidate 10 the
field, nc handbiils nor papers issued, no or.
ators 10 warn the people q the eonsequen.
ces II electing Napoleon.
The voters used tickets with mo- or .yes'
printed upon them. Though the presses
the employ Of the Government were MOI
strictly forbid TO print negative tickets yei
they were informed that if they did so, il,
would be at their peril Few were there
fore distributed
The army were required to vote immedi.
ately end each soldier TO have his name
registered with bis Vote. The army po!led
81 ,000 votes.
The ,ellers Of the election were the
creatures OF Napoleon, and who could doub,
the result?
A fearful alternative presented itself 10
The people, either to satisfy the vote of the
army and without further blooslshed elect
Napoleon emperor, or vote their true sentt
menis aud again be involved 10 civil war
They literally vote at The point Of the bay
onei ard choosing what they deemed the
lesser evil, elected Napoleon Emperor b
France for ten years.
The vote of the nation, though giving
six millions majority for Bonaparte, shout,
not then be considered an cdorsement D
Napoleon's nsurpation, nr waning 0
those liberal principles lately SO widely dis
seminaied in France.