Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-05-08
Louis NAPOLEON.

The mere name of Napoleon has a magi
power over the French people. Their Grea
Captain and Emperor still lives in their affec
tons. His memory is associated in their mind
with all that is splendid in genius, glorious OF
the battlefield and grand in Government. In
deed, their attachment to his name is well nlgl
idolatrous, and the mere possession Of it is sui
cient to elevate a man to the highest honor
within their power to give. A fact that ha!
fallen under our notice, well illustrates this re
mark. A gentleman in the interior of France
in l84s, received fourteen thousand votes
though he begged the people not to vote fol-
him; but they voted, Notwithstanding all he
could say. The only reason was that his firs'
name was Napoleon, and they maintained thai
he was some relation to the great Napoleon.
This idolatrous feeling for a name will ac'
count in no small measure for the elevation Of
his nephew, Louis Napoleon, the present Auto.
crat of France. This man has disappointed
everybody. 1t was popular at one time to de.
cry him as possessed of little talent, and with
out a single qualification for the high position
he occupied. But, events have proved him to
have so much talent, so much tact, and SO
much knowledge of human nature, and withal
so INSCRIPTIONS and ambitious, as to overthrow
the government of France completely, and put
all Europe in a most serious and critical posi-
ton. His name is now forever connected with
one of the most gross and audacious uslrpa-
tons that blackens the pages of history
Whatever may now be said of his moral char
acter, no one can question the far-seeing saga
city, consummate skill, energy and decision
which was able by a single coup d'etat to seize
the reins of government, overthrow the consti-
tuition, disperse and transport the most inau-
entail citizens, successfully thwart and defeat
every plot of his enemies, and make his own
will, under the forms of liberty, the absolute
rule of a nation of thirty-seven millions of peo-
pie. He has got the army with him-and the
nation, too, which resigned its liberties and
its rights into his hands by seven and a half
millions of votes. With such a nation as
France he may do wonders. Thus far he wish.
es to live at peace with other nations, because.
for the present, his interests and peace are CO.
He is not ready yet for anything
no one knows how soon he may put him
self at the head of the French armies and at
a career like unto that of his illustrious |
uncle. Will France follow him? Yes, she
will follow him to Lordon-for nothing would
so popular with the masses as the conquest
If England, her ancient enemy, who chained
Ter tavorite to a barren rock in the Atlantic,
nd let him die there. She will follow him to
he may, if possible, humble the
Iaughty Cossack. The blaze of military con-
under the leadership of Napoleon, will
.azzle the people into a forgetfulness of every
hing else. Let it not be imagined that Louis
unacquainted with the art of war. He was
aught for ten years by one of the best tacti-
lans of Europe,a General of the Swiss Con-
For aught we know, he NAV UNI
erstand the theory of war as we'll as his great
ncle, and only needs the practice to make
i'm the greatest General of the age. That
uch results would follow as did in the case of
lie great Napoleon, we do not believe. The
atoms of Europe are now more powerfully
med than they were sixty years ago. Military
cites are very different in many respects from
hat they were then. Many things unite to
'nder such a military career as that of the
'eat Napoleon, almost an impossibility in this
'riod of the world. But Louis Napoleon has
in his power to kindle the whole of Europe
to one mighty flame of war, and if he is in
sposed at present to do it, it is solely because s
is unprePared for it. He will wait till the {
ne comes when he will be ready to throw :
the gauntlet to all the rest of Europe :
nat time is near at hand, we think. He re- v
ntly intimated in the Courts that he was
e legitimate heir of the Emperor to the u
rome OF France-dnd so he is. And in the =
of Wednesday, we observe a ~telegra.
ic despatch, which announces that the En-
e will be proclaimed on the 10th, next Mon. p
y. He has then reached the acma of power: ~
king, Cawdor, Glamis-alP'- Ia
ached it through daring and treachery. The re
he has then come. Crowned with regal G
.er, defiance will issue-and soon will re. ~
and clashing r shake the old world Sc
its very centre. al
Declaration of nm Edenendon, Fd;yo. TIL A.