The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-27
"NAPOLEON In EXILE, OR A VOICE
FROM ST. HELENA"


We have received two copies OF a new edi-
ion of this famous work-one from George Nj.
West g. Bro, and the other from J. w. Ran
dolph. The sight oft once more, is ike the
visit of an old friend, for some OF the happ'est
days Of our childhood were spent over ITS pa
ges. The impressions of early years, are pro-
verbally those which W; retain IN greatest
freshness to the end of life To the early pc
rusal of this work we ascribe great portion
ofthat enthusiasm for the illustrIous subject
OF it, v hich has survived to this day, which
has often exposed Us to ridicule, as hobbies
are wont to expose every man who INDUCES
in them, but which we nevertheless feel will
last until time and we shall shake hands tor
ever. Even from our earliest recollection, hav-
ing become familiar with the great deeds OF the
exiled monarch of France, we had conceived
an admiration for his memory, which amount.
ed to enthusiasm. We deplored the catastro-
phe which made him the victim of his enemies
we looked upon his premature disappearance
from the stage of action, as an astronomer
may be supposed to regard the sudden extinc-
ton of the brightest of those luminaries which
form the subject of his unremitting contempla-
ton.
The state of the public curiosity, at the time
this book made its ap) earance, was intense and
universal. Napoleon had been, for more than
FIVE years, in the hands of his enemies-they
had secluded him from the view and the know
ledge of all the millions in Europe and Ameri-
ca who felt an interest in his fate-they were
known to be the vilest and most unscrupu-
lous tools Of legitimacy, the most eager zeal
OTIS for the suppression of popular rights, the
most Incorporating enemies of all men who
had sprung from the people. Napoleon had
died in their keeping. The world desired to
know what had happened to him while in pri
son, what he had said and done, what treatmeEt
he had received from the myrmdons by whom
he had been surrounded. Hitherto, guard
ed silence had been kept on thu subject, or de-
liberate misrepresentation, known to be such,
had been made. In 1920, Gen. Goargaud, re-
turning to Europe, had published the 9th vol
ume of his memoirs, written under his direc
ton, which gave full account of the battle of
Waterloo. Rejecting too severely, and too
truly, upon the conduct of the Duke of We'll
lington in that Notwithstanding SO clearly
that he was completely surprised, as to have
set at defiance the thousand and one volumes
that have since been vainly written to prove
the contrary-this work produced a owerful
impression in Europe, and procured for its
editor the honor of an arrest by the ministry.
They could have adopted no means to prove
its correctness SO effcciual. and they 10 fact
decided the question. Still there was much
which the world desired to know, and which
this book afforded it no opportunity to discov-
er. The treatment which Napoleon had re-
ceived, while in exile, was still subject of in
tense curiosity. This book of DIR. O'Meara's
appeared about year after the death of the
mighty captive, and it electrified the world.
If the dark history of every State prison that
disgraced the civilization of the Middle Ages
in Europe, could be written, we doubt whether
there could be selected from the gloomy record,
: more Infamous catalogue of prosecutions
than those practised upon the unfortunate vic
tim of egitimist maignity. The assassins who
were collected around him, were none the less
such that they had no orders to blow out his
joints and snews, or to crush his legs in the
iron-bOot. Leaguing themselves with the eli.
mate, of itself mighty instrument of tyranny,
fatal to all European constitutions, they steadi
ly and deliberately pursued their prescribed
system of shortening his life, and rendering it
intolerable while it lasted. There was no in
dignity. no petty insult, no odious restriction
that the ingenious malignity of petty tyran-
ny could devise, which they did not exhaust
upon him. At first, space of twelve miles
was allotted TO him, within which he could
ride or take exercise, being accompanied by a
British officer. A subaitern's guard was sta
toned at the entrance Of Longw God This resi-.
dence) few hundred PAGES from the house,
and line of sentnels and piquets was placed
around the limits. AT nine o'clock the sen,i-
nels were drawn in and placed in communica.
ton with each other, double sentinels being
placed at the entrance of the house, and pa =
trolls passing continually backwards and for
wards. After nine Napoleon was not at liberty
10 leave the house unless in company with a
field officer. This state of things continued un-
til day light. Every landing place in the island
every place which had the semblance of one
was furnished with strong piquet, and SEN
tinels were planted upon every goat path lead
ing to the sea. All this was done, though the
obstacles Of nature would have proved insur
mountabie to any person attempting to escape
There were various signal posts on the island
from which ships could be deserted sometimes
at the distance of twenty leagues at sea, ant
always long before they approached the land
Two ships of war always cruised, one TO wind
ward, the other TO leeward. to which signal
were made the instant vessel was dscovere,
from the posts on shore. Every ship, unles
it were British man Of war, was accompanied
down to the road by one of the cruisers, VIII
remained with her until che was either permi,
ted to anchor or sent away. No foreign YES
sells were allowed to anchor except in circum
stances OF great distress, in which case no on
was permitted to land, and an officer and mar
~ from one of the ships was sent TO ,sk,
charge of them, and to prevent any iuprons
communication. Every fishing boa, belong i,s
TO the island was numbered, and moored ever
evaninv AT aunsef undar ,ha ....