The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-13
Troubles of an Emper or.
From the London Timex

No sooner had his imperial majesty the Emperor
of the French attained the summit of human
power and felicity than few incidents occurred
to remind him that he is mortal, and that in ali
human greatness some alloy of our original in.
hrmities will work its way. The Senate. hitherto
so obsequious, manifests a strange Discrimination
10 vote away the last vestige of Parliamentary
control over the expenditure and the commercial
legislation OF the country. The northern DOW ers
unaccountably show none of that ca gerness to hail
the advent Of new Caesar which had been attri.
pair to Paris for the ceremony of the CORONATION
The matrimonial project, which had gone 40 far
that a portrait of the Princess Wasa was shown to
the confidential circle of st. Cloud, and the ladies
OF her household were al, eady designated ia and.
denly demolished by the announcement that this
accomplished princess has resolved to bestow her
hand on Prince Albert of Saxony and ia not
tempted by the lure of an imperial crown to add
another victim to that list which already bears the
names OF Marie Antoinette, Josephine Marie
Louise, Marie Amelie, and the Duchess of Orleans
But while we respect the good sense which has in
ouced the Princess Wasa to forego these treacbe.
rous honors, her refusal has of course touched the
vanity Of ruler who occupies 80 conspicuous a
position In the present state of Europe II il al.
ways unpleasant to be rejected suitor, but it is
aouDiy palnlni TO De rejected in the face of the
world, and in spite of adventitous circumsta noes
which might be supposed to gild the imperial offer
Nor Ia the internal state of the palace. in its
councils and in its domestic relations, on more
agreeable footing, The Emperor ia said to have
an
allowance of 4l2,000 year out of the vote re.
Gently granted to the imperial family Dy the Sem
ate; but this income was to be secured to her on
condition OF her renouncing the allowance she OBJ.
talns from Russia by the express will of the EN-
peror Nicholas, who compels her husband. Prince
Demldot, to pay it to her, The Princess declines
thinking that, after all, her Russian settlements
are better species of property than French an
nuity, even when it is secured upon the imner;.,
crown. ..s..s-- s-fg IL srfEe i.lG'7 Il r. 800
The personal jealousies and divisions of the min
isters most nearly attached to the person of Louis
Napoleon have assumed character of unusuai
violence. M Persigny and M. Fould are said to
nave exchanged direct and insulting provocations
IN the very presence of the sovereign The finan
cler was accused of running the empire-the con-
hdant of disgracing it; and this alteration was
carried beyond the limits not only of policy and
respect, but of decency and good taste Perhaps
1t was consciousness of the extreme incapacitv
OF several of his present minister's and of their en-
tire want Of consideration in the country, which
to the singular and almost incredible expedient Of
opening negotiations with some of the most rigid
members Of the republican party.
The interview which took place was not, as was
reported at the time, with M. Carnot the renowned
author Of the circulars in favor of electoral igno.
rance, which he issued fromthe Department of pub
lie Instruction in lS45, but with Nj Belmont, who
also held seat i in M de Lamartine's provisional
government. To the astonish ment of this gentle
man, be was summoned to the Tuileries and hon
ored with an audience. Louis Napoleon did not
disguise hls want OF able agents the hostility of
all the statesmen who had belonged to the mo-
narchlcal governments anterior to lS48 He ex.
pressed his readiness to treat on almost any terms
with the men who had served the republic. obaerv
ing that they must new be aware that no govern.
ment but his own was possible. M. Bethmont was
authorized to communicate what had passed to his
friends, including even, we believe, General Cav.
agnac 1t is unnecessary to add that the result
was collective and indignant refusal, for there is
etll not man OF independent political opinions in
France who would not esteem it a dishonor to as
sumo the livery of the imperial court.
The resistance of the Senate to the prooosal for
modifying the Constitution is a still more signii
cant symptom, for, although the members Of that
body have been chosen for their supposed attach
ment to the present order of things they are indie
pendent by position, they are irremovabe, and
they comprise a certain number of men who have
figured in the assemblies of the constitutional mo-
narcby. All the efforts OF M. Troplong, who has
just been rewarded by the highest judicial office in
the empire, were for many days unayailng to
surmount the repugnance Of the Senators to the
scheme for giving the Emperor absolute power
over he protective system of France and to that
for Withdrawing the details of the budget from the
control of the Lower Chamber. At one moment it
seemed as if the idea of coup detat against the
Senate crossed the mind of the rrtated ruler AT
length, however, compromise was effected leav-
ing al! substantial power in his hands, but warn.
ing him at the same time that the Senate will not
always prove mute and as flexible as he intend.
ed 10 make it. t % Is ttss a