Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-02-23
For the Standard.
THE NAPOLEON DYNASTY,
On THE HIsToRY OF THE BoNAPARTE FAMILY; By
the Berkeleu Men. For sale by W. l.. PomeroY.

DeTHctCI
The recent elevation of Louis Napoleon to the
throne of France has revived rather increased, the
interest which the world has felt in the fortunes of
the Bonaparie family, since Napoleon first burst like
a blazing comet its view. The memory of his
wonderful achievements has cast hale around all
who connected with him, either by blood or the
ties of friendship. TIE undoubted genius of his
nephew pales before the reflection of his gores
Mankind cannot believe in the possibility of two Ma
poleons.
The authors Of this work are not known to the pub
lie, but informed by the publishers that brill
liant and experienced pens have been engaged in its
preparation, and with some few exceptions they have
we'll performed their task, and given to the world the
most impartial history of Napoleon and his times
which we have seen. The volume is composed of
sketches of the lives of each member of the Bona
parte family, of which exceedingly interest
ing, containing and valuable Information which
we have every reason to suppose authentic; they
were all of them or loss distinguished for their
abilities, but the transcendant genius of Napoleon
threw their talents into the shade instead of placing
them in the bestlgh as has generally been supposed
life of Napoleon would necessarily involve his
tory of Europe during fifteen most eventual years,
and would alone fill many volumes the size of the
one before US, which only processes to contain
condensed and impartial sketch of him. While am
pie justice is done his good we'll his great quail
lilies, his faults neither hidden nor excused, hut
rather covered with the mantle of charity. He would
have been shan human had he resisted all the
temptations which he exposed, walked
through all the paths which-not his destiny but
Providence-ordained he should tread, without COM
hitting many and great faults. His rise and fall was
like that of waterspout which, springng from the
bosom Of The seehing waves, gathers strength and
volume by its own motion, until it becomes
"A watery column trembling to the sky,''
its base whirlpool and its summit cloud-suddenly
il bursts asunder and is engulfed in the waves
whence it sprang, leaving the surrounding waters
convulsed by the shock for hours after il has disap
peared.
{" No man put forth such influence human
fortunes. Men and nations bent before him as
willows bend when the storm sweeps by. 1t ex-
hausted and impoverished all Europe to crush him.
They chained the Eagle TO the bald cliff of volcanic
rock of the ocean among the clouds-and six years
Eng land kept fleet to watch him, and him chafe
and die and then they opened his body and took out
his vtals, and were sure he dead-and then they
excavated grave in the rock, and welded his coffin
in by strong bars of iron, and then they watched the
place for twenty years. And when at last Europe
was no longer afraid of the dead Eagles ashes, she
let France take them back to the banks of the Seine.
They had stolen the young Eagle from the parent
r:est and carried him away among strangers, where
he pinned, sckened, and died. Europe then thought
she could breathe free again.
The personal bitterness with Will the - Berkeley
men speak of the enemies of Napoleon is TO be re-
gretled as tending 10 produce the impression that
they do not take that dspassonae view OF both par
ties, which have right to expect from Americans
They speak but the truth when they say that Eng
land for the sole purpose of self ACKNOWLEDGMENT has
robbed more territory, taken more lives, conscated
property, ensaved mere men, and wrought wider
and darker ruin the plains of Asia, than Napoleon
ever be charged with" Even in the European
wars, Napier tells US that up 10 the peace of rils
he acted but on the defensive and England By her
determination to re-seat the Bourbons the throne
OF France and maintain the divine right of kings
should bear the blame of the immense sacrifice of
human life which took place in the battles that pre-
coded that period. Yet these national, not in
divdual sins, and confess do not like see |
them placed at the door of the brave soldiers who
fought under her banner-to hear the Duke of We'll !
lington accused of robbery, exortion and MURDER,
and be told that Alexander of Russia descended TO
the meanness of lie TO save himself English his
torians have censured Napoleon in measured terms
for enrching Paris with works of art. taken from |
conquered countries. w hat the legitimate spoils
of war will not undertake to decide; yet in our
opinion the destruction OF the archieves of
try By the British a. Washington, was worse than
any of his so-called " robberles.
The prominent position which Louis Napoleon now
holds in Europe justfss few words respecting him.
He is the only surviving child of Louis, King u
Holland and Hortense Beauharnais, on whose chill
den Napoleon devoved the succession in case of the
failure of his issue; consequently since the death
of the Duke of Reschsladt, he has been the egiti-
mate representative of the Emperor and heir to the
Empire. His claim to the crown of France is the
same that of the grandson of Louis PHILIPPE, both
inhertlng from monarchs, whose title rested only on
the call of the people. After the downa II of NaPo-
leon he resided with his mother at Rome, until the
revolution of 1880, which drove Charles the X. from
the throne of France when he ordered to fetire
beyond the frontiers of the Papa States. In 1886,
he made bold but unsuccessful attempt at Stras-
served Captain, to espOuse his cause. He was
taken prisoner and by Louis PHILIPPE to New
Y ork where he only remained few months, when
he summoned Switzerland to attend the DEATH
bed of his mother. There he remained until 1888,
when Louis Phpe demanded his expulsion from
the country but that republic which has tor ages de-
clared and maintained its right to govern ITSELF rels-
ed to comply with his demand, and when he marched
army toward its frontiers to enforce it, prepared
for war in defence of its right to shelter swhom it
pleased The matter was, however, decided by Louis
Napoieons voluntarily quitting the country, for Eng
land, where he resided until 1910, when with Count
Monholon and fftythree others, he again attempted
to ncite rebellion in his favor at Boulogne but
was taken prisoner with all his followers, three hours
after he landed. He tried for conspiracy and
condemned to perpetual imprisonment
Six years afterwards his dying father pettoned for
his release, which being denied, Louis Napoleon b
wrote to Louis PHILIPPE, begging permission at least
to visit him before his death, pledgng his honor
return to the fortress of Ham, whenever the French
government required him do In reply to this
request his freedom offered to him condition il
that he would " renounce most distinctly all claims
70 the throne of that he had per-
oetraed crimes in his former attempts and soemnly
pledge himself modest the Orleans family more"
To this he returned decided refusal, and finding the
sing determined to keep him prisoner, he attempted
md effected his escape from prison in the disguise
IF a workman, and made his way to England. The fl
Emperor of Austria, however, refused him permission
his dominions, and his father died months
liter his escape without seeing him. After the flight Il
IF Louis PHILIPPE in l849 he returned Paris, and a
among the first TO salute the Provisional govern