Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-03-23
For the Eastern Times.
Louis Napoleon--0rigin Of the Family.

nor those Of scholar, must entreat your
pardon Tor repeating thoughts SO familiar and
acts SO common as the following but there
may he some OF my readers whom youth or
business has prevented from investigating this
subject, TO whom the little can write may be
welcome.
About the time Napoleon the Great assumed
the title Of Emperor, the worlds attention was
attracted TO the question of the nobility Of his
origin. The Bourbons, with all the rancor Of
fallen fends, exclaimed, ''who and whence art
thou, execrable shade" no doubt es,eeming
him counterpart TO Millions hero the friends
of The ex-consul, however, were DESTROYS Of
proving more reputable source; and among
the rest, his father-in-law, Francis /. Of Aus
tria appeared most anxious Of attaining this
end. As usual in such cases, scores of vol
umes were examined, musty tones which had
been sleeping in dust for ages, we're carefully
thnmbed, and wise wigs were gravely shaken
because the owners knew nothing else to do.
There were private and public debates in all
circles, from the garnet Of the grizette TO the
most fashionable sOlons, around camp fires and
in the assembly rooms. So great was the de-
sire not only to exalt the present here, but his
ancestors also, that the young poets, not salts
fed with ordinary pedgrees, much less with
the Scottish one, "He came O. honest folk
would have sung for him ga correct sgeneolog-
- e. T.. T..nt bcl
the majority declared in favor Of the doctrine
that the Bonapartes had Of old been sovereiens
Of Previso. This idea was rapturously &C
cepted by the Austrian monarch, while Napo-
leon replied, Il desire TO be the Rudolph Of
Hapsburg Of my own family" showing that he
cared not for imputed greatness, or other hon-
ors than the rewards of actual services. He
even attempted to discredit the efforts TO prove
him of the same line as the reignng sovereigns
of Great Britain, plainly declaring that it was
more noble TO be the child and idol of the peo-
pie than descendant Of buried splendor, or
possessor of inherited power. However true or
false these pretences were, two things are GER
tain: one is, that Napoleon was only troubled
by them; the other that history has clearly
established the fact that the Bonapartes played
a very distinguished part in the history Of Italy,
the name being found in the golden book Of
Bologna and among the Vaticians Of Florence.
One genealogist, more romantic than the
other. a little scrupnlous also at Napoleon's
filling an usurped throne, asserted that he
was the liceal descendant of the ''man with an
iron mask" and consequently the heir Of Louis
XIII, and Henry w., even in preference to
Louis XIV. and his successrs. The fable de-
velopes itself as follows: The governor Of the
island of St. Marguerite, to whom the keeping
Of the "man with an iron mask" was entrust-
ed, bore the singular and rare name Bonaparte.
To favor this tale, the governor had surpass
ingly beautiful daughter, which we cannot de-
nv was blessing nor Is il a cause for wonder
that the imprisoned prince appreciating her
charms, should seek solace for his solitude in
love, or that she, unacquainted with the grace
high breeding lends to good parts, should re-
ciprocate love and admiration for this noble
person, and yielding to the persuasion Of one
whose unfortunate situation must have made
him still more attractive, joined herself in the
holy bands Of wedlock. Say the favorers of
this theory, having been married, il is not i'm
probable that children were the fruits of the
count, might have been sent TO Corsica, there
assuming the mother maiden name.
If then, we are inclined to believe these cir
cums,ances, if we consider Bonaparte direct
descendant of the "man with an iron mask"
the great part Of the difficulty Of proving his
right to the throne of France is removed /; since
most historians agree that the masker afore-
said was in all probability the son of the Queen
Of Louis XIII. by the Duke Of Buckingham,
hidden to prevent civil dissensionss For my
own part, decline 10 say "wheiher we have
Bourbon among us or not" However, what
ever doubt may obscure the birthplace and
distinction Of the family, the origin Of the par
ticular branch of which we mean hereafter to
speak is clear enough. Louis Napoleon, or
Napoleon ILL.,, is the son of the beloved broth
err of the Emperor, bearing the same name as
his son, and the accomplished Horlense.
From such union nothing but intellectual and
even moral superiority could have sprung
Let US gaze a moment at his parents. Napo-
leon, speaking Of his father says, Il led him
in the attack of Sagio for the first time to the
lannon's mouth. He persisted in placing him
self before me, TO guard my person from stray
balls. At another time she would stand erect
when facing battery, although the gunners Of
his own cannon were shellering themselves in
every way. ] asked him the reason. He re-
piled, ''You have told me an artillery officer
should never be afraid Of cannon. They are
our own arms. / follow your example,"
Could any Two anecdotes be cited showing
more strongly fraternal affection united to the
stern nhexibility Of a soldierl He was a
strange combination of apparent contradictions
AT once serious, sensible aud romantic, lively
and phlegmatc. Unfortunately his, life was
tnged with melancholy, she effect Of disap-
pOintment in love- So that his thoughts as
snmed pensive cast unnatural TO man. How
runs the sad tale In Paris he met with the
daughter Of an emigre, and not only met and
conversed, but fell deeply in love with her.
Strange to say, this maiden bore the name of
Beauharnais, the same as his future spouse,
nd nh rh 1tt al oil .,11