The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-27
OysglD o4the DAsoPeab War and Interior De.
slams OF Frsn1s--i.ouSs NAPOLEON his Csr,us
and has Ar nhstHoss.

)yssn oHthe Uzsopean War and Interior DE- |
sixns OF srsn1s-i.ou,s NAPOLEON his Csnsus |
and has Ar AbftIon.
There 4 a saying attributed to the late Lord
Dude, and Ward, in speaking OF the first
~ .eoleon, which bids fair to be fasiied by the
Qualities developed by his nephew and succes-
sor. lie has rendered past glory doubtful"
observed that accomplished nobleman to the
French Ambassador, and future glory impos-
sible.n
The axiom that great men are more fire.
quently made by circumstances than by their
own abilities, was, TO some extent, true IN the
case of the subject of this remark. He was Z 20
child aud creature of the revolution, rather than
the originator of anew order Of ideas. dorged
with blood, and worn out by its own excuses 8,
the revolution could only pass from one violent
extreme to the other none % the Intermediate
conditions of government being compatible
with the feverish excitevient under which il had
been so long laboring. As in the case Of q pa
ticut brought to the verge of dissolution by
the abuse of stimaiants it was necessary to
keep up the public pulse to an unnatural pitch
before it could be gradually reduced to its nor
NAL state The merit of Napoleon consisted in
hisquiek appreciation Of the necessities of the
epoch. Contrary to the generally received Ro-
ton, he in the earlier stages Of his power fol-
lowed public opinion, rather than led it, No
man who ever rose TO sovereign power by the
weight of his own talents, ever watched with
more scrutinizing and cereful eye the current OF
popular feeling 1t is mistake to suppose that
it was to his daring alone that he owed his good
fortune. 1t was rather to his close observation OF
the political indications of the times, than to his
mere adventureousness of spirit, that he was in
dabted for his early successes. His downfall was
brought about by his neglect of those qualities,
the exercise Of which, as much as his military
talents, contributed to place him'on the proud
elevation to which he attained.
In the present Emperor of France we recog-
mise the possession of different order OF ge-
MUS, which promises to lead to equally brilliant
but more enduring results. With great natu.
raj astuteness he combines q clearness and
steadiness of Judgment, self.reliance and re-
nacity of purpose which were not always N m
ifested by his predecessor, and which have
enabled him already to effect by the force Of
mind alone, more substantial victories than we're
ever gained by the military talents Of his pre-
decessor. He has governed, rather than been
guided by, circumstances. and from the period
at which his higher qualities were first called
into exercise he has evinced a confidence in his
own powers and resources, which has never as
yet, in any single instance, been beiied by the
result. No man conld have emerged from
under the weight of obloquy and ridicule
which his enemies had so industriously
contrived to heap upon him, and have
passed triumphantly through the trying
ordeals to which he was subjected in
his efforts to maintain himself in the difficult
position to which the accident Of his birth had
raised him, without the possession of more
than ordinary amount Of judgment, sagacity
and firmness. Each successive step that he has
taken to consolidate the power which he has
wrested from the contending factions that
struggled to effect his downfall, has only served
to display those qualities in clearer and
stronger light. He now stands confessedly the
master mind Of Europe, and the highest proof
that can be adduced of the wisdom and tact
that have guided his conduct in the difficult con-
juncture of circumstances in which he has been
placed, is the fact that his popularity has grown
with his successes, and that even his bitterest
enemies are reluctantly obliged to admit that
they have been deceived in their estimation of
his character.
Among those who are now readiest to bear
testimony to the high qualities displayed by
the French Emperor is, strange to say, the man
who has most reason to feel vindictiyely to-
wards him. The Gar, while he complains that
the present war has been brought about by Louis
Napoleon, to strengthen his own position at home,
does not hesitate to declare that he is the great
est man in Europe, and that although he may
not possess the great military talents Of Lis
uncle (Which yet remains to be proved) he is
shrewder and wiser politician. No one who
has aitentively watched the course of events
since the mission of NJ. Lavalette to Constant
nople, will be inclined to dispute the truth of
the first Of these assertions. The English were
frightened into the coalition by the French
Emperor, in order to carry out his Interior de-
signs, which take wider range than the main
tenance OF the independence Of crumbllng
empire, that must sooner or later fall TO pieces,
or than Of preserving that delusive adjustment
Of political interests in which such value is
placed by modern diplomatists-the balance Of
power in Europe. The fact is that England
has lost all the great statesmen that have hith-
erto guided her councils, and is now governed
by feeble and yacillating minds, that are une-
quail to cope with the difficulties of any great
emergency, such Us that in which she is now
placed. In the hands Of crafty, ambitious,
and daring ally like the French Emperor, whose
views soar far beyond the professed objects of
the present war, such men as the Earl of Aber-
deem and Lord John Russell are but uncon-
scious instruments Of his designs. Men of
that stamp can hardly be said to compose