The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-05-03
Fer the "Star Of the NORTH"
EUROPE lin 1855.
BY R. W. WEAVER.


empires whenlhese events teach us our prop
er relation to our fellow beings ard our duty
J to ourselves and socieIy-when they make U,
wiser and better, as they unfold the designs q
a benevolent and wise Providence in the his.
tory of mankind.
France, for instance, teaches the world q
fearful lesson. The gay capital of the world
can boast of The highest civilization, fol
there society is in its most artificial condition
lTaste and sentiment have been cultivated TO
The highest point, while The nobler faculties
| OF Judgment and reflection have been neg.
lecled until the nation can just suffer intense.
ly through sad and sorowlul history, with
out having the powertc rescue ITSELF 1t has
made the people the sickly, tickle children
cf nerve and impulse, fiery and passionate,
but u ntempered by the dictates of cool rea.
son. Such characteristics are not best call
cuated to make happy or prosperous peo.
pie, nor 20 rear the minds that tower above
the mass and frs; see the sunlight of knowl-
edge dawning in the faf off orient OF prog.
ress No wonder then that the most volumi-
nous author of France in these days is of
dark alien blood, aud her Emperor who mos,
of all men astonshed the world was no, in
.slrictness Frenrhman, but was born and
rocked in childhood, as he was in death, up
on an ocean isle. A nation like the French
can never accomplish any great national en-
terprize, except by enthusiasm. The first
Napoleon understood this, and the second
one has profiied by it. But nation of which
one.thrd of the people are the children of
sin aud shame, and one-sixth never knew a
parent, lacks the moral stamina for true
greatness Such people loose too many of
those tender and gentle influences Of the fire.
side which do most ia moulding the character
for good and useful destiny. The power
of home is unfelt 10 France, or at least in Pa
ris; and the citizen has no home but The cafe,
the hotel, the theatre or the promenade. This
kind of life gives an ease of manner and
grace OF department TO the man, but it expo.
ses the young 10 every temptation of evil,
without furnishing single safeguard 10 guide
them while their character is in process OF
formation. The FreEchman's home is in
the public eye; and though such life may
improve his head and manners it will not
profit his heart and morals.
The American people very much misun-
dersand the character OF the present Emper.
or. He has gloated over the history of the
first Napoleon until its Study has become. a
passionsin him, and inspired him with res.
olution and decision Of mind that strikes his
whole nation with awe. He is a man Of de.
cided ability, and the eifete sovereigns of
Europe have found that he is not to be treat
ed with contempt. The deposition Of the
BouF5ee race was an event for which they
themselves had paved The way, aud one of
those inevitable circumstances which seek
for themselves an actor. The French peo-
pie was restless aud 6cke-lhe country
very derseiy populated-the government
deeply in debl--the taxes onerous--the ruler
was as eak as vain, and belonged TO the
race Of lhs oppre essors-all around France the
fever of revolution raged-as in the Reign of
Terror, there were nearly million idle hands
ia crowded city--work was scarce and
bread still more scarce--aud in 1913 il only
needed the name of Napoleon to ACT as
torch 10 this magazine and make the explo-
sion. To gain The position OF an Emperor in
France requires mind and manliness above
mediocrty, but 10 retain that position re.
quires true greatness. To understand the
true character of Napolehn we must consid-
er the circumstances under which the revo.
luton took place, and the necessity (I may
say) that irnpelled 10 the usur2ation. Lam
artine, with his head full of sentiment and
his heart full OF poetry, was the verv person.
ification OF the French character; but by no
means the man 10 rule nation. Delicacy
of nerve is one thing and rieidiiy Of muscle
another. A man may be fine poet, and ye,
poor statesman. He may have honesty of
intention, and yet lack the requisite irmness
of cecision. The Bourbons had been fully
tried and found wanting, and The rule of the
republicans was an anarchy. 1t was just
such time az when destiny seemed to in
vile the frs; Napoleon to the throne, and his
nephew obeyed the impulse of The same am
bilious prompting of human nature. He is
now as well established as any rule Of France
can be, and. .Jhe proud old ciumbling dynas.
ties around him are glad 10 court an alliance
with his pebeian blood.
BIZ, il is from the frozen regions of the
North that the greatest power of Europe is
now spreading its Briarrean arms to gather
in the fragments o. nations, As The hardy
Northmen, in the degenerate days OF the
Russian Empire oveHan Europe, 80 now do
The semi-barbarous Russians strike terror ins
to The trembling sovereigns whose blood
through long ages has been subjected TO The
enerva:ing poison of luxury and inordinate
pride. There has been for centuries doc
trine prevalent in Europe thatuo nation shall
become truly independent of The others, bu'
that all are members of a league to sustain
an imaginsy "baance of power" When
| Frederick the Great showed some manliness
and his country began 10 grow, there was
terror among the diplomatists of the oIhel
despols, and they formed an alliance TO crusf
him. He was wont to lock up his own di
plomatisis and say--"let us gain the victor,
first, and then negotiate" bu. combined Eu