Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-12-19

IHE EUROPEAN MEPHIsToPHELEs.-Of no his
torlcai character OF modern times have such
various opinions been expressed and ,uch
manifold comparisons been made, as of the
man who has run the long and terrible gaunt-
let from poverty to the Tuileries When
de Cesana, the Editor of La Patrie, exclaimed
on the morning after the Coup d'Eta. OF 1851:
''Cesar may sleep quietly beneath the dome
ssof the lnvalides. for Augustus holds with
strong "hand the rein of his empire,n he
threw out comparison which the people
quickly took up, and which is indeed not
without foundation. Like that of Augustus.
who took his popularity on credit from bis
uncle, the majesty of the little Napoleon stands
upon another's glory. 1t is not his own de-
serti 1t Is borrowed splendor. And indeed in
Character certain similarity cannot be denied
TO exist between Augustus Caesar and Louis
Napoleon. The sly, heartless, cold, calcula-
| ting, intriguing Augustus, who sacrificed his
friends to prescription, who had completely
| ruined himself by debaucheries in his youth,
and TO whom every means of attaining an end
was acceptable, has certainly points Of SINH
larity with the hero of the I'd Of December
Not until he was old did Augustus become
element, and in this respect Mr.. Napoleon
will rrobably carry ont the plagiarism to the
end. On the whole, in Louis Napoleon a GER
tain Mephistophelean element cannot be over
looked. His very appearancc-the dead, cold
face, with the great mustache, which hides
every smile, as did the Duke of Alba's-this
face, which is at most now and then moved by
malicious compression Of the lips, gives Mr..
Bonapart right to the name of Mephistophe-
les, which he has earned by his conduct toward
his enemies, and his friends-the English ar
istocracy. A man who for years and years
has allowed himself TO be treated as a moon
calf, as an imbeciie-who during Cabinet Coun-
ellis draws figures of horses and men on the
documents, and then after all carries out his
own villa man who adopts any and every
means, even the most abhorrent, when it leads
him TO his object-an actor who plays his part
SO thoroughly ly-may we'll be represented as
the principle of evil. When after the Co1p
d'Eiat the so-called Parliamentary Generals
were taken to the prison at Ham, Mephisto-
pheies Napoleon took care that Bully Changar-
nicr should be bolted into the same cell that
Louis Napoleon bad occupied years before
His marriage with Senorta Montijo. his bitter
remarks in relation to the past connection of
French Emperor With prinuesscs and reigning
houses, the cold blooded revenge which he
took on the Orleans family. and above all, his
conduct toward England show a purely Me-
phistpheean nature. That aristocracy which
would not endure the bankrupt loafer, Louis
Napoleon Bonaparte in their parlors, are now
too happy to swell the train of the fortunate
adventurer. The virtuous Queen whose aris-
tocratle tastes arc known throughout all Eu-
rope, is compelled to submit to the kisses of
notorious Toae, who whenever he lived in cX-
lie had the reputation of being by no means
feStidioUs in his associations. Surely there is
grand retribution in the late performances, in
which Louis Napoleon allowed the English
aristocracy, may, even the Queen herself, to
figure as decoration. We will not now point
out the Mephistophelean service which he has
done his dear allies in the Crimea by exposing
their military weakness, especially the power
lessness OF England. 1t must often appear as
though he had the intention of reducing them
to dependence. Add to that the cold blooded
barbarity which he ever manifcsts toward all
real republicans over whom he can in any way
bring his power to bear, and in Louis Napolean
one connot fail to recognize European Me-
phistophelcs. Louis Nspolean is the princi-
pie which, denying the past, sits like noun
tain upon the freedom OF Europe.
We would wish Mephistophces to the devil,
if he were not the devil himself, we will there
fore merely wish that he may soon return to
his own home.