Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-04-03
X &c III NJ O ND " HIG.


The ilne-s Of Prince Jrron. Bousoa,,, r,,,;. - hL
To an age which j. only historical but .bov. al o,b
discussed by historians Although the Youngest broh,
OF the great Nspol-on il little than 40 wears old b.
"'ongs To time Of which hardly rcprc-enative remain.
" ' present generation He neither born great nor
achieved greatness the third alternative expr,-.. mo-,
happily tho nature Of hi- fortunes His nam. ,nn..-
/ ~ history early the opening of IN. nr-s.,,
century, "hn he was but vi boy His fnou. brother
htd ovcthtnsn tlr republican constitution ..,.t ,h.o
'"'r power under the nanir OF Consul and within f,ur
years established Imperial throne IL Wa an ,ui,hl
iesture Of Napnon character that lac .ought In ,dv,,
the fortunes OF his relatives. or c,n hardly conceive
'hat MS own interests iurth-re r such a
inuee may be thought thar the founder oi the Bona.
P"fte dynasty like his successor, Louis Philippe cnd.n
gered hi- throne by policy WHICH though il may h,
been dictated somewhat by PRIDE nevertheless had in I,
much OF family affection Napoleon had no sooner attain
ed the chief power in France, by the Revolution
Young jerome was placed in the navy This service vas
'neh u''organked neglected. and unpopular. The cour-
Hge and enterprise ofthe band of heroes who commanded
the squadons of England had almost driven the fac of
france from the 1t had been otherwise in former
days Although England had been the first naval Pow,
france had been al obstinate and sometimes victorious
rival Old French sailors might remember IN. days Of
Sufien'n and Paul Jones, and contrast with the
disgraces which had befalen the republican ,ri.
colour the time when, under the white flag
French heet terrified the southern counties OF England
Napoean was no mere General; he had no narrow pru-
es-iona instincts, aud from the day that h, began u, r
France he became statesman in the highest sense To
tuoie England he make his country a naval Power
ne must unite TO h' own fleets those Of the second rate
naval States, ard organize which would .n.h him
20 carry ON an Offensive against the only nation who's.
enmty was to De- feared. We NAV Imagine that -oue vi
son oi The coming empire prompted him to connect tic
name o' his own FAMILY with the naval Of France
Of he lufi-ft al afa
parahon, and Jerome Boaparte passed this nrr;od IN
some"ha, active service Shortly after his brother had
oeen elected Emperor, Jerome, then only TO- committed
NhAt was ~ Imperial eyes his greatest idiscreon With
out leave, lie made asty marriage with younp Am.r
can lady, aud by this union the coslnopote family of n
Pafte counts among it, members many citizens of the
great republic On his return home he was ch,.d bv A
sydney smith and Sir Richard Straehan but escaped by
running ms ship under battery France was then 40 ac
cusoned To III success at that captain who eyadd
capture was considered to have no moan moi,
ani jerome thought himself entitled TO appreciation
But Napoean was angry, for many reasons his brother
'"u 'm'ue Mhat the world calls msalance aud pros-
onA! nc had done nothing to illustrate the family name
Jerome remained some time in disgrace although he VA.
again employed and received the command of sound
and the rank Of RearAdmira But the navy now utter
d'cfedted. "as no profession for Bonaparte aud e-
rome in lsO7 entered the ranks of the Great j,h
the grade OF General ~
Then came the epoch of the new dynasties Joseph
vent 10 Naple aud then 10 Spain Louis to Holland Young
jerome, married Princess of Wurtamburg r.coiy.I
the ne" Crown Of Westphas; Murat ruled a Nans. Ra
do'Ie was her to the Crown OF Sweden AL the cont.
mental world Was represented Paris by rich embassies
gAhu was alone ApparenIly under the ban of mankind
- Wa a1ra 70 lac eaird by such miraculous and sud
Se greatness and though Madame Mere Is reporte to
ua'T s"'u may one day be called find bread for
AL unese hing' her children had msgiviug Jerome
ses no, much Of ruler, he Oeen much of a al
lor and he afterwards proved be rather an Indifferent
"eucra lie commando 10000 Germans in the Russian
.PSsh ana "as surprised 1t SmOensko, disconcertrd
e plans oI the Emperor and back disgrace To
He'inany. Europe against the falling copGuerur
Jerome ned irom his Kingdom which had now ceased to
eNisC Alter separation fem his cnnsOrt his wander
ins led nun to Trieste, where he received the news that
Napoleon had escaped from Eba and was once more in
France an Emperor, and able perhaps make him once
more hlng. The Aus ran Government watched Jerome
VINO, however, found means escape Murat sent fg
ate to take him of city and he was soon in Paris one
OF the heroes Of the Hundred Days Waterloo was his
last HELD and for many hours OF the lSth Of June the
corps under his command attacked in vain the Chateau of
houSoumont When Napoleon fell for the last time his
orothet career seemed 10 have closed 4 German tle
ad ueman estate conferred him. and It seemed
hkey that after having b. en- Admiral General King fu-
gihNe and proscript-aiter having seen Campaigns by
anu ana sea and borne part in the grsatest drama the
world has witnessed he would sink into obscuri.y at 80
years Of age.
But he morc to DE lifted TO eminence third
OF century passed away, and dynastie had fallen In
France Another alton had arisen new ideas and
ne" sciences had chang the face Of Europe AL the old
soldiers and statesmen gone; even the traditions Of
ther age seemed departing, when jerome Bouapare who
had been heard 81 early any oihem reappeared on the
stage still not very old uan An Augustus had arisen
10 continue the empire OF he modern Julius and Jerome
Vas soon once more Prince OF an Imperial family We
certainly need not search cieut history for instances of
the mutabily OF fortune H. pulling down aud setting Nm
men The present age has had enough examples TO sun
py morsts Tor all time, and the houses OF Bourbon ani
bospaie may furnish names adorn all the tales that
are ikey 80 be written Napoleon Ill was anxious TO
connect MS own rule much possible with the memo
res OF 1he old Empire and Jer,me with his resemblance
TO MS brother his evenulie OF that strange band
OF hings and his share in what il Frenchmen almost
the whole history OF France, parsonage who could
not be too highly placed II we'll that Ronanare
should he at the Tueries who had been seen there
when men were reading III the Nescur about Ausierz
OF fnedhnd As dynasty involves the idea finheri.
lance u Was desirable shat there should be IN heir pre-
samp'e 10 the throne, and il is strange that the failing
heaih OF the old man should coincide in time with the eS
peeied iuhlment Of the Emperor natural hopes As an
oid soldier Of France member Of most eXtraArina.
~ family as former Sovereign Of Europe an Instance
OF fortunes srausest reyerses Prince jerome Bonapare
Is smong he se, Urios Of these DAYS and we trust tb,
10 H'ay Ge spar to welcome heir the Imperial
ohc more fortunate than him whose birth he celebrated
more than forty wears ago