New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-15

ing himself Washington Ill, by the grace of God
Dictator Of America; and dressing up in red cap
and jacket with chain and ball to his leg and set
ting at the work Of breaking stone in galeys among
feons, any free-bOrn American reported by spy to
have denied by word or act the right Of Washing
ten Ill to govern America after this fashion.
Imagine this, if you can, and you have true
picture OF the state of France under the usurpation
of Louis Bonaparte, sinceth coup ddat' picture
Of his government while he yet called himself
President, as well as since he assumed the Atheist
cal title of Napoleon III. by the grace of God
Emperor Of the French-for who could credit the
existence Of God, were i. possible for His grace TO
be 80 bestowed
Our sketch Of the imperial ruffan's history
would be imperfect, did We omit to say that he
bestowed on himself the title Of Emperor with the
pretended sanction of popular election about
twelvemonth after he had declared himself to have
been elected for ten years President But for the
bloody Accomplishments which give the tragic color
to his every act the first election, the mode OF which
We have already described, might be termed
comedy the second jolly farce Suppose Cuifee
and Guido Sambo and Caesar, called up by the
Overseer, whip in hand, and interrogated 81 hear
that some Of you pretend you belong to yourselves;
is that so" "Oh, no; we belong to msssa"' That
would be as much like an election of their master
as the farce by which Louis Bonaparte became
Napoleon III.
The number OF French youths whom this usurp-
er has decided to drag from their homes this year
and manufacture into manure for Crimean or other
soil that French armies may invade will amount,
it is said, TO $780, 900. The drawing OF lots to de-
terminc upon whom the cruel fate OF CONSUMPTION
should fall has just taken place. In anticipation,
frantic parents, too poor 10 hope to purchase sub
stitutes for their sons, were aiding them in mu-
tilating themselves by chOpping off their fingers,
and by producing permanent inflammation Of the
ewes. and other diseases and disabilities, by which
to escape the surgeons certificate of " fit for ser
vice" Pious mothers, too, were having prayers
offered up in the churches that the doom might not
fall on their darlings.
Liberty, in fact as Americans understand the
significance Of the word at this moment has no
more existence in France than in Sing Sing Prison.
Under this system to keep in power the despOt,
whose recognition of himself the Rev. John S.
C.. Abbott deems an honor, and whose gold the
reverend fingers rejoice to clutch, were any I'M
fortunate Frenchman detected in the heinSIs
crime which you, reader, are now perpetrating,
such crime would be expiated in a feon's cell
or at hard labor in the galleys. Under Louis
Philippe's polished reign the courty spies of
the post-ofice used to open and reseal let
ters 80 adroitly that the receiver was not aware
of the espionage. But now there seems no
such concealment. We have letter which
had been rudely torn open and resealed, with the
simple Endorsement, Opened at the Hlyre post
offce," to account, we supposed, for its dilapi-
dated appearance.
There is sentiment of curiosity, OF which
almost all men partake impellipg them to obtain
sight of great criminal. Hence patient multi
tude stand all light before Newgate to be near the
palows in the morning when some notorious Often
der is to be hanged. Hence an eager crowd, by
permission Of the jailor, have filled the pockets Of
the negro-murderer of the Eudors's crew, with
shillings PAID for a sight of his revolving cOunte
nance Hence an American in Paris might be
pardoued for going out OF his way to have good
look at Louis Bonaparte in some public place,
provided in so doing be was careful to occupy
a position where he would not be forced to such
degradation as saluting the murderer. But,
when We find an American, and clergy
men too, like this Abbott, seeking a private
interview with this matchless criminal and
deeming it an honor; presenting to him a work
which is disgrace to American authorship;
accompanying the presentation with sanc:imonious
prote ststions of its truthiulness and with foul
SANDER On the memory of Washington; receiving
a gold medal in return; ana when We consider that
as the historian of HarPcrs Maga=ine-perhaps
the cheapest picture-book ever published and one
of vast circulation-he has had the opportunity to
poison the minds OF American youth with such
history as bis Napoleon l., and may, through the
same channel, send out an equally perncious his
tory of Napoleon Ill when we take all this into
account We believe We have not absolutely wasted
our labor in placing these facts before the million
readers of TIE TRIBUNE.