Minnesota weekly times., 1856-11-29
The Napoleon Dynasty.

juster or more intense rebuke by all classes and
kingdoms, than the reputation of the worthy and
lovely Josephine by Napoleon, in order to marry
Marie Louisa, and thus obtain an heir to the
throne of France. The plaudits of millions fol-
lowed his great deeds, and honors uncounted
clustered along the pathway of his career, but an
act 80 utterly cruel, will always be a stain upon
his memory. He admired Truth, but he adored
Royalty He loved Josephine passionately- ly-but
Ambition still more. The following sketch, from
book of memoirs published long ago, shows
Josephine in the light of Cassandra-hs star did
pale, after he married the Austrian. Read this; /;
we never saw anything more beautifully pro-
phetic.
"Josephine, said he, turning his head from
her, s:it is not !, it is France that demands it."
care you sure Of that, mp Lord" said his
wife, "have you probed your heart to the bot
| tom? 1t is not Ambition rather, which prompts
you to seek reasons for repudiating me? - for
think not misunderstood you-are you sure it is
the love of france?"
Every word she spoke touched him to the quick,
and rising hastily, he replied - "Madame, - l
have my reasons, so now, good evening""
eSire, Sire,'' said she, taking hold of his arm,
sswe must not part in anger. submit cheerfully.
1t is not my nature to oppose your will; love
you, Napoleon, though am to leave yeur throne,
and your side. If reverses come, will lay down
my life to comfort you F; will pray for you morn
ing and night in the hope that you will sometime
| think of me.'
Hardened as he was, Napoleon had loved his
wife dearly and long, and her submission to his
iron mandate, her calm but mournful dignity,
and her love earnest and mistaken, moved even
him and for a moment affection struggled with
| ambition.-Ie turned once more to embrace her.
But in a moment her face and form had become
changed-her eyes lit up with an almest insanity,
and her whole person seemed inspired. lie felt
bimself in the presence of superior being. She
| led him to the window, and threw it open. A
thin mist hung upon the Seine, and faint grey
light cleaned across the gardens Of the Tuilleries
| All around was calm and silent: among the stars
| that were beamng upon them was one brighter
| than the rest: she pointed to it. "Bonaparte,'
said she, ssthat star is mine; to that and not to
yours was the promise of an empire through me
and my destiny you have risen; part from me,
and YOU fall The spirit of her who foresaw my
rise to royalty even now tells me that your fate
hangs on mine. Believe me or not Napoleon,-
if we henceforth walk assunder, you will leave no
empire behind yoa, and will die yourself in shame
and sorrow, with a broken spirit"
| How strangely are there predictions verified |!
Louis Napoleon, the present Emperor, is son of
Hortense and Bonaparte's brother Louis, King
and Queen of Holland. Napoleon le grand set
aside his own best friend and councillor, jose
phine, to obtain an heir to the throne of France
and by his very treachery he lost it He wooed
and welded one of the Austrian nobility, and she
presented him with son. This was the climax
of his power. Henceforward his decline was
steady but certain. His star paled and sunk.
He became an outeast among the nations his
his name was a scoff; he saw his throne filled,
and his power welded by a usurper. True to Jo-
sephine's prophesy, ''he left no empire behind
him." for his son, like himself, died in exile.
Who has inherited his name, his fame, his s'mani-
fest destiny?" Ono of the great Napoeon's Pc
digree? No; none Of Bonaparte's royal blood
courses in the veins of the present "emperor of
all the French % he is none but Louis the child
of Hortense, and grandson of Josephine, Ma
poleon's discarded wife. What lesson to the
worlds monarchs!
i %" On Saturday, the 7th, Syracuse N. Y.
was visited by the largest fire ever known there.
The work of an incendiary. One hundred build