Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-04-11
Louis Napoleon and France.

ing LOUIS NAPOLEON. la the January numoes
of the National Reriesc the character 81 the
French Emperor is delineated with great power.
but without the slightest favor. The writer
says:
ut was the fashion to anaerrete Sspoieea for.
merlv; il is the fashion 10 overratc bim now
Personally, we have had means Of Judging.
though we have gaxed with intensest scrutiny on
that hard. sinister. impassive countenance, With
out one noble l,neament or one genial expression.
but we have had opportunities of ascertsinlng the
Judgements of several who have known him init
mately and watched him long, and their opinions
are neither doubtful nor discrepsnt. Uis forte
lies in meditative habits and a strong votiion.-
He has no genius his education has been imper-
feet and his knowledge not great His views
arc ssaaily na<rew, bat sometimes singularly
sngacions; and when he is on the right track his
courage GOODNESS. deliberaton.and INSCRIPTIONS
resolution. give him enormous advantages. -
He is tenacious, resolu,e. and vehemently impe-
rious in carrying out the purpose of the hour
but this purpose often changes. One project of
fancy succeeds another with strange. almost IN
famine rapidly. Hence though anything bpt
vacillating, he is very obnngeable. lie learns
little from others: for. he rarely listens to rea-
soning or exposition. though he Is silent with an
appearance If attention while in reality ho ~
thinking. not hearing" I'm one point
be is singularly al fault. lie has slight insight
into character and is apt TO choose his men ILL.,"
49, "lfhis natural capacity were greater he
would be a safer man. and his courso far Elore
practicable. lie has made the most Of the foo
ultes with which be was originally endowed; but
these were beth limited in range and incomplete
in number. and il is impossible to say when they
will fail him. or whittier will they lead him"
The worlds Judgment of Napoleog is notices.
varied than his fortunes have been dvcrsi-
fed. To some extent the common estimate has
Tailed with the incidents of his wonderful history,
and reckoned lin at one time possessed Of 40
qualities above the condition Of vagoboud--at
another Of none benesih the position Of the most
powerful of the rulers of Europe. II is not un-
likely that these opinions have been about equal.
ly wide of true and just apprehension of his
character and capacities. Louis Napoleon. with
an uncommon obsinney and perseverance, OF
purpose, has nevertheless been 10 an e1taordi-
nary extent the creature Of circumstances
Vicisstudes, such as could scarcely have at
tended my Quo not connected with the ncon-
slant fortunes of the most coeentro and mu.
table nation earth,haye sunk him MS far below.
at one time,as they hive raised above Mt another,
his true position in life. At present bis star is
in the ascendant. The fate or destiny or by
whatever name il may be called, in which he is
said TO oonide now bears him on It's topmost
crest. But another year may see the Boorbons
back, or the House Of Orleans again cnhroned
amid the insignia Of a more splendid and dura-
BILE royalty than they fed from eight years ago
One thing is remarkable, almost anomalous, in
the history of the French nation and pcople.-
With the most huetua.ing political fortunes
amid more scenes of revolution, violence and
blood than any other nation in modern or ancient
times ever suffered AMI survived, the civilization
ofFranee has meyer gone backward. The irreprcs-
sible geniu, 81 her suns has borne up amid every
reverse that has befallen the state and shed
lustre over the darkest clouds that ovcrhung her
horizon. Learning invention. art, taste, po-
likeness and all those indescribable and inimila-
bic personal accomplishments which give a charm
to social life have maintained their sway, amid
the roekings of revolution and the nurdcrous
riotings of Infatuated mobs. Through every gru-
daton of government from unbridled anarchy TO
absolute desrotism. through all changes oi re-
gion and the persecution and martyrdoms which
they produced. amid innovations innumerable
and sweeping in the laws and customs that gov
erned society, amid revulsions and bankrupt
oies that have shaken down public and private
wealth and destroyed all confidence between
man and man, and broken up the whole fabric
of trade and industry. civilization has main
tanned her stately march and science has poured
its golden rays along her pathway. Nor are we
ready to disbeeve that in all her chequcred ca.
reer. France has ever forgotten her early dream
of liberty. or abandoned the hope of yet seeing
equality established the, universal social con
ditiop. and government spread like a sacred
panoply over all her seas. In the language o,
another, the grdnde nation is too much enve'opet
under cloud beasiag the name OF Napoleon 49,
France. the land Of noble gencrees hearts.i. wor
thy the esteem of the world. Her sons have
played gallant part; and the history of ciza
tion would be incomplete if France were blot,ed
from its pages. Whom Lafayette and his brother
warriors fought by the sde of Washington, there
was universal sympata yfel for the cause of free
dom throughout France: and when her great rev
oluton came, and'there was end to her heredita.
ry monarchy and nobility. she sought to emulate
America. The crimes that sued that period were
rather the fruits of the tyranny of her Bour.
bon rulers. than the ntt.ra instinct, of the peo
pie; and she proved on hundred fields OF
battle that she WAS willing to atone by deeds
of heroic daring. for the errors Of the past. Tn
der the Consulate and the Empire of Napoleon
France won the admiration of every enlightened
mind. The battle she waged was the battle. o
right against the foul oppression of ages. VIVA
light she threw into the chambers of the Inqui
sition; what spirit she displayed in casting king
from their pedestals and in rubbing the gilt OF
their clayey persons; what free vent she gave 4
freedom Of thought aud action! She the EN-