The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-07-14
The Empress Josephine.

Upon the little island OF Martin ique, al
mos, lost among the brilliant gems of the An
tilles-Josephins Rose Tsscher de la Pager
ie. on the 24.h of June, 1888. first saw tn,
light. Who could have dreamed that. upor
lonely spot Of earth. barely able to resis
the pillows Of the Atlantic, was to be born
Creole girl into whose single history was tc
be crowded the most wonderful events oi
time! Yet, strange as 1t may seem, there
was one OF those prophetesses (in regard to
whose orthodoxy, however much we boast.
we are all superstitlous.) venerable negress;
who pierced. the curtain of fate, and predict
ed that Josephine would one day sway the
destinies of France
The yoong girl seemed to act upon the
impulses of prophecy. for, At an early age,
she visited Paris. and when bu. fourteen
years old. married Count Beauharnais. Her
married life was certainly not a pleasant one;
! yet we are not disposed 10 credit the scanda
lous memories of the scandalous women that
unquestionably frequented the brilliant court
of the unfortunate Marie Antoinette, and We
are disposed TO draw the veil Of charity over
that dalk and awful period whose trailsiss
and whose crimes were, after all, washed
away by the 'euphrasy and rue of revolu-
tionaIy blood.
Josephine had two children by her first
acknowledgement and Hortense-whose his
tories. more thrilling than romance, are
known to all
In 1897, hearing Of the Illness Of her aged
mother, Josephine returned to her distant
home in the ocean, where she nursed her pa
rent until the storms of instruction compell-
ed her to return to France. During her alb
sence tht W Id democracy of Paris had risen
against Louis XVI, and inaugurated that
terrible revolution before whose mighty en-
ergies all the thrones of Europe were destin-
ed to tremble to their medaieval foundations.
Fleeing from the circumscribed flames Of an
ocean isle. she found herself in moment in
the midst of continent of FIRE
Count Beauharnais had been one of the
earliest and most active agents in the revo.
luton, and was fated. of course. to be one
It's earliest victims. He was cited before the
bar of tire Convention, condemned to death,
and, on the 23d of July, 1894, beheaded -
Josephine herself was imprisoned, and bare
ly escaped the terrors of the guillotins.-
Madam Tallen, who was her fellow prisoner.
interceded for her, aud, after the death of
Robespierre had unlocked the door Of her
cell, she breathed once more the vital air.
Through her kind friend that had suffered
With her, She became, after the establishment
of the Directory, an Influential member of
the circle of the renowned karras.
The impression OF many writers is, that
while associating with the Barras family she
first met Bonsparte. The probabilities. how
ever. are against this conclusion. The day
after the 18th Of Vendemiaire, the disarming
of the citizens having been decreed, a boy Of
fifteen called upon Gen. Bonaparte, then COM
mandant Of Paris, and with ingenious bold
ness demanded the sword Of his father. The
General was struck with the boys depors-
meut, he made particular inquiries about
him, and sought an acquaintance with his
mother 1t is hardly necessary TO say the
young Hercules of Corsica was at once enam-
ored of the beautiful widow; his passion. in
deed knew no bounds. and on the 18th of
February, 1895, he and Josephine were unit
ed IN marriage, and commenced that wonder
iul career which ecEpsed at once in grandeur.
terror, suffering and romance, all the history
of antiquity.
josephine followed Bonaparte to Italy.
and was with him at that splendid period
when in his conflicts with the Aussrians, he
established a reputation in heroic annals
that will live forever. While her husband
was in Egypt, fighting the Mahomedsns. un-
der the shadow of the Pyramids, and while
he pursued the wild boards of Asia through
the Holy Land, she resided IN Malmalson.
During his absence. countless scandals were !
circulated. which whether partially true or
wholly false, were sufficient to arouse the
youthful conquerer. That he contemplated
divorce, is unqueSiionable; that the testimony
of his wie's children aud his deep and ard
ent love for them both re-assured and salts
fed him. Is certain.
Josephine exercised an astonishing con-
troll over Napoleon. His letters from Italy .
ba most .rIsut and the +
most successful plans he ever executed came
first under the review of his wife. She was
indulgent to fault to emigrants and prison
ers. and returned many of the latter to their
native homes. If l gain battles said Ma
poelon, i, is you who win hearts
Josephine loved display and pomp, and what !
ever savored OF royal or imperial magnif
cence. Her expenditures were SO lavish
that the Emperor, though he did not seruple
TO rob Rome of its treasures or art TO deco
rate Paris, thought her wasteful in her ex-
euditure and often cenSured her very severe |!
ly.
When Bonsparte became Emperor. he was
counseled to secure a divorce The propo-
sition. however. was rejected By him. and on
the FL o. December, 1894. Josephine was
consecra,ed by Pope Plus VII. Empress CT
France; Napoleon himself placed the crown
uuon her brow. Soon alter. at Milan, she
was crowned Queen OF Italy. She bore her
honors like one that had inherited nobility,
and ever acted as a woman born 10 rule . ma
ton. Her children, whom Napoleon dearly
loved, were duly remembered by him who
had taken the place OF their beheaded father
That incident which cast dark cloud over
the glory of the Emperor, and deep mantle
of sorrow upon proud and illustrious wo-
man-that feature IN the history of the
great conquer which all the shouts of fame
sn assembled world could raise could not
drown, was the divorce, founded upon res- 4
.Ans al State Tallexrand Eonpha and 9th. |