The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-27
Character Of Louis Napoleon.
From the London Saturday Review.
TOnis Nanoleon ia neither so bad nor

Louis Napoleon is neither so bad nor so
able as is currently supposed. cit is his
fate" said one who knew him well, "to be
always misconceived.. People used to think
him a cretin, and now they think him a
god" AS we turn over page after page OF
his writings, we are compelled to admit that
be has ideas and aspirations which are, to a
certain extent, reflected in his policy. True,
the ideas are often wrorg.headed, while the
policy is dyed deeply with self-interest and
a low kind of expediency but he is not
vulgar tyrant of the old world type. With
regard to his intellect, the mot d'enigme wss
hit on by statesman who served him before
the coup d'etat, who speaking lately of the
sudden turns of his policy, observed, I'll ne
salt pas la difference etre rever ct penser."
He carries out bis projects with great pru-
deuce and GOODNESS but he devises them in
the spirit of an enthusiast. Hence arise
strange contradictions. The fire and the
water meet and the whole vanishes in vapOr.
1t was thus that his dream of Italy free from
the Alps to the Adriatic melted away in
front Of that grim Quadrilateral. 1t was
thus that his design of raising Hungary in
rebellion, and avenging on Austria the
wrongs which she had inflicted on his uncle,
disappeared before the shadow of a coming
Coalition. Louis Napoleon is sufficiently
acute man to have foreseen both the difficult
ties of the Lombardo- Venetian campaign
and the possible complications which might
have resulted from an insurrectiOn on the
Danube; but his imagination was power.
fully affected with the picture which it called
up, and reason was silent till he was face to
face with possible disaster.
No one has ever called him blOodthirsty
He does not even appear to be vindictive
The expressions which he makes use of in
his works with regard to his enemies are moi
particularly strong. He has always shown
marked civility to those who were kind tt
him in his exile. Even amongst people wh(
habitually spoke of him as fourbe and coquin
we have always heard him described as {
man who would rather do anybody goot
turn than bad one. He appears to have
been really affected by the carnage Of Sol
ferno, as we'll as awed by the tremendou
magnitude of the conflict. 1t is impossible
not to sympathize more with him than will
the legitimate and hereditary oppressors o
mankind-with the Hapsburgs of the Bour
bons.
Amidst whole nation of takers, Loui
Napoleon is silent. Conscious of bis ina
bility to cope in argument with many eve
of those about him, he listens quietly t
what they have to say, and follows in the en-
his own intuitive decision. This power Q
holding his tongue has done him very goot
service. 1t deepened the impression OF hl
stupidity, which threw his adversarles O
their guard and, now that his reputatio
for ability is gained, he seems to be vulgar
A statesman OF consummate mind
Solving an ancient problem
at times when it is no dsparagement to hi
merits to say that he only "fa1t le mouto
Qui reve."
Again, he has that first and most impor
tant requisite for success-he has convit
lions. He entered France after his Ion
exile, not only with keen eye to his ow
interest, but with ready made budget G
opinions on every subject. The ideas {
those amongst whom he found himself wer
thousand times more sane, but they wer
not held with the same undoubting frmnes
of belief. What gives MIR. Bright the powe
which he has in our own House of Con
mons? Is be really so much superior
) intellect to the men who sheer in silence g
his fervid half>truths? We venture to thin
not but then, in the midst of sceptic'
, generation which is but too apt to beliey
that " there is nothing new, and there
nothing true, and it don't signify" he cling
, to his narrow creed with zeal worthy {
the catacombs. Open the published wri
. ings of Louis Napoleon, and lay them sic
, by side with those of any one of the perso
ages who were conspicuous when the Rev(
luton of 184S burst upon Europe. Is tn
, the political philosopher who was to eclip
, De Tocqueville? Is this the declaimer WI
, was to silence Montalembert? Is this tt
. statesman before whom the wisdom of Guiz
, was to be turned into foolishness