Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-09-27
Prince Napoleon on America.

The Opinione NationaIe Of Paris pub-
fishes second letter from the United
States, which is understood to be written
by no less a person than Prince Jerome
Napoleon, now travelling over our country.
In former letter the Prince had spoken
disparagingly Of our preparations for war,
saying however that he held all such com
ments subject to change or correction after
he should have seen more of our institutions
for himself. This second letter is of pecul-
lar interest and we make two or three ex-
tracts.
HE is AsToNIsHED.
On the plains and slopes beyond the Po-
tomac are scattered numberless small white
spots, and the tops Of the great trees are
bathed in a whitish smoke which relieve
admirably therawish tones of the landscape.
The spots are tents Of the northern army,
of the army Of the Union, which protects
Washington on the right shore of the Po-
tomac. The white smoke is that of the
bivouaces Of a campof 10000 men. have
crossed, at the rate Of thirty-six miles the
hour, the distance which separates New
York from Washington. l have had the
spectacle of those great works of American
industry which are to ours what the great
cities of Babylon and Niueveh were to our
towns. l have crossed arms Of the sea with
a frightful rapidity on two iron rails sus-
pended over the abyss. have arrived, at
full steam, on the top of immense edices,
the lower stories of which were occupied
by people or applied to uses unknown to
me; then have felt the edifce move, and
have perceived that was on steamboat
and that they had run on it the train of
cars just as bale of cotton would be placed
on an ordinary vessel. To very these a
splendid but somewhat frightful spectacles,
have had along the route the sight of an
army in the field-everywhere tents, wag.
ons, conveys Of sick or wounded, dark and
solid uniforms, gloomy and grave faces Of
soldiers, who with their guns between their
legs and with Indifferent and sad expression,
watch you as you pass. Baltimore gave
me somewhat the idea of besieged city /;
as to Washington, imagined myself while
traversing it, in town invaded, overrun,
stained by war at the moment of the pas
sage and sojourn Of great armies, or Just as,
two years ago, in Italy, I have seen Alex
andria, Brescia and Milan. The peaceful
federal city has appeared to me almost un-
der the aspect of camp, with streets en-
numbered with horses, wagons, guns, re-
sounding with the rattle of drums, with
the houses transformed into hospitals and
barracks, their open windows exposing
scenes of suffering, uncleanliness and disor.
der. Well, as resting place from all these
things grand or terrible or painful, not to
speak Of a dog-day heat and Of Sahariau
dust, | find myself suddenly at Georgetown
in the midst of yerdure, in the bosom Of
quiet, tranquil nature, taking from its con.
tact with the most prosaic works of mon on.
ly some features calculated to set off its
poetic beauty.
HIS OPINION OF CONGRESS.
Contrary to what has been so often writ.
ten about the tumultous appearance of the
Chambers, the dress and eccentric habit:
OF the honorable members, found in the
Senate and House of Representatives ar
aspect very usual and decent. Without
the fashion of the great number of white
coats, which, worn by number of Western
members, degenerate, by their extraordin
ary out, into species of garment of the
middle ages, we might fancy ourselves il
one of our French political assemblies.
have seen no one with his feet on his desk
not the least bit of revolver, and have
looked in vain for those little blocks of whit,
wood the cutting of which with penknife
passes for one of the fayorite diversions 0
the statesman, the Judge or the American
attorney in the exercise of his duties.-
Doubtless, in the United States, some de
tails of secondary moment shock our Euro
pean ideas and habits; but l do not wisl
to dwell on those details without real i'm
portance, which should not bind us as t
what's good and great in this country.
WHAT HE THINKS OF AMERICA.
I declare to you that, arrived in Amsrl
f ca 'o'th prepossessio'ls ertreemly .favoroa
to the United Stated, the reality has passe
: to be far beyond those prepossessions a
sight of these immense cyclopian cities an,
those magnificent workshops, proportions
to condition of things where everythin,
. has dimensions unknown to the old world
. I haze found IN the United States tho
! achich, despite my inclination to admir-
everything, r did not expect to meet witl
on the aOord Of eVsn The most taVora5iy di,
: posed travellers, and that is perfect orde,
+ honesty, eagerness to be of service, if M
: urbdaity, life comfortable, easy and req,
Tar; an fine an hd6itual interconnact by a
q classes of society Which neither soil
a mounds nor chiUs anyone. aq
! / will add that have been struck an
: touched by the ardor, in some sort chiva
e rous, with which the people of the Mort
d contrary to their most immediate and ia
e perious material interests, have throw
I themselves into war in which they ha,
ls but one end, that Of vindicating the hon,
: of the flag of the common country, whiC
O. they believe to have been outraged by Il
y South. This is what I have, what l al
I very happy to say and repeat. 'a''' ~
; AMERICA WILL BE GREATER THAN EVER.
The crisis viii pass; the elements Of '
q tality which America beats within ber VI
{ give strength to sprmoupt il. Soon "
. will see this country greater more full !,
= future, than ever. ~ .ii,.sr.-
Subscriptions TO the Loan.
t The Iitde city of Wilmington, in Il
slave though loyal State Of Deleware, bl
subscribed 100000 to tho z so per cen
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