The Portland daily press., 1866-05-26
Napoleon III. at Auxerre.

which he vehementiy asserted that neither
Prussia nor Italy would have venturcd to as.
sumo their present attitude of hostility TIC
Austria without encouragement from the inn
perial government of France. He deplored
the war into which Europe is drifting, and
wildly pictured the confusion which will en-
sue and the disturbances, sure to follow, of the
territorial arrangements fixed by the Vienna
treaties of 1916. Twice ON Thursday even
ing, it is said, the Emperor had an account
given to him by confidential person, CT the
manner in which NJ. Theirs speech was re-
ceived and he was particular in inquiring
whether those who applauded were the ma
jority. He could hardly believe it when as
sured repeatedly that the House was unani.
nous in its appreciation. He remained silent
for some minutes as if in reverie, and then
abruptly dismissed his attendant with the
words, "Raison de plus, raison de plus" He
spent the rest of the night walking up and
down his room, or writing, and did not retire
to repose till long after daybreak.
On Sunday morning, at 8 O'Clock, the EN-.
peror and Empress left Paris for Auxerre, a
four. hours ride by rail. The imperial party
was received at the station of Auxerre by NJ
Challe, the mayor, the municipal council, NJ.
Larabit, Senator, M. Lecompte, one of the.
deputies of the department, and several per-
sons OF note connected with the town. The
as follows:
SIRE: Fifty-one years since the Emperor Ma
poleon l. was received in this town with such
proofs of devotedness and joy that he retained
aylyld recollection OF them, which he expressed
on his death bed in the most affecting terms, as
recorded in the Memorable de Sdinte Helene
Your Majesty has just heard the same enthu-
siastic acclamations, the same cries from the
depths of the heart of population, whose de-
yoJedness to the Emperor, as your Majesty well
knows, has no more been found wanting in days
of trial and adversely thar in those of prosperi-
ty and triumph. Let the Emperor, therefore,
permit me to present to him the keys of this
faithful town, in which the sacred fire of at
tachment to the empire has always been kept
burning, even 10 the darkest times
MADAME: Come and receive the ardent bles-
sings of our populations, who venerate, admire,
nnd love you; and, as their reward, deign to tell
n ne young Prince Imperial that, like his great
affection Of his Old and loyal town Of Kuxerre."
The Emperor replied:
am happy to see that the "reminiscences of
the first Empire have not been effaced from
your memory. Be certain that, on my side, L
have inherited the sentiments of the head of
my family for the energetic and patriotic pop
ulatiOns who supported the Emperor in good as
10 evil fortune. have, moreover, a debt OF
gratitude to pay to the Department of they
YOnne. 1t was one OF the first to- give me its
suffrages in 1S43; because it knew, hike the ma
jority of the French nation, that its interests
fhof ,iJo If jg.oo-
ties of 1915 which some parties OF this day aois
to make the soie basis OF oar foreign policy.
thank you for your sentiments. In the
midst of you breathe at case, for it is among
the labori0us populations OF the towns. and
rural districts that / find the true genius of
France. N
These few words bid fair to become as IA
nous as the Emperor's dubious greeting to
the Austrian ambassador on New Years day,
in 1859. The detestation of the treaties of
1915 is nothing new or strange. Those trca-
ties excluded the Bonaparte family from the
throne of France and rearranged the political
map of Europe. They have already been abb
rogated by the recognition of Napoleon I'LL,
and the annexation of Nice and Savoy have
still further infinged their provisions so far as
France is concerned. Only Oh the east and
northeast are the boundaries of France still
conformed to the Arrangement of 1915. When
the Emperor of France takes occasion to ez-
press his detestation of these treaties, with
pointed reference to the peaceful policy advo-
Gated by I'M. Theirs and applauded by the
Corps Leglslatif, and at a time when his Maj
esty well knows that three great armies are
afoot in Europe, it is difficult to escape the
conclusion that he means to profit by the oc-
casion to carry out the cherished project of
restoring the boundaries of France in the only
direction in which they are still hampered by
the treaties. The natural boundary" of
France is the Rhine.
Such at least was the conclusion ms tantiy
embraced at Paris, and the rentes next day
dropped nearly two per cent. The panic in
London has already been described in our tel
egraphic dispatches. On Monday after the
Emperor's speech, consols opened at the price
of Saturday and rapidly declined to figure
more than three per cent. lower than the
worst price touched during the war of Italy
and France against Austria in 1859. In the
House OF Lords, the Earl of Clarendon said
significantly, II should not be discharging my
duty II sad too much, but, my Lords, ace
hare stood alone and alone we could do moth |
ing against the determination that war was
the most effective means-the onlv effact;va
means of giving effect to an ambitious nolicvv
1t is now said that two or three months 400
the scheme of the Italian government for Tho
reduction of its expenses was sent to Paris
for approval, but was returned with word that
whatever else was cut down the army must
suffer no diminution 1t is also reported that
the Emperor Francis Joseph has expressed a
wish to meet Napoleon, and confer with him
upon the state of Italy, but the proposal was
not entertained at Paris.
Whether true or false, these rumors indi-
cate the general conviction that France means
war. War means territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
for France, Prussia and Italy, at the expense
of Austria. Whether England will see Aus
tria reduced to third-rate power and the he
reditary enemy, against whom she is compell-
ed to maintain SO costly an armament even
now, immensely strengthened, remains to be
proved. Whether Russia, with Austria rem
dered incapable of serious opposition, will
miss the opportunity to plant her forts and
naval stations upon the Bosphorrs is more
than doubtful Such movement, threaten
ing the security OF her Indian possessions,
England would be compelled to resist. A
general European war, "a war;" to use the
words OF the British Foreign Minister, ''with-
out casas belli, and for which there is no
Justification" is not only possible but in view
of the recent developments, imminent.
1t is believed that Napoleon's 'Life of
Cesar" will extend to four volumes, as the
second only goes as far as the passing of Ru-