The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-03
NApnT.RnM IL

the FrtI ch, which has perhaps saved Austria
from total annihilaiion, there is reason TO be-
neye THAI the desire Do Of France TO possess the the
hours Napoleon IL, has been acceded to by the
Emperor Francis Joseph, and that the mortal
remains OF the King Of Rome will soon be placed
beneath the dome of the lnvalldes, side by side
with those of his ilustrious father. Thus the
great Napoleon and his son, separated by destiny
IN life will at last be united In death. Both
died IN the land OF exile, and neither VIII have
many years. sleep far from her shores-one upon
a roCk.bound island in distant ocean, and the
other in the funeral vault OF an Austrian palace.
Little is generally known in America
of the last years OF Napoleon II, and
the present moment seems opportune
to give a sketch of his brief and melan-
choly career. Joseph Charles Francis Napo-
leon, King of Rome, Duke of Reichstadt, was
born at Paris on the 10th day of March, 1911.
All the good fairies seemed to have assembled
around his cradle, and all appeared to predict
Tor him honors, riches and power; not one
intlmated doubt of his future grandeur and
lustre But despite the happy presages which
accompanied his birth, scarcely three years
after he came into the world as the heir of
Napoleon, the young Prince left France on the
I'd OF May, 1914, never 70 return during life.
On arriving in the dominions OF his grand
father the Emperor of Austria, his title was
suppressed, the name he bore prescribed, every
fact IN history hich recalled the glory of his
father and the humiliation of his enemies was
carefully concealed from the childs knowledge,
anu Ut seven wears OF age Ile son OF NaDOlbOu
became the Duke of Reichsadt. An Imperial
decree, promulgated July %, lSl8-the 22d of
July was also the date OF his death-conferred
upon HIM the tte of an Austrian duke, fixed
his rank at the Court of Vienna, the arms he
was TO bear, the honors to which he was to be
entitled, and the position he was to occupy as
member OF the Imperial family OF Austria. No
trace OF Napoleon was left, and the name itself
was formally suppressed by the decree. After
ward as he grew up and learned what hero
had been his father, he suddenly awoke as
nom long slumber When he read in
secret the story of Napoleons immortal cam
paigns, and comprehended the glory and
power to which the genius OF his father had
attained, it seemed 70 him that ne had all
at once entered upon anotherworld, illuminated
by the history OF gigantic exploits. Then,
Gespite those who surrounded him, despite the
lncessant watch kept over MIN, he determined
TO know all. He obtained and eagerly devoured
every work in which NapoleOn's name was
mentioned, and finally, when he realized how
great his father had be- and what humlliatiOns
had been heaped upon HIM, Low he died tor
tured prisoner, the young prince was filled with
an immense haired OF those who had accom-
plsbed the banIshed soldiers long martyrdom.
His Indignation was also excited against the
decree which deprived him of the name which
he Justly regarded as the most glorious Of those
he boIe, and he Immediately ana resolutely sig
nifed his intention to be called Napoleon. Like
his father, he was fond Of the profession of
arms, but his tall, thin body could not
with stand the arduOus exercises to which he at
tempted to school himself. Appointed Colonel
OF the Gustavus Nasa regiment, he assumed the
active command took part IN every tatiguing
ceremony, in all weather; and no matter how
i'll he was, OF how much his physicians remon-
strated. His dreams were of glory. BE studied
the art OF war in the numberless descriptions OF
his fathers battles, either reading them or in
ducing others to recount them to him, with the
map OF Europe beneath his eyes. He would
never consent to lie down, except when his
feebeness absolutely forced him to do so. He
well knew that he must soon die, but he had
O.oIxv in lpatr tri,,.r fINN n,,I
that was 10 have done so little to prove
himself worthy to bear the name OF Napo-
leon. | remember having often seen, in
America, an engraving representing him
gras ping his fathers sword and lamenting
his powerlessness to WELD the weapon which
had SO long "made all Europe tremble." The
phrase attributed to him may be apocryphal,
as regards the strict letter of the expression, but
that such were in reality his feelings cannot be
doubted for an instant. HIS mother, a woman
whose heart seemed lnsensibie 10 any ennobline
emotion, and who had not the dignity to re-
main the widow of Napoleon-his mother wept
near. Mother! mother!n he whispered 81
am dying" 1t was the 22d of July, 1882, and
these were the last words of Napoleon II, ex-
hiring in murmGr upon his lips with his last
breath. Thus died the son of the great Captain,
al the age Of twenty-one years. Six days after
mis- DEATH on the 2Sth, post-mortem eNamina-
tion OF the remains was made at Schonbrunn.
The following is an extract of the medical
reports THE body completely emaeiated; the
chest, IN proportion to the body, long and mar
row; the sternum iattened; the neck wasted
He was inferred at Schonbrunn with princely
hOnors, and visitors to his tomb, at the present
day, will see upon it Latin inscription, OF
which the following is a translation
To the eternal memory
OF Joseph Charles Francis, Duke of Reichsiadt;
SON OF Napoleon, Emperor of the French,
And OF Maria Louisa. Archduchess of Austria;
Born at Paris the Goth OF March, 1871,
Died at Schonbrunn, July %, 1882.
He had himself written an epitaph, which he
wished placed upon his tomb, but which was
rejected. 1t was brief and to the purpose:-
Here lies the son of the Great Napoleon!
He was born King of Rome
Hn died ap Auatr