Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-31
NAPOLEON II.
Interesting Details of the Melancholy
Life of NaPOIeOn's Son.


Life of NaPOIeOn's Son.
Paris Correspondence of the New York Times
Little is generally known in America
of the last years of Napoleon IL, and the
present moment seems opportune to give
sketch of his brief and melancholy
career.
Joseph Charles Francis Napoleon. King
of Rome, Duke of Reiehstsdt, was born at
Paris on the 10th Of March, 1911. All
the good fairies seemed to have assembled
around his cradle, and all appeared to
predict for him honors, riches, and power; !;
not one intimRted doubt of his future
grandeur and lustrel Yet, 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 TO return during life.
On arriving in the dominions of his grand
father, the Emperor Of Austria, his title
was suppressed, the name he bore was
prescribed, every fact in history which
recalled the glory Of his father and the
humiliation Of his enemies was carefully
concealed from the child's knowledge. and
at seven years of age the son of Napoleon
became the Duke Of Reichstadt.
An Imperial decree, promulgated July
%, 1878, tthe 22d of July was also the
date of his death, conferred upol him the
title of an Austrian Duke fixed his rank
at .he Court of Vienna, the arms he was
TO bear, the honors to which he was to be
entitled, and the position he was 10 oecupv
as member Of the Imperial family Of
4rfQ NJ .f
and the name itself was formally sun
pressed by the decree.
Afterward, as he grew up and learned
whata hero his father bad been. he sud
denly awoke as from a long slumber.
When he read in secret the story of Ma
poleon's immortal campaigns, and CON-
pretended the glory and power TO which
the genius Of his father had attained, it
seemed to him that he had all at once en-
tered another world, Illuminated by the
history of gigantic exploits. Then, des-
plte the incessant watch kept over him,
ne 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
lather had been, what huuiliations had
been heaped upon him, how he had died a
tortured prisoner, the young Prince was
hlled with an immense hatred of those
who had accomplished the banished SOL
diers long martyrdom. His Indignation
was also excited against the decree which
deprived him of the name which he Justly
regarded as s'tEe most glorious of those he
bore, and he Immediately and resolutely
signited his intention to be called Napo-
leon. Like his father, he was fond of the
profession Of arms, but his tall, thin body
could not Withstand the arduous exercises
to which he attempted to school himself
Appointed Colonel of the Gustavus Yasa
Regiment he assumed the active COM
mand, took part in every fatiguinc cere-
mony, in all weather, and no matter how
Ill he was, or how much his physician re-
monstrated. His dreams were Of glory
He studied the art of war in the number
less descriptions of his fathers battles,
either reading them or inducing Others to
recount them to him, with the map of
Europe before his eyes
He would never consent TO lie down, ex-
eept when bis feebleness forced him to do
SO. He well knew that he must soon die,
but be had only one regret in leaving the
world, aud that was to have done so little
worthy TO bear the name of Napoleon.
l 1emember having often seen, in Ameri-
ca, an engraving representing him grasp
ing his fathers sword and lamenting his
to WELD the weapon which
had so long "made all Europe tremble.D
The phrase attributed to him msy be
apocLryphal, as regards the strict letter of
the expression, but that such were in real
ity his feelings cannot be doubted for an
instant.
His mother, woman whose heart seem
ed insensible to any ennobliug emotion,
and who had not the dignity to remain the |
widow of Napcleon-his mother wept at
his bedside, when the fatal moment drew |
near.
Mother ! mother !" he whispered, Al
am dyingrn
SItwas the 22d of July, 1882, and thess
were the last words of Napoleon II. ex-
piring in murmur upon his lips, with his |
last breath. Thus died the son of the
Great Captain, at the age Of twenty-one
years. Six days after his death. on the
the 2sth, post raorterp examination of the
remains was made at Sehonbrunn. The
is an extract of the medical re-
port:
The body completely emaciated; the
chest, in proportion to the body, long and
narrow; the sternum fattened; the neck
wasted"
He was inferred at Schonbrunn with
princely honors, and visitors to his tomb,
At the present day, viii see upon Latin
inscription, of which the following is a
translation;
To the eternal memory
II J0sEPG CnARLEs FRANCIS, Duke Of Rsichstadt:
Son Of NAPoLEos. Emperor of the French,
And Of MARIA LOUISA, Arch-Duehess Of Austria
Born AZ Paris, the 30th Of Mach ISL,
Died at SchonbrunD, July 2, 1852.
He had himself written an epitaph,
which he wish placed upon his tomb, but
which was rejected. Il was brief and TO
he purpose:
Hers lies he Son Of the Great SAFo1EoNi
BE was born King OF Rome.
He cied an Austrian Colonel