, 1866-08-31

Interesting Sketch Of Napoleon II.


rAn1s. August i, 1865.
Since the recent mediation Of The Emperor
Austria from total annihflation, there is rca-
eon to believe that the desire Of France to
possess the ashes Of tho young Prince who
was fof few hours Napoleon II. has been ac-
and that the mortal remains Of the King OF
Rome will soon be placed beneath the Dome
Ills lllustrlous father. thus the great Napo-
leon and his son, separated BY destiny IN life,
and npd neSer M Saxs
repose upon tho soil Of Franco until afecr
many years slcer far from her shorcs-onc
upon rock-bollnl island III Il distant ocean,
and tho other III the funeral vault of MI Aus.
trian lnlacr.
Little Is generally known In America Of
the last years Of Napoleon H., and the pres.
cnt moment seems oppurtunc TO give sketch
of ills brief nnt melancholy. career.
JoaeRh Charles Francis Napoleon, King Of
on the 3otll Of Mnrtll, ISL. All tho good
falrics seemed 10 l'are assembled around his
cradle, and nll appeared to predict for him
holloFt, Riches, a1,tl power; not one fntItuatcd
a doubt Of his fl,turo grandeur and l,sstre!
con,ranltd lis birtl, Scarcely tlircc years af
Ter he ca.nc into thc wnrld rs Tho l,cir Of MI
rolc0n, the yol,nE Prince left Frnncc on tho
x Of May. 1874. never 10 return during tlfc.
On aFriving nt tho d"nllntusls Of lts grand
father, tic Emperor of AustrEn, lls tillu WAS
suppressed. tl,e name l,c bore WIS prescribed,
every tact III history which, recalled thu glory
oi his tatlcr and the humiliation Of lIis enc.
mics was carefully concealed from the cllll's
knowledge, nnd ut seven years Of ngc the son
An lmfcrtal decree, promulgated July j..
ISIS: (tl!c ed Of July was ntso the date Of
| Ills dcatll,) conferred upon him the title Of
IN Austrian Duke, liked hia rank at the Court
Of Vienna, the arms he wns to hear, the
honors to which he was entitled, and tiic po-
sftIon hc was to occupy is a member OF Tho
| Napoleon was len, and The name itself was
formally suppressed by the decree.
AherWard, as lle grew up anl learned what
as from long slumber, When he read IN
secret the story Of Sapolcon's immortal
| campaigns, and coMrrcAcnded the glory and
power TO which the genius Of his father had
attained, 1T seemed to him hc had all ut once
history of gigantic exploits.
| Then, despite those who surrounded him,
despite the }ncessant watch kept over him,
lie determined to know all. lIc obtained
md eagerly dcvourcd every work in Which
when he realized how great his fnthcr had
been, what Aumi1lations had been hcaped
upon him, how he had died tortured prfs-
oncr, the young Prince was filled with an i'm
mcnse hatred Of those who had accoMp-
lishcd the banisllcd soldiers long martyr
DOM. His indignation was also excited
against the decree which deprived him OF
the name which he Justly regarded Us the
most glorious Of those he bore, and he i'm
mediately and rcsolutely signitlcd his inten-
he was fond Of the profession Of arms, but
his tall, thin body could not withstand the
arduous exercise to which he attempted ia
school himself: Appointed Colonel Of the
Gustayus Vasa Regiment, he assumed the
active command, took part in every fntisnine
i'll be was, or low much his physicians remon
strnted. His dreams were Of glory. liz
studied the art Of war in the nulnbcrlcs:
descriptions Of his fathers battles, either
Icaaing r them or Inducing others to recount
them 10 him, with the map Of Europe
beneath Ills eyes.
He would cr::consent to lie down, cxcep
Whcn lis feebiencss absolutely forced him II
do so. Hc well knew that be must soon die
e had had S, 9ny one 59Etst I: ana in essa d IT,
prove himself worthy to bear the name Q
Napoleon. remember having often seen, il
America, an engraving representing hin
graspfng his fathers sword an,
weapon which had Sc long a made all Europ
trcmblc." The phrase attributed to him ma,
be ap0cFypha1, as regards the strict letter O
| the expression. but that such were In reallt,
| MS leei1nEB cannot be doubted Tor an instant
His mother, woman whose heart scemet
iusensib1c tn my ennoblfng emotion, who hal
not the dignity to remain the widow Of M
Iolcon-his mother wept at his bedside, whe
! the fatal moment drew near.
am dyiuE!''
; It was tho ed of July, 1882, and thes
.. . we're the last words Of Napoleon IL, c1pirin
, In Il murmnr npon his lips. with his ias
breath. Thus died the son Of the Great Car
, tain, at the age Of twenty-ono yeaTs. ST
: days after his death, on the 18th, a port MOI
tim examination of the remains WAS made g
: Schonbrunn. The following Is an extract
! the medical report
h., "Thc body completely cmaciatca; th
chest, in proportion to the body, long m
!: narrow; the sternum 1attcned; the nee
: Wnstcd.''
He was inferred at schonbrunn with prime
~ honoss, and visitors to his tomb, at IL
present day, will sec upon It Latin inscril
!, lion, Of which the following Is q translation
!. 10 the eternal memory
OfJoecph Charles Francis, Duke Of Reichstadt; !;
!, Son Of Napoleon, Emperor Of the French;
!. And OF Nasia Louisa. Arch-p puchcEs Of Austria !;
J., 0orn ut Taris, the 20th Of March, 1911,
+ Died ut Sthonbrunn, July = 1872.
lie had himself written IN epitaph. Wh{c
he wished placed upon his tomb, but whie
was rejected. It was brief and to the pu
pose:
} Here lies tho Son OF the Great Sapolcons
y lie was born Eing Of Rome.
= lie died an Austrian Co1ouc1t