Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-11-27
Napoleon and his Surroundings.

|
Paris, Oct 9th, gives not very fiat
tering account of the success of the
Napoleon dynasty. Tho picture he
draws is ono of tho many indications
! Of how unstable is the present peace
OF the European Governments.
Speaking of the effect upon tho pub
lie mind in France, Of tho Spanisl,
revolution, ho says:
"And now: say the adversarics OF
the second empire and its policy {and
such seem to become boldcr and more
numerous cvery day), what position
has your boasted "pcrsonal govern
mont" achieved for itself aud it's foun.
| der, as the close Of tho career of the
latter may be eaid TO be approximating
Were any thing TO affect tho ifo of
tho emperor at present moment,
in what position would ho transmi.
the govcl and tho Country
over which he has exercised unboan-
dcd control for eighteen years? He
would leave his throne, Franco and
his son literally surrounded by power
full nations, partly OF his own creation
partly thrown together by the faults
of his own policy-not ono of whom
can be sincerely regarded as friend.
IIe has created Italy bat by selfish
Vows and half measures, and clican
cry and hesitation, ho has failed to
secure her gratitude for what lie h:.d
dono for hcr-h"s increased, indeed,
the deep enmity Of her people, and
throw away ali that ho had cxpcn-
dcd in her behalf. In Germany, again
he has RETAINED indeed, from inter-
fering directly to thwart the national
aspirations. But there too, he has
done it in such q fashion, has so con-
Quoted himself, and has again display
ed !so much hesitation and balances
between IL would and I would not"
that hc has lost all the benefits of, or
even credit for his moderation, and
and has, on the contrary, loft such an
indeIib'o impression on the public
mind beyond the Rhino that ho only
aastaincd because he found him
not ready or strong enough to do
otherwise. That he has Inherited by
his conduct nothing but suspicion,
dislike and defiance. And now Iastl:
in the Peninsular, Napoleon ag,in
finds himself placed on tho losing
siJe. Stain, indeed, does not of him
self count for much in tho balance of
power; bnt Spain, ad,!ci to all Ger
many and all Italy, mako up pretty
noarly every State of Europe, TO
which Franco is limited, and their
prcscn: attitude exhibits her Emperor
i'll the pleasant situation of not having
q single ncighbor with whom ho is
really on cordial aCd trustworthy
terms. OF course, Prussia is very
polite automatically, and so is
l'aly; and so will b. the Spanish "In.
surrcc!ionary Junta," as the Monitour
ostcntatiously and Extensively dcsig-
mates that body, Instead Of calling it
tho "National Government But
not ono Of them wish Napoleon well
or would be sorry to SEQ him fall, or
would care to como 10 his aid, either
morally or physically. They all look
upon him with suspicion ; and, what
is worse, all begin TO look upon him
too as failure. Nor can one, indeed,
accuse them of bcing very far wrong
in the latter conclusion, whom, to all
that can now be citod against him on
that head in Europe, is to be added
his rash and absurd American policy,
and tho fatal estrangemen ent created by
it even in tho long standing tradition
al sympathics existing between France
and the United States. The very
best and wisest mon in Franco owe
him a greater grudge CT this latter
ground perhaps, than On any other;
and profess to SEQ in it ono of The
causes, at least, for tho rapid increase
of cordiality and good understanding
growing up between the British and
American people and Governments.
Indeed, of latter years, it is hardly
an exagcration to say that tho most
striking characteristic of Napoleon
the Thirds policy has been a knack' Of
throwing everybody into union
against himself, and after having fully
perpetrated this blnnder abroad, he
seems now equally bent on consnm-
mating it by writingat political par
ties against bis government at home.
Finally to sum up this drcary cata-
logue of tho results of tn, career of
tho once "extrordinary" man, ho is
growing old-old both in mind and
body; and what is more, he is becom-
ing every year more and more iso-
lated and standing alone. Nearly all
bis personal friends and adherents